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Dimitra Karageorgou

Bio: Dimitra Karageorgou is an academic researcher from Agricultural University of Athens. The author has contributed to research in topics: Population & Medicine. The author has an hindex of 9, co-authored 27 publications receiving 478 citations. Previous affiliations of Dimitra Karageorgou include Tufts University & Harokopio University.

Papers
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Journal ArticleDOI
29 Mar 2018-PLOS ONE
TL;DR: Specific school food environment policies can improve targeted dietary behaviors; effects on adiposity and metabolic risk require further investigation.
Abstract: Background School food environment policies may be a critical tool to promote healthy diets in children, yet their effectiveness remains unclear. Objective To systematically review and quantify the impact of school food environment policies on dietary habits, adiposity, and metabolic risk in children. Methods We systematically searched online databases for randomized or quasi-experimental interventions assessing effects of school food environment policies on children’s dietary habits, adiposity, or metabolic risk factors. Data were extracted independently and in duplicate, and pooled using inverse-variance random-effects meta-analysis. Habitual (within+outside school) dietary intakes were the primary outcome. Heterogeneity was explored using meta-regression and subgroup analysis. Funnel plots, Begg’s and Egger’s test evaluated potential publication bias. Results From 6,636 abstracts, 91 interventions (55 in US/Canada, 36 in Europe/New Zealand) were included, on direct provision of healthful foods/beverages (N = 39 studies), competitive food/beverage standards (N = 29), and school meal standards (N = 39) (some interventions assessed multiple policies). Direct provision policies, which largely targeted fruits and vegetables, increased consumption of fruits by 0.27 servings/d (n = 15 estimates (95%CI: 0.17, 0.36)) and combined fruits and vegetables by 0.28 servings/d (n = 16 (0.17, 0.40)); with a slight impact on vegetables (n = 11; 0.04 (0.01, 0.08)), and no effects on total calories (n = 6; -56 kcal/d (-174, 62)). In interventions targeting water, habitual intake was unchanged (n = 3; 0.33 glasses/d (-0.27, 0.93)). Competitive food/beverage standards reduced sugar-sweetened beverage intake by 0.18 servings/d (n = 3 (-0.31, -0.05)); and unhealthy snacks by 0.17 servings/d (n = 2 (-0.22, -0.13)), without effects on total calories (n = 5; -79 kcal/d (-179, 21)). School meal standards (mainly lunch) increased fruit intake (n = 2; 0.76 servings/d (0.37, 1.16)) and reduced total fat (-1.49%energy; n = 6 (-2.42, -0.57)), saturated fat (n = 4; -0.93%energy (-1.15, -0.70)) and sodium (n = 4; -170 mg/d (-242, -98)); but not total calories (n = 8; -38 kcal/d (-137, 62)). In 17 studies evaluating adiposity, significant decreases were generally not identified; few studies assessed metabolic factors (blood lipids/glucose/pressure), with mixed findings. Significant sources of heterogeneity or publication bias were not identified. Conclusions Specific school food environment policies can improve targeted dietary behaviors; effects on adiposity and metabolic risk require further investigation. These findings inform ongoing policy discussions and debates on best practices to improve childhood dietary habits and health.

290 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: It is found that MUST seems to be the most valid in the evaluation of the risk for malnutrition in the elderly upon admission to the hospital, and NRS 2002 was found to overestimate nutritional risk inThe elderly.

172 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: This systematic review examines meta-analyses of randomized clinical trials and cohort studies for the magnitude of effect of foods, beverages, and nutrients for cardiometabolic disease.
Abstract: This systematic review examines meta-analyses of randomized clinical trials and cohort studies for the magnitude of effect of foods, beverages, and nutrients for cardiometabolic disease.

31 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: Preliminary analyses revealed that 32% of the adult population were overweight and 15.5% were obese, with significant gender differences in total and per age group (p < 0.001, for all).
Abstract: The aim of the Hellenic National Nutrition and Health Survey was to assess nutritional intake, health status and various behaviors in a representative sample of the Greek population. Data collection took place from 01.09.2013 to 31.05.2015. Random stratified sampling was performed by (a) geographical density criteria of Greece (7 regions), (b) age group of the reference population ( 65 years) and (c) gender distribution. The final population enrolled included (throughout Greece), 4574 individuals (42.5% men; 57.5% women of who 47.2% were from Athens metropolitan area, 18.5% from Central Macedonia, and the remaining 34% almost equally scattered throughout the country (p for the comparisons with official statistics by region, age group and sex > 0.7). Questionnaires developed were based on extensive review of the literature, following a validation procedure when necessary. Preliminary analyses revealed that 32% of the adult population were overweight and 15.5% were obese, with significant gender differences in total and per age group (p < 0.001, for all). The majority of the adult population reported being active smokers (50.4%) or regular alcohol consumers (72.4%); with significant gender differences (p < 0.001, for all). Prevalence of hyperlipidemia was 16.7%, cardiovascular disease 13.9%, hypertension 13.3%, thyroid disease 13.8%, and Diabetes Mellitus 3.6%. Significant gender and age group differences were found in various diseases. Study’s preliminary results provide valuable information about the Hellenic population’s health. Findings from this survey could be used to detect disease risk factors for public health prevention policies and programs.

31 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: Investigation of effects of animal protein supplementation in mothers, preterm infants, and term infants/children on birth and growth outcomes found Supplementation of protein from animal-source foods generally increased weight and weight-for-length in children, but with more limited effects on other growth outcomes such as attained height.

24 citations


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Book ChapterDOI
01 Jan 2017
TL;DR: This chapter reviews major dietary assessment methods, their advantages and disadvantages, and validity; describes which dietary Assessment methods are appropriate for different types of studies and populations; and discusses specific issues that relate to all methods.
Abstract: The intent of this chapter is to enhance understanding of various dietary assessment methods so that the most appropriate method for a particular need is chosen. This review focuses only on individual level food intake assessment. It is intended to serve as a resource for those who wish to assess diet in a research study using individual measurements for group level analysis. The chapter reviews major dietary assessment methods, their advantages and disadvantages, and validity; describes which dietary assessment methods are appropriate for different types of studies and populations; and discusses specific issues that relate to all methods.

873 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this article, a range of simple and validated screening tools can be used to identify malnutrition in older adults, e.g. MST, MNA-SF and MUST, at diagnosis, admission to hospitals or care homes and during follow up at outpatient or General Practitioner clinics, at regular intervals depending on clinical status.

363 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: The role of inflammation as a risk factor for malnutrition has been more and more recognized as discussed by the authors, and the use of these proteins as biomarkers of the nutritional status has been debated since they are strongly influenced by inflammation and less so by protein energy stores.
Abstract: Serum visceral proteins such as albumin and prealbumin have traditionally been used as markers of the nutritional status of patients. Prealbumin is nowadays often preferred over albumin due to its shorter half live, reflecting more rapid changes of the nutritional state. However, recent focus has been on an appropriate nutrition-focused physical examination and on the patient’s history for diagnosing malnutrition, and the role of inflammation as a risk factor for malnutrition has been more and more recognized. Inflammatory signals are potent inhibitors of visceral protein synthesis, and the use of these proteins as biomarkers of the nutritional status has been debated since they are strongly influenced by inflammation and less so by protein energy stores. The current consensus is that laboratory markers could be used as a complement to a thorough physical examination. Other markers of the nutritional status such as urinary creatinine or 3-methylhistidine as indicators of muscle protein breakdown have not found widespread use. Serum IGF-1 is less influenced by inflammation and falls during malnutrition. However, its concentration changes are not sufficiently specific to be useful clinically as a marker of malnutrition, and serum IGF-1 has less been used in clinical trials. Nevertheless, biomarkers of malnutrition such as prealbumin may be of interest as easily measurable predictors of the prognosis for surgical outcomes and of mortality in severe illnesses.

285 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
13 Jun 2018-BMJ
TL;DR: Dariush Mozaffarian and colleagues review strategies governments can use to improve nutrition and health and suggest several approaches that can be used to achieve this.
Abstract: Dariush Mozaffarian and colleagues review strategies governments can use to improve nutrition and health

245 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: During quarantine, strategies to further increase home-based physical activity and to follow a healthy diet should be implemented and following quarantine a global action supporting healthy diet and physical activity is mandatory to encourage people to return to good lifestyle.
Abstract: COVID-19 is causing a global pandemic with a high number of deaths and infected people. To contain the diffusion of COVID-19 virus, Governments have enforced restrictions on outdoor activities or even collective quarantine on the population. One important consequence of quarantine is a change in lifestyle: reduced physical activity and unhealthy diet. 2019 guidelines for primary prevention of cardiovascular disease indicate that “Adults should engage in at least 150 minute per week of accumulated moderate-intensity or 75 minute per week of vigorous-intensity aerobic physical activity (or an equivalent combination of moderate and vigorous activity) to reduce ASCVD risk.” During quarantine, strategies to further increase home-based physical activity and to follow a healthy diet should be implemented. Quarantine carries some long-term effects on cardiovascular disease, mainly related to unhealthy lifestyle and anxiety. Following quarantine a global action supporting healthy diet and physical activity is mandatory to encourage people to return to good lifestyle.

244 citations