OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between serum levels of folic acid, vitamin B12 and homocysteine and C677T metylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) mutation in pregnant women. METHODS: DNA was extracted from whole blood of 177 pregnant women. All samples were genotyped for the C677T polymorphism in MTHFR gene by polymerase chain reaction (PCR-RELP). Serum levels of homocysteine, folate, and vitamin B12 were measured by high performance liquid chromatography for homocysteine, and radioassay for folate and vitamin B12. RESULTS: Serum homocysteine was higher in women with the T/T genotype than those with the C/T or the C/C genotype of the MTHFR gene (p<0.05). Serum homocysteine was negatively correlated with serum folate in all MTHFR genotypes (p<0.001). Serum homocysteine was increased in pregnant women with the T/T type of the MTHFR gene only when the serum folate fell below the median compared to those stayed above the median level (p<0.05). Serum folate was positively correlated with serum vitamin B12 in all subjects. CONCLUSION: Serum homocysteine varied significantly by the MTHFR genotype and the serum B vitamin status.
Chromatography, Liquid ; DNA ; Female ; Folic Acid ; Genotype ; Homocysteine* ; Humans ; Methylenetetrahydrofolate Reductase (NADPH2)* ; Oxidoreductases ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Pregnant Women* ; Vitamin B 12 ; Vitamins

The purpose of this study was to analyze the nutritional status of Chinese female college students in Korea, and to investigate changes in their dietary behavior after residing in Korea. The subjects included 114 Chinese female college students currently studying in Korea. General characteristics and dietary behaviors before and after residing in Korea were investigated. Daily nutrients and food intake were assessed using a one-day 24-hour recall. Consumption of most nutrients, namely calcium, iron, zinc, vitamin B2, vitamin C, and folate was estimated to fall below the EAR for the Korean population. The proportions of subjects whose intake were estimated below the EAR for folate, calcium, vitamin B2, iron, zinc, and vitamin C were 93.0%, 71.9%, 66.7%, 65.8%, 65.8%, and 63.2%, respectively. In the current study, the dietary behavior scores fell significantly after Chinese students immigrated to Korea (p < 0.001); increased frequency of meal skipping, less consumption of fruits and vegetables, irregular meal pattern, and imbalanced diet were some of the significant changes among Chinese students before and after residing in Korea. In addition, consumption of most nutrients, including dietary fiber, vitamin A, vitamin B group, vitamin C, and folate in the Worsened Group was significantly lower, compared with the No Change Group (p < 0.05). According to the changes in dietary behaviors, consumption of most nutrients, including dietary fiber, vitamin A, vitamin B group, vitamin C, and folate in the Worsened Group was significantly lower than in the No Change Group (p < 0.05). In conclusion, these results indicated that Chinese students practiced more unhealthy dietary behaviors after residing in Korea and Chinese students residing in Korea showed poor nutrient-based diet quality. Conduct of a follow-up study using blood profile tests is needed in order to assess the nutritional status of Chinese students. These results would be used in planning of a nutritional surveillance program for Chinese students.
Ascorbic Acid ; Asian Continental Ancestry Group ; Calcium ; Diet ; Dietary Fiber ; Ear ; Eating ; Emigrants and Immigrants ; Female ; Folic Acid ; Fruit ; Humans ; Iron ; Korea ; Meals ; Nutritional Status ; Riboflavin ; Vegetables ; Vitamin A ; Vitamins ; Zinc

Adequate vitamin B2, vitamin B6, folate and vitamin B12 intakes are known to be important for the growth and development in infants. The purpose of this study was to evaluate concentrations of vitamin B2, vitamin B6, folate and vitamin B12 in human milk and to investigate the relationship between vitamin B levels in human milk and dietary habits and other health-related behaviors. Milk samples were obtained from 38 healthy lactating women (aged 29.0 +/- 3.2 years) who are participating in the cohort study on pregnant women. Vitamin B2 concentrations in human milk were positively correlated with maternal vitamin B2 intakes in lactating mothers. Vitamin B6, folate and vitamin B12 concentrations in human milk were not correlated with maternal B vitamin intakes. Vitamin B6 concentrations in human milk were negatively correlated with the amount of postpartum weight loss. The vitamin B concentrations in human milk were not associated with maternal age, height, weight and parity. Mothers who were exposed to indirect smoking had lower vitamin B2 concentrations, and those who reported to consume health foods had higher vitamin B2 concentrations in their milk. In conclusion, lactating women need to consume more vitamin B intakes for the growth and development in infants. Further researches are needed to find other diet and health-related factors which influence on B vitamin concentrations in human milk.
Cohort Studies ; Diet ; Female ; Folic Acid ; Food Habits ; Food, Organic ; Growth and Development ; Humans* ; Infant ; Maternal Age ; Milk ; Milk, Human* ; Mothers ; Parity ; Postpartum Period ; Pregnant Women ; Riboflavin ; Smoke ; Smoking ; Vitamin B 12 ; Vitamin B 6 ; Vitamins* ; Weight Loss

This study was performed to investigate the effects of alcohol drinking frequency and foods consumed along with alcohol on anthropometry, serum lipid levels, and blood pressures in 73 male type 2 diabetic patients aged 30-59 years old. Dietary data for usual intake were obtained from the subjects by the 3-day food records. Separate data for foods consumed along with alcohol as accompaniment were collected and analyzed for energy and nutrient intakes. Both alcohol drinking frequency and/or the amount of energy consumed from accompaniment influenced clinical data as well as anthropometric measurements. The serum total- and HDL-cholesterol, triglyceride levels and systolic blood pressure were significantly higher in the group with a drinking frequency of > or = 2/week than that of < or = 1/week and also in the group whose daily energy intake from accompaniment was greater than the median (106.6 kcal/d) than that below the median. When the data were adjusted for age, amount of energy intake from alcohol and diet, the anothropometric measurements such as body weight, BMI, waist circumference were significantly higher in patients whose energy intake from accompaniment was greater than the median than that below the median. The results of our study suggest that both alcohol drinking frequency and the energy intake from foods consumed along with alcohol as accompanements are important contributing factors to clinical and anthropometric parameters whose associations with the cardiovascular complications are well established in patients with diabetes mellitus.
Aged ; Alcohol Drinking ; Anthropometry ; Blood Pressure ; Body Weight ; Diabetes Mellitus ; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 ; Diet ; Drinking ; Energy Intake ; Humans ; Male ; Waist Circumference

Elevated plasma homocysteine is an independent risk factor for the development of cardiovascular disease. Exercise is generally believed to reduce the plasma homocysteine levels and therefore, being beneficial for cardiovascular disease(CVD). However, there is a possibility that athletes undergoing strenuous training and competition which increase oxidative stress may suffer from increased plasma homocysteine levels. The purpose of this study was to investigate the influence of endurance training on the plasma concentrations of B vitamins and homocysteine in 23 male adolescent field hockey players. Data collection and blood sampling was performed during the training period and non-training period. Following the training period, significant changes in energy and vitamin B6 intakes were observed in these subjects. Plasma vitamin B2, pyridoxal phosphate (PLP) and homocysteine levels were significantly higher during the training period than non-training period, whereas no difference was observed in plasma folate and vitamin B12 levels. Positive correlation was observed between plasma folate and folic acid intakes. When energy, B vitamin intakes were adjusted there was a significant negative correlation between plasma homocysteine levels and plasma riboflavin, folate and vitamin B12 levels. In conclusion, it is suggested that athletes with oxidative stress by strenuous exercise may need B vitamins since riboflavin, folic acid and vitamin B12 were shown to be negatively correlated with plasma homocysteine in athletes during the training period.
Adolescent* ; Athletes ; Cardiovascular Diseases ; Data Collection ; Folic Acid ; Hockey* ; Homocysteine* ; Humans ; Male* ; Oxidative Stress ; Plasma* ; Pyridoxal Phosphate ; Riboflavin ; Risk Factors ; Vitamin B 12 ; Vitamin B 6 ; Vitamin B Complex ; Vitamins*

This study attempted to evaluate the effectiveness of nutrition education especially high nutrient density diet, which promotes low carbohydrate, high protein and fiber. Sixty nine college students participated in the 8 week weight management program with nutrition education. After the program, forty six experienced a small amount of weight loss (WL group, 1.3 kg), but twenty three did not (WG group). The WL group's dietary habits and diet quality improved significantly. The INQ of nutrients and MAR significantly increased only in the WL group. The total DQI-I score significantly increased from 71.1 to 75.3 in the WL group, but it did not in the WG group. The total dietary habit scores significantly increased in both groups, but the changes in the dietary habit scores were greater than the WG group in the WL group. After the program, total cholesterol and triglyceride level decreased significantly in the WL group (p < 0.05). These results show that nutrition education which focuses on a nutrient density diet could help improve dietary habits, diet quality, total cholesterol, and the triglyceride level in college women.
Cholesterol ; Diet* ; Education* ; Female ; Food Habits* ; Humans ; Triglycerides ; Weight Gain* ; Weight Loss*

We investigated the effects of dietary folate supplementation on plasma homocysteine, vitamin B12 and hepatic levels of S-adenosylmethionine (SAM) and S-adenosylhomocysteine (SAH) in diet-induced hyperhomocysteinemic rats. All animals were fed 0.3% homocysteine diet for 2 weeks, then they were placed either on a 0.3% homocystine or no homocystine with or without 8 mg/kg folate diet for 8 weeks. Homocystine diet induced hyperhomocysteinemia up to 3.5-fold at 10 weeks (28.0+/-4.8 micromol/l vs. 7.9+/-0.3 micromol/l). Dietary folate supplementation caused a significant decrease in plasma homocysteine levels which had been increased by a homocystine-diet. Also, dietary folate supplementation made them return to control levels at 4 wk when the diet was free of homocystine. Plasma folate levels were markedly decreased with homocystine diet with no folate supplementation. Plasma vitamin B12 did not differ between groups. Dietary homocystine increased hepatic levels of SAM in folate supplementation group at 10 weeks (p<0.05). Dietary folate supplementation increased hepatic levels of SAM/SAH ratios in homocystine group (p<0.05). In conclusion, dietary folate supplementation can effectively ameliorate the detrimental effects of hyperhomocysteinemia.mia.
Animals ; Diet ; Folic Acid* ; Homocysteine ; Homocystine* ; Hyperhomocysteinemia* ; Metabolism* ; Plasma ; Rats* ; S-Adenosylhomocysteine ; S-Adenosylmethionine* ; Vitamin B 12

This study was carried out to identify dietary risk factors for childhood obesity. The study subjects were male children, aged 2 - 6years, who were enrolled in nursery schools and kindergartens. We obtained anthropometric measurements from 949 boys and dietary questionnaires from 253 boys. The subjects were classified into two groups using the BMI criteria; normal (n = 200) group with the BMI below 85th percentile and the obese group with the BMI at 85th percentile and above (n = 53). The logistic regression analysis showed that the odds ratios (OR) for obesity were, birth weight greater than 4.0 kg (3.27), increased meal speed (4.98), the frequency of overeating more than twice a week (2.63), the consumption of cooked rice more than one bowl per meal (2.77), the consumption of milk and dairy products less than 5 times a week (2.81), and increased maternal meal speed (1.98). Stepwise multiple logistic regression analyses showed that the variables which contribute to obesity significantly were birth weight greater than 4.0 kg (OR 5.19), the frequency of overeating more than twice a week (OR 2.51), the consumption of cooked rice more than one bowl per meal (OR 2.74), and the consumption of milk and dairy products less than 5 times a week (OR 4.43)(p < 0.0001). The results of this study indicate that dietary habits of both children and of their mothers as well as child's birth weight are important variables that contribute to childhood obesity.
Birth Weight ; Body Mass Index* ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Dairy Products ; Food Habits ; Humans ; Hyperphagia ; Logistic Models ; Male ; Meals ; Milk ; Mothers ; Obesity* ; Odds Ratio ; Pediatric Obesity ; Risk Factors* ; Schools, Nursery ; Surveys and Questionnaires

It has been suggested that the elevated plasma homocysteine may lead to retinal dysfunction. We investigated the effects of plasma levels of homocysteine and folate on the retinal glial cells' injuries. Male Sprague-Dawley rats were raised either on a control diet or on an experimental diet containing 3.0 g/kg homocystine without folic acid for 10 weeks. Plasma homocysteine concentrations were measured by a HPLC-fluorescence detection method. Plasma folate and vitamin B12 levels were analyzed by a radioimmunoassay. The response of Muller cells which are the principal glial cells of the retina was immunohistochemically examined using an antibody for vimentin, a cytoskeletal protein belonging to the family of intermediate filament. At 2 weeks, the homocystine diet induced a twofold increase in plasma homocysteine, and a concomitant increase in the expression of vimentin in the Muller cells' processes spanning from the inner to outer membranes of the retina indicating arterial degeneration. At 10 weeks, the homocystine diet induced a fourfold increase in plasma homocystine, but vimentin immunoreactivity in the retinas was similar in both groups. In conclusion, increased plasma homocysteine levels have influence on morphological and functional changes of Muller cells in the retina.
Diet ; Ependymoglial Cells ; Folic Acid ; Homocysteine ; Homocystine ; Humans ; Hyperhomocysteinemia* ; Intermediate Filaments ; Male ; Membranes ; Neuroglia* ; Plasma ; Radioimmunoassay ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Retina ; Retinaldehyde* ; Vimentin* ; Vitamin B 12

Maternal nutritional status has been shown to influence pregnancy outcomes. And the elevated maternal plasma homocysteine concentrations have been associated with adverse pregnancy outcomes. We investigated the effects of maternal serum levels of B vitamins and homocysteine, and the C677T MTHFR (5, 10-methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase) polymorphism on pregnancy outcomes. In 177 pregnant women of 24-28 wks of gestation, the MTHFR gene mutation, serum B vitamins and homocysteine concentrations were measured, and their pregnancy outcomes were investigated from medical records. The birth length, and 1- and 5-min Apgar scores of neonates in the T/T mothers were 45.4+/-9.3 cm, 7.6+/-3.2 and 8.5+/-3.8, respectively, which were significantly lower than those in the C/T (48.6+/-3.3 cm, 9.0+/-0.2, 10.0+/-0.2) or the C/C mothers (49.4+/-1.9 cm, 9.0+/-0.2, 10.0+/-0.0). The birth weight, birth length and the gestational age of neonates at delivery from hyperhomocysteinemic mothers whose homocysteine levels higher than 15 micromol were 2.5+/-1.3 kg, 43.9+/-9.0 cm, 35.4+/-6.3 wk, respectively, which were significant lower than those from normohomocysteinemic mothers (3.1+/-0.6 kg, 48.8+/-3.6 cm, 38.5+/-2.5 wk). The birth weight and birth length of neonates in mothers whose PLP levels were below the median were significantly lower than those from mothers with the PLP levels above the median. The 1- and 5-min Apgar scores of neonates were lower in mothers with the T/T MTHFR genotype than those with the C/T or C/C only when the serum PLP levels were below the median. The 1-, 5 min Apgar scores and birth length of neonates were lower in mothers with the T/T MTHFR genotype than those with the C/T or C/C only when the serum FMN levels were below the median. In conclusion, maternal B vitamin status, homocysteine and the C677T MTHFR genotype seem to have played an important role on pregnancy outcomes.
Birth Weight ; Female ; Flavin Mononucleotide ; Folic Acid ; Genotype ; Gestational Age ; Homocysteine* ; Humans ; Infant, Newborn ; Medical Records ; Mothers ; Nutritional Status ; Oxidoreductases* ; Parturition ; Plasma ; Pregnancy ; Pregnancy Outcome* ; Pregnancy* ; Pregnant Women ; Vitamin B Complex* ; Vitamins