Since phototype and global self-assessment of sun exposure were positively linked, our data suggest that lower vitamin D levels in fair-skinned individuals are due to their sun exposure behavior.

Il existe aujourd'hui un faisceau d'arguments convergents suggerant que la production de radicaux libres peut directement ou indirectement jouer un role essentiel dans les processus cellulaires impliques dans l'atherosclerose et la cancerogenese. La plupart des etudes epidemiologiques disponibles dans ce domaine sont issues d'etudes d'observation (etudes ecologiques, etudes cas-temoins, etudes prospectives). Les resultats de ces travaux sont convergents et indiquent que des apports alimentaires ou des concentrations sanguines elevees en certaines vitamines et oligoelements antioxydants sont associes a un risque plus faible de maladies cardiovasculaires et de cancers. Cependant la nature meme des etudes epidemiologiques d'observation ne permet pas de tirer de conclusions sur l'existence d'un lien de causalite. Seuls les essais d'intervention (essais randomises) dans lesquels l'apport dans les facteurs preidentifies est modifie permettent d'affirmer le lien de causalite. Les apparentes differences entre les 4 essais d'intervention recemment publies peuvent etre expliquees par les populations d'etude non comparables (population generale ou population a haut risque), les differents niveaux de doses utilisees pour la supplementation (niveau « nutritionnel » ou doses plus fortes, de type pharmacologique), le nombre de nutriments antioxydants testes (un, deux ou plus) et le type d'administration (antioxydant seul ou dans le cadre d'une association equilibree). Ainsi, il apparait que l'apport combine des vitamines et oligoelements antioxydants a des doses de type nutritionnel peut s'accompagner d'un moindre risque de pathologies. Un effet optimal, au niveau de la population generale, semble pouvoir etre ainsi obtenu avec des niveaux d'apports en antioxydants equivalents a ceux des plus gros consommateurs tels qu'observes dans les enquetes alimentaires.

The agreement between the two modes of administration of the questionnaire suggests that the self-administered version of the MAQ is a valuable tool to assess past-year physical activity and inactivity in self-administered conditions. This instrument could be used in large-scale population studies investigating the relationships between physical activity and health outcomes.

The effects of 3 doses and 2 durations of iron supplement on iron-deficient rats were investigated. Two groups of 15 rats were given, respectively, a low iron-containing diet (4-5mg Fe/kg diet) and a medium iron-containing diet (15mg Fe/kg diet) for 4 weeks. At that time the first group was anemic and the second group was moderately iron-deficient, as shown by their iron status parameters. The two groups were then each divided into 3 subgroups of 5 rats each that received the low iron-containing diet supplemented with 35, 150, or 250mg of iron in the ferrous sulfate form per kg diet. Changes in their iron status and mean body weight was followed after 8 and 14 days of supplementation. Results showed that, after 14 days of supplementation, a dose of 35ppm was not sufficient to normalize hematological parameters. However, doses of 150 and 250mg Fe/kg diet normalized all hematological parameters after 8 days of diet, and corrected the decrease in body weight gain.

The consequences of iron deprivation on iron-containing enzymes of different tissues in rat and/or human is reviewed. Iron participates in a wide variety of biochemical processes, including mitochondrial electron transport, catecholamine metabolism and DNA synthesis. Recently, a broad spectrum of biochemical abnormalities resulting from iron deficiency have been described. Effects on skeletal muscle, cardiac muscle, brain tissue, liver tissue gastrointestinal tractus, body temperature regulation, DNA synthesis are successively discussed. The key liabilities of tissue iron deficiency, even at a mild degree relate to decrease in intellectual performance, and in physical capacity during exercise, alteration of temperature regulation, immune function.

Background: The symptoms of venous insufficiency of the lower limbs (VILL) include a feeling of heaviness in the legs, pain, and nocturnal cramps, which may be combined with organic disorder (varicose veins). The objective of this study was to determine the prevalence of VTLL in terms of both varicose veins and functional symptoms in the participants of the SUVIMAX cohort, which is representative of the French population for the age range under consideration (women: 35–60; men: 45–60). Methods: Information on the venous status of 3065 subjects in SUVIMAX cohort were collected from three different sources: yearly systematic clinical (1994-1996), monthly follow-up by a telematic network (1994–1998) and non-specific questionnaire (1997). Two mutually exclusive populations were thus denned on medically diagnosed varicose and venous insufficiency. Results: Venous insufficiency was medically diagnosed in 192 men (14.6%) and 584 women (33.6%), and varicose veins were diagnosed in 143 men (74.5%) and 317 women (54.2%) from this group. Prevalence reported symptoms of venous insufficiency and of varicose veins was 13.6% and 7.4% respectively in men and 28.2% and 12.4% in women. Sex, age, body mass index and number of pregnancies were found to be correlated with the risk of venous insufficiency. Conclusions: VILL is a very common disease in French adults both as varicose veins and as functional symptoms. Venotonics were the main type of treatment but not enough use is made of elastic compression stockings. [Int Angiol 1999;18.171–5]

VILL is a very common disease in French adults both as varicose veins and as functional symptoms. Venotonics were the main type of treatment but not enough use is made of elastic compression stockings.

We studied the effect of iron supplementation on the iron statusof mothers and on biochemical iron statusand clinical and anthropometric measures in their infants. The subjects were 197 pregnant women selected at 28 wk ± 21 d of gestation at a mother-and-childhealth center in Niamey, Niger. Ninety-nine women received 100 mg elemental Fe/d throughout the remainder of their pregnancies and 98 received placebo. The prevalence of anemia and iron deficiency decreased markedly during the last trimester of pregnancy in the iron-supplemented group but re mained constant in the placebo group. Three months after delivery, the prevalence of anemia was significantly higher in the placebo group. At delivery, there were no differences between the two groups in cord blood iron variables. Three months after delivery, serum ferritin concentrations were significantly higher in infants of women in the iron-supplemented group. Mean length and Apgar scores were significantly higher in infants with mothers in the iron group than in those with mothers in the placebo group. Am J Clin Nutr l997;66:1l78â€82.