Mediterranean diet in a Sicilian student population. Second part: breakfast and its nutritional profile

Abstract

Breakfast habits affect the nutritional status and health of people, in particular children and adolescents. This is the second part a previous study about the adherence to the Mediterranean diet in a Sicilian (Italy) student population. The investigation analysed both normal weight and overweight subjects in order to understand how eating habits, number of meals and daily calorie intakes could affect their body mass indexes (BMI). The aim of this second part was to analyse the breakfast nutritional profiles of this student population. The results highlighted that breakfast was regularly consumed by a percentage ranging from a maximum of 84% (in normal subjects) to a minimum value of 57.4% (in overweight/obese students). Milk, yoghurt, sugar, bread/rusk and tea contributed as main foods to the breakfast composition. The results highlighted that subjects who consumed breakfast showed lower BMI values with significant differences between normal and overweight/obese students.     

Organic contamination in clams,Venerupis aurea laeta and Cerastoderma edule glaucum,from Sicily (Italy)

Two species of edible clams Venerupis aurea laeta and Cerastoderma edule glaucum from Ganzirri Lake (Sicily, Italy) were investigated to determine OCP and PCB residues by GC-MS. Thirty-five samples were examined for two years in order to perform: a) their actual contamination; b) the daily dietary exposure of seafood consumers to the pollutants in question. In all the clams analysed in this study, PCB and OCP (4,4′-DDE) residues are always below the limits fixed by law. It seems that there is some seasonality of concentrations observed. In fact the more high concentrations of residues are detected in the hot months, for both species and years. Given the consumption of clams and the values obtained in this study for the two species analysed, it is possible estimate that the average daily dietary intake of NDL-PCB and of 4,4′-DDE for adults is really low.     

Phytochemical Constituents,Antioxidant Activity,and Toxicity Assessment of the Aerial Part Extracts from the Infraspecific Taxa of Matthiola fruticulosa (Brassicaceae) Endemic to Sicily

In a project designed to investigate the specific and infraspecific taxa of Matthiola endemic to Sicily (Italy) as new potential sources of bioactive compounds in this work, the infraspecific taxa of Matthiola fruticulosa were studied, namely, subsp. fruticulosa and subsp. coronopifolia. HPLC–PDA/ESI–MS and SPME–GC/MS analyses of hydroalcoholic extracts obtained from the aerial parts of the two subspecies led to the detection of 51 phenolics and 61 volatile components, highlighting a quite different qualitative–quantitative profile. The antioxidant properties of the extracts were explored through in vitro methods: 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH), reducing power and Fe²⁺ chelating activity assays. The results of the antioxidant tests showed that the extracts possess a different antioxidant ability: particularly, the extract of M. fruticulosa subsp. fruticulosa exhibited higher radical scavenging activity than that of subsp. coronopifolia (IC₅₀ = 1.25 ± 0.02 mg/mL and 2.86 ± 0.05 mg/mL), which in turn displayed better chelating properties (IC₅₀ = 1.49 ± 0.01 mg/mL and 0.63 ± 0.01 mg/mL). Lastly, Artemia salina lethality bioassay was performed for toxicity assessment. The results of the bioassay showed lack of toxicity against brine shrimp larvae for both extracts. The data presented indicate the infraspecific taxa of M. fruticulosa as new and safe sources of antioxidant compounds.     

Indoor radon survey in Eastern Sicily

Inhalation of radon (Rn-222) and its progeny is one of the most significant sources of natural radiation exposure of the population. Nowadays, high radon exposures have been shown to cause lung cancer and many governments all over the world have therefore recommended that radon exposures in dwellings and indoor workplaces should be limited. Radon levels in buildings vary widely from area to area depending on local geology. This paper presents the results of a long-term survey of radon concentrations carried out from 2005 till 2010 in schools and dwellings of Eastern Sicily, using the solid-state nuclear track detector (SSNTD) technique. The investigated area shows medium-high indoor radon concentrations, higher than the Italian average of about 70 Bq/m³, with peaks of 500 Bq/m³ or more in buildings near active faults. Fortunately, only a small fraction of the measurements, about 1.5% of total, was found greater than EU and Italian action limits for indoor and workplaces.     

Adherence to the Mediterranean diet in a Sicilian student population

Since the last decades, socio-economic changes have a key role on eating habits affecting the nutritional status and health of people, in particular children and adolescents. The aim of this study was to compare the diet of student population both normal weight and overweight and obese in order to understand their eating habits by comparing the different diets of the student referring to the Mediterranean diet. The study comprised 337 Sicilian students aged 9 to 13 years, 96 in primary schools and 241 in secondary schools, respectively, in three Sicilian cities namely, Messina, San Piero Patti and Ragusa. The variables studied were height, weight, body mass index (BMI) and adherence to the Mediterranean Adequacy Index (MAI) diet quality indicator. Interestingly, the results highlighted 2.67 MAI mean value for normal weight students while 1.27 MAI mean value indicating a decreased adherence to the Mediterranean diet in overweight students.     

Combined XRF‐SEM analysis of varnished pottery: the case of Syracuse and Adrano (Sicily) archaelogical finds

Micro‐destructive and non‐destructive X‐Ray fluorescence techniques and scanning electron microscopy coupled with energy‐dispersive spectrometry have been applied for the analysis of ten samples of Hellenistic black‐varnished pottery, coming from archaeological excavations in Syracuse and Adrano (South Italy, Sicily). Micro‐morphological and compositional investigations, together with statistical data processing, have shown several differences among the varnishes of the specimen found in the two sites. In particular, Syracuse varnishes are characterised by a more homogeneous composition and well‐defined raw materials, whereas Adrano samples show a higher variability, probably linked to the use of different raw materials and the poorer quality of the varnish as well. The obtained results attest that, as Syracuse black pottery is concerned, the production technique is at an advanced level, whereas Adrano manufacture seems to be less specialised. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Agronomical and chemical characterisation of Thymbra capitata (L.) Cav. biotypes from Sicily,Italy

In this study, the agronomical and chemical characterisation of 13 Sicilian biotypes of Thymbra capitata (L.) Cav., grown under the same agricultural and environmental condition, are reported. The main morpho-productive parameters and quali-quantitative profile of essential oils (EOs) were determined. The EOs were analysed by gas chromatography-flame ionisation detector and gas chromatography–mass spectrometry. Hierarchical cluster analysis and principal component analysis statistical methods were used to group biotypes according to the EOs chemical composition. The EO yield ranged between 4.6 and 8.1 (v/w). A total of 38 EO compounds have been identified. The compounds mostly represented were α-pinene, myrcene, α-terpinene, p-cymene, γ-terpinene, borneol, carvacrol and β-caryophyllene. In all biotypes, the carvacrol (67.4–79.5%) was the main compound, confirming that T. capitata is a carvacrol chemotype. The results showed that all Sicilian Thymbra biotypes have a good adaptation to the climatic conditions of the test environment.     

The metabolic profile of lemon juice by proton HR-MAS NMR: the case of the PGI Interdonato Lemon of Messina

We have studied by means of High Resolution Magic Angle Spinning Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (HR-MAS NMR) the metabolic profile of the famous Sicilian lemon known as 'Interdonato Lemon of Messina PGI’. The PGI Interdonato Lemon of Messina possesses high organoleptic and healthy properties and is recognised as one of the most nutrient fruits. In particular, some of its constituents are actively studied for their chemo-preventive and therapeutic properties. In this paper, we have determined by means of HR-MAS NMR spectroscopy the molar concentration of the main metabolites constituent the juice of PGI Interdonato Lemon of Messina in comparison with that of the not-PGI Interdonato Lemon of Turkey. Our aim is to develop an analytical technique, in order to determine a metabolic fingerprint able to reveal commercial frauds in national and international markets.     

Study of quantitative and qualitative variations in essential oils of Sicilian Rosmarinus officinalis L.

In this study the chemical characterisation of 10 Sicilian Rosmarinus officinalis L. biotypes essential oils is reported. The main goal of this work was to analyse the relationship between the essential oils yield and the geographical distribution of the species plants. The essential oils were analysed by GC-FID and GC-MS. Hierarchical cluster analysis and principal component analysis statistical methods were used to cluster biotypes according to the essential oils chemical composition. The essential oil yield ranged from 0.8 to 2.3 (v/w). In total 82 compounds have been identified, these represent 96.7–99.9% of the essential oil. The most represented compounds in the essential oils were 1.8-cineole, linalool, α-terpineol, verbenone, α-pinene, limonene, bornyl acetate and terpinolene. The results show that the essential oil yield of the 10 biotypes is affected by the environmental characteristics of the sampling sites while the chemical composition is linked to the genetic characteristics of different biotypes.