Browsing by Author "Damasceno, Albertino"
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- A Cross-Sectional Study of the Street Foods Purchased by Customers in Urban Areas of Central AsiaPublication . Sousa, S.; Lança de Morais, Inês; Albuquerque, Gabriela; Gelormini, Marcello; Casal, Susana; Pinho, Olivia; Motta, Carla; Damasceno, Albertino; Moreira, Pedro; Breda, João; Lunet, Nuno; Padrão, PatriciaThis study aimed to describe street food purchases in cities from Central Asia, considering customers’ characteristics and the nutritional composition of the foods and beverages. Cross-sectional studies were conducted in 2016/2017 in Dushanbe (Tajikistan), Bishkek (Kyrgyzstan), Ashgabat (Turkmenistan) and Almaty (Kazakhstan). Direct observation was used to collect data on the purchases made by street food customers, selected by random and systematic sampling. Nutritional composition was estimated using data from chemical analyses, food composition tables or food labels. A total of 714 customers (56.6% females, 55.5% aged ≥35 years, 23.3% overweight/obese) were observed, who bought 852 foods and beverages, the most frequent being savoury pastries/snacks (23.2%), main dishes (19.0%), sweet pastries/confectionery (17.9%), tea/coffee (11.3%) and soft drinks/juices (9.8%). Fruit was the least purchased food (1.1%). Nearly one-third of customers purchased industrial food items (31.9%). The median energy content of a street food purchase was 529 kcal/serving. Saturated and trans-fat median contents were 4.7 g/serving and 0.36 g/serving (21.4% and 16.5% of maximum daily intake recommendations, respectively). Median sodium and potassium contents were 745 mg/serving (37.3% of maximum recommendation) and 304 mg/serving (8.7% of minimum recommendation), respectively. In general, the purchases observed presented high contents of energy, saturated-fat, trans-fat and sodium, and low levels of potassium. Policies towards the improvement of these urban food environments should be encouraged.
- Diferenças genotípicas entre o sudoeste da Europa e África: um estudo comparativo em genes relacionados com a hipertensãoPublication . Aguiar, Laura; Semente, Ildegário; Carvalho, Andreia; Ferreira, Joana; Caria, Helena; Damasceno, Albertino; Faustino, Paula; Inácio, Ângela; Bicho, ManuelIntrodução: Desde o surgimento do género Homo, os hominídeos ocuparam uma grande variedade de ambientes com relação ao clima. Assim, espera-se que as pressões seletivas variem amplamente entre diferentes regiões geográficas. Objetivo: O objetivo do presente trabalho foi comparar a frequência genotípica em genes que têm sido propostos como potenciais moduladores da hipertensão arterial (HTA), uma doença multifatorial cujo contributo genético é importante, no sudoeste da Europa e em África. Os genes analisados foram: sintase do óxido nítrico endotelial (eNOS), glicose-6-fosfato desidrogenase (G6PD), alfa-globina (HBA) e enzima conversora da angiotensina (ECA). Material e métodos: Foram analisadas 224 amostras de DNA de Portugal e 202 amostras de África (24 amostras de DNA de Moçambique e 178 amostras de DNA de São Tomé e Príncipe). Para o gene eNOS, a análise polimórfica do número variável de repetições em tandem (VNTR) no intrão 4 (repetição em tandem de 27 pb) foi realizada por reação em cadeia da polimerase (PCR). A caracterização do SNP rs1050829 no gene G6PD foi obtida por PCR seguida de análise do comprimento do fragmento de restrição. Para a pesquisa da deleção α-talassémica de -3,7kb no agrupamento génico da α-globina foi usada uma metodologia de Gap-PCR. A genotipagem do polimorfismo da ECA I/D (inserção/ deleção) foi realizada por PCR. Todas as análises estatísticas foram realizadas recorrendo ao software SPSS, versão 24.0, sendo o nível de significância estatística estabelecido para p <0,05. Resultados: Os resultados mostram que, em relação ao gene eNOS, os genótipos que apresentam o alelo 4a (quatro cópias de repetições de 27 pb) têm uma frequência menor em Portugal do que em África (p <0,001). Curiosamente, apenas em África encontramos os alelos raros 4c, 4d e 4y. Para o gene G6PD (cromossoma X) há uma menor frequência dos genótipos com o alelo G em Portugal, comparado com a população africana (p <0,001). A presença da deleção α-talassémica de -3,7kb é comum em África, mas rara em Portugal (p <0,001). Em relação ao gene ECA, não se encontram diferenças estatisticamente significativas entre as populações estudadas (p =0,151). Conclusão: Os nossos resultados mostram diferenças na distribuição geográfica de três polimorfismos que potencialmente influenciam o desenvolvimento da HTA. Estas diferenças podem estar relacionadas com diferentes pressões seletivas proporcionadas pelos diferentes climas no sudoeste da Europa e na África equatorial e subequatorial. De facto, condições como o calor e a humidade estão associadas a maior perda de sódio.
- Differences in the genotype frequencies of genes related to blood pressure regulation - a comparative study between South-West Europe and Peri-equatorial AfricaPublication . Aguiar, Laura; Semente, Ildegário; Ferreira, Joana; Carvalho, Andreia; Silva, Alda P.; Caroça, Cristina; Caria, Helena; Damasceno, Albertino; Laires, Maria J.; Sardinha, Luís; Monteiro, Cristina; Mascarenhas, Mário R.; Faustino, Paula; Inácio, Ângela; Bicho, ManuelBackground: Since the emergence of the genus Homo, hominids have occupied a wide variety of environments, facing different selective pressures. Objectives: The aim this study is to compare genotype frequencies between South-West Europe and Peri-equatorial Africa in genes potentially modulators of blood pressure. Methods: The analyzed sample consisted of 325 individuals from Portugal and 226 individuals from Africa (48 from Mo zambique and 178 from São Tomé and Príncipe). The following genetic variants were analyzed: intron 4 VNTR in eNOS, rs1050829 in G6PD, -3.7kb α-thalassemic deletion in HBA, rs1800457 in CYB5R3, Hp 1/2 genotype/phenotype in Hp and intron 16 I/D in ACE. Results: Frequencies of genotypes with the 4a allele in eNOS (p<0.001), the G allele in G6PD (p<0.001), the α-3.7 kb in HBA (p <0.001), the C allele in the CYB5R3 (p<0.001) were higher in Peri-equatorial Africa. The Hp 1.1 genotype of Hp has a higher frequency in Peri-equatorial Africa (p=0.002). ACE shows no significant differences. Conclusion: Results show differences in five genetic variants. Conditions of extreme heat and humidity, characteristic of Peri-equatorial Africa, have been associated with increased sodium loss. This study suggests that selected compensatory mechanisms printed in the genome, are nowadays risk factors for hypertension in Peri-equatorial Africa.
- Nutritional Characterization of Street Food in Urban Turkmenistan, Central AsiaPublication . Albuquerque, Gabriela; Sousa, Sofia; Lança de Morais, Inês; Gelormini, Marcello; Motta, Carla; Gonzales, Gerard Bryan; Ovezov, Azat; Damasceno, Albertino; Moreira, Pedro; Breda, João; Lunet, Nuno; Padrão, PatríciaObjective: Describing the availability and nutritional composition of the most commonly available street foods in Ashgabat, Turkmenistan. Methods: One hundred sixty-one street food vending sites (six public markets) were assessed, through a collection of data on vending sites’ characteristics and food availability, and samples of commonly available foods (21 homemade; 11 industrial), for chemical analysis. Results: Fruit, beverages, and food other than fruit were available in 6.8, 29.2, and 91.9% of all vending sites, respectively. Regarding the latter, 52.7% of the vending sites sold only homemade products (main dishes, snacks, cakes, biscuits and pastries, bread, ice-cream chocolate and confectionery, savory pastries and sandwiches), 37.2% only industrial (ice-cream, chocolate and confectionery, cakes, biscuits and pastries, snacks, bread and savory pastries) and 10.1% both. Homemade foods presented significantly higher total fat [homemade 11.6 g (range 6.6–19.4 g); industrial 6.2 g (range 4.0–8.6 g), p = 0.001], monounsaturated, polyunsaturated and trans-fat, and sodium and potassium content per serving. Industrial wafers presented the highest mean saturated (11.8 g/serving) and trans-fat (2.32 g/serving) content. Homemade hamburgers presented the highest mean sodium content (1889 mg/serving). Conclusions: Strategies to encourage the production and sales of healthier street foods, especially homemade, are needed to promote healthier urban food environments in urban Turkmenistan.
- Patterns of Street Food Purchase in Cities From Central AsiaPublication . Sousa, Sofia; Lança de Morais, Inês; Albuquerque, Gabriela; Gelormini, Marcello; Casal, Susana; Pinho, Olívia; Motta, Carla; Damasceno, Albertino; Moreira, Pedro; Breda, João; Lunet, Nuno; Padrão, PatríciaStreet food makes a significant contribution to the diet of many dwellers in low- and middle-income countries and its trade is a well-developed activity in the central Asian region. However, data on its purchase and nutritional value is still scarce. This study aimed to describe street food purchasing patterns in central Asia, according to time and place of purchase. A multicentre cross-sectional study was conducted in 2016/2017 in the main urban areas of four central Asian countries: Dushanbe (Tajikistan), Bishkek (Kyrgyzstan), Ashgabat (Turkmenistan) and Almaty (Kazakhstan). Street food markets (n = 34) and vending sites (n = 390) were selected by random and systematic sampling procedures. Data on the purchased foods and beverages were collected by direct observation. Time and geographic location of the purchases was registered, and their nutritional composition was estimated. A total of 714 customers, who bought 852 foods, were observed. Customers’ influx, buying rate and purchase of industrial food were higher in city centers compared to the outskirts (median: 4.0 vs. 2.0 customers/10min, p < 0.001; 5.0 vs. 2.0 food items/10min, p < 0.001; 36.2 vs. 28.7%, p = 0.004). Tea, coffee, bread and savory pastries were most frequently purchased in the early morning, bread, main dishes and savory pastries during lunchtime, and industrial products in the mid-morning and mid-afternoon periods. Energy and macronutrient density was highest at 11:00–12:00 and lowest at 09:00–10:00. Purchases were smaller but more energy-dense in city centers, and higher in saturated and trans-fat in the peripheries. This work provides an overview of the street food buying habits in these cities, which in turn reflect local food culture. These findings from the main urban areas of four low- and middle-income countries which are currently under nutrition transition can be useful when designing public health interventions customized to the specificities of these food environments and their customers.