Habitual Dietary Patterns Research Articles

Effects of milk supplementation with conjugated linoleic acid on weight control and body composition in healthy overweight people.

Conjugated linoleic acids (CLAs) have shown beneficial effects in weight control therapy however this relation is not clear. The aim of the study was to examine the effects and safety of 3g of a 1:1 mix of c9-t11 and t10-c12 on weight control and body composition in healthy overweight individuals. A prospective, placebo-controlled, randomised double-blind, parallel clinical trial lasting 24 weeks was carried out in 38 volunteers (29w, 9m) aged 30-55 years and BMI ≥27-<30 kg/m2 who consumed 200 ml/day of skimmed milk with 3g of CLAs or 3g olive oil (placebo). Anthropometric, biochemical and dual x-ray absorptiometry (DXA) tests were measured. Diet and physical activity were assessed. Subjects maintained their habitual dietary and exercise patterns over the study. Only CLA group showed a significant decrease in weight (74.43 ± 10.45 vs 73.54 ± 11.66 kg, p = 0.029) and waist circumference (91.45 ± 10.33 vs 90.65 ± 9.84 cm, p = 0.012) between baseline and end of the study. BMI and waist height ratio decreased (28.44 ± 1.08 vs 27.81 ± 1.43 kg/m2, p = 0.030 and 0.57 ± 0.05 vs 0.56 ± 0.04 p = 0.013 respectively) in CLA group at the end. CLA group experienced a reduction in total fat mass after 24 weeks (38.62 ± 5.02 vs 36.65 ± 5.64%, p = 0.035). No decrease was observed in Control group. HOMA index had no changes. The consumption of skimmed milk enriched with 3g of a 1:1 mixture of c9-t11 and t10-c12 for 24 weeks led to a decrease in body weight and total fat mass in healthy, overweight subjects who maintained habitual diets and exercise patterns. No adverse effects were observed. Registered under ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier No. NCT01503047.

Effects of short-term fructooligosaccharide intake on equol production in Japanese postmenopausal women consuming soy isoflavone supplements: a pilot study

BackgroundRecent studies suggest that some of the clinical effectiveness of soy or daidzein, which is a type of isoflavone, may be attributed to a person’s ability to produce equol from daidzein. Equol, which is a metabolite of one of the major soybean isoflavones called daidzein, is produced in the gastrointestinal tract by certain intestinal microbiota where present. Habitual dietary patterns may alter the intestinal bacterial profile, and influence the metabolism of isoflavones and the production of equol. Fructooligosaccharides (FOS) have a prebiotic activity as well as being a dietary fibre. The purpose of the present study was to determine whether FOS supplementation increases equol production in equol producers and stimulates equol production in equol non-producers in Japanese postmenopausal women.MethodsA soy challenge was used to assess equol-producer status prior to the start of the study in healthy postmenopausal Japanese women. The study involved 4 separate groups in randomised crossover design. First, subjects were classified as equol producers (n = 25) or non-producers (n = 18), and then they were randomly assigned to the FOS or control group. All subjects received a daily dose of 37 mg isoflavone conjugates in the capsule (21 mg aglycone form) and either FOS (5g/day) or sucrose as control, in a randomised crossover study design. Equol -production was assessed by testing the serum and urine before and after the 2-week supplementation period.ResultsThe analyses were conducted on 34 subjects completed the study, 21 (61.8%) were classified as equol producers, and 13 (38.2%) as non-producers. Significant differences were observed in the interaction effect of time × equol state after 1 week of intervention (p = 0.006). However there were no effects after 2 weeks of intervention (p = 0.516). Finally, in both equol producers and non-producers, FOS supplementation did not affect the serum equol concentration or the urinary equol to daidzein concentration ratios.ConclusionsWe have reported that FOS intervention (5 g/day for 2 weeks) does not significantly modulate the capacity of intestinal microbiota to produce equol in postmenopausal Japanese women, in either equol producers or non-producers in this pilot study. Further larger investigations that explore the roles of specific intestinal microbiota in equol production will enable the establishment of dietary conditions that are required to enhance equol production.

673: Maternal dietary patterns during pregnancy and associated nutrient intakes

Pregnancy is the most important stage of a womens life cycle where nutrition is essential for an optimum pregnancy outcome. Dietary pattern analysis is becoming a popular method of determining habitual dietary patterns during pregnancy. Cluster analysis is one technique that can be used to identify clusters or groups of subjects with similar dietary characteristics. The aim of this study was to examine the dietary patterns among pregnant women using cluster analysis and to explore their relationship with maternal nutrient intakes.

Grains, Vegetables, and Fish Dietary Pattern Is Inversely Associated with the Risk of Metabolic Syndrome in South Korean Adults

Background Dietary patterns are critical in the prevention and management of chronic diseases. Objective We examined the association between habitual dietary patterns and the risk of metabolic syndrome in South Korean adults. Design The study sample was composed of 9,850 Korean adults (aged ≥19 years) who participated in the second and third Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. Dietary data were assessed by the 24-hour recall method. Metabolic syndrome was defined by the joint of interim statement of the International Diabetes Federation and the American Heart Association/National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute. Results Four dietary patterns were derived using factor analysis (white rice and kimchi pattern; meat and alcohol pattern; high fat, sweets, and coffee pattern; and grains, vegetables, and fish pattern). Each dietary pattern explained 8.6%, 6.7%, 5.7%, and 5.7% of the variation in food intakes, respectively. The meat and alcohol pattern was adversely associated with hypertriglyceridemia ( P for trend 0.01) and elevated blood pressure ( P for trend 0.01) after adjustments for potential risk factors of metabolic syndrome such as age, sex, body mass index, energy intake, alcohol intake, smoking status, and physical activity. In contrast, the grains, vegetables, and fish pattern was associated with lower risk of hypertriglyceridemia ( P for trend 0.0002) and was also inversely associated with the risk of metabolic syndrome after adjusting for risk factors of the metabolic syndrome ( P for trend 0.02). Conclusions Our study suggests that a specific Korean dietary pattern that includes grains, vegetables, and fish may be associated with lower risk of metabolic syndrome in South Korean adults.

Dietary intake patterns are reflected in metabolomic profiles: potential role in dietary assessment studies

It has been suggested that metabolomics could play a role in dietary assessment and identification of novel biomarkers of dietary intake. This study examined the link between habitual dietary patterns and metabolomic profiles. A total of 160 volunteers participated in a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled dietary intervention. We collected biofluids and recorded 3-d food diaries. Food data were reduced to 33 food groups, and a k-means cluster analysis was performed to identify dietary patterns. (1)H Nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectra were acquired for plasma and urine samples, and gas chromatography was used for plasma fatty acid profiling. Cluster analysis identified 3 distinct dietary patterns on the basis of the energy contribution of different food groups. Dietary clusters were reflected in plasma fatty acid profiles and in metabolomic data. (1)H NMR spectra of urine allowed the identification of metabolites associated with different dietary patterns. Several of the metabolites identified were linked to the intake of specific food groups; in particular, there was a positive association between O-acetylcarnitine and phenylacetylglutamine and red-meat and vegetable intakes, respectively. Habitual dietary patterns are shown in metabolomic data. This approach successfully identified potential biomarkers of red-meat and vegetable intakes.

Major Habitual Dietary Patterns Are Associated with Acute Myocardial Infarction and Cardiovascular Risk Markers in a Southern European Population

Background Most dietary pattern analyses in southern Europe have relied on a priori food approaches using Mediterranean-style diet indexes. These methods may not reflect the current population's food consumption. Objective To assess the association of a posteriori dietary patterns with acute myocardial infarction (AMI) and cardiovascular risk markers in the general adult population of Porto, Portugal. Design A population-based case-control study was conducted. Information was collected by trained interviewers. Diet was assessed with a validated 82-item food frequency questionnaire. Participants/setting Cases were patients consecutively hospitalized for an incident non-fatal AMI (n=820), and controls were individuals free of previous AMI selected from the hospitals' catchment area (n=2,196). Statistical analyses Dietary patterns, representing mutually exclusive clusters of individuals, were identified by multivariate finite mixture models among controls. Odds ratios (OR) and their 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were obtained from unconditional logistic regression, with adjustment for main confounders. Results In comparison to women with a “healthy” dietary pattern, those with a “low fruit and vegetables” pattern and a “red meat and alcohol” (also characterized by lower intake of dairy products and vegetables) pattern showed a higher risk of AMI (OR 1.85, 95% CI 1.01 to 3.39 and OR 1.91, 95% CI 1.17 to 3.12, respectively). Female controls with the “red meat and alcohol” pattern also had a higher total to high-density lipoprotein cholesterol ratio. In comparison to men with a “healthy” pattern, those with the “red meat and alcohol” pattern, similar to the counterpart found in women, were more likely to experience an AMI (OR 1.98, 95% CI 1.35 to 2.92); male controls with this pattern had higher diastolic and systolic blood pressure, C-reactive protein, and uric acid levels. Conclusions A dietary pattern with lower fruit and vegetable intakes in women, and a pattern characterized by higher consumption of red meat and alcohol (and lower of dairy products and vegetables) in both sexes, were associated with an increased risk of AMI and adverse cardiovascular risk profiles. These findings highlight the importance of sustained recommendations for fruit and vegetable intake and cautious guidance on consumption of alcoholic beverages, which clusters with less healthy dietary patterns of men and women.

Multiple Sociodemographic and Socioenvironmental Characteristics Are Correlated with Major Patterns of Dietary Intake in Adolescents

Background Few studies have used dietary pattern analysis, a useful method to summarize dietary intake, in adolescents. Objective Examine sociodemographic and socioenvironmental correlates of habitual dietary patterns. Design Data for this cross-sectional/prospective analysis were drawn from Project EAT (Eating Among Teens), a population-based study. Subjects/setting Project EAT-I (Time 1), collected data on 4,746 adolescents in 1998-1999. Project EAT-II (Time 2) resurveyed 53% (n=2,516) of the original cohort 5 years later in 2003-2004. Dietary intake was assessed using the Youth/Adolescent Food Frequency Questionnaire. Main outcome measures/statistical analysis performed Factor analysis identified four dietary patterns at Time 1 (vegetable, fruit, starchy food, and snack food) and Time 2 (vegetable and fruit, fast food, starchy food, and snack food). Linear regression was used to examine the relationship of Time 1 socioeconomic status and race (mutually adjusted) on factor scores for each dietary pattern, and then of Time 1 socioenvironmental characteristics (adjusted for socioeconomic status and race) on these factor scores. Results In prospective analyses, socioeconomic status, family meal frequency, and home availability of healthy food were positively associated with the vegetable and fruit and starchy food patterns and inversely associated with the fast food pattern. Home availability of unhealthy food was inversely associated with the vegetable and fruit and starchy food patterns and positively associated with the fast food and snack food patterns. Maternal, paternal, and peer support for healthy eating were positively associated with the vegetable and fruit pattern and inversely associated with the fast food pattern. Similar associations were seen in cross-sectional analyses. Conclusions Multiple correlates of dietary patterns were identified. Health professionals should target these factors to improve the dietary quality of habitual eating practices in adolescents by encouraging parents to decrease home availability of unhealthy food while increasing availability of healthy food, family meal frequency, and parental support for healthy eating.

Diet quality in bipolar disorder in a population-based sample of women

Background Recent epidemiological evidence has indicated a role for diet quality in unipolar depressive illness. This study examined the association between diet quality and bipolar disorder (BD) in an epidemiological cohort of randomly selected, population-based women aged 20–93 years. Methods An a priori diet quality score was derived from food frequency questionnaire data, a factor analysis identified habitual dietary patterns and glycemic load was assessed. Mental health was assessed using the SCID-I/NP. Results BD was identified in 23 women and there were 691 participants with no history of psychopathology. Compared to those with no psychopathology, those with BD had a higher glycemic load ( p = 0.06) and higher scores on a ‘western’ dietary factor ( p = 0.03) and the ‘modern’ dietary factor ( p = 0.02). For each standard deviation increase in a ‘western’ and ‘modern’ dietary pattern and glycemic load, the odds ratios for BD were increased (‘western’ OR = 1.88, 95% CI 1.33–2.65; ‘modern’ OR = 1.72, 95% CI 1.14–2.39; GL OR = 1.56, 95% CI 1.13–2.14). Conversely, a ‘traditional’ dietary pattern was associated with reduced odds for BD (OR = 0.53 95% CI 0.32–0.89) after adjustments for overall energy intake. Limitations The small sample size did not allow for multivariate analyses and the cross-sectional study design precludes any determinations regarding the direction of the relationships between diet quality and BD. Conclusion These data are largely concordant with results from dietary studies in unipolar depression. However, clinical recommendations cannot be made until the direction of the relationship between diet quality and BD is determined. Longitudinal studies are warranted.

Association of Western and Traditional Diets With Depression and Anxiety in Women

Key biological factors that influence the development of depression are modified by diet. This study examined the extent to which the high-prevalence mental disorders are related to habitual diet in 1,046 women ages 20-93 years randomly selected from the population. A diet quality score was derived from answers to a food frequency questionnaire, and a factor analysis identified habitual dietary patterns. The 12-item General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-12) was used to measure psychological symptoms, and a structured clinical interview was used to assess current depressive and anxiety disorders. After adjustments for age, socioeconomic status, education, and health behaviors, a "traditional" dietary pattern characterized by vegetables, fruit, meat, fish, and whole grains was associated with lower odds for major depression or dysthymia and for anxiety disorders. A "western" diet of processed or fried foods, refined grains, sugary products, and beer was associated with a higher GHQ-12 score. There was also an inverse association between diet quality score and GHQ-12 score that was not confounded by age, socioeconomic status, education, or other health behaviors. These results demonstrate an association between habitual diet quality and the high-prevalence mental disorders, although reverse causality and confounding cannot be ruled out as explanations. Further prospective studies are warranted.

Bone Mineral Density and Body Composition Characteristics of Top Level Jockeys

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to examine the patterns in bone mineral density (BMD), body mass index (BMI) and body composition in elite jockeys. METHODS: The subjects consisted of 17 Flat (F) (Age, 27±8 yrs; Height 1.60 ± 0.1m; Mass 53.1 ± 4.1kg) and 10 National Hunt (NH) jockeys (Age, 28 ± 5yrs; Height 1.73 ± 0.1m; Mass 66.2 ±kg). DEXA(GE Lunar Prodigy 2) was used to measure BMD at the lumber spine and proximal femur. Body composition was determined from the total body DEXA scan. RESULTS: Mean BMI was significantly lower in F than the NH group (19.88 ± 1.26 v 22.06 ± 0.81, p<0.01). Body composition analysis revealed that the mean percentage body fat was 9.0±2.5 % for the F group and 10.4 ± 4.0% for the NH group respectively, with 24 % of F and 20 % NH possessing body fat levels of 6% or less. The BMD results revealed 41% of the subjects in the F group and 40 % of the NH group were osteopenic at the spine. At the total hip the percentage of subjects who were osteopenic was 41 % for the F group and 20% in the NH group. In total 53% of the F group and 40% of the NH group were osteopenic in either the hip, spine or both. CONCLUSIONS: The incidence of osteopenia observed in the present study, are significantly higher than those previously reported for aged matched subjects. Given the low BMI and % percentage body fat levels observed, coupled with the high incidence of osteopenia, further research is required to investigate the appropriateness of current minimum weight standards for both F and NH. Such analysis should include assessment habitual hydration status and dietary intake patterns.

The association of fat patterning with blood pressure in rural South African children: the Ellisras Longitudinal Growth and Health Study

Hypertension is one of the major causes of death in developed and underdeveloped nations. Essential hypertension and obesity may have their inception in childhood, with little data in African children to support these findings. Objectives were to determine the prevalence of overweight and hypertension in rural children in South Africa. Additionally, the association between fat-patterning ratios and blood pressure (BP) was investigated. Data were collected from 1884 subjects (967 boys and 917 girls), aged 6-13 years, participating in the Ellisras Longitudinal Study. Height; weight; and triceps, biceps, subscapular, and suprailiac skinfolds were measured according to the protocol of the International Society for the Advancement of Kinanthropometry. Skinfold ratio was used as an indicator of the central pattern of body fat. Internationally recommended cut-off points for body mass index (BMI) were used. Hypertension, defined as the average of three separate BP readings where the systolic BP or diastolic BP is >or=95th percentile for age and sex, was determined. The prevalence of hypertension ranged from 1 to 5.8% for boys and 3.1 to 11.4% for girls, and that of overweight from 1.1 to 2.9% for boys and 0.6 to 4.6% for girls. The association between high systolic BP and high BMI was -3.0, while that for high diastolic BP and high BMI was -0.68. The prevalence of hypertension is evident from the age 6 years for girls, while that of overweight was low. Overweight became evident from the age 10 to 13 years for both sexes. A significant association between high diastolic BP and high BMI was noted, while children with low BMIs were less likely to be hypertensive. Investigating habitual physical activity, fitness and dietary patterns will shed more light on the association of fat patterning and BP in this population.

Dietary Patterns and the Metabolic Syndrome in Obese and Non‐obese Framingham Women**

To examine the relationship between habitual dietary patterns and the metabolic syndrome (MetS) in women and to identify foci for preventive nutrition interventions. Dietary patterns, nutrient intake, cardiovascular disease (CVD), and MetS risk factors were characterized in 1615 Framingham Offspring-Spouse Study (FOS) women. Dietary pattern subgroups were compared for MetS prevalence and CVD risk factor status using logistic regression and analysis of covariance. Analyses were performed overall in women and stratified on obesity status; multivariate models controlled for age, apolipoprotein E (APOE) genotypes, and CVD risk factors. Food and nutrient profiles and overall nutritional risk of five non-overlapping habitual dietary patterns of women were identified including Heart Healthier, Lighter Eating, Wine and Moderate Eating, Higher Fat, and Empty Calories. Rates of hypertension and low high-density lipoprotein levels were high in non-obese women, but individual MetS risk factor levels were substantially increased in obese women. Overall MetS risk varied by dietary pattern and obesity status, independently of APOE and CVD risk factors. Compared with obese or non-obese women and women overall with other dietary patterns, MetS was highest in those with the Empty Calorie pattern (contrast p value: p<0.05). This research shows the independent relationship between habitual dietary patterns and MetS risk in FOS women and the influence of obesity status. High overall MetS risk and the varying prevalence of individual MetS risk factors in female subgroups emphasize the importance of preventive nutrition interventions and suggest potential benefits of targeted behavior change in both obese and non-obese women by dietary pattern.

Do economic constraints encourage the selection of energy dense diets?

Economic constraints, by inducing the selection of low cost energy dense diets, could indirectly be responsible for the high prevalence of obesity in low socio-economic status groups. Diet optimisation by linear programming was used to test this hypothesis, by examining the relationship between the cost and the energy density (ED) of modelled diets. Models were developed that minimized the departure from the mean adult French diet estimated from a cross-sectional dietary survey. Palatability constraints were introduced into all models. The impacts of cost on ED and of ED on cost were explored by introducing and strengthening first a constraint on cost and then a constraint on ED. Forcing the cost of the linear programming diets to decrease induced a strong increase in their EDs. In contrast, forcing the ED to increase induced only a moderate decrease in diet costs. These results suggest that, although an energy dense diet can be selected at a relatively high cost, when cost is not influencing food choices, an energy dense diet will be preferentially selected to maintain habitual French dietary patterns when the budget for food is low. This supports the hypothesis that economic constraints play a role in the high prevalence of obesity in low-income people.

Comparative Performance of Pearl millet-and Sorghum- based Diets vs. Wheat-and Rice-based Diets for Trace Metal Bioavailability

Pearl millet and sorghum offer a cheap source of energy compared to wheat and rice and are widely consumed by rural communities in many parts of the world. Due to the low consumption of vegetables and animal foods, millets also are the major suppliers of micronutrients especially for low-income groups. It is of prime importance to study how millets perform in terms of bioavailable contents of trace metals. Investigations were carried out using weanling mice which offer a model for the initial testing of bioavailability of trace metals before human trials. Four isocaloric diets differing only in the type of cereal, i.e. pearl millet, sorghum, wheat and rice, were prepared representing habitual dietary patterns observed by National Nutrition Monitoring Bureau (NNMB) of India. Mice were allocated randomly to 4 groups of 8 mice each, and housed individually in metal free metabolic cages. A fifth group of 8 mice fed a balanced synthetic diet served as control. All the groups were fed ad libitum. The absorption of zinc and iron averaged for 3 periods of 5 days each was significantly higher for the wheat and pearl millet group than for the other 2 experimental groups (p < 0.05), as were also the levels of liver zinc and iron. The weight gain was also highest (6.9 +/- 1.2 g) in the pearl millet group as compared to sorghum (1.58 +/- 0.59 g), wheat (1.66 +/- 1.27 g) and rice (-0.72 +/- 0.62 g) groups. The levels of liver copper were comparable in all the 5 groups. These results further confirm our earlier in vitro results indicating the superiority of pearl millet but not sorghum in bioavailability of zinc and iron.

Epidemiological basis of a community strategy for the prevention of cardiopulmonary diseases

The epidemiological basis for a community approach to prevention research, programs, and policy for cardiovascular disease (CVD) is based on well-demonstrated phenomena: 1) Large population differences in cardiopulmonary disease (CPD) rates, 2) Large population differences in causal risk factors for CVD exist; 3) Population (ecologic) correlations between rates of CVD and mean levels of the established risk factors; 4) Rapid changes upward and downward in CVD death rates; 5) Rapid trends upward and downward in coronary heart disease (CHD) risk factors, principally those associated with habitual dietary patterns. 6) CHD events attributable to single and combined risk characteristics derive mainly from the center of risk factor distributions among high risk societies. Thus, a medical, high-risk approach is insufficient, and population-wide prevention strategies are needed; 7) Mean values of risk factors in youth correlate strongly with adult population distributions, and with disease rates; 8) CVD risk and all-cause mortality are significantly modified by experimental reduction of single and multiple risk factors. 9) Risky behavior can be modified in major segments of the community. Genetic susceptibility to the common modern CPD is ubiquitous. For all these reasons, research approaches and public health strategies need to be concerned with “sick and well” populations as well as sick and well individuals. Preventive strategies among adult high risk populations are required, but used alone, fail to influence the emergence of excess risk among low risk populations of children and youth, or among developing nations. “Primordial prevention” requires community strategies directed toward the prevention of risky behavior and high risk in the first place and the promotion of healthy lifestyles.

Dietary Fiber in Weaning Foods of Young Children

An evaluation of the opportunity to introduce fiber in the diet of weaning infants. A descriptive review of the literature to assess the role of fiber in the following dietary interventions: (1) definition of the nutrient amounts that meet the weaning infant's physiologic needs; (2) modulation of digestive and absorption processes; and (3) improving the nutritional balance between the 6th and the 12th months of life and setting habitual dietary patterns for subsequent years. Whole cereals, nonstarchy vegetables, fruits, and legumes lower the caloric and proteic density of meals, modulate nutrient and antigen absorption, and provide bulk material. They supply proteins of low biological value, minimal amounts of lipids (mostly essential polyunsaturated), complex carbohydrates, and soluble fiber, which are fermented into short-chain fatty acids by the colonic flora, and insoluble fiber that modulates intestinal function. Minerals, trace elements, and vitamins add to the value of fiber-containing foods in the diet. Recent nutritional surveys indicate that the diets of 12-month-old infants tend to include too much animal proteins and to be too protein-dense, which could be corrected with an increase of fiber-containing foods. Fiber-containing foods share unique characteristics with nutritional and metabolic implications for the weaning infant. Whole cereals, green vegetables, and legumes should be routinely introduced during the weaning process to achieve a better nutritional balance and to accustom children to diets with fiber content. The daily intake of fiber should be gradually increased to 5 g/d during the second semester of life.

Principal substrates of fetal metabolism.

Principal substrates of fetal metabolism.