High Milk Consumption Research Articles

Animal welfare information affects consumers’ hedonic and emotional responses towards milk

This research aimed to explore the effects of animal welfare information on consumers’ hedonic and emotional responses towards milk. Two studies were conducted. For Study 1, participants (N = 101) were asked to fill out a questionnaire on attitudes towards animal welfare, in which a variety of factors including raising methods, quality of life, emotions, quality of the product, nutrition, price, and environment, were tested. For Study 2, participants (N = 63) tasted a milk sample (2% fat, standardized and homogenized) in two different conditions: [1] blind (without any previous information), and [2] informed (with information stating that the milk was obtained from a farm with an animal welfare system in place). For Study 1, participants with higher milk consumption per week showed a higher agreement with positive animal welfare statements. For Study 2, the overall liking for the milk in the informed condition was significantly higher than that of the milk in the blind condition (7.4 vs. 6.8, using a 9-point hedonic scale). Participants had higher penalizations for the milk in the blind condition as they suggested that the milk’s flavor, sweetness, aroma, and mouthfeel were not enough in the product. This research showed that animal welfare can be an important extrinsic factor in the consumers’ hedonic and emotional responses towards milk. These findings can be useful for understanding consumers’ behaviors towards animal welfare.

Epidemiological investigations of occurrence of Brucellosis in goats in Ludhiana District of Punjab State of India

Background: Brucellosis in animals is endemic in India, in sheep and goats. I investigated the frequency of Brucellosis in goats in Ludhiana district of Punjab state of India because it is of great public health concern yet there is hardly any report in this regard from this region recently. A total of 191 serum samples of goats from slaughter houses were analyzed with RBPT, STAT, MAT and ELISA. Methods and materials: Rose Bengal Plate Agglutination Test (RBPT). RBPT was carried out by colored antigen with the method of Morgan et al., 10 μl of antigen was mixed with 10 μl of serum and observed for clumps as positive. Estimation of Antibody Titers by Standard Tube Agglutination Test (STAT) The standard method recommended by OIE was followed. 40 IU was taken as positive. Estimation of Antibody Titers by Microtiter Agglutination Test (MAT) MAT was performed as per the standard method. The formation of matt signified positive. The titer was expressed as International Units (I.U.) per milliliter of serum. Competitive Enzyme Linked Immunosorbant Assay (cELISA) All the serum samples were subjected to analysis by competitive ELISA employing a commercial kit Svanovir Brucella Antibody cELISA Kit (Svanova). Statistical analysis The results were analyzed by ANOVA and students ‘t’ test using online software. Sensitivity and specificity were calculated using the standard formulae Results: Out of A total of 191 samples from goats 14 were found to be positive by RBPT, 17 by STAT, 21 each by MAT and ELISA. ELISA and MAT detected the highest number of samples followed by RBPT and STAT, respectively. Frequency of occurrence of the disease in goats was estimated to be 5.23% by RBPT and ELISA.The mean titers of anti-Brucella antibodies in goat sera were 36.66 ± 16.32 by STAT and 49.16 ± 29.47 by MAT, the difference was non-significant by ‘t’ test. Conclusion: The present study revealed the frequency of occurrence of Brucellosis in goats in Ludhiana district, Punjab to be 5.23% by RBPT and ELISA. This is alarming considering the high consumption of mutton and milk in this region.

Frequency of occurrence of Brucellosis in goats in Ludhiana District of Punjab State of India

Background: We investigated the frequency of Brucellosis in goats in Ludhiana district of Punjab state of India because it is of great public health concern yet there is hardly any report in this regard from this region recently. Methods and materials: All the serum samples from goats were subjected to analysis with four common serodiagnostic techniques – RBPT, STAT, MAT and cELISA. Rose Bengal Plate Agglutination Test (RBPT) RBPT was carried out by colored antigen with the method of Morgan et al. Estimation of Antibody Titers by Standard Tube Agglutination Test (STAT). The standard method recommended by OIE was followed. A titer of 1:40 or above was considered positive. Estimation of Antibody Titers by Microtiter Agglutination Test (MAT) MAT was performed as per the standard method as per OIE. The formation of matt signified agglutination while button formation was indicative of a negative reaction. The titer was expressed in the unit system by doubling of the serum titer as International Units (I.U.) giving at least 50 percent agglutination. Competitive Enzyme Linked Immunosorbant Assay (cELISA) All the serum samples were subjected to analysis by competitive ELISA employing a commercial kit Svanovir Brucella Antibody cELISA Kit (Svanova). Results: A total of 191 goats from slaughter houses were analyzed with RBPT, STAT, MAT and ELISA. Out of these, 31 goats were positive for Brucellosis by one or more of these tests. Among positives, 14 were detected by RBPT, 17 by STAT, 21 by MAT, and 21 by ELISA; 10 samples were positive and 160 negative by all. ELISA and MAT detected highest number of samples followed by STAT and RBPT. Frequency of Brucellosis in goats in Ludhiana was found as 5.23% by RBPT and ELISA. The mean titers of anti-Brucella antibodies in goats were 36.66 ± 16.32 by STAT and 49.16 ± 29.47 by MAT, with non-significant difference by ‘t’ test. Conclusion: The present study revealed the frequency of occurrence of Brucellosis in goats in Ludhiana district of Punjab to be 5.23% by RBPT and ELISA. This is alarming considering the zoonotic potential of the disease and high consumption of mutton and milk in this region.

Obesity at Age 6 Months Is Associated with Shorter Preschool Leukocyte Telomere Length Independent of Parental Telomere Length

To assess whether early modifiable dietary factors and obesity measures are associated with leukocyte telomere length at 3-5years of age after controlling for the heritability of leukocyte telomere length in a prospective cohort of low-income Latina mothers and their children in San Francisco. We analyzed data from the Latinx, Eating and Diabetes cohort, a prospective study of 97 woman-infant dyads. We used linear regression models to evaluate associations between early dietary factors and obesity measures and child leukocyte telomere length at 3-5years of age. Multivariable models included child age at the time of telomere collection, breastfeeding at 6months (yes/no), obesity at 6months, maternal education, child sex, and maternal and paternal leukocyte telomere length. Data for 73 of the 97 children at 3-5years of age were analyzed. Any breastfeeding at 6months was positively associated (β=0.14; P=.02) and obesity at 6months was negatively associated (β=-0.21; P<.001) with leukocyte telomere length in bivariate analyses. In multivariable models including parental leukocyte telomere length, obesity at 6months was associated with a shorter leukocyte telomere length at 3-5years of age (β=-0.15; P=.02). Analyses of dietary factors showed high flavored milk consumption at 3years of age was associated with shorter leukocyte telomere length after adjustment for possible confounders. In a low-income Latinx population, obesity at 6months of age is negatively associated with cellular health at 3-5years of age after controlling for genetic factors (parental leukocyte telomere length) associated with leukocyte telomere length. Early life obesity may be more deleterious for cellular health than obesity later in childhood.

Long-term consumption of non-fermented and fermented dairy products and risk of breast cancer by estrogen receptor status – Population-based prospective cohort study

The impact of dairy consumption on breast cancer development is unclear. We sought to examine associations between long-term consumption of milk and fermented dairy products and risk of breast cancer by estrogen (ER) and progesterone receptor (PR) status and assess whether these associations varied by body weight. The population-based Swedish Mammography Cohort included 33,780 women (88.2% postmenopausal), with no history of cancer or diabetes at baseline (1997). Long-term consumption of dairy products was assessed using a self-administered food-frequency questionnaire in 1987 and 1997. Cox proportional hazard regression models were used to estimate hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs). During 16.6 years of follow-up (559,286 person-years), 1870 total breast cancer cases were diagnosed (1162ER+/PR+; 195ER-/PR-). High long-term non-fermented milk consumption was associated with increased ER+/PR+breast cancer incidence, HR=1.30, 95%CI:1.02-1.65 for the average of 1987 and 1997 intake ≥2 vs. 0 servings/day and this increased risk was limited to women with BMI<25kg/m2 HR=1.55, 95%CI:1.08-2.21, while no significant associations with milk consumption were observed with ER-/PR- breast cancer. In contrast, consumption of fermented dairy products was inversely associated with ER-/PR- breast cancer (for consistently high intake ≥3 vs. <1 servings/day HR=0.28, 95%CI:0.10-0.78), but not clear association was observed for ER+/PR+ (HR=0.89, 95%CI:0.69-1.14). In this cohort of mainly postmenopausal women, high long-term consumption of milk was associated with increased risk of ER+/PR+breast cancer. In contrast, high long-term consumption of fermented dairy products was associated with decreased risk of ER-/PR- breast cancer.

Aflatoxin M1 in milk and milk products marketed by local and industrial producers in Bishoftu town of Ethiopia

Aflatoxin M1 (AFM1) or milk toxin is a hydroxilated metabolite of aflatoxin B1 from a contaminated feed. This study investigated the occurrence of AFM1 in milk and milk products collected from Bishoftu town (one of the major milk producing place in Ethiopia). Milk (n = 108), cheese (82), yogurt (93) and butter (82) samples were collected both from industrial and local producers. From the 365 samples analyzed, 361 samples were positive for AFM1. Maximum value was in cottage cheese with a concentration of 5.580 ± 0.08 μg/kg and minimum was in butter of zero (Not detected) value. Comparing the mean level of AFM1 between the four dairy products; milk > cottage cheese > butter > yogurt. Considering the average daily intake of AFM1 obtained in this study and the current average milk consumption rate (19 L/year) in Ethiopian consumers, only adults are in the safe zone with TDI (Tolerable Daily Intake) of AFM1 (0.0002 μg/kg of body weight). But infants and young children might be more exposed to the toxin due to their higher consumption of milk and milk products in their diet.

A nationwide study of asthma correlates among adolescents in Saudi Arabia

BackgroundAsthma is a chronic airway inflammation disease that is frequently found in children and adolescents with an increasing prevalence. Several studies are linking its presence to many lifestyle and health correlates. The objective of this study was to explore these correlates and find characteristics of self-reported asthmatics among adolescents in Saudi Arabia.MethodsThis is a cross-sectional, school-based study carried out in all 13 regions of Saudi Arabia. Sampling was randomly done from intermediate and secondary school students. Data in our study consisted of demographic characteristics, health conditions and lifestyle patterns and were compared between the two groups: asthmatics versus non-asthmatics. Comparison between the two groups was done by analyzing our data using Statistical Analysis Software SURVEYFREQ procedure (SAS Version 9; SAS Institute, Cary, NC).ResultsAmong a sample of 11,348 participants, the prevalence of self-reported asthma was found to be 8.2%. Various characteristics were found significantly different between the 2 groups including the gender, the weight, the family’s education, and dietary patterns. Self –reported asthmatic were more likely to be males, overweight or obese, with a lower father’s level of education and a higher consumption of milk and power drinks.ConclusionAsthma disease remains prevalent among adolescents in Saudi Arabia and requires higher awareness and better guidance for its prevention and treatment. Further efforts should focus on health promotion and lifestyle wellness to support preventive efforts of this chronic disease condition.

Mixing of Apples and Oranges in Milk Research: A Cohort Analysis of Non-Fermented Milk Intake and All-Cause Mortality.

Mortality in relation to type of milk intake is unclear. We present mortality rates by intake of non-fermented milk fat content type and examine the degree of bias when other fat content types of non-fermented milk are kept in the reference category. For this purpose, we used a longitudinal cohort consisting of 61,433 women who had been administered food frequency questionnaires in 1987–1990 and in 1997, and analyzed time to death. Non-fermented milk consumption was divided into low ≤0.5%, medium 1.5%, or high fat 3%. For each specific type of milk, the first analysis (A) is restricted to those who consumed less than one serving per day of the other milk subtypes. In the second analysis (B), everyone is retained, i.e., leading to a reference category “contaminated” with other milk consumers. During follow-up, 22,391 women died. Highest (≥3 glasses/day) vs. lowest consumption category of milk (<1 glass/day) with 0.5% fat content was associated with a multivariable hazard ratio (HR) of 1.71 (95%CI 1.57–1.86) in analysis A, whereas the same comparison with a “contaminated” reference category in analysis B provided a HR of 1.34 (95%CI 1.24–1.45), p-value for homogeneity <0.0001. The corresponding HRs for 1.5% fat milk were: 1.82 (95%CI 1.63–2.04) and 1.38 (95%CI 1.25–1.51), and for 3% fat milk 1.95 (95%CI 1.77–2.15) and 1.40 (95%CI 1.29–1.52). HR for ≥3 glasses/day of total milk was 1.95 (95%CI 1.84–2.06). We observe a higher mortality in women with high milk consumption, irrespective of milk fat content. A “contaminated” reference group substantially attenuates the actual estimates.

High milk consumption is associated with carotid atherosclerosis in middle and old-aged Chinese

BackgroundCarotid atherosclerosis (CA) can reflect atherosclerotic status of systemic vessels, and is associated with ischemic stroke and cognitive impairment. Milk consumption is growing in China, and data are limited on the association between milk and CA risk. MethodsParticipants aged ≥40 years in China National Stroke Prevention Project were recruited for carotid ultrasound examination, and those with carotid endarterectomy, carotid stenting stroke or coronary heart disease were excluded. Participants were defined as having CA when intima–media thickness (IMT) ≥1 mm or plaques were detected by ultrasonography. For milk consumption, though contents were not analyzed, people were divided into high consumption (≥200 ml/day and ≥5 day/week) and low consumption (occasional or never) groups. Multivariate logistics regression analyses were done in both full and propensity score-matched population to identify the association between milk consumption and CA. Results84880 participants were included in the final analysis. After being adjusted by age, gender, living location, smoking habits, drinking habits, physical activity, obesity, hypertension, diabetes, and dyslipidemia, high milk consumption is associated with CA in both full population (odds ratio [OR] = 1.26, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.19–1.33) and propensity score-matched population (OR = 1.25, 95%CI 1.17–1.34). High milk consumption is also a risk factor for IMT thickening (OR = 1.15, 95%CI 1.08–1.23), carotid plaque formation (OR = 1.17, 95%CI 1.09–1.25) and carotid stenosis over 50% (OR = 1.52, 95%CI 1.10–2.14) in the propensity score-matched population. ConclusionsHigh milk consumption is related to CA in middle and old-aged Chinese population. More cautious advice on milk intake should be given in this population for prevention of atherosclerosis.

Systematic review and meta-analysis of the association between dairy consumption and the risk of hip fracture: critical interpretation of the currently available evidence.

Although dairy products contain bone-beneficial nutrients, the association between dairy consumption and the risk of hip fracture remains equivocal. Fueling this uncertainty, the elevated risk of hip fracture in association with milk consumption was observed in a cohort of Swedish women. A systematic review and meta-analysis of prospective cohort studies was performed to critically evaluate the association, or lack thereof, between dairy consumption (milk, yogurt, and cheese) and the risk of hip fracture. A random effects model was used to generate the summary relative risks (RRs) with their 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for the associations of interest. In the meta-analysis of the highest versus lowest category of consumption, higher consumption of yogurt (RR 0.78, 95% CI 0.68, 0.90), but not milk (RR 0.86, 95% CI 0.73, 1.02) or cheese (RR 0.85, 95% CI 0.66, 1.08), was associated with a lower risk of hip fracture. For milk, the reduced risk of fracture with higher milk consumption was observed in the USA (RR 0.75, 95% CI 0.65, 0.87), but not in Scandinavian countries (RR 1.00, 95% CI 0.85, 1.17). These findings were further supported by the fact that American studies (RR 0.93, 95% CI 0.88, 0.98; per 1 glass/day), but not Scandinavian studies (RR 1.01, 95% CI 0.95, 1.07; per 1 glass/day), demonstrated a linear association between milk consumption and the risk of hip fracture. The cumulative evidence from prospective cohort studies reassuringly suggests that the risk of hip fracture may not be elevated among people who consume milk, yogurt, and cheese, and that a greater consumption of milk or yogurt may even be associated with a lower risk of hip fracture depending on the factors that may differ across the population of interest.

Perceived Health Impacts of Watershed Development Projects in Southern India: A Qualitative Study.

Watershed development (WSD) projects—planned for over 100 million ha in semi-arid areas of India—should enhance soil and water conservation, agricultural productivity and local livelihood, and contribute to better nutrition and health. Yet, little is known about the health impacts of WSD projects, especially on nutrition, vector breeding, water quality and the distribution of impacts. We conducted a qualitative study to deepen the understanding on perceived health impacts of completed WSD projects in four villages of Kolar district, India. Field data collection comprised: (i) focus group discussions with local women (n = 2); (ii) interviews (n = 40; purposive sampling) with farmers and labourers, project employees and health workers; and (iii) transect walks. Our main findings were impacts perceived on nutrition (e.g., food security through better crop survival, higher milk consumption from livestock, alongside increased pesticide exposure with expanded agriculture), potential for mosquito larval breeding (e.g., more breeding sites) and through opportunistic activities (e.g., reduced mental stress due to improved water access). Impacts perceived varied between participant categories (e.g., better nutrition in woman-headed households from livelihood support). Some of these findings, e.g., potential negative health implications, have previously not been reported. Our observations informed a health impact assessment of a planned WSD project, and may encourage implementing agencies to incorporate health considerations to enhance positive and mitigate negative health impacts in future WSD projects.

Dietary total antioxidant capacity during pregnancy and birth outcomes.

To investigate the effect of maternal dietary total antioxidant capacity (DTAC) and main food sources on the risk of preterm birth (PB) and offspring birth size. Cohort study that included 733 Brazilian mother-child pairs. Two 24h dietary recalls were obtained during pregnancy and the usual intake was estimated through the Multiple Source Method. Data of the offspring were extracted from the national live births information system. Adjusted multivariable logistic regression models were used to investigate the relationship that energy-adjusted DTAC and food sources have with the outcomes. In total, 9.7% of the children were PBs, 6.0% were born with low birth weight (LBW), 6.7% with macrosomia, 9.3% were small for gestational age (SGA) and 16.4% large for gestational age (LGA). The mean energy-adjusted DTAC ± SD was 4.7 ± 2.1mmol. The adjusted OR (95%CI) of PB for each increasing tertile of maternal DTAC were 0.71 (0.41, 1.30) and 0.54 (0.29, 0.98), when compared with the lowest intake. For LBW, these were 0.25 (0.09, 0.65) and 0.63 (0.28, 1.41). A likelihood of lower odds for PB was found for a higher intake of fruits [0.66 (0.39, 1.09)]. Women with a higher consumption of milk were less likely to have a child with LBW [0.48 (0.23, 1.01)], and children whose mothers reported a higher intake of beans had lower odds of being born LGA [0.61 (0.39, 0.93)]. The data suggest that a higher intake of foods with antioxidant activity during pregnancy might reduce the chance of adverse birth outcomes.

Dietary Patterns Based on Estimated Glomerular Filtration Rate and Kidney Function Decline in the General Population: The Lifelines Cohort Study.

No specific dietary patterns have been established that are linked with loss of kidney function. We aimed to identify an estimated glomerular filtration rate-based dietary pattern (eGFR-DP) and to evaluate its association with eGFR decline and chronic kidney disease (CKD) incidence in the general population. We included 78,335 participants from the Lifelines cohort in the Northern Netherlands. All participants had an eGFR >60 mL/min/1.73 m2 at baseline and completed a second visit five years later. The eGFR-DP was constructed at baseline using a 110-item food frequency questionnaire by reduced rank regression, stratified by sex. Logistic regression was performed to evaluated the association between the eGFR-DP score and either a ≥20% eGFR decline or incident CKD. Among women, eGFR-DP were characterized by high consumption of egg, cheese, and legumes and low consumption of sweets, white meat, and commercially prepared dishes. In men, eGFR-DP were characterized by high consumption of cheese, bread, milk, fruits, vegetables, and beer and low consumption of white and red meat. A higher eGFR-DP score was associated with a lower risk of a ≥20% eGFR decline (OR 4th vs. 1st quartile, women: 0.79 [95% CI: 0.73–0.87]; men: 0.67 [0.59–0.76]). The association between the eGFR-DP score and CKD incidence was lost upon adjustment for baseline eGFR. Our results provide support for dietary interventions to prevent kidney function decline in the general population.

Milk consumption and risk of mortality from all-cause, cardiovascular disease and cancer in older people.

Milk as a common diet is recommended by many guidelines, but the results on the association of milk consumption with the risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) or cancer were contradictory. Moreover, evidence regarding milk consumption and mortality risk in Chinese is scarce. We examined the associations of milk consumption with the risk of all-cause, CVD and cancer mortality in a low milk consumption population using data from the Guangzhou Biobank Cohort Study. 18,214 participants aged 50+ years without CVD history at baseline (2003-6) were included. Causes of death were identified through record linkage. Cox proportional hazards regression was used to estimate hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Of the 18,214 participants, 12,670 (69.6%) did not consume milk, 2669 (14.7%) had moderate (1-3 portions/week; 1 portion=250ml) and 2875 (15.8%) had high (3+ portions/week) consumption. During an average follow-up of 11.5 (standard deviation=2.3) years, 2697 deaths occurred, including 917 CVD and 1029 cancer deaths. Compared with no consumption, the adjusted HR (95% CIs) of all-cause, CVD, ischemic heart disease (IHD) and stroke mortality for moderate milk consumption was 0.92 (0.81-1.04), 0.72 (0.57-0.92), 0.57 (0.38-0.85) and 0.77 (0.63-0.94), respectively. High consumption was associated with a higher risk of total cancer and esophagus cancer mortality, with the adjusted HR (95% CIs) being 1.33 (1.12-1.57) and 3.20 (1.21-8.43) respectively. No significant association of high consumption with lung cancer, liver cancer, gastrointestinal cancer, or colorectal and anal cancer was found. In our sample of Chinese with much lower milk consumption than those in the West, compared with no consumption, moderate milk consumption showed a lower risk of CVD mortality, but high milk consumption showed a higher risk of total cancer mortality. Further studies are warranted to verify the differential effects of milk on CVD and cancer.

Consumption of differently processed milk products in infancy and early childhood and the risk of islet autoimmunity.

Several prospective studies have shown an association between cows' milk consumption and the risk of islet autoimmunity and/or type 1 diabetes. We wanted to study whether processing of milk plays a role. A population-based birth cohort of 6081 children with HLA-DQB1-conferred risk to type 1 diabetes was followed until the age of 15 years. We included 5545 children in the analyses. Food records were completed at the ages of 3 and 6 months and 1, 2, 3, 4 and 6 years, and diabetes-associated autoantibodies were measured at 3-12-month intervals. For milk products in the food composition database, we used conventional and processing-based classifications. We analysed the data using a joint model for longitudinal and time-to-event data. By the age of 6 years, islet autoimmunity developed in 246 children. Consumption of all cows' milk products together (energy-adjusted hazard ratio 1·06; 95 % CI 1·02, 1·11; P = 0·003), non-fermented milk products (1·06; 95 % CI 1·01, 1·10; P = 0·011) and fermented milk products (1·35; 95 % CI 1·10, 1·67; P = 0·005) was associated with an increased risk of islet autoimmunity. The early milk consumption was not associated with the risk beyond 6 years. We observed no clear differences based on milk homogenisation and heat treatment. Our results are consistent with the previous studies, which indicate that high milk consumption may cause islet autoimmunity in children at increased genetic risk. The study did not identify any specific type of milk processing that would clearly stand out as a sole risk factor apart from other milk products.

The association between milk consumption and the metabolic syndrome: a cross-sectional study of the residents of Suzhou, China and a meta-analysis.

The association between milk consumption and the metabolic syndrome remains inconclusive, and data from Chinese populations are scarce. We conducted a cross-sectional study to investigate the association between milk consumption and the metabolic syndrome and its components among the residents of Suzhou Industrial Park, Suzhou, China. A total of 5149 participants were included in the final analysis. A logistic regression model was applied to estimate the OR and 95 % CI for the prevalence of the metabolic syndrome and its components according to milk consumption. In addition, the results of our study were further meta-analysed with other published observational studies to quantify the association between the highest v. lowest categories of milk consumption and the metabolic syndrome and its components. There was no significant difference in the odds of having the metabolic syndrome between milk consumers and non-milk consumers (OR 0·86, 95 % CI 0·73, 1·01). However, milk consumers had lower odds of having elevated waist circumference (OR 0·78, 95 % CI 0·67, 0·92), elevated TAG (OR 0·83, 95 % CI 0·70, 0·99) and elevated blood pressure (OR 0·85, 95 % CI 0·73, 0·99). When the results were pooled together with other published studies, higher milk consumption was inversely associated with the risk of the metabolic syndrome (relative risk 0·80, 95 % CI 0·72, 0·88) and its components (except elevated fasting blood glucose); however, these results should be treated with caution as high heterogeneity was observed. In summary, the currently available evidence from observational studies suggests that higher milk consumption may be inversely associated with the metabolic syndrome.

Insufficient iodine status in pregnant women as a consequence of dietary changes.

BackgroundHistorically, Iceland has been an iodine-sufficient nation due to notably high fish and milk consumption. Recent data suggest that the intake of these important dietary sources of iodine has decreased considerably.ObjectiveTo evaluate the iodine status of pregnant women in Iceland and to determine dietary factors associated with risk for deficiency.MethodsSubjects were women (n = 983; 73% of the eligible sample) attending their first ultrasound appointment in gestational weeks 11–14 in the period October 2017–March 2018. Spot urine samples were collected for assessment of urinary iodine concentration (UIC) and creatinine. The ratio of iodine to creatinine (I/Cr) was calculated. Median UIC was compared with the optimal range of 150–249 μg/L defined by the World Health Organization (WHO). Diet was assessed using a semiquantitative food frequency questionnaire (FFQ), which provided information on main dietary sources of iodine in the population studied (dairy and fish).ResultsThe median UIC (95% confidence interval (CI)) and I/Cr of the study population was 89 μg/L (42, 141) and 100 (94, 108) μg/g, respectively. UIC increased with higher frequency of dairy intake, ranging from median UIC of 55 (35, 79) μg/L for women consuming dairy products <1 time per week to 124 (98, 151) μg/L in the group consuming dairy >2 times per day (P for trend <0.001). A small group of women reporting complete avoidance of fish (n = 18) had UIC of 50 (21, 123) μg/L and significantly lower I/Cr compared with those who did not report avoidance of fish (58 (34, 134) μg/g vs. 100 (94, 108) μg/g, P = 0.041). Women taking supplements containing iodine (n = 34, 3.5%) had significantly higher UIC compared with those who did not take supplements (141 (77, 263) μg/L vs. 87 (82, 94), P = 0.037).ConclusionFor the first time, insufficient iodine status is being observed in an Icelandic population. There is an urgent need for a public health action aiming at improving iodine status of women of childbearing age in Iceland.

İnek sütü ve prostat kanseri ilişkisi

Prostat kanseri, prostat bezinin herhangi bir yerinde başlayabilen ilk 5-10 yılında yavaş, sonra hızla büyüme gösteren ve diğer organlara yayılabilen bir hastalıktır. Türkiye’de 2014 yılında erkeklerde en sık görülen 10 kanser sıralamasında akciğer kanserini takiben ikinci sıraya yerleşen prostat kanseri, tüm yaş grupları sıralamasında da ikinci sırada yer almaktadır. Bu derlemede prostat kanserli bireylerin inek sütü tüketiminin, hastalığın seyrine ve kanser hücre gelişimi üzerine etkisini açıklamak amaçlanmıştır. Bunun yanında inek sütü tüketiminin prostat kanseri görülme sıklığı ve ölüm oranı ile ne kadar ilişkili olabileceği sorgulanmıştır. Süt tüketimi ve prostat kanseri arasındaki ilişkiyi ortaya koymaya çalışan mekanizmalardan kalsiyum, insülin benzeri büyüme faktörü (IGF), DNA metiltransferaz 1 (DNMT1) sinyalini zayıflatan süt kaynaklı mikroRNA’lar (miRNA) ve yüksek inek sütü tüketimi ile artan mTORC1 sinyalizasyonu açıklanmıştır. Güncel sonuçlar çocukluk döneminde gerçekleşen süt tüketimini prostat kanseri riski ile ilişkili görmeyip yetişkinlikteki süt tüketiminin biyolojik bir temeli olabileceğine işaret etmektedir. Dünya Kanser Araştırma Fonu (World Cancer Research Fund [WCRF]) süt ve süt ürünleri üzerine mevcut kanıtların sınırlı-düşündürücü olarak raporlayıp, süt ve süt ürünlerinin prostat kanseri risk artışına neden olduğuna vurgu yapmıştır. İnek sütündeki mikro RNA’ların insan besin zincirinden çıkarılması, prostat gelişimi ve farklılaşmasının mTORC1'e bağlı gerçekleşen fazları sırasında inek sütü alımının kısıtlanması ve mTORC1 sinyallerini zayıflatıcı yönde diyet müdahaleleri prostat kanserinden korunma amaçlı girişimler olarak uygulanabilir.

Chapter 9: Acidic Beverages and Foods Associated with Dental Erosion and Erosive Tooth Wear.

Dental erosion is the partial demineralisation of the tooth surface caused by repeated exposure to acids. The loss of surface tissue, which results from simultaneous and/or subsequent exposure to mechanical forces is known as erosive tooth wear (ETW). Excessive consumption of acidic beverages and foods has been the main focus of research into erosion. Enamel dissolution is significantly associated with chemical parameters: pH, buffer capacity, titratable acidity, viscosity, as well as calcium, phosphate and fluoride concentrations in the beverages and foods. Some of these parameters are used to calculate the degree of saturation of a given substance, which represents its driving force to demineralise dental hard tissues. Undersaturated substances with low pH and high titratable acidity and high buffer capacity have greater erosive potential, while substances with high concentrations of Ca2+ and phosphate cause less demineralisation. Other physical parameters also modulate the demineralisation processes. Swishing drinks in the mouth tends to cause more erosion, since the Nernst layer is continuously renewed and does not reach saturation. Recent systematic reviews confirm that frequent consumption of carbonated/soft drinks are the main dietary factor associated with ETW. Vitamin C and frequent consumption of natural fruit juices and acidic snacks or sweets are also significantly associated with more ETW; whereas higher consumption of milk and yoghurt is a protecting factor. Patients presenting with ETW should have their dietary habits assessed by recording their complete dietary intake in a diet record sheet. Dentists should assess the erosive potential of the different beverages and foods, as well as the frequency of ingestion, then elaborate specific preventive measures and dietary interventions individually tailored to each patient.

Food neophobia and its association with food preferences and dietary intake of adults.

To assess the association of food neophobia (FN) with food preferences, dietary intake and dietary quality. A cross-sectional study was conducted in a non-probabilistic sample of 229 Portuguese adults, aged 18 to 84 years. FN was measured with the FN Scale. Dietary intake over the previous 12 months was assessed by a validated semi-quantitative food frequency questionnaire. We defined a dietary pattern the Healthy Diet Indicator, to summarise the effects of overall dietary intake. Generalised linear models were performed to test associations in multivariate analyses (controlled for sex, age and education). FN was negatively associated with a general liking for the act of eating ( ) and with reduced preferences for specific foods (fruit and vegetables, some types of meat and fish and traditional Portuguese dishes with blood). Those with higher FN showed a lower consumption of fruits and vegetables, but a higher consumption of milk and codfish, a popular Portuguese ingredient. However, FN did not affect the macronutrients and energy intake, as well as sodium, added sugars and fibre intake. Adherence to a healthy dietary pattern was not significantly associated with FN. FN was associated with a decreased consumption and preference for specific foods, but it had no impact on a healthy dietary pattern.