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Biomedical subjects

M G Julien

Publications and source records attributed to M G Julien.

6 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1994

The effect of behaviour modification techniques on oral hygiene and gingival health of 10-year-old Canadian children.

Good oral hygiene habits in children are most desirable but are difficult to establish through conventional health education programmes. This study was designed to test the efficacy of a programme based on the use of several behaviour modification strategies. A sample of sixteen classes of 10-year-old children was randomly selected and assigned to either an experimental or control group. To monitor the oral health comparability of the groups, data were collected on caries experience, sugar intake and oral hygiene behaviour several times during the study period. The programme included the following elements: (1) dental examinations, (2) periodic visits by dental hygienists to the schools to teach brushing and flossing techniques and to monitor the quality of the children's performance, and (3) 'contracts' agreed by each child with the director of the programme and with one parent, to encourage commitment and to reinforce the desired behaviour. Loë and Silness plaque and gingival indices were used to measure the efficacy of the programme. For both indices, the difference between the mean scores of the experimental and control groups were statistically significant after a 4-month intensive phase of the programme. One year after all activities had stopped, the plaque index of the experimental group was still lower than that of the control group but insufficient to maintain a significant difference on the gingival index.

Behavior Therapy↗
PubMed1993

[Diet of dental students entering university].

As there are not a lot of data available on the diet of the young adult population, we perceived that it would be interesting to study the diet of dental students entering university, and to determine if their diet differs according to sex. From 1986 to 1992, participating students completed three-day lists of the foods they consumed. These lists were reviewed according to the energy content and the distribution of proteins, glucides and lipids in the diet. The calcium and iron content were calculated, as was the body weight index (P/T2), and then compared to the Canadian recommendations and averages. For both males and females, the average energy content was slightly lower than recommended. The proportion of energy derived from glucides, lipids and proteins was more or less the same for both groups, but the glucide content was lower than recommended. The ingestion of lipids was just above the national recommendation, while the ingestion of proteins, calcium and iron was higher. A similar proportion of individuals to the one identified in studies by Health Promotion Canada and Santé Québec was found to be in the lower range of the body weight index (< 20). Many fewer, however, were in the 25+ section. As a significant number of female students from Asia were in the low body weight index group, it was assumed that this index might not be valid for this population.

Adult↗
PubMed1992

[Cholesterol demystified].

A favorite subject of newspapers, periodicals or television programs, is that cholesterol has invaded our lives. Although well known as being undesirable, for blocking the arteries and contributing to cardiovascular diseases which kill thousands of Canadians each year, the flood of information of diverse quality leaves most of us puzzled. This paper aims to answer the main questions about cholesterol, trying to better define its relationship to cardiovascular diseases and to provide useful dietary advice to help control this risk factor.

Cardiovascular Diseases↗
PubMed1991

[True place of simple sugars in the cause of caries].

A recent leaflet published for dental patients by the Canadian Association of Confectioners promotes the consumption of sweets, considering them on an equal basis, in regard to caries, as any other foods containing simple sugars, such as: fruits, vegetables, bread or pasta. This article intends to demistify such inference. While it is true that most foods containing simple sugars can lower plaque pH when considered alone, in the context of a total diet, the relationship between simple sugars and caries is much more complex. Also, in regard to total health, one can not equate all simple sugars since they differ considerably in terms of nutritional value.

Dental Caries↗
PubMed1991

[Nutrition recommendations (1990)].

As of last year, new Canadian dietary recommendations and nutritional requirements have been established. The combination of these two documents evolved as a result of a better understanding of nutrition, as well as, an awareness that the problems related to nutritional deficiencies have resulted in numerous chronic diseases. This article, after an initial review of the origin of these documents, highlights the main changes that have occurred and reviews how this information is used and interpreted by various health care professionals.

Alcohol Drinking↗