Abstract
Background and aims: For several decades, psychological characteristics associated to obesity have been discussed, and it is important to know them as they could influence the development of the disease. Aim of this study was to describe psychological characteristics of an obese sample using psychometric self-evaluation, to compare psychological characteristics between sexes, between those who had and those who had not already tried to lose weight, and to evaluate the association between psychological parameters and age, education level, current BMI, desired weight BMI and BMI they wished to lose. Methods: An evaluation was carried on 261 females and 48 males (40.9 +/- 13.4; 52.0 +/- 11.3 years), overweight (BMI >= 25.0 kg/m(2)). Psychological characteristics were studied using Hopkins Symptom Distress Checklist 90 revised (SCL-90-R) (direct administration). Results: More than half of females obtained results indicating psychological distress (>1.5) in scales somatization (SOM), obsessive/compulsive (OBS), depression (DEP) and paranoid ideation (PAR). More than 40% of males had >1.5 points in SOM, OBS and PAR. Females showed significantly higher points in 9 subscales, and in positive symptom distress index (PSDI). Females who have tried to lose weight only showed a significantly higher SOM. Both male groups, who have tried to lose weight or not, were similar in the different subscales and in the PSDI. Older and less educated females had higher points in SOM/OBS/DEP/Phobic Anxiety/PSDI. Females with a higher BMI had significantly higher results in SOM/OBS/Interpersonal Sensitivity (IPS)/DEP/PSDI. There were no correlations in males between age or BMI and psychopathological evaluation. However, the lower the level of education the higher the points in SOM/OBS/IPS/Anxiety (ANX)/PAR/Psychoticism (PSY). Conclusions: Psychometric evaluation does not allow clinical diagnostics to be made, but our data suggest potential psychological symptoms in this obese sample. These symptoms seem to be more prevalent and intense in females and seem to be higher in older females, with higher BMI and less educated patients. Obesity and Metabolism 2009; 5: 78-85.

Abstract
Those who work in obesity treatment know that long term success is hard to achieve. The reasons for non compliance in diet therapies are not well understood. In this study, we tried to recognize difficulties and barriers linked to unsuccessful weight reduction. This study was conducted in an outpatient clinic of a central university hospital. 442 overweight patients (371 women and 71 men), with BMI >= 25 kg/m(2), were enquired about diet compliance: a) existence of difficulties; b) difficulty degree (five point scale); 0 barriers of diet therapy (close-ended options). Mean age was 41 years, with SD 13 years. More than half patients mentioned difficulties in the diet maintenance. When asked about the difficulty degree, almost all patients mentioned at least some difficulty with degree 3 "quite difficult" being the most common answer The top five barriers were similar for both genders, but they were differently ranked. Women seem to give more importance to psychological issues. Most overweight patients feel barriers in the compliance of their diet therapy. Although a similar proportion of males and females referred difficulties and similar difficulty degrees regarding their diet therapy, the main difficulty, came from different origins. This enhances the importance of establishing an individual food plan respecting sensorial properties and social environment, together with the patient's habits, psychological condition and motivation, as a way to encourage diet compliance and to achieve success in obesity treatment. Obesity and Metabolism 2009; 5: 107-113.

Abstract
Aims: To assess the cooking habits and skills of adolescents and its relation to Mediterranean diet adherence. Methods: Adolescents (N = 390) from the seventh, eighth and ninth grades in a school from a semi-urban region in northern Portugal were asked to fill in a questionnaire. The questionnaire assessed self-reported cooking habits and skills, for example enjoying and knowing how to cook and wanting to cook and learn more. Answers were taken on a scale from 0 to 5, 0 being 'no' and 5 being 'very much'. Learning sources, cooking frequency, and confidence in cooking ten particular foods were also assessed using the following answers: 'no, never', 'yes, with help from family/friends', 'yes, all by myself'. Adherence to Mediterranean diet was evaluated using the KIDMED index. Results: Adolescents who said that they cooked, did so usually between one and four times a month (56.2%). A high proportion of respondents had never cooked vegetables (57%), fish (51%) and soup (49%). Girls were more likely to have cooked foods listed in the questionnaire (p <= .002). Adolescents who did not know how to cook (8.7%) stated that the main reasons were that they had someone to cook for them (47%) and had no interest (35%). Those who knew how to cook mainly stated that they had learnt from their family (87.9%) and by themselves (7.9%). Most of our sample wanted 'to learn how to cook better' (M = 3.8, SD = 1.5), preferably with family/friends (82%) or by taking culinary courses (10%). The KIDMED index was poor for 7.2% of the sample, average for 50.8% and good for 42.1%. Adolescents with higher KIDMED scores were younger (p = .025), knew how to cook better (p < .001), cooked more often (p < .001), enjoyed cooking (p < .001), would like to cook more frequently (p < .001), and would like to learn how to cook better (p < .001). Conclusion: Almost one in every ten adolescents did not know how to cook. Vegetables, fish and soup were found to be foods that nearly half of the adolescents had never cooked. Female adolescents were more involved in cooking than males. Better cooking habits and skills were positively related with adolescents' adherence to the Mediterranean diet, which reinforces the idea that teaching cooking skills may have a positive impact in future food choice.

Abstract
Bread is one of the most consumed staple food by man. However, its high salt level has been while of concern, especially because of the relationship between salt intake and Hipertension development, with high prevalence in Portugal. The purpose of this study was to analyse the sodium content in white bread, the most consumed bread by Portuguese. This study was developed in two different phases, March and May. To quantify the sodium level, flame photometry technique has been used, previously validated for the study. The bread samples were acquired in 80 different bakeries located in 12 different areas of Oporto city. The sodium concentration in bread samples ranged between 344 mg/100g and 718 mg/100g (mean 534 mg/100g, standard deviation 30 mg/100g). There was no significant association between the weight of the bread and its sodium concentration. The principal component decomposition of the studied variables allows the observation of the different characteristics of the evaluated areas of Oporto.

Abstract
The purpose of this study was to assess the effects of a six-months' nutrition program, delivered and taught by classroom teachers with in-service nutrition training, on the prevention of overweight and obesity among children in grades 1 to 4. In this randomized trial, four hundred and sixty four children from seven elementary schools were allocated to a nutrition educational program delivered by their own teachers. Intervened teachers had 12 sessions of three hours each with the researchers throughout six months, according to the topics nutrition and healthy eating, the importance of drinking water and healthy cooking activities. After each session, teachers were encouraged to develop activities in class focused on the learned topics. Sociodemographic, anthropometric, dietary, and physical activity assessments were performed at baseline and at the end of the intervention. In the intervention group the increase in Body Mass Index (BMI) z-score was significantly lower than in the control group (p = 0.009); fewer proportion of children became overweight in the intervened group compared with the control (5.6% vs. 18.4%; p = 0.037). Our study provides further support to decrease the overweight epidemic, involving classroom teachers in a training program and making them dedicated interventionists.

Abstract
Background: Growth trends have never been studied in adolescents of the Autonomous Region of Madeira, Portugal. Aims: To analyse growth trends in weight, height, body mass index (BMI), waist circumference (WC), mid-upper arm circumference (MUAC) and triceps skin-fold thickness (TST) of adolescents (10-17 years old) of the Autonomous Region of Madeira between 1996-1998 and 2007-2009. Subjects and methods: A cross-sectional study was carried out between 2007-2009, including 4314 adolescents, 2237 girls and 2077 boys (10-17 years old). To study secular growth trends, data were compared with a sample from 1996-1998, comparing the means for each anthropometric variable by age and sex using the independent-sample t-test. Results: An average increase was found in weight of 5.8 kg in boys and 6.3 kg in girls; in height of 3.0 cm in boys and 3.7 cm in girls; in BMI of 1.5 kg/m(2) in boys and 1.7 kg/m(2) in girls; in WC a difference of 5.6 cm and 4.9 cm for boys and girls, respectively, and for MUAC a difference of 2.7 cm in boys and 2.0 cm in girls. No differences were found in TST in boys, but in girls an increase of 1.2mm was observed. Conclusions: A general increase in anthropometric measurements, more marked in weight, BMI, WC and MUAC and at younger ages, was observed.