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Introduction: The protein-energy malnutrition is the most prevalent cause of malnutrition and always occures in infants and children under 5 years old. According to the harmful effects of malnutrition, such as high mortality, inability of learning and decrease of mental and physical ability, reconnoite and study of malnutrition qualification is very important.
Material and Methods: This analytic cross-sectional study was carried out on 811 children under 5 years old who were living in rural zone of Arak. Based on health files, clinical inspections and interview with mothers a checklist was fulfilled for every child. Data were analysed by EPI6 software
Results: In this study, none of the children had stricken with Kwashiorkor or Marasmic-Kwashiorkor. Undernourished were seen in 7.39% and Marasmus were also seen in 1.1% of subjects. The prevalence of malnutrition was 7.5% in Wellcome, 33.55% in Waterlow-Stunting, 23.05% in Waterlow-Wasting and 30.94% in Gomez classification. There was statistically correlation between malnutrition and respiratory infection rate, milstones, birthweight, maturity and begning of helpfood (P<0.05).
Conclusion: Considering the results, the most rate of malnutrition in each classification was mild. It is suggested that increasing of familial awareness is an important factor for preventing from next damages and additional treatment costs.

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Introduction: About 21 millions low birth weight infants are born throughout the world and have less surviving chance compared to death rate of infants due to other causes. The aim of this study is to determine the relation of mothers' nutrient intake in the last trimester with the delivery of low birth weight infants. Materials and Methods: This Cohort study with a 3-months follow up was carried out on all the pregnant mothers visiting health care centers in Shahrood during their third trimester. Simple sampling was done and samples included 424 subjects. One-week food record of subjects was documented biochemical and hematological tests and also anthropometric examinations were done, and demographic data were gathered. The infants’ birth weight was measured after delivery. Data was gathered by a questionnaire and analyzed using Chi square, Mann-Whitney and Leven tests and logistic regression. Results: Total number of 424 pregnant mothers was studied in accordance with their amount of energy and protein intakes, and was classified in two groups of adequate and inadequate status. It was disclosed that 75% of mothers received low energy (less than 2500 k cal) and 20% were low in protein intake (less than 60gr). Low birth weight prevalence was detected to be 13%. Among low birth weight infants 14%, 25% and 43% were attributed to mothers with low energy, low protein, and non-iron tablets intake respectively. There was a significant relationship between birth weight and iron supplementation (P=0.015), as well as multi-vitamins (P=0.048) during the last trimester of pregnancy. It was also disclosed that the probability of low birth weight infants among low weight mothers was 86%. Conclusion: According to the results there is a significant relationship between mother's nutritional status in the last trimester of pregnancy and infant's birth weight, so it is recommended that mother's weight gain especially in the third trimester and using adequate supplementations be considered.

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Background: Nutritional status assessment is a method for nutritional care which aims to determine nutritional needs and to meet nutritional requirements. Pregnant and lactating mothers are considered vulnerable groups. The use of this method, especially for determination of calorie and protein intake has positive effects on growth of neonates. Thus, the purpose of this study is to assess the nutritional status of pregnant women.

Materials and Methods: In this cross-sectional study, 80 pregnant mothers were selected from private and public hospitals in Arak. Data were gathered through a questionnaire including general information concerning pregnant mothers and their nutritional diet. The analysis of dietary intake was done by nutritionist IV software. Data were analyzed using SPSS software.

Results: The average weight gain for pregnant mothers at the end of pregnancy was 10.1kg. The mean of body mass index for the mothers was 22.2 kg/m2, and the average weight for neonates was 2.5 kg. The average energy intakes in mothers were equal compared with RDA, and the average protein intake was greater compared with RDA. There was a significant positive correlation between weight gain during and total body weight at the end of pregnancy (r=0.93) (p<0.01). Also, there was a significant negative correlation between weight of pre pregnancy and percent of weight gain at the end of pregnancy (r=-0.39) (p<0. 01). A significant positive correlation was found between total body weight at the end of pregnancy and birth weight of neonates (r=0.34) (p<0. 01).

Conclusion: Adequate nutritional status of mothers influenced normal body weight in neonates.

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Background: The average age of menarche varies from country to country due to regional variation and different factors, including genetic and environmental factors that affect the onset of menarch. This study performed to survey relationship between nutrition and physical activity with menarche age of girls in Ahvaz city.

Materials and Methods: This survey is a cross-sectional study that was conducted on 1249 female students 8-15 years in 2012- 2013 year. Participants were selected by random cluster sampling from 4areas and 16 elementry and middle and high schoolsin Ahvaz city. The data were collected based on interviews and questionnaire (food frequency and physical activity). After collecting the data, then they were encoded and analyzed by SPSS16 software  and descriptive and analytic statistics.

Results: The mean of age at menarche in girls in Ahvaz was 11.86±1.07 and age at menarche was not associated with nutrition and physical activity.

Conclusion: Based on these findings, significant association between nutrition and physical activity and age at menarche (p<0.001)was not observed.

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  Background: One of the factors determining the survival and neonatal health is maternal proper nutrition during pregnancy. The aim of the present study is to determine the maternal nutritional status with a view to the intake of some nutrients and its effect on anthropometric indices of newborn .

  Materials and Methods: In this cross-sectional analytical study, 500 pregnant women referred to Sina maternity hospital in Ahvaz were studied. Dietary intake of calcium, zinc, iron, vitamin D was measured and its relation to average weight, length and head circumference at birth in infants was evaluated. Data were analyzed by using Independent T-Test in SPSS 17. P-value less than 5% was considered statistically significant.

  Results: There was a significant correlation between calcium intake rate, weight and length at birth. Between zinc intake rate, weight, length and head circumference at birth, there was a significant correlation. The maternal intake of vitamin D affected on birth weight(p<0/05). But, there was no significant association between iron intake rate and neonatal anthropometric indicators(p>0/05).

  Conclusion: The results of this study showed that the maternal nutritional intake of calcium, zinc and vitamin D influences on some infant anthropometric indicators.

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Background: Under-nutrition has multiple negative impacts on child's growth and development and it has a high prevalence among hospitalized children. Assessment of the food insecurity status is one of the most important indicators of malnutrition among communities, therefore the aim of the current study is to evaluate the prevalence of food insecurity and its social, economical and nutritional determinants among children hospitalized in Tabriz pediatric hospital.

Materials and Methods: The current cross-sectional study was carried out among 236 hospitalized children in Tabriz pediatric hospital. Demographic information including age, weight, height, household size, child order and household income were gathered by face to face interviews with parents. Food security was assessed by a Household Food Security questionnaire. Statistical analysis was performed by Excel 2007, Epi-info and IBM SPSS Statistics 21 software.

Results: The prevalence of food insecurity among hospitalized children in Tabriz pediatric hospital was 44.9%, while 26.3% and 18.6% had moderately and severely food insecurity, respectively. Its prevalence in females was more than in males. Low household income, low educational attainment of parents, rural residency and household size were potent determinants of food insecurity(p<0.05). All indices of nutritional status in food insecure group were lower than in secure group. Although this difference did not achieved significant threshold.

Conclusion: In the current study, a high prevalence of food insecurity in hospitalized children in hospital has been reported. Therefore the need for suitable interventions to reduce its prevalence has been warranted.

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Abstract

Background: The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of fed fish oil (FO) with or without vitamin E for mothers on the testis cells of male offsprings.

Materials and Methods: Sixty mature female NMRI mice were divided into different groups: control (CTR; Standard diet(vitamin E 50 mg IU/kg) pre and postnatal period); I) Gavages 0.01 ml/day/mother fish oil (FO)+CTR diet during prenatal period; II) Gavages FO+CTR diet during postnatal period; III) consumed VITE(125 mg IU/kg) 2.5 folded greater than standard recommendations(2×)during prenatal period; IV)consumed VITE(2×)diet during pre and postnatal period; V)consumed VITE(2×)diet during postnatal period; VI) Gavages FO+VITE(2×) diet during prenatal period; VII) Gavage FO+VITE(2×)diet during postnatal period ;VIII) Gavages FO+VITE (2×)diet during pre and postnatal period. After weaning, the testes were collected and histological data were analyzed using SAS software by Duncan test.

Results: testes cells length, width and weight was lower in offspring which their mothers fed FO+CTR diet during prenatal, (p<0.05).Vitamin E consumption during postnatal period improved these parameters (p<0.05). Spermatogoni (47 vs. 43), spermatocyte (43 vs. 34), Spermatid (63 vs. 44), Sertoli (0.9 vs. 2), and Leydig (3 vs. 1.7) were increased as FO+VITE was used than CTR (p<0.05).

Conclusion: The positive effects of supplementation maternal diet by FO with VITE or sole VITE was observed. Thus, antioxidants should be consumed along with omega-3 fatty acids in maternal diet.

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Background and Aim: Considering the importance of childhood obesity and easier correction of related factors in this age group, the present study aimed to investigate the role of some factors related to family, nutrition, and lifestyle on childhood obesity.
Methods & Materials: This age-matched case-control study was performed on 150 obese and 150 healthy children, aged 2-15 years referring to Amir-Kabir Hospital in Arak City, Iran. Obesity was calculated based on Body Mass Index (BMI). Required information, including family factors, nutritional factors, and lifestyle characteristics were collected by a checklist.
Ethical Considerations: This study was approved by the Ethics Committee of Arak University of Medical Sciences (Code: IR.ARAKMU.REC.1396.119).
Results The results of Odds Ratio (OR) with 95% of Confidence Interval (CI) were in favor of father’s age of 25-35 and over 35 years (0.24), respectively, father’s overweight and obesity (3.87 and 3.57), mother’s overweight and obesity (3.81 and 5.5)7, more than three children per household (3.33), low and high consumption of fruits and vegetables (0.3 and 0.19), breakfast eating (0.43), dietary supplementation (2.68), consuming fast food (3.98), more than two hours of playing a computer game (3.5), chewing well (0.38), using food as a reward (1.89), as well as participating in food and table preparation (3.14). We found a dose-response association between children’s obesity and parents’ BMI, the number of children, and computer games.
Conclusion: Obesity is associated with some factors related to the family, such as nutrition, computer games, and lifestyle characteristics. Due to various risk factors and adjustable safeguards, it is necessary to provide families and children with proper education to reduce obesity. 

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Background and Aim: Older adults, particularly those living in nursing homes, are a vulnerable group whose poor nutritional status and inadequate nutrient intake provide the basis for the incidence of diseases and increase their health costs. The aim of the present study was to compare the Index for Nutritional Quality (INQ) between institutionalized (nursing-home) and non-institutionalized (community-living) older adults and to investigate its association with serum high sensitive C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) level in each group. 
Methods & Materials: In this case-control, age- and gender-matched study in Tabriz (East Azarbaijan, Iran), o subjects aged 65 years and older were recruited from nursing homes (n=76) and community (n=88). Anthropometric parameters were measured and body mass index (BMI) was calculated. A three-day record of the foods provided for the nursing home residents were weighed, using a digital scale. The whole food intake of older adults was converted to grams and dietary data were analyzed using Nutritionist IV software. Blood sample was drawn to measure serum hs-CRP level. SPSS software was used for data analysis.
Ethical Considerations: The present research was approved at Research Ethical Committee of Tabriz University of Medical Sciences (Code: TBZMED.REC.1394.152).
Results: In the present study, INQ for all nutrients (except for vitamins A, D, E, biotin, vitamin B6, folic acid, and iron) was significantly different between the two groups (P‌<0.05). The INQ<1 for these nutrients (except for iron) in both groups indicates insufficient intake of these micronutrients. However, INQ for nearly all nutrients (other than selenium) was higher in the community-living older adults, compared to nursing-home residents (P<0.05). The intake of minerals including calcium, magnesium, manganese, selenium, zinc, chromium, sodium, and potassium was also insufficient in both groups. Nursing-home residents did not meet their estimated needs for vitamins B2, B12, and copper. A significant reverse association was observed for serum hs-CRP level and INQ for vitamin D (P=0.04) and calcium (P=0.038) in the community-living older adults after adjusting for BMI. Such a correlation was also reported between INQ for vitamin B12 and serum hs-CRP level in both groups (P=0.02). 
Conclusion: Based on the findings of this study, it is recommended to pay more attention to the nutritional status of older adults, especially those living in nursing-homes. A diet rich in micronutrients, especially vitamin D, calcium, and vitamin B12 may help prevent the development of inflammation in old population.