High Consumption Group Research Articles

What characterises women who eat potatoes? A cross-sectional study among 74,208 women in the Norwegian Women and Cancer cohort

BackgroundStudies of potato consumption have shown that age, region, socioeconomic status, and household structure are important determinants.ObjectiveThis study aims to map which factors influence potato consumption among women in the Norwegian Women and Cancer (NOWAC) study.DesignA cross-sectional study using a postal questionnaire among 74,208 NOWAC participants aged 41–70.ResultsResults showed that 56% of the women ate at least two potatoes a day. A north–south gradient in potato consumption was observed in logistic regression models (OR: 3.41, 95% CI: 3.19–3.64 for the north compared to the capital). Women in households with children had lower odds of high potato consumption than women living only with a partner, and women who lived alone had the lowest odds of all (OR: 0.39, 95% CI: 0.37–0.41). Smokers had higher odds of high potato consumption, while diabetics had lower odds. The odds of high potato consumption were greater among older women, and among those with lower income and education. In a sub-cohort, women who were dieting had lower odds of high potato consumption. Consumption of different foods varied in the low versus the high potato consumption group, with largest effect for fish and pasta/rice. The groups had similar nutrient densities.ConclusionsIn addition to lifestyle and socioeconomic factors, health-related factors like smoking and diabetes were found to influence potato consumption. The high potato consumption group had an especially high consumption of fish and a low consumption of pasta/rice, though the nutrient density in the groups was similar.

베트남 주부의 한류지각이 한국 브랜드 아동복 구매의도에 미치는 영향

This study explored the product attributes Vietnamese mothers consider for the purchase of children's wear, the differences of product attributes between groups with different levels of conspicuous consumption, and the extent to which the Korean wave affects the purchasing behavior of children's wear brands. The results are as follows. First, the product attribute that Vietnamese mothers consider most when purchasing children's clothes is the comfort in physical activities. Fabric type and quality, sizing and fit, durability, color, child suitability, design, cutting and construction, price, fashionability, and maintenance and laundering are the other attributes (respectively) that influence the purchase of children's wear. Second, the high conspicuous consumption group considers brand, maintenance and laundering, durability, the reactions of others, and fashionability significantly more than the low conspicuous consumption group. Third, the purchase intention of Korean children's wear brands is affected by the perception of the Korean wave than the influence of the reference group or the tendency of conspicuous consumption. The results show that low prices and practicality were important considerations for children's clothing purchases by Vietnamese mothers; however, brand name and fashionability were more powerful predictors for the high conspicuous consumption group. Those with a high perception of the Korean wave also had a higher intention of Korean children's wear brand, which is indicative of the halo effect of the Korean wave. Thus, Korean children's wear brands that plan to enter the Vietnamese market should make active use of the Korean wave.

Association between soft drink consumption, oral health and some lifestyle factors in Swedish adolescents

Objective. The aim was to investigate the relationship between soft drink consumption, oral health and some lifestyle factors in Swedish adolescents. Materials and methods. A clinical dental examination and a questionnaire concerning lifestyle factors, including drinking habits, oral hygiene, dietary consumption, physical activity and screen-viewing habits were completed. Three hundred and ninety-two individuals completed the study (13–14 years, n = 195; 18–19 years, n = 197). The material was divided into high and low carbonated soft drink consumption groups, corresponding to approximately the highest and the lowest one-third of subjects in each age group. Differences between the groups were tested by the Mann-Whitney U-test and logistic regression. Results. Intake of certain dietary items, tooth brushing, sports activities, meal patterns, screen-viewing behaviors, BMI and parents born outside Sweden differed significantly between high and low consumers in one or both of the two age groups. Dental erosion (both age groups) and DMFT/DMFS (18–19 years group) were significantly higher in the high consumption groups. Logistic regression showed predictive variables for high consumption of carbonated soft drinks to be mainly gender (male), unhealthy dietary habits, lesser physical activity, higher BMI and longer time spent in front of TV/computer. Conclusion. High soft drink consumption was related to poorer oral health and an unhealthier lifestyle.

Alcohol-attributable and alcohol-preventable mortality in Denmark: an analysis of which intake levels contribute most to alcohol’s harmful and beneficial effects

The aim of the study was to quantify alcohol-attributable and -preventable mortality, totally and stratified on alcohol consumption in Denmark 2010, and to estimate alcohol-related mortality assuming different scenarios of changes in alcohol distribution in the population. We estimated alcohol-attributable and -preventable fractions based on relative risks of conditions causally associated with alcohol from meta-analyses and information on alcohol consumption in Denmark obtained from 14,458 participants in the Danish National Health Survey 2010 and corrected for adult per capita consumption. Cause-specific mortality data were obtained from the Danish Register of Causes of Death. In total, 1,373 deaths among women (5.0% of all deaths) and 2,522 deaths among men (9.5% of all deaths) were attributable to alcohol, while an estimated number of 765 (2.8%) and 583 (2.2%) deaths were prevented by alcohol. Of the alcohol-attributable deaths, 73 and 81% occurred within the high alcohol consumption group (>14/21 drinks/week for women/men). A reduction of 50% in the alcohol consumption was associated with a decrease of 1,406 partly alcohol-attributable deaths (46%) and 37 alcohol-preventable deaths (3%). Total compliance with sensible drinking guidelines with a low risk limit (<7/14 drinks/week) and a high risk limit (<14/21 drinks/week) was associated with a reduction of 2,380 and 1,977 alcohol-attributable deaths, respectively. In summary, 5.0% of deaths among women and 9.5 % of deaths among men were attributable to alcohol in Denmark 2010. The minority of Danish women and men had high alcohol consumption (16 and 26%). However, the majority of all alcohol-attributable deaths among women and men were caused by high consumption (73 and 81%).

Aspectos ecológicos de la nutria neotropical (Lontra longicaudis annectens) en el camino La Veleta en la Laguna de Términos, Campeche, México

We studied some ecological aspects of the neotropical Otter on the La Veleta dirt road located in the intensive use area of the Flora and Fauna Protection Area ( A rea de Proteccion de Flora y Fauna) “Laguna de Terminos”. We conducted this study from March to December of 2007, it consisted on the search and identification of otter traces in a dirt road and channels in the zone. A total of 120 km were covered, and 104 traces were found (35 tracks, 16 sunning places, 29 scats, 16 latrines and 8 direct observations). We estimated a mean relative abundance of 0.86 ± 0.472 tracks/km. Temporarily the highest abundance was obtained during the Northern winds season (1.12 ± 0.288 tracks/km) and the lowest abundance was recorded during the dry season (0.70 ± 0.242 tracks/km). In addition to the 29 stools collected along the transects, we collected another 77 in nearby areas for a total of 106 stools. Fish (54.7%) was the highest consumption group, followed by crustaceans (20.5%), mollusks (14.8%), reptiles (5.1%) and insects (4.9%). No significant differences were found in the frequency of consumption of prey groups per season (X 2 = 5267, df = 4, P < 0.261). Results suggest that otters are permanently in the area and that environmental changes on the area, exerts some influence in their abundance, diet and seasonal movements. It is recommended that the vegetation cover in the study area are protected, and the prevention of pollution in the water bodies. Key words: abundance, diet, distribution, neotropical otter, Laguna de Terminos.

Changes in Mini‐Mental State Examination score in Alzheimer's disease patients after stopping habitual drinking

Globally, Alzheimer's disease (AD) is becoming an increasing problem as the population ages, and the effects of lifestyle factors on cognitive decline need to be better understood. This study examined the effects of alcohol abstinence on cognitive decline in AD. Cognitive function after alcohol abstinence was retrospectively reviewed in AD patients (high and low alcohol consumption groups) and then compared with an alcohol-naïve AD group. The alcohol-naïve AD group included 18 outpatients with no history of habitual drinking. The alcohol-abstinence AD group included 20 outpatients who stopped drinking after their diagnoses. The latter group was classified into high and low groups depending on the amount of they drank before abstinence. Cognitive function was evaluated with the Mini-Mental State Examination at baseline, 6 months, and 12 months. For statistical analyses, a repeated measures, two-factor anova and post-hoc multiple comparisons were performed using the Bonferroni method. There was a significant effect of time on Mini-Mental State Examination score, but there was no difference in the baseline scores of the alcohol-naïve and alcohol-abstinence AD groups. The score was significantly lower at 6 and 12 months than at baseline in the alcohol-naïve group, but no significant difference was seen in the alcohol-abstinence group. There was a significant interaction between time and alcohol consumption subgroup on the score, with no difference in baseline score between the low and high consumption groups. The score was significantly lower only in the high consumption group at 12 months. CONCLUSIONS : In AD patients with a history of habitual drinking, abstinence was effective for reducing cognitive decline during the clinical course. However, such an effect was not seen in patients who had consumed high amounts of alcohol before diagnosis of AD.

Water use patterns and conservation in households of Wei River Basin, China

Fully understanding patterns of water use and water conservation among different consumer groups will help in implementing more effective water conservation programs worldwide. Consequently, we investigated water use patterns, water conservation practices, attitudes, and hindrances to water conservation by randomly surveying 776 households in the Weinan, Yanglin–Wugong, and Baoji districts in the middle of the Wei River Basin. The results of the study reveal that water consumption for domestic use of 70.2L per capita per day (Lpcd), 31.9L of which is allocated for outdoor use. Households with high water consumption consume more water for watering vegetable gardens and cleaning their houses and yards, and employ more appliances and apparatuses that use water. A total of 20 conservation practices were reported by of which 11 were used by the majority of residents. Residents prefer to implement the most convenient and low-cost water conservation practices. The households with low water consumption were likely to conserve water because of economic concerns, but their unwillingness to change traditional habits prevent them from conserving water. For households with high water consumption groups, environmental concerns drive them to conserve water, their unwillingness to devote additional time and energy and the lack of social support are the main hindrances to water conservation. Public education programs on water use and conservation for rural communities need to fully consider these limitations to change traditional views and behaviors toward the use of water appliances and improving quality of life, as well as employing outdoor water conservation, pro-environmental education, and price transparency to promote the judicious use of water. The results obtained can be used as guidelines for establishing policies for community water conservation.

Consumption of Dairy Products and Death From Cardiovascular Disease in the Japanese General Population: The NIPPON DATA80

BackgroundRecent Western studies show an inverse association between milk and dairy product intake and cardiovascular disease (CVD). We studied the association between consumption of milk and dairy products and CVD death in Japan.MethodsMen and women aged 30 years or older were followed for 24 years. All had participated in a national nutrition survey in 300 health districts throughout Japan in 1980. The Cox proportional hazards model was used to assess mortality risk according to tertiles of milk and dairy product intake, with the high consumption group as reference. Hazard ratios (HRs) per 100-g/day increase in consumption were also estimated.ResultsDuring the 24-year follow-up period, there were 893 CVD deaths, 174 deaths from coronary heart disease (CHD), and 417 stroke deaths among 9243 participants. For women, the HRs for death from CVD, CHD, and stroke in the low consumption group were 1.27 (95% CI: 0.99–1.58; P for trend = 0.045), 1.67 (0.99–2.80; P = 0.02), and 1.34 (0.94–1.90; P = 0.08), respectively, after adjustment for age, body mass index, smoking status, alcohol drinking habits, history of diabetes, use of antihypertensives, work category, and total energy intake. With each 100-g/day increase in consumption of milk and dairy products, HRs tended to decrease for deaths from CVD (HR, 0.86; 95% CI, 0.74–0.99), CHD (0.73; 0.52–1.03), and stroke (0.81; 0.65–1.01) in women. No significant association was observed in men.ConclusionsConsumption of milk and dairy products was inversely associated with CVD death among women in Japan.

Gazpacho consumption is associated with lower blood pressure and reduced hypertension in a high cardiovascular risk cohort. Cross-sectional study of the PREDIMED trial

Background and aimHypertension is a major public health problem and a leading cause of death and disability in both developed and developing countries, affecting one-quarter of the world's adult population. Our aim was to evaluate whether the consumption of gazpacho, a Mediterranean vegetable-based cold soup rich in phytochemicals, is associated with lower blood pressure (BP) and/or reduced prevalence of hypertension in individuals at high cardiovascular risk. Methods and resultsWe selected 3995 individuals (58% women, mean age 67 y) at high cardiovascular risk (81% hypertensive) recruited into the PREDIMED study. BP, weight, and dietary and physical activity data were collected. In multivariate linear regression analyses, after adjustment, moderate and high gazpacho consumption categories were associated with reduced mean systolic BP of −1.9 mm Hg [95% confidence interval (CI): −3.4; −0.6] and −2.6 mm Hg (CI: −4.2; −1.0), respectively, and reduced diastolic BP of −1.5 mm Hg (CI: −2.3; −0.6) and −1.9 mm Hg (CI: −2.8; −1.1). By multiple-adjusted logistic regression analysis, gazpacho consumption was associated with a lower prevalence of hypertension, with OR = 0.85 (CI: 0.73; 0.99) for each 250 g/week increase and OR = 0.73 (CI: 0.55; 0.98) for high gazpacho consumption groups compared to the no-consumption group. ConclusionsGazpacho consumption was inversely associated with systolic and diastolic BP and prevalence of hypertension in a cross-sectional Mediterranean population at high cardiovascular risk. The association between gazpacho intake and reduction of BP is probably due to synergy among several bioactive compounds present in the vegetable ingredients used to make the recipe.

Predicting bacteremia based on nurse‐assessed food consumption at the time of blood culture

Bacteremia and its complications are important causes of morbidity and mortality in hospitalized patients. However, the yield of blood cultures is relatively low, with many false-positive results from bacterial contamination. We investigated the relationship between patient food consumption and the presence of bacteremia. This was an observational analysis of a cohort of 1179 patients who underwent blood culture analysis between January 2005 and December 2009. Patients with anorexia-inducing conditions, such as gastrointestinal illness and malignant disease treated with chemotherapy, were excluded. Food consumption was rated by nurses as the percentage of food consumed during the meal preceding the blood culture. Groupings were as follows: low consumption (<50%), moderate (>50% to <80%), and high (>80%). Low consumption was observed in 39.8% of patients, moderate in 17.8%, and high in 41.6%. The average body temperature was 38.1 ± 1.1°C. Bacteremia was present in 18.5%, 3.9%, and 1.4% of patients in the low, moderate, and high food consumption groups, respectively. The negative predictive value was 98.3%, suggesting that bacteremia is very unlikely in the setting of good food intake. Bacteremia is an unlikely occurrence in hospitalized patients who maintain adequate food consumption at the time of blood culture.

Strong Positive Associations Between Seafood, Vegetables, and Alcohol With Blood Mercury and Urinary Arsenic Levels in the Korean Adult Population

Blood mercury and urinary arsenic levels are more than fivefold greater in the Korean population compared with those of the United States. This may be related to the foods people consumed. Therefore, we examined the associations between food categories and mercury and arsenic exposure in the Korean adult population. Data regarding nutritional, biochemical, and health-related parameters were obtained from a cross-sectional study, the 2008-2009 Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (3,404 men and women age ≥ 20 years). The log-transformed blood mercury and urinary arsenic levels were regressed against the frequency tertiles of each food group after covariate adjustment for sex, age, residence area, education level, smoking status, and drinking status using food-frequency data. Blood mercury levels in the high consumption groups compared to the low consumption groups were elevated by about 20 percents with salted fish, shellfish, whitefish, bluefish, and alcohol, and by about 9-14 percents with seaweeds, green vegetables, fruits and tea, whereas rice did not affect blood mercury levels. Urinary arsenic levels were markedly increased with consumption of rice, bluefish, salted fish, shellfish, whitefish, and seaweed, whereas they were moderately increased with consumption of grains, green and white vegetables, fruits, coffee, and alcohol. The remaining food categories tended to lower these levels only minimally. In conclusion, the typical Asian diet, which is high in rice, salted fish, shellfish, vegetables, alcoholic beverages, and tea, may be associated with greater blood mercury and urinary arsenic levels. This study suggests that mercury and arsenic contents should be monitored and controlled in soil and water used for agriculture to decrease health risks from heavy-metal contamination.

Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) in marine fishes from China: Levels, distribution and risk assessment

Muscle tissues of large yellow croakers (Pseudosciaena crocea) and sliver pomfret (Pampus argenteus) from nine coastal cities of East China including Dalian, Tianjin, Qingdao, Shanghai, Zhoushan, Wenzhou, Fuzhou, Quanzhou and Xiamen were analyzed for polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) concentrations. Thirty-six PCB congeners were quantified in the fishes, of which 11 congeners were dioxin-like PCBs. The total PCB concentrations of the present study were at the low end of the global range, which may be related to the smaller usage and shorter consumption history of PCBs in China. PCBs 18, 29, 52, 66, 101, 104, 138, 153, 180 and 194 were the major constituents found in the fish samples. Regression analysis showed a strong positive correlation (R2=0.800; p<0.001) between total dioxin-like PCBs and total PCB concentrations, and that total PCB concentrations explain 80% of the variability in total dioxin-like PCB concentrations. Among the species investigated, significantly higher concentrations of total PCBs were found in croakers than in pomfrets, which may be attributed to their different feeding and living habits. No significant difference in total PCB concentrations among the cities was observed; principal component analysis (PCA) of PCB profiles indicated that PCB pollution came from similar sources in the sampling areas and that there may be other PCB sources in Dalian and Wenzhou. The calculated carcinogenic risks (CRs) from the two species based on a low consumption group and high consumption group were all greater than 10−6, suggesting that daily exposure to dioxin-like PCBs via fish consumption results in a lifetime cancer risk of greater than one in one million. In contrast, the hazard quotients (HQs) of noncancer risks were all less than unity.

Risk probability due to heavy metals in bivalve from Egyptian Mediterranean coast

Abstract An assessment of marine contamination by eight heavy metals (Al, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Ni, Pb, and Zn) made along the Egyptian Mediterranean coast. Also, risk probability due to heavy metals contamination in bivalve was investigated. The bivalve samples collected in April 2007 from nine hot spot locations started at El-Mex and ended at Port-Said along Mediterranean coast. The recorded average concentrations of Al, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Ni, Pb, and Zn were 137.8 ± 147.4, 0.09 ± 0.04, 2.45 ± 1.29, 8.49 ± 5.19, 3.82 ± 2.21, 10.28 ± 4.09, 0.24 ± 0.15, and 21.87 ± 21.38 μg g−1 dry weight, respectively. In spite of the mollusks species, El-Mex exhibited the highest metal pollution index (MPI), which is expected due to the presence of industrials and agriculture drain near El-Mex location, followed by Port-Said and Abu-Qir stations that suffer from many industrials, marine transportation, fisheries and human activities. Western Harbor and Damietta stations recorded the lowest MPI. Principal component analysis (PCA) and cluster analysis were applied to highlight the relationships between metals. The dendrograms of the cluster analysis confirm the results obtained with PCA. Indeed, depending on the statistical analysis, the studied metals were grouped into two groups, the first group contains Co, Pb, Zn, Cu, Cd and Ni, and the second group includes the remaining two studied metals (Al and Cr). Risk probability study showed that the risk quotients for Cd, Cu, Ni, Pb, and Zn in both the best-case and worst-case scenarios do not cause adverse effect for either low or high consumption groups. Only chromium recorded a risk quotient three times greater than the worst-case scenarios, which may associate health problem for the heavy shellfish consumers groups.

Associations of corticosterone and testosterone with alcohol drinking in F2 populations derived from AA and ANA rat lines

In our previous studies on alcohol-preferring AA (Alko alcohol) and nonpreferring ANA (Alko nonalcohol) rats, we have observed that the AA rats exhibit lower endogenous levels of corticosterone, higher testosterone levels, and more frequent alcohol-induced testosterone elevations when compared with ANA rats. The objective of the present study was to get more conclusive evidence for the potential role of the hypothalamus–pituitary–adrenal and hypothalamus–pituitary–gonadal axes in alcohol drinking by using the F2 experimental design. Alcohol-preferring AA and alcohol-nonpreferring ANA rat lines were crossbred to form a F1 population from which the final F2 population was derived. Male animals were challenged with a priming alcohol dose after which a 3 weeks’ voluntary alcohol drinking period took place. After a washout period of 1 week, one-half of the 40 highest and 40 lowest alcohol drinkers were challenged with a second dose of alcohol and the other half with saline. Serum testosterone and corticosterone levels were measured before and during the test. Higher endogenous testosterone levels were detected in the rats of the high alcohol consumption group compared with the low consumption group. Also supporting the original AA/ANA line differences, a trend for lower endogenous corticosterone levels were measured in the high alcohol consumption group compared with the low consumption group. The alcohol challenge test after the drinking period resulted in a higher frequency (38%) of testosterone elevations in the high drinkers compared with the low drinkers (5%). The present data confirms the validity of the positive connections between testosterone elevation and increased alcohol drinking, as well as between testosterone reduction and decreased alcohol drinking, in AA and ANA rats.

Prevalence, predictors and perinatal outcomes of peri-conceptional alcohol exposure - retrospective cohort study in an urban obstetric population in Ireland

BackgroundEvidence-based advice on alcohol consumption is required for pregnant women and women planning a pregnancy. Our aim was to investigate the prevalence, predictors and perinatal outcomes associated with peri-conceptional alcohol consumption.MethodsA cohort study of 61,241 women who booked for antenatal care and delivered in a large urban maternity hospital between 2000 and 2007. Self-reported alcohol consumption at the booking visit was categorised as low (0-5 units per week), moderate (6-20 units per week) and high (>20 units per week).ResultsOf the 81% of women who reported alcohol consumption during the peri-conceptional period, 71% reported low intake, 9.9% moderate intake and 0.2% high intake. Factors associated with moderate alcohol consumption included being in employment OR 4.47 (95% CI 4.17 to 4.80), Irish nationality OR 16.5 (95% CI 14.9 to 18.3), private health care OR 5.83 (95% CI 5.38 to 6.31) and smoking OR 1.86 (95% CI 1.73 to 2.01). Factors associated with high consumption included maternal age less than 25 years OR 2.70 (95% CI 1.86 to 3.91) and illicit drug use OR 6.46 (95% CI 3.32 to 12.60). High consumption was associated with very preterm birth (<32 weeks gestation) even after controlling for socio-demographic factors, adjusted OR 3.15 (95% CI 1.26-7.88). Only three cases of Fetal Alcohol Syndrome were recorded (0.05 per 1000 total births), one each in the low, moderate and high consumption groups.ConclusionsPublic Health campaigns need to emphasise the importance of peri-conceptional health and pre-pregnancy planning. Fetal Alcohol Syndrome is likely to be under-reported despite the high prevalence of alcohol consumption in this population.

Margin of Exposure for Ethyl Carbamate in High Wine Consumption Group in Republic of Korea

S-31A7-3 Background/Aims: Ethyl carbamate occurs naturally in fermented foods and alcoholic beverages such as bread, soy sauce, yogurt, wine, beer, and spirits. A number of precursors present in foods and beverages such as hydrocyanic acid, urea, and ethanol can lead to the formation of ethyl carbamate during food processing and storage. Ethyl carbamate is a multisite carcinogen and genotoxic in animals and probably carcinogenic in human. Methods: The exposure level to ethyl carbamate was calculated on the basis of mean ethyl carbamate level (0–15 μg/L) in wine and 95th percentile consumption level (432 g/d) in adult group. A risk characterization was performed using the Margin of Exposure (MOE) approach which compared a BMDL 10 derived from animal cancer study with exposure level to ethyl carbamate. A MOE value of 10,000 and above was considered to be of low concern for public health. Results: The estimated exposure level to ethyl carbamate was about 70–104 ng/kg bw/d for a 60 kg person and the exposure level including exposure from other foods was about 87–120 ng/kg bw/d. The MOEs were calculated on the basis of the estimated intake of ethyl carbamate and the BMDL 10 value of 0.3 mg/kg bw/d, and this BMDL 10 value is a corresponding dose to 10% incidence of alveolar and bronchiolar neoplasm in both male and female mice. Conclusion: The MOEs for high wine consumption group including exposure from other foods were 2493–3440. If the exposure from a variety of alcoholic beverages was considered, the MOEs could be even lower. This indicated that ALARA (As Low As Reasonably Achievable) principle should be considered to reduce and prevent the formation of ethyl carbamate in wine.

Abstract B107: The association of soy consumption and lung cancer among Japanese women: Analyses stratified by smoking status and reproductive factors

Abstract Soybean products intake has been suggested to have protective effects against breast cancer. As for lung cancer, we previously reported that soy consumption showed inverse association with the risk of non-small cell lung cancers (NSCLC) with epidermal growth factor receptor mutations among Japanese. However, other possible heterogeneity of its effect on the etiology of NSCLC by background characteristics is still unclear. In this study, we investigated the impact of soy consumption on the development of NSCLC among larger number of Japanese women, with the association of smoking status, reproductive factors, as well as histology. We conducted a case-control study with 420 NSCLC women cases and 840 age-sex matched control subjects. Dietary exposures were evaluated based on a semi-quantitative food frequency questionnaire, including items on lifestyles, menstrual and reproductive history. Soy consumption was categorized into two groups: a lower third group, “Low consumption group (LCG)” which intake of soy was less than 30.3 mg/day, and others, “High consumption group (HCG)” which intake of soy were 30.3mg/day or more. We assessed the impact of soy consumption on lung cancer by calculating odds ratios (ORs) and their 95% confidence intervals (CIs) of HCG, relative to LCG with adjustment for potential confounding factors using logistic regression model. In the overall analysis, we observed inverse association with high consumption of soy products [OR: 0.87, 95%CI: 0.65–1.16]. When stratified by smoking status, HCG in never smokers showed significantly inverse association showed an OR below unity [OR: 0.69, 95%CI: 0.50–0.96] in spite of the increased OR among HCG in ever smokers [OR: 2.02, 95%CI: 1.11–3.68]. As for reproductive factors, ORs of HCG were consistently below unity among women with pre-menopause [OR: 0.55, 95%CI: 0.29–1.04], menopause after 50 years old [OR: 0.57, 95%CI: 0.34–0.94], and no delivery [OR: 0.57, 95%CI: 0.15–1.06]. It is interesting to note that on histology based analysis, we found inverse association between high consumption of soy products and adenocarcinoma [OR: 0.57, 95%CI: 0.34–0.94] among never smokers, despite the increased ORs were seen among ever smokers [OR: 3.35, 95%CI: 0.17–67.7]. In this study, consumption of soybean products generally demonstrated an inverse association with NSCLC. In addition, the results indicated the interaction between soy consumption and smoking status for the impact on the development of NSCLC. We also found associations among soy consumption, reproductive factors and lung cancer, which indicated that female hormonal factors might be involved in the etiology of NSCLC. Further epidemiological evaluation is warranted. Citation Information: Cancer Prev Res 2010;3(1 Suppl):B107.

Levels of persistent organic pollutants in human milk in two Chinese coastal cities, Tianjin and Yantai: Influence of fish consumption

In 2006–2007, we collected human milk from 60 and 48 donors in the Chinese coastal cities of Tianjin and Yantai, respectively, in accordance with the WHO/UNEP global milk survey. We determined the concentrations of organochlorine pesticides by GC/MS/MS and dioxins by XDS-CALUX bioassay in the individual milk specimens. The geometric mean concentrations (GMs) of β-HCH (586.7ng g−1 fat), total DDTs (855.9ngg−1 fat), and dl-PCBs (4.4pg CALUX-TEQg−1 fat) in the milk from Yantai were higher than those from Tianjin (254.4ng g-1 fat, 654.7ngg−1 fat, 1.9pg CALUX-TEQ g−1 fat, respectively). However, the GMs of HCB (41.1ngg−1 fat) and PCDD/Fs (13.1pg CALUX-TEQg−1 fat) from Tianjin were higher than those from Yantai (15.7ng g−1 fat, 9.9pg CALUX-TEQ g−1 fat). The low ratios of DDT/(DDE+DDD) in milk from both areas suggested that past exposure contributed to the total DDTs body burden. The dl-PCBs body burden in the high sea fish intake group was higher than that in the low intake group, both with and without adjustments for potential influencing factors. For β-HCH, a marginal P value (P=0.063) was observed between high and low sea fish consumption groups after adjusting for potential influencing factors. Donors in the high freshwater fish group showed higher PCDD/Fs and HCB levels than those in the low intake group, both with and without adjustments. Further monitoring studies of POPs contamination in human milk and foods are needed in China.

산란계 사료 내 칼슘의 수준별 첨가 급여가 생산성 및 계란 품질에 미치는 영향

본 연구는 산란계에 있어 오전오후 사료 분리급여를 위한 실용적 방법을 모색하고자 고칼슘수준(칼슘 3.7%) 사료와 저칼슘사료(칼슘 0.3%) 2가지 기초사료에 석회석을 정확히 칭량한 후 배합사료 위에 고루 뿌려 주면서 0, 10g 및 20g씩을 각각 급여하여 산란생산성 및 계란품질에 미치는 효과를 구명하였다. 시험 전기간 동안 산란율, 난중 및 1일 산란량에서는 처리구간 유의적 차이는 나타나지 않았으나 시험 기간이 지나면서 칼슘 3.7% 수준에서 석회석을 10g 추가 급여한 처리구와 무칼슘 사료에 칼슘 10g 별도 급여 처리구에서 산란율이 개선되는 것으로 나타났다. 칼슘 및 석회석 섭취량은 공급수준이 증가할수록 증가하는 것으로 나타났는데 고칼슘 급여구가 저칼슘에 비하여 다소 낮은 경향을 보였다. 난각강도 및 난각두께는 석회석을 추가 급여한 처리구에서 개선되는 것으로 나타났다. 혈액 생화학분석에서 glucose는 관행수준 칼슘급여량이 칼슘 추가 급여구에 비하여 높은 수준을 보였다(P<0.05). Total protein은 고칼슘 급여구가 상대적으로 높은 수준을 보였으며 Inorganic P은 고칼슘 급여구에서 전반적으로 높았으나(p<0.05), 처리구간 비교 시 일정한 경향을 나타내지는 않았다. 따라서, 결과적으로 본시험에서는 고칼슘 사료 내 석회석의 추가 급여 하였을 때 10g 정도가 적절하였으며 일정기간이 지나면서 생산성 및 계란품질에 있어 개선효과가 나타나는 것으로 알 수 있었다. This experiment was carried out to investigate the effect of feeding limestone to high and low Ca layer diets on laying performance and eggshell quality in laying hens. Five hundred and twenty-eight HyLine brown layer allotted to six treatments consisting of high and low Ca diets. Limestone added to two kinds of basal diet with 1, 2 and 3 fold compared to conventional diet. Egg production was not different regardless Ca level and amount of added limestone in overall periods. However, the increment of egg observed in high Ca diet and added 10g limestone group during later period. Ca and limestone intake were increased as increasing feeding limestone. Eggshell strength and thickness were improved in high Ca consumption group. It was concluded that feeding Ca sources to conventional diets was helpful improving eggshell quality and reducing feed cost per egg mass by increasing proportion of Ca intake.

Towards a better understanding of patients' perspectives of antibiotic resistance and MRSA: a qualitative study

Patients' expectations for antibiotics are known to influence prescribing, but little is known about patients' understanding of, and attitudes to, antibiotic resistance and whether these could modify treatment expectations. To explore primary care patients' perspectives on antibiotic resistance and methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and understand how these could modify expectations for antibiotics. A qualitative investigation using focus groups and semi-structured interviews with patients purposely sampled from low, intermediate and high antibiotic consumption groups from socio-economically contrasting general practices. There was uncertainty concerning the nature and implications of antibiotic resistance for both individuals and the wider community. While some patients viewed antibiotic resistance as a problem for society, most did not see it as something that would affect them personally. Many thought that science would provide the solution through the development of new drugs. Responsibility for antibiotic resistance was mostly attributed to 'other' patients and GPs who had respectively overused and overprescribed antibiotics in the past. As MRSA was mainly seen as a hospital-based problem, blame was largely directed at hospital management and, to a lesser degree, doctors, nurses and cleaners. Concerns about antibiotic resistance were not regarded as a reason to modify individual use of antibiotics. Many primary care patients are unaware of what antibiotic resistance is and how it arises. The causes of, and responsibility for, antibiotic resistance are usually attributed to external rather than personal factors and patients perceive that its solutions are outside of their control.