Led by Paul J. Veugelers, MSc, PhD of the University of Alberta, researchers surveyed around 5000 Canadian fifth grade students and their parents as part of the Children's Lifestyle and School-Performance Study.

Information regarding dietary intake, height, and weight were recorded and the Diet Quality Index-International (DQI-I) was used to summarize overall diet quality. The DQI-I score ranges from 0 to 100, with higher scores indicating better diet quality. Less healthful dietary components included saturated fat and salt, while healthy foods were classified by fruits, vegetables, grains, dietary fiber, protein, calcium and moderate fat intake.

A standardized literacy assessment was administered to the children. Multilevel regression methods were used to examine the association between indicators of diet quality and academic performance.

Students with an increased fruit and vegetable intake and less caloric intake from fat were significantly less likely to fail the literacy assessment. Relative to students in the group with the lowest DQI-I scores, students in the group with the best scores were 41 % less likely to fail the literacy assessment.

We demonstrated that above and beyond socioeconomic factors, diet quality is important to academic performance, the authors conclude. These findings support the broader implementation and investment in effective school nutrition programs that have the potential to improve student's diet quality, academic performance, and, over the long term, their health.

blackwellpublishing/

PAH is a rare blood vessel disorder of the lung in which the pressure in the pulmonary artery rises above normal levels and may become life threatening. PAH is diagnosed when other more common causes of pulmonary hypertension such as severe emphysema, interstitial lung disease, heart failure and chronic pulmonary thromboembolism have been ruled out. Idiopathic pulmonary arterial hypertension (IPAH) refers to PAH that occurs without a known cause and is extremely rare. PAH can also occur in association with collagen vascular diseases such as scleroderma, CREST syndrome and systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), congenital heart diseases, HIV infection and liver disease. Use of diet drugs like fenfluramine and dexfenfluramine can also lead to PAH, and an association between PAH and substance abuse, including methamphetamine, amphetamine, and cocaine use, has also been seen.

PAH is under-diagnosed because its early symptoms, including shortness of breath, chest pain, tiredness, lightheadedness, and fainting, are often misdiagnosed with those of many other conditions such as asthma. PAH has been historically chronic and incurable with a poor survival rate, because the disease has often progressed to a late stage by the time it is accurately diagnosed. However, new treatments are available which have significantly improved prognosis. Recent data indicate that the length of survival is continuing to improve, with some patients able to manage the disorder for 15 to 20 years or longer.

About the Pulmonary Hypertension Association and the Campaign

The Pulmonary Hypertension Association (PHA) is dedicated to finding ways to prevent and cure pulmonary hypertension, and to provide hope for the pulmonary hypertension community through support, education, advocacy and awareness. The vision of PHA is to improve the lives of those affected by pulmonary hypertension.

phassociation/