Previous experimental studies have highlighted that citrulline (CIT) could be a promising pharmaconutrient. However, its pharmacokinetic characteristics and tolerance to loading have not been studied to date. The objective was to characterise the plasma kinetics of CIT in a multiple-dosing study design and to assess the effect of CIT intake on the concentrations of other plasma amino acids (AA). The effects of CIT loading on anabolic hormones were also determined. Eight fasting healthy males underwent four separate oral loading tests (2, 5, 10 or 15 g CIT) in random order. Blood was drawn ten times over an 8 h period for measurement of plasma AA, insulin and growth hormone (Gh). Urine samples were collected before CIT administration and over the next 24 h. None of the subjects experienced side effects whatever the CIT dose. Concerning AA, only CIT, ornithine (ORN) and arginine (ARG) plasma concentrations were affected (maximum concentration 146 (sem 8) to 303 (sem 11) μmol/l (ARG) and 81 (sem 4) to 179 (sem 10) μmol/l (ORN); time to reach maximum concentration 1·17 (sem 0·26) to 2·29 (sem 0·20) h (ARG) and 1·38 (sem 0·25) to 1·79 (sem 0·11) h (ORN) according to CIT dose). Even at high doses, urinary excretion of CIT remained low ( < 5 %). Plasma insulin and Gh were not affected by CIT administration. Short-term CIT administration is safe and well-tolerated. CIT is a potent precursor of ARG. However, at the highest doses, CIT accumulated in plasma while plasma ARG levels increased less than expected. This may be due to saturation of the renal conversion of CIT into ARG.

Consumption of tea has been shown to improve endothelial function. It is assumed that catechins are the tea components responsible for these beneficial effects. In black tea, catechin concentrations are significantly lower than in green tea. The present study was designed to compare green and black tea with regard to amelioration of endothelial function. Endothelial function in response to both teas was assessed in bovine aortic endothelial cells (BAEC) and rat aortic rings. To elucidate whether these findings are also applicable to humans, flow-mediated dilation (FMD) and nitro-mediated dilation (NMD) were assessed by ultrasound in twenty-one healthy women before and 2 h after consumption of green and black tea (2 h of FMD and NMD), in comparison with water (control). In BAEC, green and black tea significantly increased endothelial NO synthase activity to the same extent. Similarly, both teas induced comparable endothelial-dependent vasodilation in rat aortic rings. In human subjects, ingestion of green and black tea led to significant increases in FMD: from 5·4 (sd 2·3) to 10·2 (sd 3) % (baseline-adjusted difference (BAD) for 2 h of FMD, green tea v. water: 5·0 (95 % CI 3·0, 7·0) %; P < 0·001) and from 5 (sd 2·6) to 9·1 (sd 3·6) % (BAD for 2 h of FMD, black tea v. water: 4·4 (95 % CI 2·3, 6·5) %; P < 0·001), respectively. The increase in FMD was not significantly different between the two tea preparations (BAD for 2 h of FMD, green tea v. black tea: 0·66 (95 % CI − 0·76, 2·09) %; P = 0·36). NMD did not vary between any of the groups. In conclusion, green and black tea are equally effective in improving endothelial function.

There is growing interest in the use of dietary patterns as measures of exposure in studies of diet–disease relationships. However, relatively little is known about the impact of the type of dietary assessment method on the patterns observed. Using FFQ and food diary data collected from 585 women in early pregnancy we used principal component analysis to define dietary patterns. The first pattern was very similar in both datasets and was termed the ‘prudent’ diet. The second pattern, whilst comparable for the FFQ and food diaries, showed greater variation in coefficients than the prudent pattern; it was termed the ‘Western’ diet. Differences between the FFQ and diary scores were calculated for each woman for both the prudent and Western diet patterns. Of the differences in the prudent diet score, 95 % lay within ± 1·58 sd of the mean, and 95 % of the differences in the Western diet scores lay within ± 2·22 sd of the mean. Pearson's correlation coefficients were 0·67 (P < 0·001) for the prudent diet score and 0·35 (P < 0·001) for the Western diet score. The agreement between the FFQ and diary scores was lowest amongst respondents who were younger, had lower educational attainment and whose diaries were coded as ‘poor, probably incomplete’, although these effects were small. The first two dietary patterns identified in this cohort of pregnant women appear to be defined similarly by both FFQ and diary data, suggesting that FFQ data provide useful information on dietary patterns.

Forty to fifty per cent of skeletal mass, accumulated during childhood and adolescence, is influenced by sunlight exposure, physical activity, lifestyle, endocrine status, nutrition and gender. In view of scarce data on association of nutrition and lifestyle with hypovitaminosis D in Indian children and adolescents, an in-depth study on 3127 apparently healthy Delhi schoolgirls (6–18 years) from the lower (LSES, n 1477) and upper socioeconomic strata (USES, n 1650) was carried out. These girls were subjected to anthropometry and clinical examination for hypovitaminosis D. Girls randomly selected from the two strata (LSES, n 193; USES, n 211) underwent detailed lifestyle, dietary, biochemical and hormonal assessment. Clinical vitamin D deficiency was noted in 11·5 % girls (12·4 % LSES, 10·7 % USES). USES girls had significantly higher BMI than LSES counterparts. Prevalence of biochemical hypovitaminosis D (serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D < 50 nmol/l) was seen in 90·8 % of girls (89·6 % LSES, 91·9 % USES, NS). Mean intake of energy, protein, fat, Ca, vitamin D and milk/milk products was significantly higher in USES than LSES girls. Conversely, carbohydrate, fibre, phytate and cereal intakes were higher in LSES than USES girls. Physical activity and time spent outdoors was significantly higher in LSES girls (92·8 v. 64 %, P = 0·000). Significant correlation between serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D and estimated sun exposure (r 0·185, P = 0·001) and percentage body surface area exposed (r 0·146, P = 0·004) suggests that these lifestyle-related factors may contribute significantly to the vitamin D status of the apparently healthy schoolgirls. Hence, in the absence of vitamin D fortification of foods, diet alone appears to have an insignificant role.

Increased Se intakes have been associated with decreased risk of cancer and CVD. Several mechanisms have been proposed, including antioxidant effects through selenoproteins, induction of carcinogen metabolism and effects on the blood lipid profile. In a 4 × 1 week randomised, double-blind cross-over study, healthy young men supplemented their usual diet with selenate, Se-enriched yeast, Se-enriched milk or placebo (Se dose was 300 μg/d for selenate and Se-enriched yeast, and about 480 μg/d for Se-enriched milk) followed by 8-week washout periods. All Se sources increased serum Se levels after supplementation for 1 week. The effect of the organic forms did not differ significantly and both increased serum Se more than selenate. Conversely, thrombocyte glutathione peroxidase (GPX) was increased in the periods where subjects were supplemented with selenate but not in those where they were given Se-enriched yeast or Se-enriched milk. We found no effect on plasma lipid resistance to oxidation, total cholesterol, TAG, HDL- and LDL-cholesterol, GPX, glutathione reductase (GR) and glutathione S-transferase (GST) activities measured in erythrocytes, GPX and GR activities determined in plasma, or GR and GST activities in thrombocytes. Leucocyte expression of genes encoding selenoproteins (GPX1, TrR1 and SelP), and of electrophile response element-regulated genes (GCLC, Fra1 and NQO1) were likewise unaffected at all time points following intervention. We conclude that thrombocyte GPX is specifically increased by short-term selenate supplementation, but not by short-term supplementation with organic Se. Short-term Se supplementation does not seem to affect blood lipid markers or expression and activity of selected enzymes and a transcription factor involved in glutathione-mediated detoxification and antioxidation.

The objective of the present study was to evaluate the effects of the Pro Children intervention on schoolchildren's fruit and vegetable (FV) intake after 1 and 2 years of follow-up. The intervention combined a FV curriculum with efforts to improve FV availability at schools and at home. Effects were examined in a group-randomised trial among 1472 10–11-year-old children from sixty-two schools in Norway, the Netherlands and Spain. FV intake was assessed by means of validated self-administered questionnaires completed before the intervention (September 2003), immediately after the first year of the intervention (May 2004) and 1 year later (May 2005). Data were analysed using multilevel linear regression analyses with age and sex as covariates. Significant intervention effects for FV intake were found at first follow-up in the total sample. The adjusted FV intake reported by the children from intervention schools was 20 % higher than FV intake reported by children from control schools. At 1 year later, a significant impact was only observed in Norway. Positive intervention effects on FV intake occurred both at school and outside school. We conclude that the Pro Children intervention is a promising means to promote European schoolchildren's FV intakes, but mainly fruit intake, in the short term. As shown in Norway, where the intervention was best implemented, the intervention might also result in longer-term effects. Further strategies need to be developed that can improve implementation, have an impact on vegetable intake and can secure sustained effects.

The aim of the present study was to determine individuals' taste threshold for monosodium glutamate (MSG) alone and in combination with inosine 5′-monophosphate (IMP-5) and to examine if this threshold was related to an increase in sensory properties (including pleasantness of taste) and/or to one's preference for dietary protein over carbohydrate and fat. Using the triangle tasting method, the taste threshold was determined for thirty-six women and twenty-four men. Thresholds varied from zero to infinite as determined using a clear soup with added MSG in the concentration range of 0·1 to 0·8 % (w/w) MSG. Subjects rated fourteen sensory properties of the soup and also their ‘liking’, ‘eating frequency’ and ‘preference’ of twenty-two common high-protein, high-carbohydrate and high-fat food items. The taste threshold (and therefore sensitivity) of MSG was lowered from 0·33 (sem 0·24) to 0·26 (sem 0·22) % MSG when 0·25 % (w/w) IMP-5 was added. None of the sensory properties assessed was associated with the taste threshold of MSG ± 0·25 % IMP-5 in the overall study population. However, the taste descriptor ‘meatiness’ was associated with the threshold data for individuals who could taste concentrations of ≤ 0·4 % MSG. ‘Liking’ and ‘preference’ scores for protein were found to be related to the threshold of MSG ± 0·25 % IMP-5. From this study population we conclude that the taste threshold of MSG in combination with IMP-5 does appear to predict one's ‘liking’ of as well as ‘preference’ for high-protein foods.

Obese patients typically show a pattern of dyslipidaemia and changes in plasma fatty acid composition reflecting abnormalities in lipoprotein metabolism and dietary habits. Animals and obese adults have been widely studied; however, contradictory results have been published in children. The objective was to assess changes in plasma fatty acid composition in total plasma lipids and plasma lipid fractions in obese prepubertal children compared with those of normal weight and to evaluate changes in postprandial plasma fatty acids during a 3 h period after intake of a standardised breakfast. The study was a case–control study with thirty-four obese and twenty normal-weight prepubertal children (Tanner 1). Anthropometric and metabolic variables and fatty acid concentrations were measured in plasma and its fractions. Liquid chromatography was used to separate lipid fractions and GLC to quantify fatty acids. Plasma total fatty acids (TFA), SFA, MUFA and PUFA concentrations were higher in obese than in control children. Except for 18 : 0, 18 : 3n-3, 20 : 4n-6 and n-3 PUFA, all fatty acids in TAG were also elevated in the obese group. Fatty acids 16 : 1n-7, 18 : 0, 18 : 1n-9, 20 : 2n-6, TFA and MUFA significantly decreased between the 2nd and 3rd hour in normal-weight v. obese children. The concentration of 16 : 1n-7 was positively and the proportion of 20 : 4n-6 inversely associated with a significant increase in risk of obesity. Obese prepubertal children show an altered plasma fatty acid profile and concentrations, mainly related to the TAG fatty acid profile, with a lower clearance of fatty acids v. normal-weight prepubertal children.

The objective of the present study was to compare the percentage of body fat (%BF), BMI, and central fat distribution anthropometric measures as indices of obesity and to assess the respective associations with cardiovascular risk factors in young female students. Subjects were 220 healthy Greek female students. Dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry was used to estimate %BF, anthropometric measurements were obtained and blood samples were analysed for CVD risk factors. Results showed that 48·6 % of students had increased adiposity, while a considerable proportion was characterised by central fat distribution irrespective of the anthropometric index used. The proportion of subjects with at least one metabolic risk factor present was 60·4 %. Although %BF was not associated with any of the CVD risk factors, waist circumference, waist:hip ratio and waist:height ratio were all associated with CVD risk factors. Higher levels of these anthropometric variables demonstrated higher prevalence of CVD risk factors. The lack of association between %BF and CVD risk factors could be attributed to the fact that females with undesirable adiposity had a tendency for the gynaecoid type of obesity. In contrast, the present results suggest that central body fat distribution in young women may reflect increased risk due to high visceral and particularly intra-abdominal fat levels. Recent epidemiological data from Greece show a high prevalence of overweight and obesity in young adults. Therefore, assessing the risk for the presence of CVD risk factors is of particular importance. Central obesity anthropometric indices seem to be valuable screening tools for young women.

The objective was to assess weight-loss maintenance in individuals who successfully completed a commercial weight-loss programme at multiple sites in the United States. A total of 699 lifetime members of Weight Watchers represented the national sample and 217 additional lifetime members served as an oversample. Lifetime members were asked to self-report their current weight 1, 2, and 5 years after they had successfully completed the programme. Additional lifetime members served as an oversample whose weights were measured. The discrepancy between reported and measured weight in the oversample was used to adjust the self-reported weights of the national sample. Seventy-one percent of participants were middle-aged or older and 95·3 % were female; their mean starting BMI was 27·6 (sd 3·6) kg/m2. The percentage of Weight Watchers lifetime members who maintained at least 5 % of their weight loss 1, 2 and 5 years after successful completion of the programme was 79·8, 71·0, and 50·0, respectively. The percentage of participants who remained below their goal weight 1, 2 and 5 years after completion of the programme was 26·5, 20·5, and 16·2, respectively. Results obtained with this group of successful Weight Watchers members are not directly comparable to those obtained with clinical samples of obese dieters because the current sample comprises only the most successful Weight Watchers participants. However, these results provide further evidence that maintenance of weight loss in those who successfully lose weight in one commercial weight-loss programme is more feasible than data from clinical populations have suggested.