Vitamin deficiencies seen in metabolic syndrome, asthma

Metabolic Syndrome
A study conducted by researchers at the Jean Mayer USDA Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging showed that the metabolic syndrome, a condition that increases a person's risk of developing cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes, was prevalent in a low-income urban community in Ecuador and that a poor diet low in micronutrients appeared to contribute.

The authors examined the relationship between the metabolic syndrome and micronutrients such as folate, zinc and vitamins C, B12 and E, and determined that 40 % of the population had the metabolic syndrome. The researchers observed a pattern of high carbohydrate, high sodium diets lacking in healthy fats and good sources of protein. Blood analyses indicated a significant number of participants weren't consuming enough of a range of micronutrients. Significant relationships were found between the metabolic syndrome and deficiencies of two of micronutrients, vitamins C and E. Higher blood levels of vitamin E may protect against the metabolic syndrome. Low blood levels of vitamin C were seen in 82% of the participants.

With high-calorie foods lacking essential nutrients serving as pillars of the diet, it is possible to be both overweight and malnourished. The results were published in the journal Public Health Nutrition.

Bonnie - while this population group has limited availability to the necessary macro and micronutrients to avoid nutrient deficiency, many in the United States simply choose to eat this way, thus creating an unnecessary burden on our health care system.

Asthma
Deficiencies of certain nutrients in parents may be associated with the development of allergic disorders or asthma in kids, according to a new report published in the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology. Researchers found zinc, vitamins A, D, and E, as well as fruits and vegetables, seemed to have a protective role. Pregnant women who ate a lot of vitamins D and E were 30% to 40% less likely to have a child who wheezed. Also, sticking to a Mediterranean diet during pregnancy was also tied to a drop of nearly 80% in babies' risk of wheezing. While the researchers are unsure as to the reason why, they postulate that diet has some impact on asthma risk, perhaps by affecting development of the lungs or immune system, reducing inflammation, or curbing the generation of free radicals.