Objective: To evaluate the association between triglycerides and HDL-cholesterol (TG/ HDL-c) ratio and cardiovascular risk factors among the elderly. Method: A cross-sectional epidemiological study with a random sample of elderly persons (n=349) of both genders, who received care under the Family Health Strategy in the municipality of Viçosa, in the state of Minas Gerais, was performed. Cardiovascular risk was calculated by the relationship between the TG and the HDL-c levels, with values greater than 3.5 considered a risk. Social and economic variables, lifestyle, noncommunicable chronic diseases, serum glucose levels, waist circumference (WC) and body mass index were evaluated. Multiple linear regression was used to evaluate the association between the TG/HDL-c ratio and other variables. Variables associated with the dependent variable with a level of significance lower than 0.20 in univariate regression analysis were included in the final model (stepwise-forward), applying a significance level of p<0.05. Results: The highest TG/HDL-c ratio values were associated with the presence of hypertension, having been or currently be a smoker, having elevated serum glucose and an increased waist circumference. Conclusion: The findings reflect the importance of studies on cardiovascular risk in the elderly, as health professionals should be familiar with the parameters that classify at risk individuals. The TG/HDL-c ratio is a reliable classification method that is easy to apply and correlates closely with adverse health effects.

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Objective: To investigate the association between dietary patterns and the socioeconomic aspects of elderly patients registered with the Family Health Strategy in Viçosa, Minas Gerais. Method: A cross-sectional study with a probabilistic sample was employed. To identify dietary patterns, dietary intake was assessed through a Food Frequency Questionnaire (FFQ) adapted for an elderly population. From the FFQ dietary patterns were identified by factor analysis. After the identification of the dietary patterns, logistic regression was performed considering each different dietary pattern and the related socioeconomic variables. Results: The consumption of a Fat and sugar pattern was greater among women and lower in elderly persons who considered themselves as mixed race. The consumption of the Balanced pattern was also lower among mixed race, married individuals, with one to four years of schooling and from the CDE economic classes. The Fruit and fish pattern was less consumed by elderly persons with 1-4 years of schooling, while the opposite was observed among those with five years or more of study. But the consumption of a Leafy vegetables pattern was lower among those with five or more years of schooling. Conclusion: The evaluation of the consumption of dietary patterns and the establishment of a relationship with the socioeconomic aspects of the elderly helps to achieve a better understanding of risk and protective factors for health.

ResumenIntroducción: la Lecythis pisonis Cambess es conocida popularmente en Brasil como "castaña de sapucaia". Estudios de su composición química revelaron que esta castaña es una excelente fuente de minerales antioxidantes y de lípidos esenciales. Objetivo: evaluar los efectos antioxidantes y anti infl amatorios en el tejido cerebral de ratones Wistar. Material y métodos: los animales fueron distribuidos aleatoriamente en cuatro grupos experimentales (n = 6) totalizando 48 ratones. Los tratamientos fueron conducidos por un periodo de 14 a 28 días con dietas estándar AIN-93G y de cafetería con castaña de sapucaia. La expresión génica de los marcadores TNF-α, NFkB, ZnSOD y HSP-72 fue determinada por la reacción en cadena de la polimerasa cuantitativa tras transcripción inversa (qPCR). La actividad antioxidante también fue verifi cada por la determinación de las especies reactivas del ácido tiobarbitúrico (TBARS) y por mensuración de la actividad de la enzima superoxido dismutasa. Resultados: la expresión génica de los marcadores infl amatorios NFkB (p65) y TNF-α fue menor para los grupos de ratones que consumieron las dietas enriquecidas con sapucaia con diferencia signifi cativa por el test de Tukey (p < 0,05). La proteína de choque térmico HSP-72 y la enzima ZnSOD presentaron aumento de la expresión génica con diferencia estadística signifi cativa (p < 0,05) para ambos grupos que consumieron sapucaia en sus dietas. Conclusión: las propiedades nutricionales de la castaña de sapucaia ejercieron importante actividad neuroprotectora por modular la actividad antioxidante y el proceso infl amatorio en los tejidos cerebrales de los animales evaluados. AbstractBackground: Lecythis pisonis Cambess is commonly known as "castanha de sapucaia" in Brazil. Chemical composition studies revealed that this nut is an excellent source of anti-oxidant minerals and of essential lipids.Objective: The aim of the present study is to assess the anti-oxidant and anti-infl ammatory effect of Lecythis pisonis Cambess on the brain tissue of Wistar rats. Material and methods:The animals were divided in four experimental groups (n = 6), total of forty-eight rats. Treatments included the standard diet (AIN-93G) and high-fat food, supplemented with Sapucaia nut from 14 to 28 days. The gene expression markers TNF-α, NFkB, ZnSOD and HSP-72 were defi ned through reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (rtPCR). The anti-oxidant effect was assessed through the thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances (TBARS) and the measurement of the activity performed by superoxide dismutase enzymes. Results: Accordingly, the gene expression of the infl ammatory markers NFkB (p65) and TNF-α was lower in rats fed on diets supplemented with "sapucaia", and they presented signifi cant difference in the Tukey test (p < 0.05). The heat-shock HSP-72 protein and the ZnSOD enzyme raised the gene expression and showed signifi cant statistical difference (p < 0.05) in both groups fed on Sapucaia nut-based diet. Conclusion: Thus, the nutritional properties of the Sa...