Background: Pregnancy and lactation in adolescents with low calcium intake may impair fetal growth and infant bone mass.Objective: We investigated the

Foods containing both prebiotics and probiotics (synbiotics) might enhance calcium bioavailability. We investigated the acute effect in young adult women on calcium absorption of consuming (185 mL) a synbiotic yogurt (SYN) containing inulin (4 g) and Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG (>1 × 10⁷ CFU/mL) compared with a control yogurt (CON). Adult normal-weight women (25.0 ± 3.5 y, n = 30) participated in a 3-wk crossover study testing daily consumption of SYN compared with CON. Habitual dietary intake, bone mineral density (BMD), calcium biomarkers, and serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D were measured at baseline. Calcium absorption was tested after each phase of the study using a ⁴²Ca oral tracer. Cumulative tracer recovery was measured in 0–4-h, 0–24-h, and 0–36-h urine pools collected postdosing. The SYN/CON tracer ratio from the timed urine pools was the primary outcome. A beneficial response to SYN was defined as 0–36-h SYN/CON tracer ratio >1. Net ⁴²Ca recovered increased over time in each of the SYN and CON urine pools postdosing (Friedman, P < 0.001), with a trend for higher ⁴²Ca recovery in the 0–36-h urine pool postdosing in the SYN (1.14%) compared with the CON (0.90%) study (Wilcoxon, P = 0.07). For CON, the majority of total tracer was recovered in the 0–24-h pool (86%), whereas for SYN only 50% of total tracer was recovered in the 0–24-h pool (Friedman, P = 0.001). The SYN/CON tracer ratio in the 0–36-h pool (1.24) was >1 (Wilcoxon, P = 0.015). About two-thirds (n = 19) of women studied responded to the SYN treatment. Responders had higher vegetable intake (P = 0.03), tended to have higher potassium and calcium intakes (P ≤ 0.08), and had higher total body BMD (P = 0.09), than nonresponders. Short-term daily consumption of a synbiotic yogurt enhanced calcium absorption relative to a control yogurt in adult women. Given the observed time delays in tracer recovery, enhancement of calcium absorption likely occurred in the large intestine. The study was registered at clinicaltrials.gov (study registration ID: NCT03420716).

Many public health policies in Latin America target an optimized sodium and potassium intake. The aims of this study were to assess the sodium and potassium intake using 24-hour urinary analysis and to study their association with blood pressure in a Uruguayan population cohort using cluster analysis. A total of 149 participants (aged 20–85 years) were included in the study, and office blood pressure, anthropometric measurements, biochemical parameters in the blood, and 24-hour urine samples were obtained. The overall mean sodium and potassium excretion was 152.9 ± 57.3 mmol/day (8.9 ± 3.4 g/day of salt) and 55.4 ± 19.6 mmol/day, respectively. The average office systolic/diastolic blood pressure was 124.6 ± 16.7/79.3 ± 9.9 mmHg. Three compact spherical clusters were defined in untreated participants based on predetermined attributes, including blood pressure, age, and sodium and potassium excretion. The major characteristics of the three clusters were (1) high systolic blood pressure and moderate sodium excretion, (2) moderate systolic blood pressure and very high sodium excretion, and (3) low systolic blood pressure and low sodium excretion. Participants in cluster three had systolic blood pressure values that were 23.9 mmHg (95% confidence interval: −29.5 to −1.84) lower than those in cluster one. Participants in cluster two had blood pressure levels similar to those in cluster one (P = 0.32) and worse metabolic profiles than those in cluster one and three (P < 0.05). None of the clusters showed high blood pressure levels and high sodium excretion. No linear association was found between blood pressure and urinary sodium excretion (r < 0.14; P > 0.47). An effect of sodium and potassium intake on blood pressure levels was not found at the population level using regression or cluster analysis.

• B[a]A, Chry, B[b]F and B[a]P were quantified in infusions of 12 yerba mate brands with large inter-brand variability. • Infusions prepared as habitually consumed in Uruguay contained about 40 % of combined PAH in mate. • Probability of Margin of Exposure (B[a]P + Chry) > (B[a]A + Chry + B[b]F + B[a]P). • The probability of B[a]P Margin of Exposure <10,000 was 9 % for the infusion prepared as habitually consumed. • B[a]P amount in yerba mate infusions was the main contributor to the variability of Margin of Exposure.

The impact of habitual diet on chronic diseases has not been extensively characterized in South America. We aimed to identify major dietary patterns (DP) in an adult cohort in Uruguay (Genotype Phenotype and Environment of Hypertension Study—GEFA-HT-UY) and to assess associations with metabolic, anthropometric characteristics, and cardiovascular and kidney phenotypes. In a cross-sectional study (n = 294), DP were derived by the principal component analysis. Blood and urine parameters, anthropometrics, blood pressure, pulse wave velocity, and glomerular filtration rate were measured. Multivariable adjusted linear models and adjusted binary logistic regression were used. Three DP were identified (Meat, Prudent, Cereal and Mate) explaining 22.6% of total variance in food intake. The traditional Meat DP, characterized by red and barbecued meat, processed meat, bread, and soft drinks, was associated with worse blood lipid profile. Prudent DP, characterized by vegetables, fish, and nuts, and lower loads for bread and crackers, was associated with reduced risk of vitamin D deficiency. Cereal and Mate DP, was characterized by higher loads of cereals, bread, and crackers, and mate infusion, with higher odds of excessive body weight. No direct associations of dietary patterns with hypertension, arterial stiffness, chronic kidney disease, and nephrolithiasis were found in the studied population, nor by age categories or sex.