فهرست مطالب مریم چمری

Nutritional knowledge acquired by young girls as would-be mothers will play an important role in children’s and family health protection and promotion in the future. The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of an educational program based on the BASNEF model on the nutritional behavior among guidance school first-grade female-students.

This was an interventional study carried out in the form of a clinical trial including 160 female-pupils divided into two groups ─ a case and a control group ─ randomly selected by two-stage sampling، namely، classification and cluster sampling. The data gathering tool was a questionnaire. Education about healthy nutrition was imparted to the case group in 4 60-minute sessions in the form of lectures، group discussions، and question-answer; in addition، pamphlets were distributed among the subjects. Data were collected and analyzed using the SPSS-18 software، the statistical tests being Chi-square، fisher، independent and paired t-tests.

The data showed that the mean scores of knowledge and BASNEF model components as regards nutritional behavior increased after the intervention in the case، they being higher significantly in the case group as compared to the controls. The most important subjective norms after the intervention were the pupils’ parents.

The findings indicate that a 3-month educational intervention based on the BASNEF model can bring about desirable changes in some of the undesirable nutritional behaviors in guidance school pupils، and that designing and implementing interventions of this kind، with the support of health and school authorities، is quite feasible.

Lipid abnormalities, especially high serum Lp(a) concentration, is one of the major causes of cardiovascular diseases in peritoneal dialysis patients. The present study was designed to investigate the effects of soy consumption on serum lipid and apoprotein levels in peritoneal dialysis patients.

The study was a randomized clinical trial in which 40 peritoneal dialysis patients (20 males and 20 females) were randomly assigned to either a soy or a control diet. The patients in the soy group received 28 g/d textured soy flour (containing 14 g soy protein) for 12 weeks, while the patients in the control group consumed their usual diet without any soy. At the baseline and at the end of the period, from each patient 5 ml blood were collected after a 12- to 14-hour fast and serum triglyceride, total cholesterol, HDL-C, LDL-C, apoAI, apoB100, Lp(a), TNF-α, albumin, and phosphorus measured.

The serum Lp(a) concentration in more than 86% of the peritoneal dialysis patients was above the normal range. As compared to the baseline value, the mean serum Lp(a) concentration decreased significantly by 41% (P<0.01) in the soy group at the end of 8-week period, and the reduction was significant as compared to the control group (P<0.05). The mean serum Lp(a) concentration did not change significantly in the control group. There were no significant differences between the 2 groups with regard to mean changes in the serum triglyceride, total cholesterol, HDL-C, LDL-C, apoB100, apoAI, TNF-α, albumin or phosphorus levels.

The results of the present study indicate that soy consumption reduces serum Lp(a) concentration considerably in peritoneal dialysis patients. Therefore, it may be effective in preventing cardiovascular diseases in these patients.

Objective (s): The prevalence of obesity has increased in both developed and developing countries. Childhood and adolescent obesity can lead to serious medical complications such as hypertension, diabetes, cardiovascular disease and cancer in later years of life. The aim of this study was to assess the relationship between obesity and some nutritional behavior. Methods: This was a case-control study. Through multi-stage random sampling, 84 obese girls were selected as cases and 253 non-obese girls from the same age and grade as control. Obesity was defined as having a BMI equal to or greater than 95lh centile. Weights and heights were measured to an accuracy of O. l kg, using digital scales and non-stretchable tape (Seca) with minimum clothing. We used a questionnaire 10 collect data on nutritional behavior. Results: There was a statistically significant greater frequency of eating meals and snacks during the day in controls (P=0/0001, P=0/003). Weekly frequency of eating breakfast was smaller in cases but the difference was not significant. There was no difference between the two groups in variables such as eating out, food preference, speed of eating and doing something else while eating. Conclusion: It seems that there is a relationship between obesity among school students and their nutritional behaviors.

Inflammation and oxidative stress are common in patients with chronic renal disease, including hemodialysis patients. The present study was designed to investigate the effects of L-carnitine supplements on inflammatory cytokines, CRP and oxidative stress in hemodialysis patients.

The study was a randomized clinical trial. Thirty-six hemodialysis patients, (23 males and 13 females), were randomly assigned to either carnitine group or the control group. The patients in the carnitine group received 1000 mg/d oral L-carnitine for 12 weeks while the control group did not receive any L-carnitine supplement during the study. At the baseline and the end of 12th week of the study, 5 ml. blood was collected after a 12 to 14-hour fast from each patient before dialysis and then serum free carnitine, CRP, IL-1β, IL-6, TNF-α and ox-LDL were measured.

Mean serum free carnitine concentration increased significantly, by 86%, in the carnitine group at the end of 12th week as compared to the baseline (P<0.001), while serum CRP and IL-6 decreased significantly, by 29% (P<0.05) and 61% (P<0.001), respectively. No significant changes were observed in the serum concentrations of free carnitine, CRP and IL-6 in the control group during the study. There were no significant differences between mean changes of serum IL-1β, TNF-α and ox-LDL concentrations in the two groups.

This study indicated that L-carnitine supplement could improve carnitine deficiency and decrease inflammatory markers of CRP and IL-6 in hemodialysis patients.