Habitual Dietary Intake Research Articles

Using participant hedonic ratings of food images to construct data driven food groupings

Little is known regarding how individuals’ hedonic ratings of a variety of foods interrelate and how hedonic ratings correspond to habitual dietary intake. Participant ratings of food appeal of 104 food images were collected while participants were in a fed state (n = 129). Self-reported frequency of intake of the food items, perceived hunger, body mass index (BMI), and dietary restraint were also assessed. Principal components analysis (PCA) was employed to analyze hedonic ratings of the foods, to identify component structures and to reduce the number of variables. The resulting component structures comprised 63 images loading on seven components including Energy-Dense Main Courses, Light Main Courses and Seafood as well as components more analogous to traditional food groups (e.g., Fruits, Grains, Desserts, Meats). However, vegetables were not represented in a unique, independent component. All components were positively correlated with reported intake of the food items (r's = .26–.52, p < .05), except for the Light Main Course component (r = .10). BMI showed a small positive relation with aggregated food appeal ratings (r = .19; p < .05), which was largely driven by the relations between BMI and appeal ratings for Energy-Dense Main Courses (r = .24; p < .01) and Desserts (r = .27; p < .01). Dietary restraint showed a small significant negative relation to Energy-Dense Main Courses (r = −.21; p < .05), and Meats (r = −.18; p < .05). The present investigation provides novel evidence regarding how individuals’ hedonic ratings of foods aggregate into food components and how these component ratings relate to dietary intake. The notable absence of a vegetable component suggests that individuals’ liking for vegetables is highly variable and, from an empirical standpoint, not related to how they respond hedonically to other food categories.

Mediterranean diet and mortality in Switzerland: an alpine paradox?

Reports on the protective effect of a Mediterranean diet on mortality usually refer to populations from Mediterranean countries, leaving uncertain whether really diet is the fundamental cause. Our aim was to examine the effect of a Mediterranean diet on mortality in Switzerland, a country combining cultural influences from Mediterranean and Central European countries within a common national health and statistical registry. In this prospective investigation, we included 17,861 men and women aged ≥16 years who participated 1977-1993 in health studies and were followed up for survival until 2008 by anonymous record linkage with the Swiss National Cohort. A 9-point score Mediterranean Diet Score (MDS) was used to assess adherence to a Mediterranean diet. Mortality hazard ratios (HR) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated by using Cox regression models adjusted for age, sex, survey wave, marital status, smoking, body mass index, language region and nationality. In all language regions, MDS was inversely associated with mortality. Consumption of dairy products was also consistently associated with lower mortality. When categorizing dairy food consumption as beneficial instead of harmful, this association between MDS and mortality increased in strength and was partly statistically significant. For all causes of death combined (HR for a one-point increase in MDS 0.96, 95% CI 0.94-0.98), in men (0.94, 0.92-0.97), in women (0.98, 0.95-1.02) for cardiovascular diseases (CVD, 0.96, 0.92-0.99; 0.95, 0.90-1.00; 0.98, 0.92-1.04) and for cancer (0.95, 0.92-0.99; 0.92, 0.88-0.97; 0.98, 0.93-1.04). Stronger adherence to a Mediterranean diet was associated with lower all-cause, CVD and cancer mortality, largely independently of cultural background. These associations were primary due to the effect in men. Our finding of a beneficial rather than a deleterious impact of dairy products consumption prompts at considering culturally adapted Mediterranean diet recommendations. However, results should be interpreted with caution since only a crude 1-day dietary estimate was available to assess individuals' habitual dietary intake.

Drug susceptibility influences macronutrient intake and body composition in tuberculosis patients (1014.4)

Background: Malnutrition and lean tissue wasting are common in patients with tuberculosis (TB) disease, yet little information is available on habitual dietary intake or links with body composition.Methods: Dietary intake was obtained in a randomized clinical trial of high‐dose vitamin D (Vit D) in patients with pulmonary TB in Tbilisi, Georgia. Food intake was obtained (0, 8 and 16 weeks) using a validated, culture‐specific tool. Serial body composition was by BMI and bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA; % fat mass and % fat‐free mass). Descriptive statistics and repeated measures ANOVA were used.Results: 192 subjects (mean age 35 y; 100 Vit D, 99 placebo) were studied. Mean daily intake of kcal, fat and protein were adequate at diagnosis and increased (with BMI) over time (time effect p&lt;0.0001, treatment effect NS). There were no differences in % of fat mass or % fat‐free mass between groups over time. Multi‐drug resistant TB patients (n=23) had lower body weight, BMI (p=0.05) and fat‐free mass vs. drug‐susceptible patients, despite increased intake of kcal, protein, fat and CHO at 8 and 16 weeks.Conclusions: Macronutrient intake was adequate in this TB patient cohort. Increased macronutrient intake occurred concomitant with increased BMI and maintained proportions of body fat and fat‐free mass. MDR‐TB patients demonstrated less efficient anabolism than drug‐susceptible TB patients. 1Grant Funding Source: Supported by grants from the National Institutes of Health Fogarty grant D43 TW007124 and K24 RR0233

PD7-05 ESTIMATING PATIENTS' INTAKE OF STONE-RELATED FOODS AND NUTRIENTS WITH A FOOD FREQUENCY QUESTIONNAIRE

You have accessJournal of UrologyStone Disease: Therapy I1 Apr 2014PD7-05 ESTIMATING PATIENTS' INTAKE OF STONE-RELATED FOODS AND NUTRIENTS WITH A FOOD FREQUENCY QUESTIONNAIRE Margaret Wertheim, Rachel Bell, and Kristina L. Penniston Margaret WertheimMargaret Wertheim More articles by this author , Rachel BellRachel Bell More articles by this author , and Kristina L. PennistonKristina L. Penniston More articles by this author View All Author Informationhttps://doi.org/10.1016/j.juro.2014.02.694AboutPDF ToolsAdd to favoritesDownload CitationsTrack CitationsPermissionsReprints ShareFacebookTwitterLinked InEmail INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVES 24-h urine parameters do not perfectly reflect habitual dietary intake as patients may alter their habits during the time of the collection and as renal excretion of many parameters does not represent intake. Many urologists are unable to assess patients' intake of specific foods and nutrients that may impact stone formation. This may lead to an over- or underestimation of dietary influence on stone risk. To address this problem, we developed a food frequency questionnaire (FFQ) to quantify patients' habitual intake of diet-related lithogenic risk factors. METHODS We mailed our previously-developed FFQ to stone formers (SFs) who completed a weighed 3-day diet record within 6 months. The FFQ was self-administered, completed at home, and returned by mail. We evaluated the performance of the FFQ against nutrient data from the diet records for servings of fruits & vegetables, servings of meats/eggs, fluid volume, sodium, oxalate, and calcium. Nutrient analysis was performed using the Nutrition Database System for Research software. Paired t-tests and Pearson correlation coefficients were calculated to determine the agreement between measures. RESULTS SFs (n=16) were 61±11 y and were 50% male. Fruit & vegetable intake and fluid intake correlated well with the diet records (R=0.57 and R=0.82, respectively; p<0.02 for both). Mean differences for calcium, sodium, and oxalate intakes were close: 73, 540, and 6 mg, respectively (median values, 161, 102, and 30 mg, respectively). However, within individuals, there was more variation. Using acceptable intake cutoffs, the difference between the 2 assessment methods was <300 mg for calcium intake for 44%, <50 mg for oxalate intake for 44%, and <25 mEq (575 mg) for sodium intake for 38% of SFs. SFs underreported meat intake on the FFQ by 3 servings/d (p=0.0001) as compared to their weighed diet records. Misinterpretation by some SFs of this particular FFQ category appeared to be a factor in individual variability. CONCLUSIONS We previously developed and piloted a FFQ to assess SFs' dietary intake. In this study, we compared the dietary intakes of SFs using the "gold standard" diet assessment measure: weighed, multiple-day diet records. Our results show that the FFQ performs strongly with respect to fruits & vegetables and for fluid intake. Final modification is underway, with larger numbers of SFs, to further improve the instrument for all food categories and to determine whether mode of administration affects results. © 2014FiguresReferencesRelatedDetails Volume 191Issue 4SApril 2014Page: e185 Advertisement Copyright & Permissions© 2014MetricsAuthor Information Margaret Wertheim More articles by this author Rachel Bell More articles by this author Kristina L. Penniston More articles by this author Expand All Advertisement Advertisement PDF downloadLoading ...

Significance of occlusal force for dietary fibre and vitamin intakes in independently living 70-year-old Japanese: from SONIC Study

ObjectivesThe number of teeth has frequently been used as an indicator of oral health in investigations of food intake; however, this measure does not represent the efficacy of the masticatory performance. Masticatory performance may be more important for food selection and avoidance than number of remaining teeth. The aim of this study was to investigate the association of occlusal force with habitual dietary intakes in independently living older Japanese. MethodsThe study population was 757 community-dwelling people aged 69–71 years old. Bilateral maximal occlusal force in the intercuspal position was measured with pressure-sensitive sheets. Removable denture wearers kept their dentures in place during the measurements. Dietary habits during the preceding month were assessed using a brief-type self-administered diet history questionnaire that measures consumption frequencies of selected food commonly consumed and calculates energy-adjusted dietary intakes. Linear trends of food and nutrient intakes with decreasing occlusal force were tested after adjusting for gender and socioeconomic factors. ResultsAfter adjusting for socioeconomic status and the number of remaining teeth, decline of occlusal force was significantly associated with lower intakes of vegetables, vitamins A, C, B6, folate, and dietary fibre (P for trend<0.05). In contrast, number of teeth was significantly associated only with calcium and zinc, controlling for occlusal force. ConclusionsIt is concluded that occlusal force was significantly associated with intakes of vitamins and dietary fibre rather than number of remaining teeth in independently living older Japanese.

Effect of 8-week exercise-based cardiac rehabilitation on cardiac autonomic function: A randomized controlled trial in myocardial infarction patients

The purpose of this study is to evaluate the effects of an 8-week exercise-based cardiac rehabilitation program on traditional and nonlinear heart rate variability (HRV) indexes, assessing the potential confounding influences of habitual physical activity (PA) and dietary intake. In this parallel-group trial, 96 patients (56 ± 10 years old) were randomized to the exercise group (EG) or to the control group (CG) 4 weeks after an acute myocardial infarction. Exercise-based cardiac rehabilitation program consisted of aerobic exercise at 70% to 85% of maximal heart rate for 3 sessions per week plus usual care. The CG received only usual care. The baseline and final assessments comprised resting short-term HRV (primary outcome) by a Polar R-R recorder under controlled breathing (12 breaths per minute), habitual PA by accelerometers, and dietary intake by a 4-day food diary. Two patients in each group dropped out and were not included in the intention-to-treat analysis. In the remaining 92 patients (EG = 47 and CG = 45), at baseline, only a difference in the proportion of nitrate medication use was significant between groups. After 8 weeks, no significant changes were found between groups on traditional and nonlinear HRV indexes (eg, ln HF, EG from 5.7 ± 1.5 to 5.9 ± 1.3 and CG from 5.5 ± 1.6 to 5.5 ± 1.5), habitual PA, and dietary intake. Eight weeks of exercise-based cardiac rehabilitation program is an insufficient stimulus to improve cardiac autonomic function in post-myocardial infarction patients under optimal medication and with high levels of traditional and nonlinear HRV indexes at baseline.

Dietary patterns and cognitive ability among 12- to 13 year-old adolescents in Selangor, Malaysia.

The present study aimed to identify dietary patterns and determine the relationship between dietary patterns and cognitive ability among 12- to 13 year-old Malay adolescents in the urban areas of Gombak district in Selangor, Malaysia. Data on sociodemographic background were obtained from parents. Height and weight were measured and BMI-for-age was determined. Adolescents were interviewed on their habitual dietary intakes using a semi-quantitative FFQ. Cognitive ability was assessed using the Wechsler Nonverbal Scale of Ability in a one-to-one manner. Dietary patterns were constructed using principal component analysis based on thirty-eight food groups of the semi-quantitative FFQ. Urban secondary public schools in the district of Gombak in Selangor, Malaysia. Malay adolescents aged 12 to 13 years (n 416). The mean general cognitive ability score was 101·8 (sd 12·4). Four major dietary patterns were identified and labelled as 'refined-grain pattern', 'snack-food pattern', 'plant-based food pattern' and 'high-energy food pattern'. These dietary patterns explained 39·1 % of the variance in the habitual dietary intakes of the adolescents. The refined-grain pattern was negatively associated with processing speed, which is a construct of general cognitive ability. The high-energy food pattern was negatively associated with general cognitive ability, perceptual reasoning and processing speed. Monthly household income and parents' educational attainment were positively associated with all of the cognitive measures. In multivariate analysis, only the high-energy food pattern was found to contribute significantly towards general cognitive ability after controlling for socio-economic status. Consumption of foods in the high-energy food pattern contributed towards general cognitive ability after controlling for socio-economic status. However, the contribution was small.

Dietary Patterns and Depressive Symptoms over Time: Examining the Relationships with Socioeconomic Position, Health Behaviours and Cardiovascular Risk

IntroductionRecent research suggests that diet quality influences depression risk; however, a lack of experimental evidence leaves open the possibility that residual confounding explains the observed relationships. The aim of this study was to document the cross-sectional and longitudinal associations between dietary patterns and symptoms of depression and to undertake a detailed examination of potential explanatory factors, particularly socioeconomic circumstances, in the diet-depression relationship.MethodsData were drawn from the Personality and Total Health (PATH) Through Life Study, a longitudinal community study following three age cohorts (20+; 40+; 60+yrs) from south-eastern Australia over three assessment periods (n = 3663). Regression analyses evaluated the cross-sectional and longitudinal relationships between dietary patterns, depressive symptoms, age, detailed measures of socioeconomic circumstances, other health behaviours, and cardiovascular risk factors.ResultsThe lowest tertile of prudent (healthy) dietary pattern and the highest tertile of western (unhealthy) dietary pattern were associated with an increased likelihood of depressive symptoms. However, these contemporaneous associations were explained by adjustment for detailed measures of socioeconomic circumstances and physical activity. In prospective analyses, lower scores on the healthy dietary pattern and higher scores on the unhealthy dietary pattern independently predicted increased depressive symptoms across time, before and after adjustment for potential confounders and baseline depressive symptoms, but only for those in the oldest cohort. Dietary patterns did not explain the relationship between socioeconomic position and depressive symptoms.ConclusionThe results of this study confirm that the relationship between habitual dietary intake and depressive symptoms is somewhat explained by socioeconomic circumstances and other health behaviours, but suggest that long term exposure to unhealthy dietary habits independently predisposes to depression over the lifecourse.

Habitual dietary intake impacts on the lipidomic profile

Reliable dietary assessments are essential when attempting to understand the complex links between diet and health. Traditional methods for collecting dietary exposure can be unreliable, therefore there is an increasing interest in identifying biomarkers to provide a more accurate measurement. Metabolomics is a technology that offers great promise in this area. The aim of this study was to use a multivariate statistical strategy to link lipidomic patterns with dietary data in an attempt to identify dietary biomarkers. We assessed the relationship between lipidomic profiles and dietary data in volunteers (n=34) from the Metabolic Challenge Study (MECHE). Principal component analysis (PCA), linear regression and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis were used to (1) reduce the lipidomic data into lipid patterns (LPs), (2) investigate relationships between these patterns and dietary data and (3) identify biomarkers of dietary intake. Our study identified a total of 6 novel LPs. LP1 was highly predictive of dietary fat intake (area under the curve AUC=0.82). A random forest (RF) classification model used to discriminate between low and high consumers resulted with an error rate of >10%, with a panel of six metabolites identified as the most predictive. LP4 was highly predictive of alcohol intake (AUC=0.81) with lysophosphatidylcholine alkyl C18:0 (LPCeC18:0) identified as a potential biomarker of alcohol consumption. LP6 had a reasonably good ability to predict dietary fish intake (AUC=0.76), with lysophosphatidylethanolamine acyl C18:2 (LPEaC18:2) phoshatidylethanolamine diaclyl C38:4 (PEaaC38:4) identified as potential biomarkers. The identification of these LPs and specific biomarkers will help in better classifying a persons dietary intake and in turn will improve the assessment of the relationship between diet and disease. Linking these LPs and specific biomarkers with health parameters will be an important future step.

Relative validity and reproducibility of a food frequency questionnaire to assess dietary fiber intake in Danish adults

BackgroundDifferences in habitual dietary fiber intake may modify effects of dietary fiber interventions, thus measurement of habitual dietary fiber intake is relevant to apply in intervention studies on fiber-rich foods, and food frequency questionnaire (FFQ) is a commonly used method. Rye bread is the major contributor of dietary fiber in the Danish population, and a nation-specific FFQ is therefore needed.ObjectiveThe aim of this study was to assess the relative validity and reproducibility of a self-administered quantitative FFQ designed to assess total dietary fiber intake among Danish adults.DesignIn order to assess the relative validity of the FFQ, a total of 125 participants completed both a 7-day weighed dietary recording (DR) and an FFQ consisting of 60 questions. To evaluate the reproducibility of the FFQ, a sub-group of 12 participants subsequently completed an FFQ approximately 6 months later.ResultsEstimates of mean dietary fiber intake were 24.9±9.8 and 28.1±9.4 g/day when applying the FFQ and DR, respectively, where FFQ estimates were ~12% lower (p<0.001). Pearson's correlation coefficient between the estimated dietary fiber intake of the two methods was r=0.63 (p<0.001), and 62% of the participants were grouped into the same tertile of intake according to the two methods. The estimates of mean dietary intake of first and second FFQ were very similar (22.2±4.0 and 23.3±4.1 g/day, respectively, p=0.42) and showed a correlation of r=0.95 (95% CI 0.83–0.99).ConclusionThe developed FFQ showed moderate underestimation of dietary fiber intake (g/day), adequate ranking of subjects according to their dietary fiber intake, and good reproducibility. The FFQ is therefore believed to be a valuable tool for epidemiology and screening in human interventions, where intake of dietary fibers is of specific interest.

Increasing dietary phosphorus intake from food additives: potential for negative impact on bone health.

It is important to consider whether habitual high phosphorus intake adversely affects bone health, because phosphorus intake has been increasing, whereas calcium intake has been decreasing in dietary patterns. A higher total habitual dietary phosphorus intake has been associated with higher serum parathyroid hormone (PTH) and lower serum calcium concentrations in healthy individuals. Higher serum PTH concentrations have been shown in those who consume foods with phosphorus additives. These findings suggest that long-term dietary phosphorus loads and long-term hyperphosphatemia may have important negative effects on bone health. In contrast, PTH concentrations did not increase as a result of high dietary phosphorus intake when phosphorus was provided with adequate amounts of calcium. Intake of foods with a ratio of calcium to phosphorus close to that found in dairy products led to positive effects on bone health. Several randomized controlled trials have shown positive relations between dairy intake and bone mineral density. In our loading test with a low-calcium, high-phosphorus lunch provided to healthy young men, serum PTH concentrations showed peaks at 1 and 6 h, and serum fibroblast growth factor 23 (FGF23) concentrations increased significantly at 8 h after the meal. In contrast, the high-calcium, high-phosphorus meal suppressed the second PTH and FGF23 elevations until 8 h after the meal. This implies that adequate dietary calcium intake is needed to overcome the interfering effects of high phosphorus intake on PTH and FGF23 secretion. FGF23 acts on the parathyroid gland to decrease PTH mRNA and PTH secretion in rats with normal kidney function. However, increased serum FGF23 is an early alteration of mineral metabolism in chronic kidney disease, causing secondary hyperthyroidism, and implying resistance of the parathyroid gland to the action of FGF23 in chronic kidney disease. These findings suggest that long-term high-phosphorus diets may impair bone health mediated by FGF23 resistance both in chronic kidney disease patients and in the healthy population.

Assessment of the dietary intake of total flavan-3-ols, monomeric flavan-3-ols, proanthocyanidins and theaflavins in the European Union

Dietary interventions with flavan-3-ols have shown beneficial effects on vascular function. The translation of these findings into the context of the health of the general public requires detailed information on habitual dietary intake. However, only limited data are currently available for European populations. Therefore, in the present study, we assessed the habitual intake of flavan-3-ol monomers, proanthocyanidins (PA) and theaflavins in the European Union (EU) and determined their main food sources using the EFSA (European Food Safety Authority) Comprehensive European Food Consumption Database. Data for adults aged 18-64 years were available from fourteen European countries, and intake was determined using the FLAVIOLA Flavanol Food Composition Database, developed for the present study and based on the latest US Department of Agriculture and Phenol-Explorer databases. The mean habitual intake of flavan-3-ol monomers, theaflavins and PA ranged from 181 mg/d (Czech Republic) to 793 mg/d (Ireland). The highest intakes of flavan-3-ol monomers and theaflavins were observed in Ireland (191/505 mg/d) and the lowest intakes in Spain (24/9 mg/d). In contrast, the daily intake of PA was highest in Spain (175 mg/d) and lowest in The Netherlands (96 mg/d). Main sources were tea (62%), pome fruits (11%), berries (3%) and cocoa products (3%). Tea was the major single contributor to monomer intake (75%), followed by pome fruits (6%). Pome fruits were also the main source of PA (28%). The present study provides important data on the population-based intake of flavanols in the EU and demonstrates that dietary intake amounts for flavan-3-ol monomers, PA and theaflavins vary significantly across European countries. The average habitual intake of flavan-3-ols is considerably below the amounts used in most dietary intervention studies.

Adherence to predefined dietary patterns and incident type 2 diabetes in European populations: EPIC-InterAct Study

Aims/hypothesisFew studies have investigated the relationship between predefined dietary patterns and type 2 diabetes incidence; little is known about the generalisability of these associations. We aimed to assess the association between predefined dietary patterns and type 2 diabetes risk in European populations.MethodsFrom among a case-cohort of 12,403 incident diabetes cases and 16,154 subcohort members nested within the prospective European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition study, we used data on 9,682 cases and 12,595 subcohort participants from seven countries. Habitual dietary intake was assessed at baseline with country-specific dietary questionnaires. Two diet-quality scores (alternative Healthy Eating Index [aHEI], Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension [DASH] score) and three reduced rank regression (RRR)-derived dietary-pattern scores were constructed. Country-specific HRs were calculated and combined using a random-effects meta-analysis.ResultsAfter multivariable adjustment, including body size, the aHEI and DASH scores were not significantly associated with diabetes, although for the aHEI there was a tendency towards an inverse association in countries with higher mean age. We observed inverse associations of the three RRR-derived dietary-pattern scores with diabetes: HRs (95% CIs) for a 1-SD difference were 0.91 (0.86, 0.96), 0.92 (0.84, 1.01) and 0.87 (0.82, 0.92). Random-effects meta-analyses revealed heterogeneity between countries that was explainable by differences in the age of participants or the distribution of dietary intake.Conclusions/interpretationAdherence to specific RRR-derived dietary patterns, commonly characterised by high intake of fruits or vegetables and low intake of processed meat, sugar-sweetened beverages and refined grains, may lower type 2 diabetes risk.Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (doi:10.1007/s00125-013-3092-9) contains peer-reviewed but unedited supplementary material, which is available to authorised users.

Validation of a semi-quantitative food frequency questionnaire to assess food groups and nutrient intake.

Semi-quantitative Food Frequency Questionnaires (FFQs) analyze average food and nutrient intake over extended periods to associate habitual dietary intake with health problems and chronic diseases. A tool of this nature applicable to both women and men is not presently available in Mexico. To validate a FFQ for adult men and women. The study was conducted on 97 participants, 61% were women. Two FFQs were administered (with a one-year interval) to measure reproducibility. To assess validity, the second FFQ was compared against dietary record (DR) covering nine days. Statistical analyses included Pearson correlations and Intraclass Correlation Coefficients (ICC). The de-attenuation of the ICC resulting from intraindividual variability was controlled. The validity analysis was complemented by comparing the classification ability of FFQ to that of DR through concordance between intake categories and Bland-Altman plots. Reproducibility: ICC values for food groups ranged 0.42-0.87; the range for energy and nutrients was between 0.34 and 0.82. ICC values for food groups ranged 0.35-0.84; the range for energy and nutrients was between 0.36 and 0.77. Most subjects (56.7-76.3%) classified in the same or adjacent quintile for energy and nutrients using both methods. Extreme misclassification was <6.3% for all items. Bland-Altman plots reveal high concordance between FFQ and DR. FFQ produced sufficient levels of reproducibility and validity to determine average daily intake over one year. These results will enable the analysis of possible associations with chronic diseases and dietary diagnoses in adult populations of men and women.

Habitual Consumption of Soy Products and Risk of Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma in Chinese Adults: A Case-Control Study

Background and ObjectivesMany studies have shown a negative association between the consumption of soy products and the risk of some cancers, but little is known about the effect of soy consumption on nasopharyngeal carcinoma. We assessed the association between the consumption of soy products on nasopharyngeal carcinoma risk in Chinese individuals.MethodsThis case-control study included 600 (448 males and 152 females) incident cases of nasopharyngeal carcinoma, and an equal number of controls, matched according to gender, age (± 3 y) and household type to the nasopharyngeal carcinoma cases. All subjects were recruited from hospitals in Guangzhou, China. A face-to-face interview was conducted with each study individual to collect general information and habitual dietary intake using a 78-item quantitative food-frequency questionnaire. Odds ratios and their 95% confidence intervals were estimated using conditional logistic regression analyses.ResultsThe median intakes of soy foods (in protein) were 0.5/0.5, 1.4/1.7, 2.7/3.3 and 6.1/7.7 (male/female) g/d in the quartiles 1 to 4. Both univariate and multivariate analyses showed no significant association between the consumption of soy proteins or soy isoflavones and the risk of nasopharyngeal carcinoma. The adjusted odds ratios (95% confidence intervals) between extreme quartiles were 0.97 (0.66-1.45) for soy proteins and 0.97 (0.66-1.42) for total isoflavones. Null associations were also observed between intake of the individual isoflavones daidzein, genistein and glycitein and NPC risk, with adjusted odds ratios for the extreme quartiles ranging between 0.73 and 1.23.ConclusionHabitual consumption of soy products had no significant effect on the risk of nasopharyngeal carcinoma in Chinese adults with a relatively low intake.

Healthier Dietary Pattern and Lower Risk of Metabolic Syndrome in Physically Active Postmenopausal Women

Objectives: To investigate the relationship between habitual physical activity and dietary intake, body composition, metabolic and hormonal variables, and cardiovascular risk factors in postmenopausal women with no evidence of cardiovascular disease. Methods: In this cross-sectional study, 105 women (mean age: 55.2 ± 4.9 years) consulting for climacteric symptoms underwent anthropometric and hormonal assessment. Usual dietary intake was assessed with a food frequency questionnaire and habitual physical activity was assessed with a digital pedometer. Participants were classified as physically inactive (<6000 steps daily) or physically active (≥6000 steps daily). Results: Compared to the inactive group, active women had higher protein, total fat, cholesterol, iron, calcium, and the antioxidant micronutrients zinc and selenium intake as well as differences on food groups: higher meat, egg, and whole-dairy intake and lower intake of chips. Active participants also presented lower diastolic blood pressure (p = 0.012), ultrasensitive C-reactive protein (us-CRP; p = 0.011), fasting glucose (p = 0.003), fasting insulin (p = 0.019), and homeostasis model assessment index (p = 0.017). After adjustment for age and time since menopause, the risk for metabolic syndrome increased with physical inactivity (odds ratio [OR] = 3.55, 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.08–11.66), us-CRP (OR = 6.57, 95% CI, 2.20–19.56), and percentage body fat (OR = 5.65, 95% CI, 1.19–28.89). Conclusion: Both physical activity and dietary choices may have contributed toward a more favorable cardiovascular profile and lower risk of metabolic syndrome in postmenopausal women.

OP26 Cardiovascular Disease Incidence and Dietary Fibre intake in the UK Women’s Cohort Study

BackgroundCardiovascular disease (CVD) is a major cause of mortality and morbidity in developed countries. CVD risk can be modified via lifestyle habits and some prospective studies indicate greater fibre intake...

Differential Proinflammatory and Oxidative Stress Response and Vulnerability to Metabolic Syndrome in Habitual High-Fat Young Male Consumers Putatively Predisposed by Their Genetic Background

The current nutritional habits and lifestyles of modern societies favor energy overloads and a diminished physical activity, which may produce serious clinical disturbances and excessive weight gain. In order to investigate the mechanisms by which the environmental factors interact with molecular mechanisms in obesity, a pathway analysis was performed to identify genes differentially expressed in subcutaneous abdominal adipose tissue (SCAAT) from obese compared to lean male (21–35 year-old) subjects living in similar obesogenic conditions: habitual high fat dietary intake and moderate physical activity. Genes involved in inflammation (ALCAM, CTSB, C1S, YKL-40, MIF, SAA2), extracellular matrix remodeling (MMP9, PALLD), angiogenesis (EGFL6, leptin) and oxidative stress (AKR1C3, UCHL1, HSPB7 and NQO1) were upregulated; whereas apoptosis, signal transcription (CITED 2 and NR3C1), cell control and cell cycle-related genes were downregulated. Interestingly, the expression of some of these genes (C1S, SAA2, ALCAM, CTSB, YKL-40 and tenomodulin) was found to be associated with some relevant metabolic syndrome features. The obese group showed a general upregulation in the expression of inflammatory, oxidative stress, extracellular remodeling and angiogenic genes compared to lean subjects, suggesting that a given genetic background in an obesogenic environment could underlie the resistance to gaining weight and obesity-associated manifestations.

Low vitamin D status is associated with reduced muscle mass and impaired physical performance in frail elderly people

Serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) status has been associated with muscle mass, strength and physical performance in healthy elderly people. Yet, in pre-frail and frail elderly people this association has not been studied. The objective of this study was to explore the association between vitamin D intake and serum 25(OH)D status with muscle mass, strength and physical performance in a pre-frail and frail elderly population. This cross-sectional study included 127 pre-frail and frail elderly people in The Netherlands. Whole body and appendicular lean mass (ALM) (dual energy X-ray absorptiometry), leg strength (one repetition maximum), handgrip strength and physical performance (short physical performance battery) were measured, and blood samples were collected for the assessment of serum 25(OH)D status (liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry). In addition, habitual dietary intake (3-day food records) and physical activity data (accelerometers) were collected. In total, 53% of the participants had a serum 25(OH)D level below 50 nmol/l. After adjustment for confounding factors, 25(OH)D status was associated with ALM (β=0.012, P=0.05) and with physical performance (β=0.020, P<0.05). Vitamin D intake was associated with physical performance (β=0.18, P<0.05) but not with ALM (P>0.05). In this frail elderly population, 25(OH)D status is low and suggests a modest association with reduced ALM and impaired physical performance. In addition, vitamin D intake tended to be associated with impaired physical performance. Our findings highlight the need for well-designed intervention trials to assess the impact of vitamin D supplementation on 25(OH)D status, muscle mass and physical performance in pre-frail and frail elderly people.

Effects of Wheat and Oat-Based Whole Grain Foods on Serum Lipoprotein Size and Distribution in Overweight Middle Aged People: A Randomised Controlled Trial

IntroductionEpidemiological studies suggest three daily servings of whole-grain foods (WGF) might lower cardiovascular disease risk, at least partly by lowering serum lipid levels. We have assessed the effects of consuming three daily portions of wholegrain food (provided as wheat or a mixture of wheat and oats) on lipoprotein subclass size and concentration in a dietary randomised controlled trial involving middle aged healthy individuals.MethodsAfter a 4-week run-in period on a refined diet, volunteers were randomly allocated to a control (refined diet), wheat, or wheat + oats group for 12 weeks. Our servings were determined in order to significantly increase the intakes of non starch polysaccharides to the UK Dietary Reference Value of 18 g per day in the whole grain groups (18.5 g and 16.8 g per day in the wheat and wheat + oats groups respectively in comparison with 11.3 g per day in the control group). Outcome measures were serum lipoprotein subclasses' size and concentration. Habitual dietary intake was assessed prior and during the intervention. Of the 233 volunteers recruited, 24 withdrew and 3 were excluded.ResultsAt baseline, significant associations were found between lipoprotein size and subclasses' concentrations and some markers of cardiovascular risk such as insulin resistance, blood pressure and serum Inter cellular adhesion molecule 1 concentration. Furthermore, alcohol and vitamin C intake were positively associated with an anti-atherogenic lipoprotein profile, with regards to lipoprotein size and subclasses' distribution. However, none of the interventions with whole grain affected lipoprotein size and profile.ConclusionOur results indicate that three portions of wholegrain foods, irrelevant of the type (wheat or oat-based) do not reduce cardiovascular risk by beneficially altering the size and distribution of lipoprotein subclasses.Trial Registration www.Controlled-Trials.com ISRCTN 27657880.