Nutritional status in relation to balance and falls in the elderly: a preliminary look at serum folate.

Background/aim: In elderly persons, fall-related injury is a serious public health problem. We investigated the impact of essential nutritional elements on falls in the elderly.

Methods: Clinical function, balance, gait and disability tests and health and nutritional status assessments were performed.

Marked increase in plasma high-density-lipoprotein cholesterol after prolonged fasting during Ramadan.

We evaluated the effect of the Ramadan fasting on plasma lipids and lipoproteins in normal individuals. Twenty-four healthy subjects were studied before the end of the Ramadan month (Ram) and for 1 mo thereafter. Plasma total cholesterol (TC), triglycerides, low-density-lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), and very-low-density-lipoprotein cholesterol (VLDL-C) did not change.