BMI (body mass index) can be misleading regarding the level of adiposity in a normal-weight individual. Recently, a bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA) method was developed that can measure body composition variables. The main objectives of this study were to use BIA to compare the body composition variables between chronic non-diabetic schizophrenic patients with normal weight and healthy individuals. The secondary objective was to compare the nutritional pattern of schizophrenia patients with that of matched healthy subjects, and to identify possible relationships between the content of different components of their diet and visceral adiposity. The subjects were 52 normal-weight patients (33 males and 19 females) diagnosed with schizophrenia based on the DSM-IV and 45 (23 males and 22 females) BMI- matched controls. The patients had been receiving atypical or typical antipsychotic agents for at least one year before enrollment into the study but continuously for 3 months preceding the study and were psychiatrically stable. Body fat (kg), percent (%) body fat, fat-free mass, VAT (visceral adipose tissue) and SAT (subcutaneous adipose tissue) were measured using the bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA) method. Daily food rations (DFR) were quantitatively evaluated by a 24-h dietary recall method covering 3 days preceding the examination. In normal-weight patients schizophrenia was significantly linked with higher VAT, VAT/SAT ratio and lower fat- free mass. Men had over 5 times and women over 2 times as much VAT as BMI matched groups. In women with schizophrenia and in their controls, the amount of magnesium, niacin and vitamin B6 in their diet inversely correlated with VAT, while in men lower zinc and vitamin C intake was related to higher visceral adiposity. Our study has shown that normal-weight patients with chronic schizophrenia have higher levels of visceral fat (VAT) than controls but similar volume of subcutaneous adipose tissue (SAT). Although no clear conclusion can be made regarding cause-and-effect relationships between the dietary content of food served to our patients and visceral obesity, we suggest that schizophrenia diet should be further investigated as a possible factor related to this type of obesity.

It is suggested that gastric mucins, and in particular some specific glycan structures that can act as carbohydrate receptors, are involved in the interactions with Helicobacter pylori adhesins. The main aim of our study was to evaluate glycosylation pattern of glycoproteins of gastric juice before and at the end of eradication therapy. Gastric juices were taken from 13 clinical patients and subjected to analysis. Pooled fractions of the void volume obtained after gel filtration were subjected to ELISA tests. To assess the relative amounts of carbohydrate structures, lectins and monoclonal antibodies were used. Changes in the level of MUC 1 and MUC 5AC mucins and of carbohydrate structures, which are suggested to be receptors for Helicobacter pylori adhesins, were observed by the end of the eradication treatment. Our results support the idea about the involvement of MUC 5AC and MUC 1 with some specific sugar structures in the mechanism of Helicobacter pylori infection.

Aim of the study: The aim of this study was evaluation of selected dietary habits of patients with recurrent depressive disorders.Subject or material and methods: The study included 150 patients (75 patients suffering from recurrent depressive disorders. and 75 healthy people aged 18-64 years). The assessment of dietary habits was carried out by using a food frequency questionnaire.Results: It has been shown that in the compared groups of women, patients with depression consumed significantly less groats (p<0.001), rice (p= 0.02), red meat (p<0.01), fish (p<0.01), vegetables (p<0.001), fruits (p<0.01) and wine (p<0.001) in comparison with women without depression, and they were significantly more likely to consume wheat-rye bread (p= 0.03), cheese (p=0.02), butter (p=0.03), cream (p <0.01), lard (p <0.001), coffee (p=0.03) and sugar (p=0.02) in comparison with women without depression. Statistically significant differences between the two groups of men were diagnosed in the frequent intake of lard (p<0.001) and less frequent vegetable oils (p<0.01), beer (p= 0.01), and fast food (p<0.01) for men with depression compared with men in the control group.Discussion: The correct food pattern requires both the proper balance of energy intake and food rations sufficient quantity and quality of products providing all essentials nutrients.Conclusions: In the treatment of patients with depression during the declared change of diet, the need for nutrition education on the principles of rational nutrition should be taken into attention, including the selection of appropriate food groups in order to ensure an optimal supply of all necessary to the proper functioning of the body's nutrients.

Cel pracy: Celem pracy była ocena wartości odżywczej racji pokarmowych w grupie kobiet i mężczyzn chorujących na zaburzenia afektywne nawracające oraz schizofrenię, a także określenie związku wybranych parametrów żywieniowych ze wskaźnikami antropometrycznymi świadczącymi o stanie odżywienia badanych.Metoda: Badaniem objęto 219 osób (61 pacjentów z zaburzeniami depresyjnymi nawracającymi, 60 pacjentów ze schizofrenią oraz 98 zdrowych ochotników). W ocenie ilościowej sposobu żywienia wykorzystano 24-godzinny wywiad żywieniowy. W ocenie stanu odżywienia wykorzystano pomiary antropometryczne, biochemiczne i analizę składu ciała.Wyniki: Wykazano, iż kobiety z depresją i schizofrenią posiadały istotnie wyższą zawartość zarówno tkanki tłuszczowej trzewnej jak i tkanki tłuszczowej podskórnej w porównaniu z grupą kontrolną. Dieta o większym udziale energii z białka, wyższej podaży wapnia sprzyjała mniejszej zawartości tłuszczu w organizmie kobiet chorujących na depresję (w grupie mężczyzn z depresją takiej zależności nie odnotowano). W grupie pacjentów ze schizofrenią dieta o mniejszej podaży energii sprzyjała mniejszej wartości wskaźnika BMI, obwodu talii, wskaźnika WHR i mniejszej zawartości tłuszczu w organizmie.Wnioski: Nieprawidłowa struktura energetyczna, jak i nieodpowiednia zawartość składników odżywczych może w przyszłości przyczynić się do rozwoju wielu chorób somatycznych doprowadzając tym samym do pogorszenia jakości życia badanych jak i utrudniając utrzymanie zdrowia psychicznego.

Obesity in women of reproductive age is a serious concern regarding reproductive health. In many cases of infertility in obese women, reduction of body weight may lead to spontaneous pregnancy, without the need for more specific methods of treatment. Bariatric surgery is safe and is the most effective method for body weight reduction in obese and very obese patients. In practice there are two bariatric techniques; gastric banding, which leads to weight loss through intake restriction, and gastric bypass, leads to weight loss through food malabsorption. Gastric bypass surgery (the more frequently performed procedure), in most cases, leads to changes in eating habits and may result in vomiting, diarrhea and rapid body mass reduction. There are reliable data describing the continuous increase in the number of women who are trying to conceive, or are already pregnant, following bariatric surgery. Most medical specialists advise women to avoid pregnancy within 12-18 months after bariatric surgery. This allows for time to recover sufficiency from the decreased absorption of nutrients caused by the bariatric surgery. During this period there is a need for the use of reliable contraception. As there is a risk for malabsorption of hormones taken orally, the combined and progestogen-only pills are contraindicated, and displaced by non-oral hormonal contraception or non-hormonal methods, including intrauterine devices and condoms.