obesity and overweight in children and adolescents is increasing rapidly worldwide; however, scarce data have been reported from South America countries. With the purpose of assessing hyperlipidemia, insulin resistance and chronic inflammation, the evaluation of blood biomarkers such as glucose, lipoproteins and chronic inflammation proteins is required. In the context of the SAYCARE study, in children and adolescents (3 to 18 years) from seven South American cities, our aim was to assess the impact of pre analytical conditions on different biomarkers evaluated in 474 fresh serum samples, in different country centers. We also evaluated the stability according to time and frozen storage within this study across the concordance of the results obtained from the 49 blood samples measured in three different centers. Significant correlations as well as concordance were observed in TG, Total-C, HDL-C and glucose between Buenos Aires and São paulo. the samples evaluated in teresina and São paulo presented similar results, with exception of total cholesterol. We observed acceptable concordance between Buenos Aires vs São paulo and teresina vs São paulo, suggesting that samples could be processed in each of these centers. This concordance is a consequence of the strict pre analytical conditions previously established in the SAYcARe study.With the purpose of assessing hyperlipidemia as well as insulin resistance and chronic inflammation, the evaluation of blood biomarkers such as glucose, lipids and lipoproteins as well as chronic inflammation proteins is required. The concentration of these parameters in blood samples depends on several factors, including those inherent to the individual, such as age and gender, and others referred to as pre analytical conditions. In clinical epidemiological multicenter studies, quality assurance in the pre analytical stage is essential for the precise interpretation of the results from the Clinical Biochemistry Laboratory 1 . Pre analytical conditions in these studies can be influenced by environmental factors, and those related to collection, handling, transportation, preparation and storage of diagnostic specimens 2 . In parallel, the methods used to obtain blood samples must be reliable, validated in the study population and comparable between countries. The requirements of the pre analytical and analytical stage are standardized in the guides of the World Health Organization (WHO) 3 and the Clinical Laboratory Standards Institute (CLSI) 4 , and its recommendations must be achieved in order to reduce variability and errors.www.nature.com/scientificreports www.nature.com/scientificreports/ way, thus achieving a good representation of reality and allowing comparisons of the data from the different cities involved in the study 5 .Metabolic panel testing is the most routinely performed laboratory tests giving valuable information not only in enabling the diagnosis and directing further testing but also in monitoring patients 6 . In this regard, sample storage and transport are essential to...

Objective: This study aimed to test the validity of an automatic oscillometric device to measure the blood pressure (BP) in children (n 5 191) and adolescents (n 5 127) aged 3 to 18 years. Methods: Systolic BP (SBP) and diastolic BP (DBP) levels were measured simultaneous by automatic device and mercury column with Y-connection. To verify the validity, Bland-Altman plots and limits of agreement of 95% (95% LOA), specificity and sensitivity of the device, and the grade of British Hypertension Society (BHS) criteria were used.Results: The monitor measurements demonstrated lower measurement bias (mean difference [95% LOA]): 1.4 (29.9 to 12.8) mmHg in children and 4.3 (27.8 to 16.5) mmHg in adolescents for SBP. For DBP, it was 2.2 (27.4 to 11.7) mmHg in children and 1.4 (28.4 to 11.1) mmHg in adolescents. The sensitivity in children was 21.4 (95% CI 5 16.3-26.6), and in adolescents, it was 20.0 (95% CI 5 13.2-26.8); the specificity was 95.9 (95% CI 5 93.4-98.4) in children and 100.0 (95% CI 5 100.0-100.0) in adolescents. The monitor-tested ratings are Grade B for SBP in children and SBP and DBP in adolescents and Grade C for DBP in children. Conclusions: The automatic monitor presented high values of specificity and lower values of sensitivity to the diagnosis of HBP; however, it can be considered accurate (lower measurement bias) and valid for epidemiological and clinical practice in accordance with BHS criteria.

Several reports have described in the last decade the coexistence of accelerated increase of obesity with micronutrient deficiencies in developed countries, and is becoming evident in developing nations. This condition may be especially deleterious in children and adolescents with consequences in metabolic risk and growth since early in life. This review describes the evidence of double burden malnutrition during growth period focused on six nutrients (iron, zinc, calcium, vitamin D, vitamin A, sodium, folic acid and vitamin B12) and its biological mechanisms associated with non-communicable disease through span life. In Colombia, according to the last national health and nutrition surveys (2005 vs. 2010), there is an increase in the prevalence of obesity in all age groups; that is accompanied with alarming figures of zinc and vitamin A deficiency and anemia in children under 5 years. This reality of double burden malnutrition should be considered urgently on the public health agenda, implementing robust strategies adapted to the reality of the country based on scientific evidence to prevent mobility and mortality associated with this condition.

The present study aimed to assess the associations of the stages of Fe deficiency (Fe deficiency without anaemia (ID) and Fe-deficiency anaemia (IDA)) and anaemia with metabolic syndrome (MetS) in Ecuadorian women. A cross-sectional study was conducted in 5894 women aged 20–59 years, based on data from the 2012 Ecuadorian National Health and Nutrition Survey. The sample was stratified by age. A χ2 test was used to assess the possible associations of ID, IDA and anaemia with MetS. The prevalence ratio (PR) for each stage of Fe deficiency and anaemia was estimated considering women without MetS as a reference. The total prevalence of MetS, ID, IDA and anaemia was 32⋅3 % (se 0⋅6), 6⋅2 % (se 0⋅3), 7⋅1 % (se 0⋅3) and 5⋅0 % (se 0⋅3), respectively. In women aged 20–29, 30–39 and 40–49 years, MetS was associated with a lower prevalence of ID (PR (95 % CI; P-value)): 0⋅17 (0⋅06, 0⋅46; P < 0⋅001), 0⋅69 (0⋅48, 0⋅99; P = 0⋅044) and 0⋅44 (0⋅29, 0⋅67; P < 0⋅001), respectively. In women aged 50–59 years, MetS was associated with IDA and anaemia (PR (95 % CI; P-value)): 0⋅12 (0⋅02, 0⋅96; P = 0⋅026) and 0⋅22 (0⋅07, 0⋅64; P = 0⋅002), respectively. In conclusion, Ecuadorian women of reproductive age with MetS have a lower prevalence of ID compared with those without MetS. Furthermore, the MetS and IDA coexist at the population level. These findings require an analysis from a dietary pattern approach, which could provide key elements for developing public policies that simultaneously address all forms of malnutrition.

Entre los múltiples discursos sobre nutrición y alimentación, hay dos perspectivas opuestas que se destacan: por una parte, el “nutricionismo”, que emergió con gran protagonismo en las décadas recientes y que reduce los conceptos de alimentación a la presencia o no de nutrientes, y de salud, a la ausencia de enfermedades; discurso que sido influenciado las ciencias nutricionales y alimentarias modernas y la conceptualización del actual régimen alimentario corporativo. Por otra parte, la perspectiva reemergente de la “alimentación saludable, solidaria y sustentable”, asociada al sistema alimentario tradicional ancestral, constituido a partir de la ética del bien común desde hace miles de años. Este artículo presenta una reflexión sobre estas dos perspectivas, teniendo en cuenta el panorama histórico y el entorno sociopolítico que las caracterizan, con el propósito de contribuir al reconocimiento de un paradigma alimentario que está en línea con los objetivos de desarrollo del milenio y con el derecho humano a la alimentación. Además, esta reflexión pretende valorar los avances que se han realizado en Colombia para lograr una alimentación saludable, solidaria y sustentable en la población general.