Micaela Cunha Rodrigues

Background: Excessive salt intake is a major modifiable risk factor of cardiovascular disease and contributes substantially to the global disease burden. Assessing individuals' perception of their salt intake is essential for designing effective reduction strategies. This study aimed to assess the association between self-perceived and estimated salt intake in a sample of workers from one public university. Methods: This cross-sectional study included 107 participants (51.4% women, mean age 47 ± 10 years) from the iMC Salt trial. Self-perceived salt consumption was assessed using the WHO STEPS questionnaire. Salt intake was estimated through 24-hour urinary sodium excretion. Factors associated with perception were analyzed using ordinal logistic regression models. The results are expressed as cumulative odds ratio (OR) and respective 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Results: A total of 78.5% of participants exceeded the recommended daily sodium intake. Mean urinary sodium excretion was higher in men than in women (3862 mg/day vs. 2614 mg/day, P < .001). Most participants perceived their intake as “just the right amount” (43%). The correlation between perceived and estimated salt intake was weak and not statistically significant (ρ = 0.117, P = .229). In multivariable analysis, lower education level (OR = 6.17, 95% CI: 1.52–25.06) and absence of hypertension (OR = 0.38, 95% CI: 0.15–0.96) were associated with a higher likelihood of perceiving salt consumption as low. Conclusion: These findings suggest a mismatch between perceived and estimated salt intake. Lower education and nonhypertensive status were associated with perceiving salt intake as low. Because salt intake perception may influence eating behavior, strategies to improve awareness and better align perception with intake are warranted.

Introduction. Anthropometry plays a crucial role in nutritional assessment, especially in clinical and research settings where lack of precision affects data reliability and patient care. However, the accuracy of these measurements is often overlooked when assessing nutritional status and health risks. This study aimed to assess the technical error of measurement (TEM) and evaluate the intra- and inter-observer measurement error of anthropometric measurements performed by the NutriFunction team—an ongoing multicentre study involving hospitalised patients and a comparative sample of community-dwelling individuals. Methods. Six trained interviewers assessed twelve anthropometric indicators (body weight, body and knee height, hand and middle-finger lengths, hand breadth, mid-arm, waist, and calf circumferences, triceps, calf, and adductor pollicis thickness) on eight volunteers following ISAK and other pre-standardized techniques. TEM, relative TEM (%TEM), and coefficient of reliability (R) were calculated. Results. Most results were adequate for experienced anthropometrists, except for hand breadth (%TEM=1.2) and knee height (%TEM=1.2) for anthropometrist #4, and middle-finger length (%TEM=1.3) for #5 in intra-observer variability (R range=0.6-1.0). Inter-observer variability showed unacceptable %TEM for hand length (%TEM=2.0, 2.5, 1.5) for anthropometrists #1, #2, and #5, hand breadth (%TEM=2.0) for #4, adductor pollicis thickness (%TEM=9.9, 14.5) for #1 and #2, and middle-finger length (%TEM=2.0) for #5 (R range: 0.3-1.0). For the beginner standard, intra-observer variability was acceptable across all points, but inter-observer variability was unacceptable for hand length (%TEM=2.5) and adductor pollicis thickness (%TEM=14.5) for anthropometrist #2. Conclusions. Most anthropometric measurements had acceptable TEM values for experienced anthropometrists, meaning that these measurements present the necessary precision for clinical assessment and diagnosis. Anthropometrist #2 should not perform hand length and adductor pollicis thickness measurements until further training and a new TEM study are completed. Regular training is essential to minimise errors and safeguard the quality and clinical utility of anthropometric data for assessment, diagnosis and treatment. Funding: Fellowship FCT (2023.01790.BD). and European Regional Development Fund (NORTE-01-0145-FEDER-000039).

Introduction. Anthropometry plays a crucial role in nutritional assessment, especially in clinical and research settings where lack of precision affects data reliability and patient care. However, the accuracy of these measurements is often overlooked when assessing nutritional status and health risks. This study aimed to assess the technical error of measurement (TEM) and evaluate the intra- and inter-observer measurement error of anthropometric measurements performed by the NutriFunction team—an ongoing multicentre study involving hospitalised patients and a comparative sample of community-dwelling individuals. Methods. Six trained interviewers assessed twelve anthropometric indicators (body weight, body and knee height, hand and middle-finger lengths, hand breadth, mid-arm, waist, and calf circumferences, triceps, calf, and adductor pollicis thickness) on eight volunteers following ISAK and other pre-standardized techniques. TEM, relative TEM (%TEM), and coefficient of reliability (R) were calculated. Results. Most results were adequate for experienced anthropometrists, except for hand breadth (%TEM=1.2) and knee height (%TEM=1.2) for anthropometrist #4, and middle-finger length (%TEM=1.3) for #5 in intra-observer variability (R range=0.6-1.0). Inter-observer variability showed unacceptable %TEM for hand length (%TEM=2.0, 2.5, 1.5) for anthropometrists #1, #2, and #5, hand breadth (%TEM=2.0) for #4, adductor pollicis thickness (%TEM=9.9, 14.5) for #1 and #2, and middle-finger length (%TEM=2.0) for #5 (R range: 0.3-1.0). For the beginner standard, intra-observer variability was acceptable across all points, but inter-observer variability was unacceptable for hand length (%TEM=2.5) and adductor pollicis thickness (%TEM=14.5) for anthropometrist #2. Conclusions. Most anthropometric measurements had acceptable TEM values for experienced anthropometrists, meaning that these measurements present the necessary precision for clinical assessment and diagnosis. Anthropometrist #2 should not perform hand length and adductor pollicis thickness measurements until further training and a new TEM study are completed. Regular training is essential to minimise errors and safeguard the quality and clinical utility of anthropometric data for assessment, diagnosis and treatment. Funding: Fellowship FCT (2023.01790.BD). and European Regional Development Fund (NORTE-01-0145-FEDER-000039).

Introduction The finger-ring test (FRT) offers a simple method to screen older adults at increased risk of sarcopenia. Objective To investigate the association between the FRT and lean soft tissue mass estimated by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA), and to further elucidate the FRT as an indicator of muscle mass, while accounting for potential confounders, in a community-dwelling population. Materials and methods Within this cross-sectional study 430 community-dwelling individuals aged 18 to 79 (286 women (66.5%) and 144 men (33.5%)) were enrolled. Data regarding FRT and anthropometric measurements were collected. Whole-body composition was estimated using DXA. Binary and ordinal logistic regressions were performed. Results The frequency of smaller calf, just fits, and bigger calf was 17.7%, 33.7%, and 48.6%, respectively. Regardless of sex, higher appendicular lean soft tissue mass adjusted for height squared was observed for higher FRT categories (p < 0.001). For the ordinal logistic regression model, each unity of increment in appendicular lean soft tissue mass adjusted for height squared (kg/m²) was associated with a higher probability of being allocated to higher finger-ring test categories, in both genders. A higher cumulative adjusted odds ratio was found for women (7.53; 95% confidence interval: 4.58–12.38) than for men (2.99; 2.00–4.48). Conclusion By demonstrating an association between the appendicular lean soft tissue mass estimated by DXA and the FRT, these results strengthen the utility of this simple self-test as an indicator of muscle mass, which can be used in the primary prevention of muscle mass decline and its recovery.

Little is known about the potential associations between neurodevelopment, dietary diversity and food processing in the toddler period. This study aimed to estimate the association between these dietary quality dimensions and neurodevelopment in toddlers. Data for this cross-sectional analysis came from the Healthy Children 2021 project and included 212 toddlers (51.9% females, aged 12–36 months) from 15 Portuguese childcare centers. Neurodevelopment was assessed through Bayley Scales of Infant and Toddler Development. Dietary intake was gathered by a two-day non-consecutive dietary recall. The food items were categorised with NOVA classification. Dietary diversity was explored through Minimum Dietary Diversity (MDD). Logistic regression models adjusted for potential confounders were performed. Girls with a higher energy contribution of unprocessed/minimally processed foods and with an above median MDD score had higher odds of achieving a higher neurodevelopment score (aOR:1.04; 95%CI 1.01; 1.08 and aOR:2.26; 95%CI 1.01; 5.06, respectively); no significant association was observed in boys. Our findings suggest that these dietary dimensions are associated with a higher neurodevelopment in toddler girls. This should be further studied as a possible early link between dietary factors and neurodevelopment. Promotion of healthy eating can be promising in improving neurocognitive development and might help to introduce public health recommendations for toddlers’ nutrition.

Background: Adequate sodium intake is important for lowering blood pressure and thus reducing cardiovascular disease risk and other complications. The aim of this review is to identify recent interventions around the world that have been successful in reducing salt intake. Methods: A search in the PubMed, Web of Science and Scopus databases was performed. We include studies published in the last 10 years; randomized trials, pilot intervention without a control arm or experimental study; adult participants; and interventions that successfully reduced salt intake. Study quality was assessed. Results: We included 21 studies, 16 randomized intervention trials and five nonrandomized intervention studies. Eleven interventions described health and nutritional education, seven interventions described nutritional education plus other interventions, and three studies used salt meters to reduce sodium intake. Conclusion: Health and nutritional education, nutritional education plus other interventions and estimates of salt intake showed success in the reduction of salt consumption. There is no evidence that one type of intervention analyzed is more effective than other in reducing salt consumption, so we must analyze each in which individuals or subpopulations will have the intervention performed and use the most suitable approaches to lead to better results.

(1) Background: Excessive salt consumption is associated with an increased risk of hypertension and cardiovascular disease, and it is essential to reduce it to the level recommended by the World Health Organization (n = 57) used the equipment to monitor and control the use of salt during cooking (Salt Control H) at home for 8 weeks. The primary outcome was 24 h urinary sodium excretion as a proxy of salt intake. Secondary outcomes included changes in 24 h urinary potassium excretion, sodium to potassium ratio (Na:K), and blood pressure. (3) Results: There was a decrease in sodium intake after the intervention but with no statistical significance. When analyzing the results by sex and hypertension status, there was a reduction in sodium (−1009 (−1876 to −142), p = 0.025) and in Na:K ratio (−0.9 (−1.5 to −0.3), p = 0.007) in hypertensive men in the intervention group. (4) Conclusions: Interventions with dosage equipment can be valid approaches in individual salt reduction strategies, especially in hypertensive men.