High Consumption Of Fruits Research Articles

The relationship between fruit and vegetable intake with functional dyspepsia in adults.

The association of fruit and vegetables with functional dyspepsia (FD) has been less studied, especially in Middle Eastern populations. This study investigated the relationship between fruit and vegetable consumption with FD and its related symptoms among a large group of Iranian adults. This cross-sectional research was conducted on 3362 middle-age participants. Usual dietary intakes, including fruit and vegetable intake, during the last year were assessed using a validated 106-item dish-based food frequency questionnaire (FFQ). A modified Persian version of the Rome III questionnaire was used for assessment of FD. The prevalence of FD among study participants was 14.5%. After adjustment for confounders, the highest energy-adjusted tertile of fruit consumption was related to 32% lower risk of FD, compared to the lowest intake (OR=0.68, 95% CI:0.51-0.90). Fruit consumption was also significantly related to lower risk of early satiation (OR=0.67, 95% CI:0.54-0.85) and post-prandial fullness (OR=0.75, 95% CI:0.61-0.92). Vegetable consumption was not related to the risk of FD in all models. Men who were in the third tertile of fruit and the third tertile vegetable consumption had lower risk of FD compared to the first tertile; but, in women, just fruit consumption was related to the reduced risk of FD, after adjustment for all confounders. We found an inverse association between fruit intake and dyspepsia symptoms. In addition, high consumption of fruit was related to lower odds of early satiation and post-prandial fullness. Higher intake of vegetables was associated with lower risk of FD, only in men.

THE EFFECT OF PLANT-BASED DIETS ON BLOOD PRESSURE: A SYSTEMATIC REVIEW AND META-ANALYSIS OF CONTROLLED CLINICAL TRIALS

Objective: Strict vegetarian diets with no animal products are associated with low blood pressure (BP). It is not clear whether less strict plant-based diets (PBD) exert similar effects. We assessed whether less strict PBDs reduce BP in controlled clinical trials. Design and method: We carried out a systematic review and a meta-analysis of all published intervention trials assessing the effects of PBDs on BP according to PRISMA guidelines (PROSPERO: CRD42019153716). On 14 June 2019 we performed a systematic search of publications using MEDLINE (1966–2019), EMBASE (from 1980), CINHAL, WoS and manual searches without language restrictions. Inclusion criteria were age > 18 years, PBD as an intervention, defined as dietary patterns that support high consumption of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, legumes, nuts and seeds, and avoid the consumption of most or all animal products, mean differences in systolic/diastolic BP between PBD and control diet, controlled clinical trial. Standardised mean differences in BP and 95% C.I. were pooled using a random effect model. Quality, sensitivity, heterogeneity and publication bias were assessed. Results: Thirty-nine studies met the inclusion criteria. They included 8,203 participants (4,333 in intervention; 3,870 control groups). Median sample size was n = 65 (range 11–4,717) and mean age of the participants 50.5 yrs (range 25.6–71.0). All were controlled trials (duration 1.4 to 208 wks, median 12 wks). Of the 39 trials, 36 were randomised. Seven were crossover. Two were single-blinded. The interventions were DASH diet (n = 11), Mediterranean diet (MD, n = 8), vegan diet (VD, n = 8), lacto-ovo vegetarian diet (LOVD, n = 5), healthy Nordic diet (ND, n = 3), high fiber diet (HFD, n = 3), and high fruit and vegetables diet (FVD, n = 2). In the pooled analysis, PBDs were associated with lower systolic BP (DASH 5.53 mmHg [-7.95,-3.12], MD -0.95 mmHg [-1.70,-0.20], VD -1.61 mmHg [-4.53,1.31], LOVD -5.47 mmHg [-7.60,-3.34], ND -4.47 mmHg [-7.14,-1.81], HFD -0.65 mmHg [-1.83,053], FVD -0.57 mmHg [-7.45,6.32]. Similar effects were seen on diastolic BP. There was no evidence of publication bias and some heterogeneity was detected. Conclusions: PBDs with limited or no animal products lower both systolic and diastolic BP, across sex, age and body mass index.

High Fruit and Vegetable Consumption and Moderate Fat Intake Are Associated with Higher Carotenoid Concentration in Human Plasma.

Carotenoids are pigments contained mainly in fruit and vegetables (F&V) that have beneficial effects on cardiometabolic health. Due to their lipophilic nature, co-ingestion of fat appears to increase their bioavailability via facilitating transfer to the aqueous micellar phase during digestion. However, the extent to which high fat intake may contribute to increased carotenoid plasma concentrations is still unclear. The objective was to examine the degree to which the consumption of different amounts of both carotenoid-rich foods and fats is associated with plasma carotenoid concentrations within a Mediterranean lifestyle context (subsample from the PREDIMED-Plus study baseline) where consumption of F&V and fat is high. The study population was categorized into four groups according to their self-reported consumption of F&V and fat. Carotenoids were extracted from plasma samples and analyzed by HPLC-UV-VIS-QqQ-MS/MS. Carotenoid systemic concentrations were greater in high consumers of F&V than in low consumers of these foods (+3.04 μmol/L (95% CI: 0.90, 5.17), p-value = 0.005), but circulating concentrations seemed to decrease when total fat intake was very high (−2.69 μmol/L (−5.54; 0.16), p-value = 0.064). High consumption of F&V is associated with greater systemic levels of total carotenoids, in particular when fat intake is low-to-moderate rather than very high.

Dietary Food Groups and Nutrient Intake in Association with Multiple Sclerosis: A Case-Control Study

Introduction: It has been proposed that dietary intake is associated with multiple sclerosis (MS). The present case-control study was conducted to investigate the relationship between intake of different food groups and occurrence of MS among the recently diagnosed adult patients in Yazd City, Iran. Materials and Methods: In the current study, a group of 45 patients who have recently been diagnosed with MS and 100 healthy controls were investigated in this research. Participants were matched regarding their gender. Dietary intakes were assessed using a self-administered semi-quantitative food frequency questionnaire (FFQ). Participants also completed a demographic questionnaire including information such as age, gender, marital status, job, education, sun exposure, smoking, sunscreen, body mass index (BMI), economic status, as well as their spouses' occupations and education. Logistic regressions in crude and multivariable-adjusted models were used to investigate the relationship between food groups and the odds of developing MS. Results: The findings showed that participants with high consumption of fruits, potatoes, refined grains, pickles, and fibers had a significantly lower chance for developing MS after adjustment for the maximum possible confounding variables (P < 0.05). Conclusion: The present study revealed that several food groups or nutrients are associated with the development of MS. Further multi-central prospective studies including more participants are needed to confirm these results

Study of nitrate levels in fruits and vegetables to assess the potential health risks in Bangladesh

Nitrate is a chemical compound naturally present in fruits and vegetables. This study aims at assessing the nitrate levels and health risks arising from high consumption of fruits and vegetables in Bangladesh. Sixteen species of fruits and vegetables were examined for nitrates using High-Performance Liquid Chromatography with Photo Diode Array (PDA) detector. Ward’s hierarchical cluster analysis was carried out to identify the cluster of tested fruits and vegetables for the nitrate contents. A point estimate of the daily intake was applied to find the health risks that arise due to elevated levels of nitrate in fruits and vegetables. The results show that root and tuber vegetables accumulate significantly higher levels of nitrate in comparison to fruits and fruit vegetables (P < 0.05). In cluster analysis, the nitrate accumulation of fruits and vegetables show four clear clusters contributing to 29.54%, 7.17%, 4.42%, and 58.57% of the total nitrate content in the entire sample. The risk assessment of the Estimated Daily Intake (EDI) and Health Risk Index (HRI) of almost all the tested samples was in the acceptable range, except for radish, thereby indicating the acceptance of risk due to nitrate intake in Bangladesh. As nitrate may have had risk factor for health, during cultivation and storing the product should be properly monitored.

Dietary Factors and Prostate Cancer Development, Progression, and Reduction.

Due to the constantly increasing number of cases, prostate cancer has become one of the most important health problems of modern societies. This review presents the current knowledge regarding the role of nutrients and foodstuff consumption in the etiology and development of prostate malignancies, including the potential mechanisms of action. The results of several in vivo and in vitro laboratory experiments as well as those reported by the clinical and epidemiological research studies carried out around the world were analyzed. The outcomes of these studies clearly show the influence of both nutrients and food products on the etiology and prevention of prostate cancer. Consumption of certain nutrients (saturated and trans fatty acids) and food products (e.g., processed meat products) leads to the disruption of prostate hormonal regulation, induction of oxidative stress and inflammation, and alteration of growth factor signaling and lipid metabolism, which all contribute to prostate carcinogenesis. On the other hand, a high consumption of vegetables, fruits, fish, and whole grain products exerts protective and/or therapeutic effects. Special bioactive functions are assigned to compounds such as flavonoids, stilbenes, and lycopene. Since the influence of nutrients and dietary pattern is a modifiable risk factor in the development and prevention of prostate cancer, awareness of the beneficial and harmful effects of individual food ingredients is of great importance in the global strategy against prostate cancer.

Association between Consumed Foods and Musculoskeletal Disorder in Office Workers

Background: Musculoskeletal disorder (MSD) is one of the important problems concerning the staffs' health and productivity in the workplace. Nutritional status and consumption of some foods are also among the determining factors of MSD. So, this study aimed to evaluate the correlation of diet and consumed food groups with MSD. Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted on 100 office workers. The participants' anthropometric parameters and their dietary information were collected using a semi-quantitative food frequency questionnaire. The findings were categorized into nine levels. The total scores were calculated for all the items per food group and per person. Nordic musculoskeletal questionnaire was also administered to evaluate the MSD symptoms in nine parts of body. Results: The score of consumed food groups was compared between individuals “with pain” and “without pain” in nine parts of the body. The scores of fruit intake in individuals “with pain” and “without pain” were 2.94 ± 1.27 vs. 3.29 ± 1.16 and 2.81 ± 1.10 vs. 3.49 ± 1.38 in terms of neck and wrists, respectively. The difference between the two groups were significant (P &lt; 0.05). Furthermore, the participants with pain in the neck consumed significantly lower amounts of cereals and nuts (P = 0.03, 0.04). In the case of the shoulder pain, consuming legumes and nuts in the “without pain” group was higher than the group of participants who had pain (P = 0.01, P = 0.03). Fat intake was higher in the patients who had pain in their hips (P = 0.02). Conclusion: Less pain was reported in the musculoskeletal system by higher consumption of fruits, nuts, and legumes. It seems that plant-based dietary pattern is more effective in musculoskeletal health.

Gut Microbiota and Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus: The Effect of Mediterranean Diet.

Type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) is a chronic autoimmune disease resulting from a complex interplay between genetic susceptibility and environmental factors. Regarding the latter, gut microbiota has a pivotal role in the pathogenesis of T1DM, by affecting intestinal permeability, molecular mimicry, and modulating innate and adaptive immune system, as described in several previous studies. The composition of the gut microbiota is largely influenced by diet. Some observational studies have shown that a low fiber intake is associated with the development of many inflammatory and immune-mediated diseases. In this context, the Mediterranean diet (MD), which is based on high consumption of cereals (preferably as whole grains), legumes, nuts, vegetables, fruits, olive oil, and fish, could play a protective role. Many of the characteristic components of MD have functional characteristics with positive effects on health and well-being. Eating habits are the main significant determinants of the microbial multiplicity of the intestine and the food components influence both microbial populations and their metabolic activities from the early stages of life. Moreover, food metabolites influence the immune response. The intestine is considered the primary site where food metabolites mediate their effects, through epithelial integrity or mucosal immunity. The compromised epithelial integrity allows the translocation of bacteria and/or the diffusion of their products, such as food antigens and lipopolysaccharides, from the intestinal lumen to the tissues, which could enhance the stimulation of immune cells, contributing to the pathogenesis of autoimmune diseases, such as T1DM. The intake of a high amount of fiber and therefore of prebiotics with MD allows the microbiota to have a good microbial balance. Moreover, as more dietary fibers are ingested, a higher amount of short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) is produced by anaerobic gut microbiota, promoting gut homeostasis, to which also contribute tryptophan metabolites and omega-3-fatty acids. Furthermore, the higher intake of polyunsaturated fatty acids and omega-3-fatty-acids contribute to a better metabolic control. In this review we report the relationship between gut microbiota and T1DM and we explore the effects of Mediterranean diet on microbiota as a potential therapeutic strategy, aimed at preventing or delaying progression of T1DM and its complications.

EATING BEHAVIOUR OF INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS IN UKRAINE

The aim: Investigate the eating behaviour of international students in Ukraine. Materials and methods: A cross-sectional quantitative research approach was taken in conducting this study. 193 international students (98 males, 95 females) filled the questionnaire assessing their diet for the past 7 days, perceived changes made to their diet since their arrival to Ukraine, knowledge of healthy dietary habits, and perceived barriers to maintaining a healthy diet. At the time of this study, the students were between the ages of 18 and 36 years, of 11 nationalities, and enrolled at both undergraduate and postgraduate levels in 12 Ukrainian tertiary institutions. Results: Assessment of the students' diet quality reveals that 75.1% of the students consume fruits at least 2 times/day and 73.1% consume vegetables at least 3 times/day. More students consume poultry daily and fish at least twice a week than beef and pork daily. More than half of the students consume starchy foods, mostly rice daily. Only 7.3% of the students consume up to 1 alcoholic beverage daily. Gender significantly affects the consumption of alcohol, dairy products, low fat milk and milk products, and marginally affects beef and dark chocolate. 95 % of the student have made changes to their diet since coming to Ukraine. Conclusions: The dietary behaviour of international students in Ukraine is characterized by: high consumption of fruits and vegetables, high intake of lean meats and fish, higher consumption of unsaturated fats and oils than saturated ones, and low consumption of soft and alcoholic drinks.

Association between Fruit and Vegetable Consumption and Depression Symptoms in Young People and Adults Aged 15-45: A Systematic Review of Cohort Studies.

Higher consumption of fruit and vegetables has been associated with a lower risk of various chronic diseases including coronary heart disease, obesity, and certain cancers. Recently, fruit and vegetable intake has also been linked with mental health, including depression; however, this area is largely unexplored studies in young people and adults. This systematic review aimed to evaluate the association between fruit and vegetable intake and depressive symptoms in young people and adults aged 15–45. The review used a predefined protocol registered with International Prospective Register of Systematic Reviews (PROSPERO) database (ID no: CRD42018091642). The systematic review focused on peer-reviewed cohort studies published from 1 January 2000 to 31 August 2020 using searches of six electronic databases. The exposure was fruit and vegetable consumption analysed both separately and/or together, and the outcome was depression or depressive symptoms. Data from eligible studies were extracted according to predefined criteria and the studies were appraised using the Newcastle–Ottawa Scale (NOS) for cohort studies to evaluate for study quality and risk of bias. A total of 12 studies from seven countries were deemed eligible and included in the qualitative synthesis, one study was categorised as “very good” quality, nine studies were “good” quality, and two studies were “moderate” quality by the quality assessment based on the total score for the NOS. The majority of cohort studies support the evidence that fruit consumption is associated with decreased risk of developing depression. However, the inconsistent results were observed when the effects of vegetable consumption were analysed independently, and the effects of fruit and vegetables combined were analysed. Despite this, the evidence seems to be building that a possible association exists, and this may have implications for addressing the burden of mental illness in young people and adults aged 15–45 years. More well-designed prospective cohort studies are needed to provide more robust evidence on the relationship between fruit and vegetable intake and depression.

The relevance of nutrition as a step forward to combat COVID-19

A new type of single-stranded RNA virus that belongs to the coronavirus’s family named SARS-CoV-2 has recently appeared, with fast-growing human to human transmissions. This virus has posed an important global health threat. Many nutrients can support the immune system and help in preventing or in ameliorating the response to viral infections. In the case of COVID-19, the unique pathophysiology of the coronavirus needs to be understood, in order to determine whether any potential nutrition intervention is indicated. A literature survey that comprised of ongoing research was conducted to evaluate the benefits of the bioactives present in food, such as: plant-derived extracts, vitamins, minerals, probiotics, and prebiotics, against the mechanisms of the COVID-19 infection. Although no food is yet confirmed to help in the prevention or in the treatment of the coronavirus transmission alone, exploring the possible implications of nutrition-infection interrelationships is of utmost importance. Well-designed and controlled clinical studies are emerging to explain whether the higher consumption of fruits, vegetables, protein-rich foods, unsaturated fatty acids, and other natural functional foods may aid in combating the COVID-19 infection. Meanwhile, a healthy and balanced diet is traditionally practised in viral infections that support the healthy gut microbiota profile. The human immune system function should be a vital prophylactic measure, along with adequate physical activities and sleeping habits. The consumption of immune-supportive nutrients is also encouraged in the elderly, comorbid, and in the immune-compromised as well as in malnourished individuals, in order to minimise the complications and the negative outcomes that are associated with the COVID-19 disease. Keywords: COVID-19 nutrition, mаcronutrients, micronutrients, bioactive compounds, malnutrition

A dietary pattern high in full-fat dairy and sweetened beverages is associated with glycated hemoglobin and weight in Mexican patients with type-2 diabetes.

Objective: the aim of this study was to identify dietary patterns in a sample of patients with type-2 diabetes, and to evaluate their association with markers of metabolic control. Methods: a cross-sectional study in 395 patients with type-2 diabetes in primary care was conducted. Fasting blood levels of glycated hemoglobin (A1c), glucose, total cholesterol, low- (LDL-c) and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-c), and triglycerides were measured. Waist circumference, body mass index (BMI), and blood pressure were evaluated. Dietary intake was assessed by a food frequency questionnaire, and dietary patterns were derived by cluster analysis. Three dietary patterns were identified: 'fruits and vegetables', 'dairy and sweetened beverages', and 'diverse with alcohol'. Results: an association between the 'dairy and sweetened beverages' dietary pattern and A1c levels was identified (ß = 0.61; 95 % CI: 0.09, 1.12, p = 0.021), considering the 'fruits and vegetables' dietary pattern as the reference group. We also observed a trend towards an adjusted increased risk of A1c ≥ 7 % (odds ratio [OR]: 1.56; 95 % CI: 0.92, 2.64; p = 0.099) and an increased risk of BMI ≥ 25 kg/m2 (OR: 2.62, 95 % CI: 1.20, 5.71, p = 0.015) among patients in the 'dairy and sweetened beverages' dietary pattern as compared to the reference group. Conclusions: a dietary pattern characterized by a high intake of full-fat dairy and sweetened beverages was associated with higher A1c levels and increased risk of high glucose and BMI when compared to a dietary pattern with a higher consumption of fruits and vegetables.

The Comparison and Contrast on NAFLD between the East and the West: Metabolic Mechanism, Dietary Habits, and Policies

As non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is becoming prevailing in both western and eastern countries, it affects people’s liver health and causing more severe diseases such as cancer, cardiovascular diseases, and type II diabetes worldwide. In this case, exploring NAFLD itself further and studying the difference between western and eastern countries from various perspectives is important for decreasing NAFLD cases. In this article, we aimed to investigate the metabolic mechanism of NAFLD, how the difference in dietary habits influenced the incidence of NAFLD worldwide, and the similarities and disparities between NAFLD policies from the East and those from the West. To reach this goal, we reviewed literature in English and Chinese that discussed NAFLD and non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) and visited official websites related to liver health. As a result, we concluded that most of the drugs designed based on fatty acid sources and metabolism had deficiencies, and lifestyle change was the best treatment. Western countries consume more meat, fewer vegetables, and a relatively similar number of fruits as eastern countries. The East and the West have relatively similar incidences of NAFLD. The high consumption of olive oil, vegetables, fruits, and whole grains and a low intake of meat in the Mediterranean diet led to a lower incidence of NAFLD in the Mediterranean area than in other places. There was overall a lack of policies on NAFLD. Still, while exploring the ones we currently had, there were some agreements and disagreements on NAFLD policies about lifestyle, diagnosis, treatment, research, organization, social problems, patient-centered care, and coalition between western and eastern countries. There were also diverse suggestions and different potential suggestions from these perspectives between the East and the West.

Fruit and Vegetable Consumption and Incident Frailty in Older Adults: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

There is limited evidence regarding associations between fruit and vegetable consumption and incident frailty risk among older people. The objective of this study was to conduct a systematic review and meta-analysis regarding the association between fruit and vegetable consumption and incident frailty risk among older adults. A systematic search of the literature was conducted according to the PRISMA guidelines using PubMed in January 2021 for studies that prospectively examined risk of incident frailty in relation to fruit and vegetable consumption in older adults aged 60 and older. Methodological quality and heterogeneity were assessed. Odds ratios (OR) were pooled using random-effects or fixed-effects meta-analysis, depending on the presence of heterogeneity. Among three studies included in this review, data of four cohorts were provided by two studies and used in meta-analysis. The highest fruit and vegetable consumption was significantly associated with lower risk of incident frailty compared with the lowest consumption (pooled OR=0.38, 95%CI=0.24-0.59, p=<0.001). This study provided the pooled evidence that high fruit and vegetable consumption may be beneficial for preventing the development of frailty in older adults. Increasing fruit and vegetable consumption can be a relevant strategy to prevent frailty.

Diet, Exercise, Lifestyle, and Mental Distress among Young and Mature Men and Women: A Repeated Cross-Sectional Study.

Customization of mental health therapies needs to consider the differences in degree of brain maturity between young (18–29 years) and mature (30 years or older) adults as well as brain morphology among men and women. The aim of this study was to identify the significant dietary and lifestyle contributors to mental distress in these sub-populations. Independent repeated cross-sectional sampling was performed for over a 5-year period (2014–2019) to collect data from different populations at different time-points and seasons. A backward stepwise regression analysis was used on 2628 records. Mental distress in young women was associated with high consumption of caffeine and fast-food, and it was negatively correlated with moderate-high levels of exercise as well as frequent breakfast consumption. Mature women shared several common factors with young women; however, high fruit consumption was negatively associated with mental distress. For young men, high exercise, moderate consumption of dairy, and moderate-high intake of meat were negatively associated with mental distress. In addition, high fast-food and caffeine consumption were positively associated with mental distress in young men. For mature men, strong negative associations between higher education, moderate intake of nuts and mental distress surfaced. Our results support the need to customize dietary and lifestyle recommendations to improve mental wellbeing.

Differences in the Prevalence of Fruit and Vegetable Consumption in Spanish Workers.

The present study aims to examine the differences in daily fruit and vegetable consumption in the working population in Spain. A cross-sectional study was conducted, using data from the 2017 National Health Survey (n = 10,700 workers aged between 18 and 65 years). The daily consumption of fruit and vegetables was evaluated using two items included in a food frequency questionnaire. Occupations were classified into the 17 main groups of the National Classification of Occupations of 2011 (CNO-11). The prevalence (P) of daily fruit and vegetable consumption was calculated in relation to sociodemographic characteristics, health behaviors, work-related characteristics and occupations. Logistic regression analysis was performed to examine the association, with simple and adjusted Odds Ratio (aOR). The P of daily consumption of fruit and vegetables in workers was 60% for fruit and 40% for vegetables. After adjusting for sociodemographic characteristics and health behaviors, workers working night or rotating shifts had a lower consumption of fruits (aOR:0.9; p < 0.05), and those working on temporary contracts had a lower consumption of vegetables (aOR:0.8; p < 0.05). Engineers, scientists, health care workers and teachers had the highest fruit consumption (74.5%) and the highest vegetable consumption (55.1%). The lowest consumption of fruits was presented by the military (42.3%) and unskilled workers in the service sector (45.8%), and the lowest consumption of vegetables was presented by skilled construction workers (25.5%). These findings could aid in workplace health promotion and could be used in future studies to evaluate the impact of the activities adopted.

Anthropometric Measures of Obesity and Food Consumption Among U.S. Chinese Older Adults

Most research uses body mass index (BMI) alone to measure obesity. Combined with waist circumference (WC), BMI may better identify obesity-related health risk. And diet is a key component of obesity management. To better understand the relationship between obesity and diet, this study aims to examine two anthropometric measures of obesity and the food consumption among U.S. Chinese older adults. Data were drawn from the PINE study wave III (2015-2017), a prospective cohort study of community-dwelling Chinese older adults (N=3053). We categorized participants into 6 groups: normal BMI (18.5-24.9) with normal WC (women ≤ 88cm and men ≤102cm), normal BMI with high WC (women WC >88cm and men WC >102cm), overweight (BMI=25.0-29.9) with normal WC, overweight with high WC, obese (BMI >30) with normal WC, and obese with high WC. A forty-eight-item food frequency questionnaire was used to measure frequencies of vegetables, fruits, grains, protein foods, dairy, sweets, and alcohol intake. Almost 12% participants had normal BMI but high WC and 10% were overweight with high WC. Participants who were overweight with high WC reported the highest intake of vegetables among groups. Participants with higher WC had significantly higher fruit consumption, compared to those with normal WC, regardless of their BMI. Spearman correlation analysis showed that being overweight with a high WC was correlated with higher frequencies of vegetables and fruits intake and having normal BMI with normal WC was correlated with higher alcohol intake. The findings provide new insights for future research and interventions on obesity/chronic disease management.

Habitual consumption of fruit, folic acid and cobalamin as risk/protection factors for the incidence of dementia: Data from the "InveCe.Ab" study

AbstractBackgroundThe role of diet as a modifiable factor that may affect the incidence of dementia is currently under investigation. The diet effect could be mediated by blood level of Folic Acid and Cobalamin, whose low levels are recognized as risk factors for dementia. The aim of this work is to evaluate the effects of habitual fruit intake, Cobalamin and Folic Acid on the cumulative incidence of dementia over a period of 4 years in elderly people free of basal dementia.MethodThe subjects were 1321 people born between 1935‐39, enrolled in 2010 by the "InveCe.Ab" study (ClinicalTrials.gov ID: NCT01345110). The cohort was re‐evaluated in 2014 and the onset of dementia was ascertained. The association between fruit consumption and metabolic parameters with dementia at baseline was analyzed with t‐test for quantitative variables and with Pearson chi‐square for qualitative variables. The risk/protection effect of habitual fruit consumption and metabolic mediators on the onset of dementia after 4 years was evaluated by multiple logistic regression.Result988 subjects were included in the analysis, The new cases of dementia between 2010 and 2014 were 50. The high habitual fruit consumption was inversely associated with dementia incidence (p = 0.007) and also directly associated with higher levels of Folic Acid (p &lt; 0.005). Women had higher levels of Folic Acid and Cobalamin (p &lt; 0.001) and a tendency towards higher fruit consumption (p = 0.06). The logistic model using Folic Acid, Cobalamin, and sex as covariates, shows that the usual consumption of fruit reduces the 4‐year risk of developing dementia, (OR: 0.421; 95% CI: 0.213‐ 0.831) with a significant interaction between fruit consumption and Folate (OR: 0.771; 95% CI. 0.607‐0.980). Furthermore a higher level of Cobalamin results protective versus dementia.ConclusionOur data show that in a population of 70‐75 years the cumulative incidence of dementia is significantly reduced by habitual fruit consumption independently of the plasma levels of Cobalamin. Folate could be the metabolic mediator of this protection.

Influence of Dietary Habits and Mediterranean Diet Adherence on Sleep Quality during Pregnancy. The GESTAFIT Project.

We examined the association of the dietary habits and the Mediterranean diet (MD) adherence with sleep quality during pregnancy. A food frequency questionnaire and the Mediterranean Food Pattern were employed to assess dietary habits and MD adherence, respectively. Sleep quality was assessed with the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) global score (n = 150; mean age 32.9 ± 4.6 years). A higher consumption of fruits was associated with better sleep quality at the 16th gestational week (g.w.; p < 0.05). A greater olive oil consumption and a higher MD adherence were associated with better sleep quality at the 16th and 34th g.w. (all, p < 0.05). Contrarily, a higher red meat and subproducts consumption was associated with worse sleep quality at the 34th g.w. (p < 0.05). The group with the highest adherence to the MD (Tertile 3) showed better sleep quality than the group with the lowest adherence (Tertile 1) at the 16th and 34th g.w. (both, p < 0.05). A higher adherence to the MD, a greater intake of fruits and olive oil and a lower intake of red meat and subproducts were associated with better sleep quality along the pregnancy course, especially among sedentary women.

Postdiagnostic Fruit and Vegetable Consumption and Breast Cancer Survival: Prospective Analyses in the Nurses' Health Studies.

Fruits and vegetables contain many bioactive components that may contribute to improved survival after diagnosis of breast cancer, however, evidence to date is insufficient. We prospectively assessed the associations of postdiagnostic fruit and vegetable consumption with breast cancer-specific and all-cause mortality among 8,927 women with stage I-III breast cancer identified during follow-up of the Nurses' Health Study (NHS; 1980-2010) and NHSII (1991-2011), using a validated food frequency questionnaire completed every 4 years after diagnosis. We prospectively documented 2,521 deaths, including 1,070 from breast cancer through follow-up until 2014 in the NHS and 2015 in the NHSII. Total fruit and vegetable and total vegetable consumption was related to lower all-cause [HRQ5vsQ1, 0.82; 95% confidence interval (CI), 0.71-0.94; P trend = 0.004, and HRQ5vsQ1, 0.84; 95% CI, 0.72-0.97; P trend = 0.001, respectively], but not breast cancer-specific mortality. Total fruit consumption was not related to breast cancer-specific or all-cause mortality. Greater intake of green leafy and cruciferous vegetables was associated with lower all-cause mortality. Each 2 servings/week of blueberries was associated with a 25% (HR, 0.75; 95% CI, 0.60-0.94) lower breast cancer-specific and a 17% (HR, 0.83; 95% CI, 0.72-0.96) lower all-cause mortality. In contrast, higher fruit juice consumption was associated with higher breast cancer-specific (HRQ5vsQ1, 1.33; 95% CI, 1.09-1.63; P trend = 0.002) and all-cause mortality (HRQ5vsQ1, 1.19; 95% CI, 1.04-1.36; P trend = 0.003). Apple juice largely accounted for these higher risks and orange juice was not associated with risk. Higher postdiagnostic fruit and vegetable consumption among breast cancer survivors was not associated with breast cancer-specific mortality. However, our findings suggest that higher vegetable consumption, particularly green leafy and cruciferous vegetables, was associated with better overall survival among patients with breast cancer. Higher fruit juice consumption, but not orange juice, was associated with poorer breast cancer-specific and all-cause survival. SIGNIFICANCE: A large-scale study shows that high fruit and vegetable consumption may be associated with better overall survival among breast cancer patients, while high fruit juice consumption may be associated with poorer porgnosis.