American Journal of Clinical Nutrition Highlights - March

• Increasing protein intake and restricting simple sugar intake in a Polycystic Ovary Syndrome diet was highly significant in reducing symptoms, regulating cortisol, DHEA, insulin levels, and suppressing ghrelin (hunger hormone), thus increasing satiety.
  
  
• It is possible that increases in HDL-cholesterol concentrations may contribute to the suppression of LDL oxidation and that polyphenolic substances derived from cocoa powder may contribute to an elevation in HDL.
  
  
• Coffee abstinence is associated with a lower hypertension risk than is low coffee consumption.
  
  
• Bone growth needs in 1-4 year-old children following American diets are met by a daily calcium intake equivalent to 470mg per day.
  
  
• Iron status is a significant factor in cognitive performance in women of reproductive age. Severity of anemia primarily affects processing speed, and severity of iron deficiency affects accuracy of cognitive function over a broad range of tasks.
  
  
• In the northeastern United States, a higher maternal intake of vitamin D during pregnancy may decrease the risk of recurrent wheeze in early childhood.
  
  
• Omega-3 fatty acids, especially DHA, are positively associated with bone mineral accrual, and thus, with peak Bone Mineral Density in young men between 16 and 22 years of age.
  
  
• Critically ill patients in intensive care receiving viable probiotics showed a greater enhancement in immune activity and reduced intestinal permeability than do patients receiving placebo.
  
  
• Zinc supplementation in the elderly reduced the incidence of infection, tumor necrosis factor and oxidiative stress compared to those receiving placebo.
  
  
• Dietary intakes of flavanones, anthocyanidins, and certain foods such as bran, apples, pears, red wine, grapefruit, strawberries, and chocolate were associated with a reduced risk of death due to Coronary Heart Disease, Cardiovascular Disease, and all causes.
  
  
• After identifying three major dietary patterns: the healthy dietary pattern, the Western dietary pattern, and the traditional dietary pattern, subjects in the highest percentage of healthy dietary patterns had the lowest ratio for metabolic syndrome and insulin resistance. Women in the highest quintile of Western dietary pattern scores had greater odds for metabolic syndrome and insulin resistance.