Publications by authors named "Maria Jose Soto Mendez"

Background: Methionine-methylation cycle and the derived critical functions during infancy are key regulated by folates, vitamins B, and B. At present in Spain, there is an absence of studies that assess the intakes and dietary sources of total folates and B by children consuming all types of milks and those regularly consuming adapted milk formulas. Thus, our aim was to evaluate folates intakes alongside with vitamins B and B while describing their major dietary contributors in Spanish children aged one to <10 years.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

The relationship between diet and sleep has been studied in adults. However, there is little evidence in the pediatric population. The objective of this review was to analyze in a narrative way the relationship between diet, some nutritional aspects and sleep quality in population under 14 years.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF
Article Synopsis
  • Epilepsy affects many children, and while antiepileptic drugs are the standard treatment, about 30% still experience seizures, leading to interest in alternative treatments like the ketogenic diet (KD).
  • This review synthesizes evidence on KD for treating refractory epilepsy in children, using data from 21 reviews, with both systematic (8) and unsystematic (13) methodologies.
  • Findings indicate that about 50% of patients may achieve a significant (>50%) reduction in seizures with KD, though side effects like vomiting, constipation, and diarrhea were common in both types of reviews.
View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Background: the assessment of diet quality (DQ) is fundamental to the study of disease-diet associations, and it is necesary to implement an easy to-apply tool in nursing homes (NHs). Our objective was to propose and apply a novel diet quality indicator (DQIn) using an a priori approach for NHs. Methods: the QUality Index for Nutrition in Nursing homes (QUINN) was implemented in a public NH located in Valladolid, Spain, during a 5-week period (n = 137 subjects).

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Minerals and vitamins involved in the antioxidant defense system are essential for healthy growth and proper development during infancy. Milk and dairy products are of particular importance for improving the supply of these nutrients to children. Indeed, the present study aimed to evaluate the nutrient intake and food sources of zinc (Zn), selenium (Se), retinol and carotenoids (sources of vitamin A), and vitamins C and E, and to analyze their relationships with personal and familiar factors in Spanish children from the EsNuPI study.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

We aimed to examine whether anthropometric indices, dietary factors, and nutrient intakes of women with and without breast cancer (BrCa) are associated with the oxidative balance score (OBS). This case-control study was carried out among 253 patients with BrCa and 267 healthy subjects aged >18 years. The OBS was calculated by using the following 13 dietary and non-dietary anti- and prooxidant components: dietary antioxidants (selenium, fiber, β-carotene, vitamin D, vitamin C, vitamin E, and folate), dietary prooxidants (iron and saturated and polyunsaturated fatty acids), and nondietary anti- (physical activity) and prooxidants (smoking and obesity).

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Currently, in Spain there are no studies assessing the intakes and sources of intrinsic and added sugars by both children consuming standard milks and children regularly consuming adapted milk formulas. Our goal was to evaluate current sugar intake levels (intrinsic and added) and their major dietary sources within the EsNuPI study participants by applying two 24-h dietary recalls that were completed by 1448 children (1 to <10 years) divided into two subsamples: One “Spanish Reference Sample” (SRS) of the general population (n = 707) and another sample which included children consuming adapted milks including follow-on milk, toddler’s or growing up milk and fortified and enriched milks, here called “Adapted Milk Consumers Sample” (AMS) (n = 741). Estimates of intrinsic and added sugar intakes from the Spanish EsNuPI population as well as the adherence to recommendations varied notably according to age segment, but no major differences between subsamples were found.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Nutrition is a key factor in the development of non-communicable chronic diseases (NCCDs), especially cardiovascular diseases (CVD) and their risk factors. The "double burden of malnutrition" (DBM) is the coexistence of undernutrition and overnutrition in the same population across the life-course. In Latin America, the transition from a predominantly underweight to an overweight and obese population has increased more rapidly than in other regions in the world.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Considering that the prevalence of overweight and obesity in Southeast of Spain is high, the aim of this work was to analyze the relation between the adherence to a personalized diet and the effectiveness of changes in the body composition in overweight and obese adults in this region. This quasi-experimental study presents the following selection criteria: attendance at the consultation between 2006 and 2012, subjects ≥ 19 years of age with overweight or obesity. In total, 591 overweight or obese individuals were involved in this study, attending 4091 clinic consultations in total.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Introduction: eating habits and lifestyles during early childhood are important due to their association with chronic diseases in adulthood. Objectives: to evaluate energy and nutrient intake, main food sources, and dietary patterns in the EsNuPI study participants. Methods: a sociodemographic questionnaire, food frequency questionnaire, two 24 h recalls, and a physical activity questionnaire were used in two cohorts of Spanish children aged 1 to < 10 years, who were non-vegans living in municipalities > 50,000 inhabitants - one representative cohort of consumers of all types of milks (SRS = 707) and one other cohort consuming adapted milks (AMS = 741).

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Diet quality indicators (DQIns) are tools that aim to assess an individual's overall diet quality. Previous reviews focused mainly on health-related outcomes but did not provide detailed information about components, assessment variables, or important methodological issues for the development and application of DQIns in the pediatric age. The current mapping review aims to provide comprehensive guidance regarding DQIns developed through a priori methodology in children aged ≤14 y that have been applied worldwide.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Diet in the first years of life is an important factor in growth and development. Dietary protein is a critical macronutrient that provides both essential and nonessential amino acids required for sustaining all body functions and procedures, providing the structural basis to maintain life and healthy development and growth in children. In this study, our aim was to describe the total protein intake, type and food sources of protein, the adequacy to the Population Reference Intake (PRI) for protein by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA), and the Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) by the Institute of Medicine (IoM).

View Article and Find Full Text PDF
Article Synopsis
  • The study investigates the dietary intake of carbohydrates, starch, sugars, and fiber among children in Spain, focusing on two groups: the general population and those consuming adapted milk formulas.
  • Results show that while most children meet the recommended intake for total carbohydrates, fiber consumption is generally below the adequate levels, particularly in children aged 3 to 10 years.
  • Main sources of carbohydrates include cereals, dairy, fruits, and bakery products, with differing contributions to starch and sugar intake, highlighting the need for improved dietary quality among Spanish children.
View Article and Find Full Text PDF
Article Synopsis
  • Dietary patterns in Spanish children aged 1 to <10 years were studied to assess their links with lifestyle factors, aiming to prevent unhealthy eating habits.
  • A total of 1,512 children were analyzed, revealing three main dietary patterns, including energy-dense foods and two resembling the Mediterranean diet.
  • Key influences on these dietary patterns included children's age, physical activity, parental education, and household income.
View Article and Find Full Text PDF
Article Synopsis
  • The study examined the usual intake of total fat and fatty acids in a representative group of Spanish children aged 1 to under 10 years, comparing those who consumed all types of milk with those who had adapted milk.
  • Both groups displayed high intake of saturated fatty acids (SFAs), while the intake of essential fatty acids (EFAs) and n-3 long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (LC-PUFAs), particularly DHA, was low according to established nutritional guidelines.
  • Adapted milk consumption correlated with better adherence to dietary recommendations, highlighting the importance of understanding fat intake sources to develop targeted nutritional guidelines for children.
View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Bone problems in the population begin to be establish in childhood. The present study aims to assess the usual calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, and vitamin D intakes, along with the food sources of these nutrients, in Spanish children participating in the EsNuPI (Estudio Nutricional en Población Infantil Española) study. Two 24 h dietary recalls were applied to 1448 children (1 to <10 years) divided into two sub-samples: one reference sample (RS) of the general population [ = 707] and another sample which exclusively included children consuming enriched or fortified milks, here called "adapted milks" (AMS) [ = 741].

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

The present study aimed to assess energy intake, nutrient profile and food sources in Spanish children participating in the EsNuPI ("Estudio Nutricional en Población Infantil Española") study. Plausibility of energy intake and adequacy of nutrient intakes to international recommendations were analyzed in a final sample of 1448 subjects (728 boys and 720 girls) and one group representative of the 1 to <10 years old urban Spanish children (reference sample ( = 707)) who consumed milk and one of the same age who consumed adapted milk over the last year (adapted milk consumers sample ( = 741)) were compared. Both groups completed data of a face-to-face and a telephone 24-h dietary recalls.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF
Article Synopsis
  • A growing interest in healthy diets and lifestyles during childhood emphasizes their importance in preventing chronic diseases later in life, as dietary habits formed early tend to continue into adulthood.
  • The EsNuPI study focuses on Spanish children aged 1 to under 10, examining their dietary patterns, physical activity, and sedentary behaviors through surveys and food frequency questionnaires.
  • This research is unique for being the first comprehensive study of its kind in Spain for this age group, also exploring the impact of milk formulas and dairy on diet quality and overall health.
View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Background: It has been demonstrated that human milk osmolality (Mosm) is regulated within an established range, typically 290 to 300 mOsm/kg, and appears to be resistant to effects of maternal dehydration, as refl ected by high urinary osmolality (Uosm).

Objective: To determine the degree of association between Mosm and Uosm at a common point in time, as well as the reproducibility of both measures over a one-week interval of sampling.

Methods: Mosm and Uosm were measured with a Vogel Löser 450 osmometer on samples of the respective biological fluids collected concurrently in 31 lactating women, with infants aged between 30 and 340 days.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Background: Calprotectin is a fecal marker of intraintestinal inflammation derived from activated enteric neutrophils and macrophages. It is useful as a clinical marker in inflammatory bowel diseases; furthermore, it may have a role in public health epidemiology.

Objectives: The aim of the study was to describe the distribution of fecal calprotectin in Guatemalan preschool children sharing a common institutional diet; to relate it collectively to pediatric distributions in other geographic settings, and individually to concomitant indicators of intestinal infection or colonization and other descriptive features of the child.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Objective: To assess vitamin D status and the influence of risk factors such as skin pigmentation and time spent outdoors on hypovitaminosis D among Guatemalan Kekchi and Garifuna adolescents.

Design: Cross-sectional study, with convenient sampling design. Blood samples, anthropometric and behavioural data were all collected during the dry season.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Background: Meals served at government-run day care centers must be nutritionally adequate to ensure good health and proper development of preschool-aged children. They can provide a controlled opportunity to complement the daily diet of children in vulnerable populations.

Objective: To determine the nutrient adequacy and leading food sources of nutrients provided by the diet served in government-sponsored day care centers.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Background: Undernutrition and inflammation are related in many ways; for instance, non-hygienic environments are associated with both poor growth and immunostimulation in children.

Objective: To describe any existing interaction among different inflammation biomarkers measured in the distinct anatomical compartments of whole blood, feces, plasma and saliva.

Methods: In this descriptive, cross-sectional study, samples of whole blood, feces, plasma and saliva were collected on the 8th and last week of observation among 87 attendees (42 girls and 45 boys) of 3 daycare centers offering a common 40-day rotating menu in Guatemala's Western Highlands.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

We report the fatty acid composition, and in particular, the n-3 and n-6 long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (LCPUFA), in erythrocytes from a convenience sample of 158 women and 135 schoolchildren residing in the southern Pacific Coast of Guatemala. Erythrocyte fatty acids were analyzed by gas-liquid chromatography with flame ionization detection and the profiles were expressed as a weight percent; the Omega-3 Index values were also determined. Schoolchildren had significantly higher mean ARA and total n-6 fatty acid levels than the women.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Objective: This objective of this study was a methodological analysis of the variety and diversity of dietary items and their different origins offered in institutional menus across four daycare centers serving low-income families in Guatemala City.

Methods: Foods, as served in daycare centers, were used to explore and illustrate the different approaches to evaluating food quality. Foods served at daycare centers were analyzed for variety (number of different items) and diversity (using three food-classification systems).

View Article and Find Full Text PDF