Houda Ben Jemaa | University of Tunis El Manar (original) (raw)

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Papers by Houda Ben Jemaa

Research paper thumbnail of A Study of Test Dose Excretion of Five B Complex Vitamins in Man

The Journal of Nutrition, 1951

Research paper thumbnail of Impacts of nutritional education before Ramadan fasting on dietary intake, weight and body composition in diabetic patients

BACKGROUND The fasting period of Ramadan requires special attention for diabetic patients in part... more BACKGROUND The fasting period of Ramadan requires special attention for diabetic patients in particular. AIM To determine the impacts of a nutritional education program before Ramadan fasting (RF) on dietary intake, anthropometry and body composition. METHODS This was an interventional and comparative study including 54 type 2 diabetic patients, recruited at the National Institute of Nutrition. The patients were divided into two groups: an educated group who received a nutritional education session before Ramadan (n=26), and an uneducated group who did not receive any education (n=28). Food survey, anthropometry and body composition measurements were conducted before and after the month of Ramadan. RESULTS During RF, a significantly decrease in carbohydrate intake was observed in both educated and uneducated patients (∆=-4.1 vs. ∆=-6.25). Lipid intake was increased significantly during RF for all patients. This increase was lower in patients receiving education compared to the other...

Research paper thumbnail of Impact of nutrients and Mediterranean diet on the occurrence of gestational diabetes

Libyan Journal of Medicine, 2021

Background: The Mediterranean diet (MedDiet) is a dietary pattern effective in terms of preventio... more Background: The Mediterranean diet (MedDiet) is a dietary pattern effective in terms of prevention of many diseases such as gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM). Recently, many studies have paid attention to nutritional factors during pregnancy as a modifiable contributor to GDM risk. Objective: to investigate associations of nutrients intakes and MedDiet pattern of eating with risk of GDM. Subjects/Methods: This study conducted on N = 120; Pregnant women with GDM (n = 60) and without controls (n = 60). The dietary habits were assessed by a dietary history method and a validated food frequency questionnaire. We calculated a MedDiet score which measures the degree of adherence to a Med Diet. Result: A low Med Diet score was found in pregnant women with and without gestational diabetes in 46.7% and 38.8% of cases, respectively, with no significant difference. Our data showed that the higher the adherence score to the MedDiet, the lower the fasting blood glucose level and the plasma glucose 2 h post load. These findings concerned the two groups studied (P < 10 −3). We also noted that controls had a significantly higher intake of legumes, vegetables and fish. Monounsaturated fatty acids and saturated fatty acids consumption was significantly higher in the control group (2.3 ± 0.8 vs 1.7 ± 0.7, P < 10 −3). GDM subjects consumed significantly more dairy products and cereals (P < 10 −3). After adjustment for confounders, no nutrient was associated with the risk of developing gestational diabetes except vitamin D intake (OR 0.29 [0.15−0.54], P < 10 −3) which had a protective effect. Conclusion: Our study underlines the importance of adequate vitamin D intake during pregnancy and suggests that the MedDiet may reduce the incidence of gestational diabetes.

Research paper thumbnail of Physical Activity Level Assessed by Accelerometer and PAQ-C in Tunisian Children

Annals of nutrition & metabolism, 2018

Physical activity (PA) is an important agent in the prevention of chronic diseases such as obesit... more Physical activity (PA) is an important agent in the prevention of chronic diseases such as obesity. To provide preliminary data on PA among school children and to correlate the PA with weight status. A total of 40 children aged between 8 and 11 years and attending Tunisian schools were recruited. The body composition was determined by using the deuterium oxide dilution technique. PA was determined by the PAQ-C (PA Questionnaire for Older Children). An objective monitoring of PA and sedentary time was achieved by using ActiGraph GT3X + accelerometers. PAQ-C data demonstrate that 20% of the sample had light PA levels and 80% had moderate PA levels. Times spent in sedentary (62.37%) and light (30.80%) activities were higher than that spent in moderate and vigorous (6.83%) activities. Furthermore, almost half of the sample spent more than 60 min per day in moderate-to-vigorous intensity PA (MVPA). The average MVPA was significantly higher in normal weight than overweight and obese group...

Research paper thumbnail of Development and validation of impedance-based equations for the prediction of total body water and fat-free mass in children aged 8-11 years

Clinical nutrition (Edinburgh, Scotland), Jan 8, 2018

Accuracy of impedance analysis depends on population-specific prediction equations. The aim of th... more Accuracy of impedance analysis depends on population-specific prediction equations. The aim of this study was to propose new prediction equations to estimate body composition using impedance analysis for healthy Tunisian children and validate them using the deuterium oxide dilution (DO) technique. Body composition was estimated by the Tanita impedance analyzer. The validity of this system was investigated in 134 school children aged between 8 and 11 years. The validity of other published equations was also tested in our sample. Total body water (TBW) and Fat-Free Mass (FFM) were determined using the DO technique. Participants were divided equally into development (n = 67) and validation groups (n = 67) to develop prediction equation using linear regression models. The comparison between body composition obtained by Tanita system and by DO technique illustrated a significant difference (p < 0.01). Compared to DO technique, Tanita impedance analysis underestimates fat mass and over...

Research paper thumbnail of Antioxidant Activity and Α -Amylase Inhibitory Potential of Rosa Canina L

African Journal of Traditional, Complementary and Alternative medicines, 2017

Research paper thumbnail of Antioxidant, Antidiabetic and Antihyperlipidemic Effects of Trigonella foenum-graecum Seeds

International Journal of Pharmacology, 2016

Research paper thumbnail of Relevance of body mass index and bioelectrical impedance analysis vs. deuterium dilution technique to assess excess of fat among young adults

Isotopes in Environmental and Health Studies, 2020

Our study aimed to assess the nutritional status by using body composition among young Tunisian a... more Our study aimed to assess the nutritional status by using body composition among young Tunisian adults through three measurement methods: body mass index (BMI), bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA) and deuterium oxide dilution technique (2H2O) and to determine the accuracy of BMI and BIA in order to evaluate the overweight and obesity among young adults in Tunisia. Our study involved 144 young adults. Anthropometric parameters were measured. The fat mass percentage (%FM) was determined by 2H2O and BIA techniques. The analysis of deuterium enrichment was performed using a Fourier transform infrared spectrophotometer (FTIR). According to BMI, 26.4% of subjects were overweight and 5.5% were obese. The mean of %FM estimated by BIA was significantly higher than that determined by 2H2O (29.7 ± 7.7 vs. 26.3 ± 10.6, p < .0001). Consequently, the prevalence of overweight and obesity assessed by BIA was significantly higher than by 2H2O (51.4% vs. 34%, p < .0001). Using BMI, the preva...

Research paper thumbnail of A Study of Test Dose Excretion of Five B Complex Vitamins in Man

The Journal of Nutrition, 1951

Research paper thumbnail of Impacts of nutritional education before Ramadan fasting on dietary intake, weight and body composition in diabetic patients

BACKGROUND The fasting period of Ramadan requires special attention for diabetic patients in part... more BACKGROUND The fasting period of Ramadan requires special attention for diabetic patients in particular. AIM To determine the impacts of a nutritional education program before Ramadan fasting (RF) on dietary intake, anthropometry and body composition. METHODS This was an interventional and comparative study including 54 type 2 diabetic patients, recruited at the National Institute of Nutrition. The patients were divided into two groups: an educated group who received a nutritional education session before Ramadan (n=26), and an uneducated group who did not receive any education (n=28). Food survey, anthropometry and body composition measurements were conducted before and after the month of Ramadan. RESULTS During RF, a significantly decrease in carbohydrate intake was observed in both educated and uneducated patients (∆=-4.1 vs. ∆=-6.25). Lipid intake was increased significantly during RF for all patients. This increase was lower in patients receiving education compared to the other...

Research paper thumbnail of Impact of nutrients and Mediterranean diet on the occurrence of gestational diabetes

Libyan Journal of Medicine, 2021

Background: The Mediterranean diet (MedDiet) is a dietary pattern effective in terms of preventio... more Background: The Mediterranean diet (MedDiet) is a dietary pattern effective in terms of prevention of many diseases such as gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM). Recently, many studies have paid attention to nutritional factors during pregnancy as a modifiable contributor to GDM risk. Objective: to investigate associations of nutrients intakes and MedDiet pattern of eating with risk of GDM. Subjects/Methods: This study conducted on N = 120; Pregnant women with GDM (n = 60) and without controls (n = 60). The dietary habits were assessed by a dietary history method and a validated food frequency questionnaire. We calculated a MedDiet score which measures the degree of adherence to a Med Diet. Result: A low Med Diet score was found in pregnant women with and without gestational diabetes in 46.7% and 38.8% of cases, respectively, with no significant difference. Our data showed that the higher the adherence score to the MedDiet, the lower the fasting blood glucose level and the plasma glucose 2 h post load. These findings concerned the two groups studied (P < 10 −3). We also noted that controls had a significantly higher intake of legumes, vegetables and fish. Monounsaturated fatty acids and saturated fatty acids consumption was significantly higher in the control group (2.3 ± 0.8 vs 1.7 ± 0.7, P < 10 −3). GDM subjects consumed significantly more dairy products and cereals (P < 10 −3). After adjustment for confounders, no nutrient was associated with the risk of developing gestational diabetes except vitamin D intake (OR 0.29 [0.15−0.54], P < 10 −3) which had a protective effect. Conclusion: Our study underlines the importance of adequate vitamin D intake during pregnancy and suggests that the MedDiet may reduce the incidence of gestational diabetes.

Research paper thumbnail of Physical Activity Level Assessed by Accelerometer and PAQ-C in Tunisian Children

Annals of nutrition & metabolism, 2018

Physical activity (PA) is an important agent in the prevention of chronic diseases such as obesit... more Physical activity (PA) is an important agent in the prevention of chronic diseases such as obesity. To provide preliminary data on PA among school children and to correlate the PA with weight status. A total of 40 children aged between 8 and 11 years and attending Tunisian schools were recruited. The body composition was determined by using the deuterium oxide dilution technique. PA was determined by the PAQ-C (PA Questionnaire for Older Children). An objective monitoring of PA and sedentary time was achieved by using ActiGraph GT3X + accelerometers. PAQ-C data demonstrate that 20% of the sample had light PA levels and 80% had moderate PA levels. Times spent in sedentary (62.37%) and light (30.80%) activities were higher than that spent in moderate and vigorous (6.83%) activities. Furthermore, almost half of the sample spent more than 60 min per day in moderate-to-vigorous intensity PA (MVPA). The average MVPA was significantly higher in normal weight than overweight and obese group...

Research paper thumbnail of Development and validation of impedance-based equations for the prediction of total body water and fat-free mass in children aged 8-11 years

Clinical nutrition (Edinburgh, Scotland), Jan 8, 2018

Accuracy of impedance analysis depends on population-specific prediction equations. The aim of th... more Accuracy of impedance analysis depends on population-specific prediction equations. The aim of this study was to propose new prediction equations to estimate body composition using impedance analysis for healthy Tunisian children and validate them using the deuterium oxide dilution (DO) technique. Body composition was estimated by the Tanita impedance analyzer. The validity of this system was investigated in 134 school children aged between 8 and 11 years. The validity of other published equations was also tested in our sample. Total body water (TBW) and Fat-Free Mass (FFM) were determined using the DO technique. Participants were divided equally into development (n = 67) and validation groups (n = 67) to develop prediction equation using linear regression models. The comparison between body composition obtained by Tanita system and by DO technique illustrated a significant difference (p < 0.01). Compared to DO technique, Tanita impedance analysis underestimates fat mass and over...

Research paper thumbnail of Antioxidant Activity and Α -Amylase Inhibitory Potential of Rosa Canina L

African Journal of Traditional, Complementary and Alternative medicines, 2017

Research paper thumbnail of Antioxidant, Antidiabetic and Antihyperlipidemic Effects of Trigonella foenum-graecum Seeds

International Journal of Pharmacology, 2016

Research paper thumbnail of Relevance of body mass index and bioelectrical impedance analysis vs. deuterium dilution technique to assess excess of fat among young adults

Isotopes in Environmental and Health Studies, 2020

Our study aimed to assess the nutritional status by using body composition among young Tunisian a... more Our study aimed to assess the nutritional status by using body composition among young Tunisian adults through three measurement methods: body mass index (BMI), bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA) and deuterium oxide dilution technique (2H2O) and to determine the accuracy of BMI and BIA in order to evaluate the overweight and obesity among young adults in Tunisia. Our study involved 144 young adults. Anthropometric parameters were measured. The fat mass percentage (%FM) was determined by 2H2O and BIA techniques. The analysis of deuterium enrichment was performed using a Fourier transform infrared spectrophotometer (FTIR). According to BMI, 26.4% of subjects were overweight and 5.5% were obese. The mean of %FM estimated by BIA was significantly higher than that determined by 2H2O (29.7 ± 7.7 vs. 26.3 ± 10.6, p < .0001). Consequently, the prevalence of overweight and obesity assessed by BIA was significantly higher than by 2H2O (51.4% vs. 34%, p < .0001). Using BMI, the preva...