European Food Chemistry Congress July 26-27, 2018 Venue: HYATT PLACE AMSTERDAM AIRPORT

Ju Yeon Yu has completed her MD from Soonchunhyang University and has been obtaining her Medical Residency Program (PGY-3) at Gangnam Severance Hospital, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul.

Obesity is now considered as a state of chronic low-grade inflammation. This study assessed the relationships between several inflammatory markers and visceral obesity. The study included data from 600 eligible adults who visited the Severance Health Promotion Center or Department of Family Medicine for health checkups. Serum inflammatory marker levels were quantified and intra-abdominal visceral adipose tissue (VAT) and subcutaneous adipose tissue (SAT) areas were measured with computed tomography. We performed Pearson partial correlations, analysis of covariance, Steiger’s Z tests, and multiple linear regression analysis to investigate associations between the abdominal adiposity index and inflammatory markers. Pearson correlation analysis showed that white blood cell (WBC) count (r=0.157, p<0.001) and high sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP; r=0.159, p<0.001) were more highly associated with VAT area than neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) and platelet-lymphocyte ratio (PLR). Only VAT area was significantly associated with WBC (β=0.008, p<0.001), hsCRP (β=0.007, p<0.001) and NLR (β=0.002, p<0.025) after adjusting for confounding variables. This study shows that VAT area is significantly and independently associated with WBC, hsCRP, and NLR with stronger relationships observed for WBC and hsCRP

Nasser Alqahtani has completed his graduation from Medical School of King Khalid University, KSA as Medical Doctor. Later, he obtained his Post-graduation from Saudi Board and Arab Board of Family Medicine and then started working at Ministry of Health as Clinician and Trainer in Post-graduate Board of Family Medicine. Presently, he is working at University of Najran as the Head of Department of Family and Community Medicine in Medical College.

Objective: This study was to evaluate pregnant women awareness and experiences towards the management of obesity and weight gain during pregnancy. Method: This was a cross-sectional study (n=416) conducted over three months in 2017 of pregnant women attending antenatal clinics at a maternity hospital, Najran city, KSA. An interviewer administered, questionnaire was used. Results: Results were shown as 58.7% of participants (n=244) had low awareness for management of obesity and weight gain during pregnancy, with the highest level of awareness regarding management objectives and strategies (77.2%), while the lowest level of awareness folic acid (44%). In addition, 90.4% (n=376) showed poor experience in counseling about obesity management in pregnancy. Four risk factors were shown to be important indicators of awareness and experience of participants with largest being an occupation (adjusted OR=2.7, p=0.001); nationality (adjusted OR=2.4, p=0.015); regular follow up (adjusted OR=1.7, p=0.049) and education level (adjusted OR=1.3, p=0.009). Conclusions: Study findings are indicating that low level of awareness for management of bodyweight during pregnancy in addition to bad experience in counseling about recommended guidelines; for that may explain up to some extent why women are not being served appropriately regarding body weight.

Jae Woong Sull is an Associate Professor at Eulji University. He obtained both his PhD (Genetic Epidemiology) and Master of Health Science degrees (Epidemiology) from Yonsei University in Korea. He was also trained as a Post-doctoral Fellow in Genetic Epidemiology at Johns Hopkins University in USA. He has published over 50 papers in peer-reviewed journals.

High-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol levels are associated with decreased risk of coronary artery disease. Several genome-wide association studies (GWAS) for HDL cholesterol levels have implicated cholesterol ester transfer protein (CETP) as possibly causal. We tested for the association between single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in CETP gene and HDL cholesterol levels in Korean population. Subjects were selected from the Korean Metabolic Syndrome Research Initiative study in the Bundang-gu area. A total of 2,304 individuals from Bundang-gu were recruited in 2008. Other subjects were selected from the Severance Hospital (N=4.294). SNP rs6499861 in the CETP gene was associated with mean HDL cholesterol levels (effect per allele -2.044 mg/dL, p=7.23×10-7). Subjects with the CG/GG genotype had a 1.46-fold (range 1.24-1.72-fold) higher risk of having abnormal HDL cholesterol levels (<40 mg/dL) than subjects with the CC genotype. When analyzed by gender, the association of CETP was stronger in women than in men. When analyzed by body mass index, the association with CETP was much stronger in male subjects with BMI>=25.69 (OR=1.55, 95% CI: 1.15-2.07, P=0.0037) than in male lean subjects. When analyzed by family history of diabetes, the association with CETP was much stronger in male subjects with positive family history of low physical activity (OR=4.82, 95% CI: 1.86-12.5, P=0.0012) than in male subjects with negative family history of diabetes. This study clearly demonstrates that genetic variants in CETP influence HDL cholesterol levels in Korean adults.

Awad Mohammed Al Qahtani is currently a Faculty at Najran University, Saudi Arabia. He has authored and co-authored multiple peer-reviewed scientific papers and presented works at many national and international conferences. His contributions have acclaimed recognition from honorable subject experts around the world. He is actively associated with different societies and academies. His academic career is decorated with several reputed awards and funding.

This study aimed to estimate the prevalence, types and associated demographics of disordered eating attitudes among high-school girls in Al-Madinah City, Saudi Arabia. Cross sectional descriptive study included female students of governmental secondary school including Saudi and non-Saudis. Multistage sampling technique was used for student’s inclusion. The eating attitudes test (EAT-26) and socio economical questionnaires were used. EAT-26 is a most widely used self-reported instrument for screening a large population for abnormal eating attitude and behavior. The study included 393 high school female students. Their age ranged between 15 and 20 years with a mean±SD of 17.24±1.03 years. Overweight and obesity were reported among 11.2% and 5.6% of them, respectively whereas 31.3% of the participants were underweight. The overall prevalence of disordered eating attitudes among female students was 42.5%. This rate was significantly higher among younger (≤16 years old) and those of first scholastic level than others. The rate of disordered eating attitude was reported at a higher rate among obese students (59.1%) than underweight (41.5%) and normal students (42.4%). However, no statistically significance was proved, p>0.05. The commonest reported disordered eating behavior was self-reported binge eating behavior (25.2%), followed by self-induced vomiting (8.7%) and use of laxatives/diuretics to control weight (6.1%). The findings show high prevalence of disordered eating attitude among high school female students in Al-Madinah city. Younger girls and those of the first scholastic level showed higher disordered eating attitude. Primary health care physicians need to be aware of the high prevalence of subclinical disordered eating behaviors among young adolescent females and should take responsibility for the initial assessment and the initial co-ordination of care.

Xiomara Patricia Perea-Domínguez has completed her Master’s degree in Science from National Polytechnic Institute in Mexico. She is a PhD student at the same institution and, has worked in the development of research projects in food biotechnology and environmental toxicology.

The aim of this study was to isolate, identify and quantify soluble free phenolics (SFP), conjugated acid-hydrolysable phenolics (AHP) and alkaline-hydrolysable phenolics (AKHP), and bound phenolics (BP) fractions from two tomato varieties (saladette and grape) and an industrial tomato by-product, as well as, to determine their antioxidant capacity. Phenolic composition was determined using Folin-Ciocalteu method and HPLC-DAD. AHP were predominant in grape and saladette tomato extracts (91.47±17.28 mg gallic acid equivalents (GAE) per g dry extract (DE) and 57.41±8.80 mg GAE per g DE, respectively), while BP form was predominant in tomato by-product (51.30±10.91 GAE per g DE). AHP extract of grape tomato presented the highest antioxidant capacity by DPPH assay (252.35±42.55 μmol trolox equivalent (TE) per g DE). In the case of ORAC assay, AHP fractions from both grape (1005.19±138.52 μmol TE per g DE) and saladette tomatoes (804.16±131.45 μmol TE per g DE), and BP fraction from by-product (852.40±71.46 μmol TE per g DE) showed the highest ORAC values. Caffeic acid was the most abundant phenolic acid and it was found mainly in its conjugated forms. Naringenin was the most abundant flavonoid and it was mainly detected in bound form. Our analysis allowed a better characterization of phenolic compounds in whole tomato and by-product, remarking the importance of the fractionation. The valorization of the industrial tomato by-product, through the use of its different fractions of phenolic antioxidant compounds, could generate additional income to the tomato industry and reduce the waste disposal problem.