Vitamin B 12 deficit is one of the most common vitamin deficiencies. However, there is no consensus on the cut-off points for vitamin B 12 and its co-markers, such as folate, holotranscobalamin, methylmalonic acid and homocysteine. In order to establish the state of the art about cut-off points used to determine vitamin B 12 deficiency in the last decades, the database MEDLINE was used for searching studies published in adults between December 1992 and May 2014 (69 articles), using search terms like 'vitamin B 12 ', 'cobalamin', 'cut-off', 'deficiency' alone or in combinations. Broad ranges of cut-off points for vitamin B 12 and its biomarkers were identified: vitamin B 12 ranged between 100 pmol/L and 350 pmol/L, holotranscobalamin 20-50 pmol/L, methylmalonic acid 0.210-0.470 μmol/L, homocysteine 10-21.6 μmol/L, serum folate 3.7-15.9 nmol/L and red blood cell 124-397 nmol/L. For the majority of studies, the potential influence of age, analytical methods, gender and fortified food consumption was not taken in account when choosing cut-off values. This could explain the discrepancies between studies on vitamin B 12 and folate deficiency prevalences. We conclude that there is inconsistency in the literature regarding vitamin B 12 cut-offs. It would be necessary to establish different reference cut-offs according to age, considering the analytical methods used.

BackgroundRepresentative data for the Spanish population regarding physical activity (PA) behaviors are scarce and seldom comparable due to methodological inconsistencies.AimOur objectives were to describe the PA behavior by means of the standardized self-reported International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ) and to know the proportion of the Spanish population meeting and not meeting international PA recommendations.Material and MethodsPA was assessed using the IPAQ in a representative sample of 2285 individuals (males, 50.4%) aged 9–75 years and living in municipalities of at least 2,000 inhabitants. Data were analyzed according to: age groups 9–12, 13–17, 18–64, and 65–75 years; sex; geographical distribution; locality size and educational levels.ResultsMean total PA was 868.8±660.9 min/wk, mean vigorous PA 146.4±254.1 min/wk, and mean moderate PA 398.1±408.0 min/wk, showing significant differences between sexes (p<0.05). Children performed higher moderate-vigorous PA than adolescents and seniors (p<0.05), and adults than adolescents and seniors (p<0.05). Compared to recommendations, 36.2% of adults performed <150 min/week of moderate PA, 65.4% <75 min/week of vigorous PA and 27.0% did not perform any PA at all, presenting significant differences between sexes (p<0.05). A total of 55.4% of children and adolescents performed less than 420 min/week of MVPA, being higher in the later (62.6%) than in the former (48.4%). Highest non-compliance was observed in adolescent females (86.5%).ConclusionSex and age are the main influencing factors on PA in the Spanish population. Males engage in more vigorous and light PA overall, whereas females perform more moderate PA. PA behavior differs between age groups and no clear lineal increase with age could be observed. Twenty-seven percent of adults and 55.4% of children and adolescents do not meet international PA recommendations. Identified target groups should be addressed to increase PA in the Spanish population.

Public health guidelines should prioritize on increasing levels of CRF, MF and VPA, and reducing TV viewing time to lower CVD risk in youth.

Thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, and vitamin B6 are essential micronutrients that are mainly involved in energy metabolism; they may prevent the occurrence of developmental abnormalities and chronic degenerative and neoplastic diseases. The aim was to analyze dietary intake and food sources of those four nutrients in subjects (n = 2009) aged 9–75 years old from the Spanish ANIBES (Anthropometric data, macronutrients and micronutrients intake, practice of physical activity, socioeconomic data and lifestyles in Spain) study. Dietary data were collected by means of a validated, photo-based three-day dietary food record. Underreporting was analysed according to the European Food and Safety Authority (EFSA, Parma, Italy) protocol. Mean (max–min) reported intake for the whole population of thiamin was 1.17 ± 0.02 mg/day, (0.30–3.44 mg/day), riboflavin 1.44 ± 0.02 mg/day, (0.37–3.54 mg/day), niacin 29.1 ± 0.2 mg/day (6.7–109 mg/day), and vitamin B6 1.54 ± 0.01 mg/day (0.28–9.30 mg/day). The main sources of intake for thiamin, niacin, and vitamin B6 were meat and meat products, and for riboflavin were milk and dairy products. An elevated percentage of the Spanish ANIBES population meets the EFSA recommended intakes for thiamin (71.2%), riboflavin (72.0%), niacin (99.0%), and vitamin B6 (77.2%).

BackgroundAn increase of sedentary behaviors far from the Mediterranean lifestyle is happening in spite of the impact on health. The aims of this study were to describe sedentary behaviors in children and adolescents.MethodsA representative sample of 424 Spanish children and adolescents (38% females) involved in the ANIBES study was analyzed regarding their sedentary behaviors, together with the availability of televisions, computers, and consoles by means of the HELENA sedentary behavior questionnaire.ResultsFor the total sample of children, 49.3% during weekdays and 84% during weekends did not meet the recommendation of less than 2 hours of screen viewing per day. The use of TV was higher during weekdays (p < 0.05) and there were significant differences between adolescents and children (16.9 vs. 25.1%, p < 0.05). The use of computer, console games and of internet for non-study reasons was higher during weekends (p < 0.001). Adolescents played more computer games and used more internet for non-study reasons than children during both weekdays and weekends (p < 0.05 and p < 0.001, respectively). The use of internet for academic reasons was lower in children (p < 0.001) than adolescents during weekends; however, no significant differences were found between sexes. In addition, more than 30% of the children and adolescents had at least one electronic device in their bedrooms.ConclusionsSpanish children and adolescents are not meeting the recommendations regarding the maximum of screen viewing (<2 h/day), especially during the weekend, for all of sedentary behaviors. Urgent strategies and intervention studies are needed to reduce sedentary behavior in young people.