Background: Children and adolescents with obesity have altered serum copper (Cu) and zinc (Zn) levels, which are associated with oxidative stress, inflammation, and health outcomes. The inclusion of cashew nuts in an adequate diet may provide health benefits and help improve the mineral status of individuals with obesity. Objective: To evaluate the effects of cashew nut consumption on biomarkers of Cu and Zn status in adolescents with obesity. Methods: This was a randomized controlled trial conducted in adolescents. The participants were divided into a control group (CON) and a cashew nut group (CASN). The CASN group received 30 g/day of roasted cashew nuts for 12 weeks, and both groups received nutritional counseling during the study. Anthropometric, dietary, and biochemical parameters (Zn, Cu, and superoxide dismutase (SOD)) were assessed at the baseline and at the end of the study. Association tests, within-group and between-group mean comparisons, and analyses of variation between study periods (Δ T12-T0) were performed. Results: The sample consisted of 81 adolescents who completed the intervention period, resulting in 54 in the CASN group and 27 in the CON group. After the intervention, the CASN group presented a decrease in plasma Cu (p = 0.004) and an increase in SOD (p = 0.030). Both groups showed an increase in plasma Zn (p < 0.050) and a decrease in the Cu/Zn ratio (p < 0.001). CASN had a negative effect on the Cu concentration, which was significantly different from that of CON (p = 0.004). Conclusions: The consumption of cashew nuts for 12 weeks reduced plasma Cu levels in adolescents with obesity. Nutritional counseling may have contributed to the increase in plasma Zn levels in all the study participants.

Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate the role of the triglyceride-glucose (TyG) index in identifying changes in lipid profile and atherogenic risk in adolescents, according to the presence or absence of excess weight. Methods: This cross-sectional study included 823 students aged 10–18 years, classified as having or not having excess weight based on body mass index. Lipid profile was assessed and classified according to the guidelines of the Brazilian Society of Cardiology. Atherogenic risk was evaluated using the Castelli I and II indices, the Atherogenic Index of Plasma, and the atherogenic coefficient. The TyG index was assessed in tertiles. The association between TyG and lipid and atherogenic outcomes was analyzed using logistic and linear regression, stratified by excess weight status. Results: Elevated TyG was associated with altered total cholesterol (TC), high-density lipoproteincholesterol (HDL-c), low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (LDL-c), and non-HDL-c in adolescents without excess weight (p<0.001), whereas in those with excess weight, this association was found only in TC and non-HDL-c. All atherogenic indices were positively associated with elevated TyG (p<0.001). Conclusions: Adolescents without excess weight showed clearer associations between TyG and lipid profile; however, atherogenic risk was directly associated with elevated TyG, regardless of the presence or absence of excess weight.

As lesões por pressão (LPP) são um grave problema de saúde pública que afeta pacientes hospitalizados. O fornecimento de uma terapia nutricional adequada contribui para a prevenção e o tratamento dessas lesões. O objetivo do estudo é avaliar a adequação calórica-proteica da terapia nutricional em pacientes vítimas de trauma com lesão por pressão em terapia nutricional enteral exclusiva. A amostra foi composta por 99 pacientes com diagnóstico de trauma, dos quais 35 possuíam LPP. Foram coletadas informações clínicas, antropométricas e dietoterápicas dos participantes, e os dados foram submetidos a testes de associação e comparação de médias. Para análise da adequação proteica e calórica da dieta, verificou-se a associação entre terapia nutricional adequada e inadequada, segundo as recomendações para LPP, e os estágios da lesão. Os dados foram analisados utilizando o programa Statistical Package for the Social Sciences, considerando o nível de significância p>0,05. Em relação à terapia nutricional, encontrou-se maior prevalência de adequação proteica na dieta dos pacientes com estágios 1 e 2 de LPP em comparação com o estágio 3 e 4 (p=0,011). Contudo, sobre as calorias, não houve associação entre a adequação e os estágios. A maioria dos pacientes com LPP apresentava diagnóstico de desnutrição (80%) de acordo com a Circunferência do Braço (CB), com diferença estatística em relação aos pacientes sem LPP (p=0,018). Foi constatado maior prevalência de adequação da proteína ofertada na dieta nos pacientes com estágio 1 e 2 da lesão. Porém, a adequação das calorias da dieta não apresenta relação com os estádios da lesão.

Objective: To evaluate the performance of waist-to-height ratio (WHtR) and conicity index (CIndex) as predictors of body fat percentage (BF) in children, as well as to determine the most appropriate cut-off points for this population. Methods: This school-based study assessed 314 children aged five to nine years. Body composition was evaluated using bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA), and children were classified as having excess or normal BF according to sex. WHtR and CIndex were calculated using their respective formulas. To assess the predictive power of CIndex and WHtR, the area under the curve (AUC) of Receiver Operating Characteristic was analyzed, using excess BF by BIA as the gold standard. Results: WHtR was considered a good predictor of excess BF in both sexes, with AUC values greater than 0.8. CIndex was classified as a poor predictor (AUC<0.7 in both sexes). WHtR showed a significantly higher AUC than CIndex (p0.47 for boys and >0.45 for girls. Conclusions: WHtR demonstrated good performance in predicting excess BF in the children evaluated and may be included in child health surveillance as an indicator of alterations in body composition.

A entrada na universidade pode influenciar negativamente os hábitos alimentares dos jovens, favorecendo padrões de risco, como baixo consumo de frutas e verduras e alta ingestão de ultraprocessados, o que pode contribuir para o excesso de peso. O estudo de padrões alimentares é uma ferramenta essencial na prevenção e tratamento da obesidade. Este estudo transversal buscou identificar padrões alimentares e sua relação com o excesso de peso entre estudantes universitários da área da saúde. A análise fatorial por componentes principais, seguido de rotação ortogonal varimax, identificou quatro padrões alimentares: comum brasileiro (arroz, feijão, frango e carga fatorial negativa para massas); padaria (pão, óleo, leite, processado, massa e bolo); lanchonete (refrigerante, lanches, açúcar e carga fatorial negativa para frutas e verduras); e café regional (preparações à base de milho, ovo, café e carga fatorial negativa para verduras). Juntos, os quatro padrões explicaram 34,83% da variância total. O excesso de peso, definido pelo índice de massa corporal ≥ 25 kg/m2, foi observado em 32,4% dos universitários. Utilizou-se regressão de Poisson com estimativa robusta da variância para estimar as razões de prevalências do excesso de peso (desfecho) em relação aos padrões alimentares (exposição), ajustado por variáveis sociodemográficas, adotando-se nível de significância de 5%. Nenhum dos padrões alimentares identificados esteve associado ao excesso de peso no grupo estudado. Portanto, concluímos que os quatro principais padrões alimentares identificados nos universitários avaliados (comum brasileiro, padaria, lanchonete e café regional) não mostraram associação com excesso de peso.