To assess the association between indicators of psychosocial stress and central adiposity in adult users of the Unified Health System (SUS) from Southeast of Brazil. This cross-sectional study was conducted with 384 adults (20 to 59 years old) from the city of Alegre, Southeastern Brazil. The simple random sample represented the population using the public health system of the municipality. The prevalence of obesity was based on the Body Mass Index, and central adiposity (dependent variable) was measured by waist circumference in centimeters. The independent variables were the following indicators of psychosocial stress: food and nutrition insecurity (yes/no), serum cortisol (μg/dL), symptoms suggestive of depression using the Beck Depression Inventory-II ≥ 17 (yes/no), and altered blood pressure ≥ 130/85 mmHg (yes/no). Univariate linear regression was performed between central adiposity and each stress indicator, and later the models were adjusted for socioeconomic, health, and lifestyle variables. All analyses were made separately by rural and urban location. The prevalence of weight excess, by the classification of the Body Mass Index ≥ 25.0 kg/m2, was 68.3% and, by waist circumference, 71.5% of individuals presented an increased risk for metabolic complications related to central adiposity. Mean waist circumference scores for the rural and urban population were 89.3 ± 12.7 cm and 92.9 ± 14.7 cm, respectively (p = 0.012). Indicators of stress that were associated with central adiposity were: cortisol in the rural population (β = -0.60; 95% CI = -1.09;-0.11) and altered blood pressure in the urban population (β = 6.66; 95% CI = 2.14;11.18). This occurred both in the raw analysis and in the models adjusted for confounding factors. Central adiposity was inversely associated with cortisol in the rural population and directly associated with higher arterial blood pressure in the urban population, suggesting a local influence on how individuals react to stress.

The emergence of Trypanosoma cruzi infection via oral transmission has a habitual character in its primitive endemic cycle. Recent findings revealed the first death by oral transmission of T. cruzi in the state of Espírito Santo, Brazil, in 2012, which was recorded in the rural area of Guarapari. This study evaluated the characteristics related to the occurrence of natural T. cruzi infection among dogs from the rural areas of Alegre and Iconha, municipalities of Espírito Santo. Logistic regression analysis of factors contributing to serological detection of T. cruzi in dogs was performed in environments where Espírito Santo’s Department of Health Surveillance had previously notified triatomines positive for Trypanosoma spp. from 2014 to 2017. A total of 36 dogs were analyzed, of which 10 (27.77%) tested positive, one was borderline (2.79%), and 25 tested negative (69.44%) for T. cruzi infection. São Caetano, a district from the Iconha municipality, presented a 25 times greater chance for the detection of positive tests (OR:25; 95% CI; 2.37->100). Dogs with updated mandatory vaccination presented with a lower risk of positive serodiagnosis (OR:0.12; 95% CI: 0.02-0.63). Our results highlight for the first time the occurrence of natural T. cruzi canine infection, detected in the municipality of Iconha, mainly among dogs with un-updated mandatory vaccines in the district of São Caetano.

Introduction: epigenetic alterations in glucocorticoid receptor gene (NR3C1) have been associated with psychosocial stress, however, their potential role in obesity remains unclear. Objective: given the complex interplay between psychosocial stress, HPA axis dysregulation, and obesity, the aim of this study was to investigate the association between overweight status and NR3C1 DNA methylation in adults. Methods: this study was characterized as a cross-sectional analysis. Two hundred and eighty-two Brazilian adults aged between 20 and 59 years were recruited from a public primary health care service. Participants underwent an anthropometric assessment. Venous blood samples were collected and NR3C1 DNA methylation was quantified using pyrosequencing. The association between overweight and NR3C1 DNA methylation was assessed using Mann-Whitney U test, Spearman correlation test and multivariable Poisson regression with robust variance (p<0,05). Results: the overweight group had lower DNA methylation levels than the non-overweight group for both total and CpG site-specific methylation (p <0.05 and p corrected= 0.037). Through factor analysis, two bins of CpGs were extracted, which were intercorrelated. The low methylation in these bins and in the total segment was explained by overweight status, controlled by confounding variables. Conclusion: this is one of the first studies to suggest an involvement between weight accumulation and methylation changes in NR3C1, a complex gene that encodes the glucocorticoid receptor and regulates stress responsiveness.

Objetivo: Avaliar a associação entre a prevalência de cárie dentária em relação a frequência de consumo de alimentos ricos em açúcar, condições socioeconômicas e escolaridade dos pais de crianças e adultos jovens. Material e Métodos: Aplicou-se questionários socioeconômicos com pais e/ou responsáveis de 36 crianças e adolescentes na faixa etária entre 7 e 20 anos de um clube do Município de Alegre - ES. A cárie dentária foi avaliada através do Índice de Dentes Cariados, Perdidos e Obturados (CPO-D) e a placa bacteriana por meio do Índice de Higiene Oral Simplificado (IOHS). Posteriormente, realizaram-se palestras e atividades educativas de higiene bucal e de educação nutricional. Reavaliou-se então índice de placa bacteriana duas semanas após a intervenção. Para avaliação estatística usou-se regressão logística para testar associações e teste t pareado para índice de placa bacteriana. Resultados: Do total de crianças avaliadas, 67% apresentou história pregressa e atual de cárie, na qual a mediana do CPO-D encontrado foi de 2. Para a avaliação do índice de placa bacteriana, observou-se que a intervenção apresentou efetividade (p<0,05) uma vez que IHOS inicial foi de 1,98 e o final foi de 1,43. Conclusão: Foi encontrada alta prevalência de COP-D polarizado na amostra avaliada, e também detectado que as ações de educação em saúde foram efetivas na redução de placa bacteriana

There is a gap in knowledge regarding the school food environment in small-sized municipalities. Thus, this study aims to analyze the anthropometric status of schoolchildren and the school and community food environments in a small Brazilian municipality. This is a cross-sectional, exploratory, and ecological study conducted in elementary schools and food retail outlets in Jerônimo Monteiro, Espírito Santo, Brazil. Anthropometric indicators were assessed using the students’ weight and height. The school food environment was analyzed by evaluating the National School Feeding Program (PNAE) menu using the IQ-COSAN index, classifying foods brought in lunchboxes and sold at schools according to the Brazilian Dietary Guidelines, and auditing food retailers outside schools using the ESAO-S and ESAO-R instruments. Food establishments were categorized according to the Locais-Nova classification and scored using the Healthy Food Store Index (HFSI) and Healthy Meal Restaurant Index (HMRI). The study included 2 schools and 266 schoolchildren (5–11 years), of whom 33.1% had excess weight. The PNAE menu was classified as “needing improvement,” and 81% of schoolchildren’s lunchboxes contained processed/ultra-processed foods. In the external food environment around schools, low levels of access to healthy foods and predominance of ultra-processed food sales were observed.

O ambiente alimentar, entendido como o contexto físico, econômico, político e sociocultural que influencia as escolhas alimentares, pode atuar como barreira ou facilitador para a alimentação dos universitários. Este estudo teve como objetivo analisar o ambiente alimentar no entorno do campus da UFES, no Bairro Conceição e adjacências, em Alegre, ES. De caráter exploratório e transversal, o levantamento dos dados foi feito com base no registro da Vigilância Sanitária municipal, e os estabelecimentos foram classificados segundo o CNAE. Após visitas in loco, os comércios foram categorizados em: (i) estabelecimentos que comercializam alimentos in natura; (ii) mistos; e (iii) ultraprocessados. Foram encontrados três estabelecimentos no Bairro Conceição, um de cada categoria, resultando em uma densidade de 0,30 por mil habitantes. O mapa de calor indicou maior concentração comercial no sul do bairro, enquanto o norte, área com maior concentração de estudantes apresentou baixa densidade comercial, limitando o acesso a alimentos saudáveis. Na discussão, foi destacada a baixa oferta geral de alimentos, o que pode levar os estudantes a consumirem ultraprocessados, dada a praticidade e rotina acelerada. Comparado a estudos anteriores, a região demonstrou menor número de estabelecimentos e pode ser considerada um deserto alimentar. Fatores geográficos, como morros e difícil acesso, podem ter influenciado essa escassez. Conclui-se que há necessidade de políticas públicas para melhorar o ambiente alimentar, promovendo o acesso a alimentos saudáveis. Futuras pesquisas devem ampliar a área estudada para aprofundar as análises.