Biomedical subjects

Lluis Serra-Majem

Publications and source records attributed to Lluis Serra-Majem.

5 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed2006

Nutrition risk in the child and adolescent population of the Basque country: the enKid Study.

Cross-sectional population studies provide valuable information for nutrition surveillance and planning intervention strategies. The enKid Study is the largest nutrition survey on the child and adolescent Spanish population to date. In the present paper, nutrition risks in children and young people of the Basque country based on the enKid Study subsample for the Basque region are presented. Dietary assessment was completed by means of a 24 h recall and a food frequency questionnaire completed in an interview with the mother or caregiver for children under 13 years. A second 24 h recall was completed on 25 % of the sample. Body weight, height and circumference were measured on each individual. Overweight and obesity were defined using Cole et al. cut-offs. Fat intake supplied 40 % of energy intake and saturated fats 13.8 %. Overall, 80 % of the sample had intakes of fat above 35 %. Main food sources of fats were added fats (32 %), meat (20 %) and milk products (20 %). Buns, cakes and pastry supplied 11 % of total fat intake. The nutrients showing the highest proportion of people who did not reach one third (33 %) of the Spanish dietary reference intake levels were vitamin D, vitamin E, vitamin A and folate. Prevailing food pattern showed a high consumption of meat and meat products, milk, dairy products and cereals. Conversely, consumption of fruit, vegetables and fish was low; in fact, 89 % of the sample had a normal consumption of fruit and vegetables below five portions a day. Prevalence of obesity was estimated at 3.94 %, and 17.85 % of the sample was classified as overweight.

Adolescent↗

PubMed2006

Prevalence and deteminants of obesity in Spanish children and young people.

Prevalence estimates of obesity in a national random sample of Spanish children and young people are presented in this paper, defined by age- and sex-specific BMI national reference standards for the 85th percentile (overweight) and 97th percentile (obesity), as well as by Cole et al. criteria. A random sample of 3534 people, aged 2-24 years, was interviewed between 1998 and 2000. The study protocol included personal data, data on education and socioeconomic status (SES) for the family, dietary assessment, anthropometric measurements and physical activity. The prevalence of obesity was 13.9 % (95 % CI 12.7, 15.1) considering Spanish reference standards as cut-offs. Obesity was significantly higher in boys (15.6 %) than in girls (12 %). The highest values were observed between 6 and 13 years of age. Using Cole's cut-offs, the estimated prevalence of obesity was 6.3 % (95 % CI 5.4, 7.5) with a similar pattern to that previously described by sex. Regarding sociodemographic factors, sex, age group, region, size of locality of residence, mother's level of education and family SES level were significant predictors for obesity in children and adolescents under 14 years. Among young people, the main sociodemographic predictors for obesity were geographical region and family SES level. Odds ratio for obesity was 1.27 for those with a more frequent consumption of buns, cakes and snacks, and 1.71 for those with more frequent consumption of sugared drinks. Adequate consumption of fruit and vegetables, usually having breakfast and regular sports practice had a protective effect. The available data show that obesity in Spain is a public health issue given its magnitude and increasing trends. Among Spanish children and young people, those at prepubertal age, particularly boys, can be identified as a group at higher risk for overweight and obesity, particularly children from lower SES families.

Adolescent↗

PubMed2005

Inadvertent exposure to organochlorine pesticides DDT and derivatives in people from the Canary Islands (Spain).

In 1998, one of the largest determinations of organochlorine pesticides in a representative sample of a Spanish population (682 serum samples from the Canary Islands) was made in the context of the "Canary Islands Nutrition Survey" (ENCA). In the Canary Islands, extensive farming areas have been developed in these last decades, with greenhouses dedicated to intensive cultivation using DDT in huge amounts. In Spain, similarly to other European countries, DDT was banned in the late 1970s. The pesticide residues in human serum are indicative of past and present exposure to them. Our objective is to point out the differences of pesticide contamination between islands; and together with this, if a connection could be established with gender, age, or habitat of subjects. Concentration of selected persistent organochlorine pollutants (p,p'-DDT, o,p'-DDT, p,p'-DDE, o,p'-DDE, p,p'-DDD, and o,p'-DDD) was measured with gas chromatography-electron capture detector. Almost all of the samples (99.3%) presented detectable levels of some DDT-derivatives, being p,p'-DDE the most frequently detected organochlorine. The median concentration of total DDT body burden, expressed in ng/g fat, present in the Canary Islands (370 ng/g fat) was similar to that found in other European countries, although it was noteworthy that a fourth of the population showed a total DDT body burden higher than 715 ng/g. Interestingly, statistical significant differences were found in serum levels of organochlorine pesticides between islands, being these levels higher in people from Tenerife and Gran Canaria (415 and 612 ng/g fat, respectively), the islands that present both highest population and highest surface devoted to intensive agriculture. As expected, serum levels of both total DDT body burden and p,p'-DDE increased with age. Statistically significant differences were also found in relation to gender, women showing higher levels of these organochlorine pesticides than men. One of the most relevant findings of this work is the presence of a very high DDT/DDE ratio in people from the Canary Islands, thus indicating a chronic exposure to DDT that persists nowadays. DDT and its derivatives are considered as xenoestrogens, and they have been linked to breast cancer. Having into account that the Canary Islands present high incidence and mortality for breast cancer, our results point to the possibility that these environmental contaminants may be playing a determining role that must be investigated in detail. The high levels of DDT and its derivatives in serum from people living in this Archipelago should be considered a matter of public health concern.

Adolescent↗

PubMed2004

Effectiveness of interventions in the prevention of childhood obesity.

The prevalence of childhood obesity, as with that of adulthood, has increased considerably over the past few years and has become a serious public health problem. Once established, its treatment is very difficult and, hence, prevention of childhood obesity using different types of intervention appears promising. The objective of this present report is to review interventions that had been conducted over the past 11 years in the environment of the family, schools and community, and directed towards the prevention of childhood obesity. We reviewed the different strategies employed, the different criteria used in defining weight status, the evaluation and follow-up methods, and the degree of effectiveness. Benefits other than reduced weight gain were assessed, as well. In our review, we selected 14 intervention studies. The differences in design, duration and outcome assessments make direct comparison difficult. Nevertheless, it seems that nutritional education and promotion of physical activity together with behaviour modifications, decrease in sedentary activities and the collaboration of the family could be the determining factors in the prevention of childhood obesity. Other important benefits regarding healthy habits apart from the changes in weight status were pursued in the majority of the studies reviewed. The need for well-designed studies that examine a range of interventions remains a priority.

Child↗

PubMed2004

[Best practices in Community Nutrition: challenges and commitments].

Community Nutrition is a science in continuous evolution that needs to be adapted to changing nutritional problems and to geographical, cultural and socieconomical diversity. Best practices in community nutrition is a concept that facilitates enhanced diffusion and application of knowledge through the analysis of properly designed, executed and evaluated experiences. The conclusions of the five presentations in the session organized by the Spanish Society of Community Nutrition at the XIII Latin American Conference on Nutrition are analyzed. Also, the major challenges and commitments are described: planning and forecasting, intersectorial collaboration, international cooperation, evaluation and monitoring, empowerment, training, fostering institutional support, community participation, leadership, sustainability, continuity, transparency and dissemination. The needs to further develop cooperation and sharing of experiences in the area of community nutrition between Latin America and Spain is highlighted.

Benchmarking↗