Semi-quantitative Food Frequency Questionnaire Research Articles

High dietary acid load predicts severity of autoimmune skin disease: a cross-sectional study

No previous study has examined the association of an acid-base imbalanced diet to autoimmune bullous disease. The present study aimed to investigate the association between dietary acid load (DAL) as either potential renal acid load (PRAL) and net endogenous acid production (NEAP) intake on the odds of high-severity Pemphigus Vulgaris (PV) disease in adult Iranian patients to fill this gap. A cross-sectional study was conducted on 138 patients, aged 18–65 years with confirmed diagnoses of PV in a referral university center for autoimmune bullous diseases. The dietary intakes of all patients during the last year before enrollment in the study were assessed using a 168-item semi-quantitative food frequency questionnaire. Dietary acid load was calculated based on the PRAL and NEAP scores. To assess PV severity, the pemphigus disease area index (PDAI) score was used. Logistic regression was used to evaluate the association between DAL and PDAI. A positive association was observed between PRAL and PDAI score in the crude (adjusted R2 = 0.088, B = 6.88, P < 0.0001) and all other adjusted models, as well as the crude model for NEAP (adjusted R2 = 0.037, B = 4.72, P = 0.013). In terms of adherence to NEAP and PRAL, those in the top tertile of PRAL and NEAP had a higher vulnerability for severe PV in unadjusted (OR = 5.18, 95% (CI) 2.19–12.25) and (OR = 2.48, 95% (CI) 1.08–5.68) respectively. In the present study, we found a significant direct association between DAL and severity of disease in PV patients. Further studies are required to confirm these findings.

A ferritin-related dietary pattern is positively associated with iron status but negatively associated with vitamin D status in pregnant women: a cross-sectional study

PurposeVitamin D supplementation positively impacts anemia, but the relationship between a ferritin-related dietary pattern, iron parameters, and vitamin D in anemia is unclear.MethodsThis cross-sectional study analyzed data from the 2017–2019 National Nutrition and Health Survey, including 1423 pregnant women over 15 years old. Dietary intake was assessed using a semi-quantitative food frequency questionnaire and a 24-hour dietary recall. The FrDP was identified using reduced rank regression with blood parameters as response variables and 32 food groups as predictors. Linear and binomial logistic regression analyses evaluated the associations between the FrDP and serum biomarkers, adjusting for demographic and dietary variables. Risk associations between the FrDP and vitamin D concentrations were also assessed.ResultsThe FrDP explained 18.5% of the variation in 6 response variables and was characterized by high consumption of fish, soy, gluten pasta, nuts, organ meat, pickled vegetables, and marine plants. The FrDP correlated positively with serum hemoglobin (r = 0.76), iron (r = 0.52), ferritin (r = 0.79), folate (r = 0.86), and vitamin B12 (r = 0.86). Linear regression revealed a positive association between the FrDP and serum iron. Women in the highest FrDP tertile were less likely to have low serum iron (OR = 0.65, 95% CI 0.50–0.85) but more likely to have low 25(OH) vitamin D concentrations (OR = 1.79, 95% CI 1.32–2.43).ConclusionsThe FrDP was positively associated with serum iron but negatively associated with serum 25(OH) vitamin D in pregnant women.Graphical

The association between non- and pro-healthy diet indices and the risk of colorectal cancer: a case-control study

BackgroundThe Non-Healthy Diet Index (NHDI) and the Pro-Healthy Diet Index (PHDI) are two novel indices that evaluate the healthiness of a diet based on the consumption of several food groups. This study aimed to evaluate the association between adherence to the PHDI and NHDI and colorectal cancer (CRC) risk in the Iranian population.MethodsThe current study was conducted as a hospital-based research using a case (n = 71)- matched-controls (n = 142) design in Tehran, Iran. A semi-quantitative food frequency questionnaire was utilized to determine participants’ dietary intake after confirming the diagnosis of CRC and at the time of the interview. The PHDI-10 was employed to assess the consumption of foods with positive health effects, which is linked to the frequency of consuming 10 food groups, and the NHDI-14 was used to assess the consumption of foods that have detrimental effects on health, based on the frequency of 14 food groups. Logistic regression was used to evaluate the association between continuous PHDI and NHDI scores and their tertiles with CRC.ResultsThe results indicated that individuals in the highest tertile of the PHDI showed a lower CRC risk compared to those in the lowest tertile (adjusted model- odds ratio (OR) = 0.25; 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.10–0.61; P = 0.002). Also, lower odds of CRC risk were seen with each unit change in the total score of PHDI in the adjusted model (OR = 0.86; 95% CI: 0.76–0.96; P = 0.009). In contrast, individuals in the highest tertile of the NHDI showed a higher risk of CRC compared to those in the lowest tertile (OR = 2.62; 95% CI: 1.09–6.27; P = 0.030) in the adjusted model. Also, higher odds of CRC risk were observed with each unit increase in the total score of NHDI in the adjusted model (OR = 1.13; 95% CI: 1.03–1.25; P = 0.008).ConclusionsThe present study showed that higher adherence to PHDI and NHDI is associated with lower and higher CRC risk, respectively. These results provide valuable insights into the roles of healthy and unhealthy diets in CRC prevention.

The prolonged impact of swapping non-fermented with fermented dairy products on cardiovascular disease: the ATTICA cohort study (2002-2022).

Scientific evidence suggests that substituting non-fermented with fermented dairy products may confer cardiovascular health benefits. The role of fermented in relation to non-fermented dairy products on 20-year fatal/non-fatal cardiovascular disease (CVD) incidence was examined. In 2001-2002, n = 3042 free-of-CVD men and women from Attica, Greece, were recruited. Dietary assessment was based on a validated semi-quantitative food frequency questionnaire. CVD evaluation was performed in three follow-up time points at 5, 10 and 20 years, in n = 1988 participants (718 cases). Participants reported >2 servings/day of fermented dairy products had 1.5 times lower risk to develop CVD compared with their lower level of consumption. Multi-adjusted analysis revealed similar cardioprotective properties per 1 serving increase in dairy consumption of fermented dairy products (Hazard Ratio (HR) = 0.82, 95% Confidence Interval (95%CI) (0.58, 0.95)) as well as when the ratios of fermented:total dairy products (0.90, (0.53, 0.95)) and fermented:non-fermented dairy products (0.74, (0.39, 0.92)) were ≥0.76 and ≥2.5, respectively. The associations were more evident in case of impaired inflammation status. Replacing 1 serving of non-fermented with 1 equivalent serving of fermented dairy products reduced CVD risk (0.74, (0.53, 0.92)). Substitution of low-fat with whole-fat yogurt increased CVD risk (1.35, (1.02, 1.58)). Replacing cheese (any kind) with low-fat yogurt reduced CVD risk (all HRs<1) while with whole-fat yogurt no significance was observed. Shift of guidelines to a daily pattern of dairy intake yet with an inclination towards emphasizing the consumption of fermented products is recommended.

Healthy food diversity and the risk of major chronic diseases in the EPIC-Potsdam study.

Practicing a diverse diet may reduce chronic disease risk, but clear evidence is scarce and previous diet diversity measures rarely captured diet quality. We investigated the effect of the Healthy Food Diversity (HFD)-Index on incident type 2 diabetes (T2D), myocardial infarction (MI) and stroke among a middle-aged German population. The EPIC-Potsdam study recruited 27,548 participants from 1994 to 1998. Semiquantitative food frequency questionnaire was used to calculate the HFD-Index. Longitudinal associations of HFD-Index and verified incident diseases were investigated by multiple-adjusted Cox proportional hazards regression models. Among 26,591 participants (mean age 50.5years, 60% women), 1537, 376 and 412 developed T2D, MI and stroke, respectively, over an average follow-up of 10.6years. There was no association between HFD-Index and incident T2D or MI. Higher compared to lower HFD-Index was inversely associated with incident stroke in men [HR (95% CI): 0.80 (0.70, 0.92)], but positively associated with incident stroke in women [1.20 (1.01, 1.42)]. Although there was no clear association between HFD-Index and T2D or MI incidence, we found a beneficial association in men and a harmful association in women for incident stroke. We emphasised the need for further investigations on combining diet diversity and diet quality in relation to health outcomes.

The association between dietary obesity-prevention score (DOS) and polycystic ovary syndrome: a case-control study.

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is one of the most prevalent obesity-related diseases in women of reproductive age. Linkage between diet and PCOS are still controversial. Dietary obesity prevention score (DOS) is one of the new indicators of diet evaluation which have been previously linked to obesity. To the best of our knowledge, this study was the first to investigate the relationship between DOS and PCOS. In this case-control study, 100 newly diagnosed women with PCOS and 100 age-matched women without PCOS were assayed from clinics affiliated to Kashan university of medical sciences, Kashan, Iran. A validated semi-quantitative food frequency questionnaire was used to evaluate food intakes. DOS was calculated based on previous published guideline. Anthropometric measurements were carefully measured by a trained nutritionist. A 10-houres fasting plasma blood sample was collected for all participants. Fasting blood sugar (FBS), triglyceride (TG), total cholesterol (CHOL), High density lipoprotein (HDL), Low density lipoprotein (LDL) and C - reactive protein (CRP) were measured based on laboratory methods. The mean age and BMI of study participants was 23.6 year and 24.9kg/m2 respectively. After adjustment for potential confounders, adherence to DOS score was inversely associated with CRP levels. People in the top tertile of DOS had lower CRP level compared to people in the bottom tertile (3.71 compared to 4.48mg/dl) (P = 0.04). In addition, participant in the top tertile of DOS had marginally significant higher level of FBS compared to participants in the bottom tertile (92.3 vs. 88.9mg/dl, P = 0.051). After adjustment for all confounding factors people in the highest tertile of DOS had a 46% non-significant lower odds for PCOS compared to people in the lowest tertile (95% CI: 0.23-1.25; P-trend = 0.15). In the present study, an inverse significant association was seen between adherence to DOS and inflammation. However, no significant relationship was observed between DOS and odds of having PCOS. Further longitudinal studies are suggested to investigate the association between DOS and PCOS.

Validation of an App-based Food Frequency Questionnaire: Comparison With 24-hour Diet Recalls Among Women in two Rural Areas of Kenya

A new mobile application with a new semi-quantitative Food Frequency Questionnaire (FFQ) was developed as a quick dietary assessment tool. This study aimed to test the validation of food and nutrient intake measurements from an app-based FFQ, which included 49 dishes and food items, using non-consecutive two-day 24-hour diet recalls as the standard. A total of 179 women aged 19–70 years (mean (SD) = 33.7 (9.9)) from two rural areas of Kenya, Vihiga and Kitui counties, were included. Dietary assessment by the two dietary survey methods was conducted from November to December 2021. The intake of macro- and micronutrients, and food groups between the two methods were compared by Spearman's rank correlation coefficients, cross-classification agreement, and Bland-Altman plots for assessing the validation of the app-based FFQ. The median correlation coefficients between energy-adjusted intakes estimated by the app-based FFQ and the 24-h diet recall were 0.19 (0.10 (protein)–0.26 (fat)) for macronutrients, 0.24 (0.11 (sodium)–0.46 (vitamin B12)) for micronutrients, and 0.26 (0.07 (seasonings)–0.45 (pulses)) for 17-food groups. The median percentage of classification into the same quartiles between the two methods was 31% for macronutrient, 32% for micronutrient and 39% for food group. While 9% for macronutrient, 8% for micronutrient and 10% for the food group were misclassified into the opposite categories. Bland-Altman Plots showed acceptable agreement for macronutrients intake between the two methods. The app-based FFQ was shown to be able to rank or categorize individuals according to their intake of most of the nutrients and food groups we examined. This dietary assessment tool can be used for quantitative dietary data collection. Further research is needed to improve the validation of the app-based FFQ, as it has been shown that intakes of staple foods and sugar are underestimated and others are overestimated, and that estimating intakes of some specific nutrients, such as protein, is challenging. Key words: Diet assessment, food frequency questionnaire, 24-hour diet recall, validation, Kenya

Pre-Pregnancy Provegetarian Food Pattern and the Risk of Developing Gestational Diabetes Mellitus: The Seguimiento Universidad de Navarra (SUN) Cohort Study.

Background and Objectives: Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) is one of the most common medical conditions in pregnancy, with adverse effects on maternal and neonatal outcomes. Evidence suggests a beneficial effect of plant-based dietary patterns, rich in foods derived from plant sources and low in animal foods, on type 2 diabetes; however, their effects on GDM remain unclear. We aimed to investigate the association between pre-pregnancy provegetarian food patterns and the incidence of GDM in a Spanish cohort. Materials and Methods: This subsample of the Seguimiento Universidad de Navarra (SUN) cohort analyzed 3589 Spanish university graduate pregnant women with a mean (standard deviation) age of 28 (±4.3) who were initially free of pre-existing diabetes at baseline. Dietary food consumption was evaluated through a validated, 136-item semi-quantitative food frequency questionnaire. The pre-pregnancy provegetarian food pattern was obtained by assigning positive scores to plant-based food groups and reverse scores to animal food groups. Energy-adjusted quintiles were applied to allocate points to construct the provegetarian food pattern, ranging from 12 to 60 points. Logistic regression models were performed to estimate the odds ratios (OR) of GDM across quintiles of a pre-pregnancy provegetarian food pattern, using the lowest quintile as the reference category. Results: We identified 178 incidence cases of GDM. Women in the highest quintile (Q5) of provegetarian food pattern before pregnancy exhibited a 42% relative reduction in the odds of GDM [adjusted OR (95% CI) Q5 vs. Q1: 0.58 (0.35, 0.97); p-trend = 0.109]. Higher consumption of meat and dairy before pregnancy was associated with a significantly increased risk of GDM [adjusted OR (95% CI) Q5 vs. Q1: 1.94 (1.19, 3.16); p-trend = 0.005] and [adjusted OR (95% CI) Q5 vs. Q1: 1.77 (1.07, 2.94); p-trend = 0.082], respectively. Conclusions: Higher pre-pregnancy consumption of a provegetarian food pattern was associated with a lower risk of developing GDM in Spanish women. Further studies are needed to confirm these findings.

Higher dietary insulin index is directly associated with the odd of kidney stones.

Kidney stones or Nephrolithiasis are the most common health condition associated with the urinary system. Dietary factors stand as important factors in the occurrence and development of kidney stones. This study aimed to examine the potential link between dietary insulin index (DII) and dietary insulin load (DIL) with prevalence of kidney stones. This cross-sectional study was conducted among adults aged 30 to 75 years in the Shahedieh district of Yazd, Iran, over the period of 2015-2016. DII and DIL were calculated using a validated semi-quantitative food-frequency questionnaire and mathematical formula. Diagnosis of kidney stones is made on the basis of information obtained from self-reported questionnaire (Yes/ No). To explore the association between DII and DIL with the odds of kidney stones, logistic regression was employed in crude and adjusted models. A total of 4,829 participants were included in this study. Individuals in the last quartile of DIL had 214% higher odds of kidney stones in the crude model (OR: 2.14, 95% CI: 1.62-2.83; P-trend < 0.001); this association was remained significant after adjustments for confounding variables (OR: 1.44, 95% CI: 1.04-1.97; P-trend: 0.019). There was a direct significant relationship between DII and odds of kidney stones among third and forth quartiles of DII (OR: 1.52, 95% CI: 1.16-1.98, P-trend = 0.002); but this association disappeared for adjusted models. Higher DII and DIL were associated with an increased odd of renal stones. Large longitudinal study is required to clarify these associations.

Exploratory dietary patterns, the global diet quality score, and their associated socio-demographic factors among young adults in Rwanda: a cross-sectional study using a food list-validated, semi-quantitative food frequency questionnaire

BackgroundEconomic growth in Rwanda is associated with significant changes in food systems, access to health and other services, lifestyle, and nutritional transitions. Nevertheless, our knowledge of dietary patterns in Rwanda remains limited. The present study aimed to identify the dietary habits of young adult population in Rwanda and to assess associated factors.MethodsA developed and validated semi-quantitative food frequency questionnaire covering a one-year period was used to collect data on food intake of 1,218 participants (18–35 years old) from end of January to April 2023 in a cross-sectional study. Dietary habits were assessed using two indicators: the Global Diet Quality Score (GDQS) and dietary patterns. The latest was developed using exploratory factor analysis.ResultsRwandan adults had a mean GDQS of 24.1; 64.4% had high GDQS, especially urban, and educated respondents. The Southern province led at 77.4%. Three dietary patterns were identified: “Modern” (high in processed foods and drinks), “Traditional” (rich in cereals, roots, and plant-based proteins), and “low variety” (low in diverse foods but high in sugar and salt). Dietary patterns significantly varied by residency, province, sex, age, social category, asset, and education level.ConclusionThis study identified distinct dietary patterns among adult population of Rwanda, suggesting a nutritional transition associated with urbanization. The findings highlight the need for further research into the relationships between diet, obesity, and metabolic syndrome in Rwandan population.

Association of Low Protein-to-Carbohydrate Energy Ratio with Cognitive Impairment in Elderly Type 2 Diabetes Patients.

The relationship between macronutrient intake and cognitive decline in older adults with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) remains underexplored. This cross-sectional study aimed to evaluate the association between the protein-to-carbohydrate energy ratio (%E:P) and cognitive impairment among 192 elderly T2DM patients. Cognitive function was assessed using the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) and the Self-Administered Gerocognitive Exam (SAGE), while dietary intake data, including (%E:P), was gathered using a validated semi-quantitative food frequency questionnaire. Participants had a mean age of 71 ± 6 years, 46.4% were female, and the median BMI was 30 ± 4 kg/m2. After adjusting for confounding variables, patients in the highest (%E:P) tertile showed significantly higher MoCA and SAGE scores compared to those in the lowest tertile (p < 0.005). We identified an optimal (%E:P) threshold of 0.375 for predicting cognitive impairment, with a sensitivity of 53% and specificity of 64%. These findings suggest that a lower (%E:P) ratio may be a risk factor for cognitive impairment in elderly T2DM patients. Monitoring this ratio may serve as an early detection tool for cognitive deterioration. Moreover, current protein intake recommendations for older adults with T2DM may be insufficient to prevent cognitive impairment. Further research is needed to establish optimal dietary guidelines for this population.

The association between hypertension and different types of dietary carbohydrates

Background Hypertension is the most prominent and well acknowledged chronic disease in developed countries and is a significant contributor to global mortality. The present study aimed to investigate the association between hypertension and different types of dietary carbohydrates. Method This cross-sectional study was conducted on 4184 people aged 35–70, including 1239 patients with hypertension and 2945 subjects with normal blood pressure (BP) in Sabzevar, Iran. The dietary intake data were collected through the administration of a semiquantitative Food Frequency Questionnaire. Utilizing Nutritionist IV software, dietary glucose, fructose, simple sugar, carbohydrate, and galactose consumption were evaluated. Results A direct association was found between dietary glucose and BP (odds ratio: 1.02; 95% CI: 1.01–1.05; P = 0.04). This association remained significant after adjusting for age. Further adjustments for education, marital status, job, physical activity, and BMI, and additional adjustments for energy intake did not change the results. Conclusion In summary, the present study identified a significant association between hypertension and dietary intake of glucose. Considering that carbohydrates are an essential part of the diet worldwide, these findings can be valuable in formulating dietary interventions for hypertensive patients.

Association of dietary manganese intake and the IL1R1 rs3917225 polymorphism with thyroid cancer risk: a prospective cohort study in Korea.

Dietary Mn intake may have a beneficial effect in reducing cancer risk; however, its association with thyroid cancer (TC) risk remains inadequately understood. Additionally, Mn was associated with inflammation markers. Thus, we examined whether dietary Mn intake emerges a protective role against TC and whether this preventative effect has an interaction with IL1 receptor type 1 (IL1R1) rs3917225. The prospective study was designed at National Cancer Center in Korea between October 2007 and December 2020 including 17754 participants. We identified TC cases by following participants until December 2020. Mn intake was collected using a semiquantitative food frequency questionnaire (SQFFQ). Genotyping was performed to determine IL1R1 rs3917225. The hazard ratios (HR) and 95 % confidence interval (CI) were calculated with a Cox proportional hazards model. We ascertained 108 incident TC cases throughout follow-up duration. Dietary Mn intake was found to be inversely associated with TC risk (HR (95 % CI)=0·64 (0·44, 0·95)). However, IL1R1 rs3917225 seemed to modify this association; the protective effect was limited to G-allele carriers (HR = 0·30 (0·11, 0·86), P interaction=0·028). A higher dietary Mn was suggested to be a protective factor against TC. Additionally, we drew a potential biological interaction between Mn intake and IL1R1 rs3917225 with a greater effect among individuals with a minor allele. This implies that when considering the cancer-preventive role of Mn, it is important to account for the influence of inflammatory gene participation.

The association between plant-based diet indices and risk of mortality in patients with cirrhosis: a cohort study

BackgroundFollowing a plant-based diet is associated with a wide range of health benefits. The current study aimed to investigate the association between plant-based diet indices, specifically the plant-based diet index (PDI), healthful PDI (hPDI), and unhealthful PDI (uPDI) and risk of mortality in cirrhotic patients.MethodsThis cohort study included a total of 121 patients with cirrhosis, who were followed for four years. Plant-based diet indices were calculated based on a validated semi-quantitative food frequency questionnaire consisting of 168 items. The Hazard ratio (HR) with their corresponding 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were estimated using the Cox proportional risk models.ResultsDuring 414 person-year of follow-up, 43 deaths (7 women, 36 men) were documented. After adjusting all confounders, it has been found that the PDI (HR T3 vs. T1 = 0.16, 95% CI = 0.03–0.89, P trend = 0.024) and hPDI (HR T3 vs. T1 = 0.04, 95% CI = 0.02–0.61, P trend = 0.020) were inversely associated with the risk of mortality. While uPDI was directly associated with a significant increase in mortality risk (HR T3 vs. T1 = 8.74, 95% CI = 0.33–17.14, P trend = 0.018). The 4-year survival rate among patients showed a significant relationship with all three indices.ConclusionsOur findings highlight that higher scores of PDI and hPDI can significantly reduce the risk of mortality in patients with cirrhosis, while a significant increase in mortality risk was found in those with higher uPDI. However, confirmation of these findings requires further studies.

An Investigation on Adherence to the Daily Dietary Intake Recommendations among Pregnant Women in Jigawa North-West Zone, Nigeria

Introduction: Past investigations revealed that there were no specific recorded data available on the adherence to the daily recommended dietary intakes among pregnant women in Jigawa North-West zone in Nigeria. Purpose: This study investigates the adherence of a cohort of pregnant women to the daily dietary intake recommendations in Jigawa north west zone, Nigeria. Methodology: The study cohort was population based of enrolled pregnant women who routinely attended the antenatal care of the General Hospital Kazaure (GHK), Jigawa state, Nigeria. A total of 207 pregnant women were enrolled for the study, where a descriptive study was conducted using Semi-Quantitative Food Frequency Questionnaire (SQFFQ) administered in a face to face interviewed-administrated procedure. Data Analysis: Data obtained were presented using descriptive statistics, relative frequencies and charts. The analysis was done using the SPSS statistical software package and the level of significance was set at p&lt;0.05. The data analyzed were presented as frequency tables. Pearson chi‑square (X^2) and t‑tests were used to test for associations between categorical and continuous variables, respectively. Results and Conclusion: The results revealed that most of the pregnant women in the zone do not adhere to nutritional guidelines in their pregnancy, none of the enrolled women met the recommendations for all the FiveFood Groups (FFG). Adherence on some of FFG varies more with their socioeconomic characteristics than their locations

The association between Planetary Health Diet Index and the risk of colorectal cancer: a case-control study

Background Despite the beneficial effects of a plant-based diet on colorectal cancer (CRC), no study has yet investigated the relationship between a Planetary Health Diet Index (PHDI) and CRC in the Iranian population. Therefore, the present case-control study aimed to assess the relationship between this index and CRC. Methods The current research was conducted on 71 patients with CRC (case group) and 142 (control group) admitted to hospitals in Tehran, Iran. The PHDI (0-150 points) was calculated based on a semi-quantitative food frequency questionnaire. Conditional logistic regression was applied to evaluate the association between CRC and PHDI and its sub-scores. Results After adjusting for the role of potential confounders, lower odds of CRC were observed in the second tertile of the total ratio score (odds ratio (OR) = 0.334; 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.127–0.878, P = 0.026) and the last tertile of PHDI (OR = 0.407; 95% CI: 0.183–0.907, P = 0.028), total adequacy score (OR = 0.261; 95% CI: 0.110–0.622, P = 0.002), and total moderation score (OR = 0.380; 95% CI: 0.162–0.891, P = 0.026) in comparison to the first tertile of each index. Conclusions The current study’s findings indicated a reverse relationship between PHDI, total adequacy, moderation, and ratio scores with the CRC odds. However, it is suggested that more research be performed in this field in the future to confirm the results of this study.

Relationship between Diet-Related Inflammation and Hospitalization Risk and Disease Severity in Patients with COVID-19

Background: Increased serum concentrations of inflammatory biomarkers in patients indicate a strong association between COVID-19 and inflammation. However, the association between diet-related inflammation and COVID-19 has been less investigated. The aim of this study is to investigate whether the inflammatory scores of the diet are associated with the severity of COVID-19 disease and the probability of hospitalization of patients. Methods: The authors conducted a cross-sectional study involving 141 patients with COVID-19. The empirical dietary inflammatory pattern (EDIP) and dietary inflammation scores (DIS) were calculated based on a 147-item semi-quantitative food frequency questionnaire. The association between serum levels of inflammatory biomarkers and diet-related inflammation was also investigated. Results: 74 inpatients and 87 outpatients participated in this study. Higher DIS scores were significantly associated with an increased risk of COVID-related hospitalization (Tertile3 vs. tertile1: OR = 3·62; 95 % CI 1·43 to 9·14, P=0·008 after fully adjustment). This association with EDIP was also observed, but it was not significant. Conclusion: The data from this provide evidence that a pro-inflammatory diet was associated with higher risk of hospitalization due to high severity of COVID-19.

Determinants of adherence to sustainable healthy diets among Portuguese adults

IntroductionIndividual food consumption has health implications and direct and indirect environmental impacts. However, knowledge of the determinants of adherence to sustainable healthy diets is still scarce. PurposeAnalyze the influence of sociodemographic factors (sex, age, marital status, household composition, education, and urbanization degree), body mass index (BMI), physical activity, and diet quality (nutrient adequacy ratio – NAR) on the adherence to the Sustainable HEalthy Diet (SHED) Index and its sub-scores among Portuguese adults. Materials and methodsData for this cross-sectional study were obtained from a convenience sample of adults through the completion of a self-reported questionnaire, including sociodemographic information, adherence to the SHED Index, physical activity level (International Physical Activity Questionnaire), and dietary intake (semi-quantitative food frequency questionnaire). Multivariate linear regressions models were used to analyze the associations between factors and the SHED Index and its sub-scores. ResultsA total of 347 participants (64.6 % women) with a median age of 27 years old (P25:20; P75:50) were included. Multivariate regression showed an association of sex (Bmale = −4.286,p < 0.001), age (B = 0.263,p < 0.001), urbanization degree (Brural = 2.465,p = 0.034), and education (Bsecondary = 4.244,p = 0.021;Bcollege/university = 5.821,p = 0.001) with SHED Index scores. Furthermore, sex and age were associated with most sub-scores, marital status with Buy Fruits Vegetables and Water sub-scores, physical activity with Water sub-score, and both NAR and education with Healthy Eating sub-score. ConclusionsFindings suggest that sex, age, urbanization degree, and education level are associated with adherence to a sustainable healthy diet. Physical activity and diet quality were also shown to be associated with the SHED Index sub-scores of Water and Healthy Eating, respectively.

Association between major dietary patterns and obesity phenotypes in southwest China: baseline survey results from Hechuan.

This study aimed to identify the main dietary patterns in Hechuan and clarify how they are associated with obesity phenotypes. A cross-sectional study was conducted based on a baseline survey of a general population cohort study in southwest China. A semi-quantitative food frequency questionnaire (FFQ) was used to investigate the dietary habits of the participants in the past year. Principal component analysis was conducted to identify the main dietary patterns, and multinomial logistic regression analysis was conducted to describe the association between the major dietary patterns and obesity phenotypes. Three major dietary patterns were identified. The participants who followed the wheaten food dietary pattern had a higher likelihood of having metabolically normal obesity (MHO) (odds ratio (OR) 1.05, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.02-1.08), metabolically abnormal normal weight (MUNW) (OR 1.08, 95%CI 1.00-1.16), and metabolically abnormal obesity (MUO) (OR 1.07, 95%CI 1.04-1.11). Specifically, those with the highest wheaten food dietary pattern were 1.60 times more likely to have MHO (OR 1.60, 95%CI 1.25-2.05), 2.62 times more likely to have MUNW (OR 2.62, 95%CI 1.28-5.37), and 2.01 times more likely to have MUO (OR 2.01, 95%CI 1.51-2.69) than those with the lowest wheaten food dietary pattern. The wheaten food dietary pattern may increase the risk of obesity and metabolic abnormalities. Therefore, timely interventions should be carried out for this group of people.

Empirical dietary inflammatory pattern could increase the odds of breast cancer: a case-control study

BackgroundIt has been shown that chronic inflammation is a significant factor in cancer development and progression. The current study aimed to investigate whether a higher score on the empirical dietary inflammatory pattern (EDIP), which indicates a more pro-inflammatory diet, is related to higher odds of breast cancer in Iranian women.MethodsIn the present case-control study, subjects in the case (n = 133) and control (n = 265) groups were chosen from the hospitals in Tehran, Iran. The cases consisted of women with newly diagnosed breast cancer, while the controls were selected from other parts of the same hospital and had no history of cancer or hormone therapy. Individuals whose reported energy intake deviated by three standard deviations above or below the mean energy intake of the population were excluded from the study. A reliable and valid semi-quantitative food frequency questionnaire was used to determine the participants’ dietary intake. Additionally, the association between breast cancer and EDIP was evaluated by logistic regression analysis in both crude and adjusted models.ResultsThe median scores of EDIP in the case and control groups were 0.65 and 0.61, respectively. The findings also indicated that, in the adjusted model, the odds of developing breast cancer significantly increased in the last tertile of EDIP compared to the first tertile (odds ratio (OR) = 1.859; 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.059–3.265; P = 0.031). Additionally, after adjusting for potential confounders, higher odds of breast cancer were observed in the last tertile of EDIP compared to the first tertile in postmenopausal women (OR = 2.516; 95% CI: 1.081–5.856; P = 0.033).ConclusionsThe current study indicated that individuals with a higher pro-inflammatory diet score were more likely to develop breast cancer.