American Journal of Clinical Nutrition Highlights

Snipits from our the December issue of our favorite journal.

Older Persons

• Diet and exercise therapy decreases multiple metabolic coronary heart disease risk factors simultaneously in obese adults 60 or older. Lifestyle intervention is the cornerstone of therapy because it improves waist circumference, blood pressure, serum lipids, glucose, insulin sensitivity, inflammatory markers, and body composition.
• It is essential for clinicians to recognize vitamin B-12 deficiency at an early stage, before the neurologic health of a person is irreversibly affected.
  
• In another study, vitamin B12 deficiency in the elderly is associated with lower cognitive function scores and particularly lower scores of language comprehension and expression.
• Elevated SAH, the precursor to homocysteine, is common the elderly and can be reduced with oral B12 supplementation.
• In the elderly population, elevated homocysteine is associated with deficits in constructional ability and processing speed and folate is associated with measures of episodic memory and language. Thus, proper folate levels are essential.
  

Dietary Supplements

• Garlic supplementation had no significant positive effect on three major risk factors for cardiovascular disease.
• Early and late circulating concentrations of a-tocopherol (vitamin E) from prenatal vitamins are positively associated with normal fetal growth.
• Supplementing with as little as 400 mg. of omega 3's daily may reduce the risk of depression.
• A olive oil-rich diet supplemented with fish oil and plant sterols may reduce cardiovascular risk more than supplementing with fish oil alone.
• Policosanol was not effective in altering serum lipid profile over an eight week period in adults with mild hypercholesterolemia.
  

Food

• Consumption of even modest amounts of fructose may significantly increase the risk of development of cardiovascular disease and adipocisity (fat creation).
• Higher intakes of fruits and vegtables are associated with a lower risk of metabolic syndrome due to lower CRP (C-Reactive Protein) concentrations. Intake of fruits and vegetables are a primary preventive measure against cardiovascular disease.