Food intake of Portuguese school-aged children: Development and trial of a new evaluation tool  Research Project supervised by Professor José Pereira Miguel (Institute of Preventive Medicine, Faculty of Medicine of the University of Lisbon) and co-supervised by Professor Ana Rito (National Health Institute Dr Ricardo Jorge) Introduction:  Eating and Nutrition account for two primary determining factors in some chronic diseases (Nestle, 2007; Shetty, 2009), namely child obesity, which stands out as one of the most serious challenges to public health in the 21st century (James, 2006). Prevention and treatment of child obesity become a priority, since it is more difficult […]

Endocrinology encompasses extremely prevalent pathologies accounting for both direct and indirect health economic costs. I am referring, for instance, to obesity and Diabetes Mellitus and corresponding co-morbidities and/or complications, which over the past years have put endocrinology in the public eye. Besides the importance of treatment, preventing these pathologies from occurring would lead to a significant reduction of cardiovascular death, which is the main cause of death in the so-called developed countries. Thyroid pathology is also responsible for another large group of patients seen at this specialist unit, due to its high prevalence. Some studies indicate that up to 70% […]

Thyrotoxicosis is a clinical situation resulting from increased free T3 and T4 thyroid hormones in the blood; it is called hyperthyroidism if provoked by overactive tissue within the thyroid gland causing an overproduction of thyroid hormones. Accordingly, thyrotoxicosis can be provoked by causes external to the thyroid gland, such as iatrogenesis provoked by excess medication of thyroid hormones (Table 1); however, in clinical practice, the terms thyrotoxicosis and hyperthyroidism tend to be used indiscriminately. In subclinical hyperthyroidism, free T3 and T4 are within the normal reference parameters, but the levels of circulating THS are low. In differentiated carcinomas of the […]

Endocrinology and Nutrition are two essential fields of knowledge in the health sciences which share many common points and synergies. Accordingly, it was not by chance that the first push to setting up a Licenciatura (Honours) Degree in Nutrition Sciences (originally an Ordinary Bachelor Degree in Nutrition) was given by an endocrinologist, the much missed Dr. Emílio Peres, who is fondly acclaimed as the “father of Portuguese nutritionists”. Nowadays, and due to the growing prevalence of the so-called chronic and metabolic diseases (obesity, diabetes, high blood pressure, and dyslipidemia, among others), Endocrinology Units are called upon to provide answers to […]

The present article stems from the joint reflection of three psychologists: Maria João Brito, Paula Câmara and me. More than presenting a scientific text, we would like to share with you our daily experience of clinical practice. What are the challenges facing psychologists working in the health field, in an hospital environment and an endocrinology unit? Each of these variables poses its own challenge. Let us start at the end: endocrinology. By definition, it is the specialty that studies internal secretion glands (endocrine) and hormones. They regulate homeostasis, balance. Endocrinology derives from the Greek word éndon, which means ‘from within’. […]