Med Diet Research Articles

Dietary calcium has little effect on mineral balance and bone mineral metabolism through twenty weeks of lactation in Holstein cows

Calcium and P balance and mobilization from bone were evaluated through 20 wk of lactation to determine the timing and extent of net resorption of bone mineral and mineral balance in lactating dairy cows. Eighteen Holstein cows were blocked by parity and calving date and randomly assigned to 1 of 3 dietary treatments: high (1.03%, HI), medium (0.78%, MED), or low (0.52%, LOW) dietary Ca. Dietary P was 0.34% in all diets. Cows consumed treatment diets from calving to 140 DIM. Total collection of milk, urine, and feces was conducted 2 wk before expected calving and in wk 2, 5, 8, 11, and 20 of lactation. Blood samples were collected at 14 and 10 d before expected calving and 0, 1, 3, 5, 10, 14, 21, 28, 35, 56, 70, 84, 98, and 140 d after calving. Blood samples were analyzed for Ca, P, and parathyroid hormone concentration. Serum concentrations of osteocalcin (OC), a marker of bone formation, and deoxypyridinoline (DPD), a marker of bone resorption, were measured to assess bone mobilization. Rib bone biopsies were conducted within 10 d postcalving and during wk 11 and 20 of lactation. Dietary Ca concentration affected Ca balance, with cows consuming the HI Ca diet in positive Ca balance for all weeks with the exception of wk 11. Interestingly, all cows across all treatments had a negative Ca balance at wk 11, possibly the result of timed estrous synchronization that occurred during wk 11. At wk 20, Ca balances were 61.2, 29.9, and 8.1g/d for the HI, MED, and LOW diets, respectively. Phosphorus balances across all treatments and weeks were negative. Bone Ca content on a fat-free ash weight basis was least in cows consuming the MED diet, but bone P was not different. Serum Ca and P were not affected by treatment. Dietary Ca concentration did not affect P balance in the weeks examined, but there was a clear effect of parity on balance, markers of bone metabolism, and bone P. Primiparous cows had greater serum OC and DPD concentrations than multiparous cows. Regardless of dietary treatment, serum OC concentration peaked around d 35 of lactation. Simultaneously, DPD concentration began to decrease, which may indicate a switch from net bone resorption to formation after d 35. However, this was not reflected in balance measures. This information may help refine dietary mineral recommendations for lactating dairy cows and suggests that dietary P requirements are independent of dietary Ca.

Low Energy Reporting Related to Lifestyle, Clinical, and Psychosocial Factors in a Randomly Selected Population Sample of Greek Adults: The ATTICA Study

Objective: Aim of the present study was to identify potential dietary, lifestyle, psychosocial and clinical correlates of underreporting in a population-based sample.Methods: Following a random multistage sampling, 1514 men (46±13 years old) and 1528 women (45±13 years old) from the Attica area, in Greece, participated in this study. All participants underwent a standard assessment procedure that included clinical, psychosocial and lifestyle parameters. Food consumption was assessed through a validated semi-quantitative food frequency questionnaire. The ratio of energy intake to estimated basal metabolic rate (EI/BMR) and the Goldberg cut-off points were used for the classification of subjects as low energy reporters (LERs) and non-LERs.Results: LERs represented 12.2% of the sample. This percentage was higher in obese subjects compared to overweight or normal weight (20.6 % vs. 9.9 % vs. 10.6 %, p = 0.05), as well as in women compared to men (14.6% vs. 9.9%, p<0.001). Data analysis was stratified by gender, since a significant interaction was observed between gender and LER group on several dietary parameters. Female LERs had higher Med Diet Score compared to non-LERs (30.6 ± 8.2, 95%CI 30.2–31.04 vs. 26.9 ± 6.3, 95%CI 26.05–27.7, p<0.001). Multiple regression analysis revealed that lower EI/BMR values were associated with younger age (p<0.001), higher BMI (p<0.001), presence of diabetes mellitus (p=0.012) and lower depression score (p=0.056) in women, whereas with younger age (p<0.001), higher BMI (p<0.001), higher education level (p=0.046) and higher anxiety score (p=0.08) in men.Conclusion: Several psychosocial and clinical characteristics operate in low energy reporting in both genders. Nutrition-related professionals should be aware of these gender-specific trends in dietary assessment procedures.

Comparison of a mediterranean (Med) diet to low fat (LF) diet on lipids in patients (pts) with coronary heart disease (CHD)

Comparison of a mediterranean (Med) diet to low fat (LF) diet on lipids in patients (pts) with coronary heart disease (CHD)

Comparison of a mediterranean (med) diet to low fat (lf) diet on lipids in patients (pts) with coronary heart disease (chd)

Comparison of a mediterranean (med) diet to low fat (lf) diet on lipids in patients (pts) with coronary heart disease (chd)

Feeding Value of Barley Plants as Related to Stage of Maturity: 2.In VivoDigestibility and Voluntary Intake of Silage

Abstract The aim of this study was to evaluate the energetic feeding potential of whole-crop barley silage as related to maturation in order to determine an optimum maturity stage to harvest. Barley was harvested in transition to dough stage (TD), middle/end of dough stage (MED) and yellow ripeness (YR), and ensiled. Digestibility of dietary organic matter (OM) by sheep fed at maintenance decreased by 3.5% as a result of maturation (silage mean 67%). In contrast, voluntary intake of OM increased by 5.5% from TD to MED (diet mean 28.5 g kg−1 body weight). The energetic feeding potential, calculated as intake of digestible OM, was not affected by stage of maturity. The main neutral cell wall sugars were β-glucose (23%) and xylose (12%) followed by arabinose (2%). The digestibilities of all cell wall fractions except β-glucose decreased with advancing maturity. The strongest effect was observed for mannose followed by arabinose, galactose and xylose. It is recommended to harvest barley for whole-crop silage ...