Low calcium and vitamin D intakes have been associated with health risks in childhood and adulthood. This study aims to investigate dietary sources of calcium and vitamin D intake, and its associated ...sociodemographic, economic and lifestyle factors among preschoolers.
Three-day estimated diet records from 696 Flemish preschoolers 2.5-6.5 years old (51% boys) were used (66% of 1052 collected diaries). Contribution of 58 food groups to calcium and vitamin D intake were computed. Multiple linear regression was used to examine associations of intakes with sociodemographic, economic and lifestyle factors.
Mean calcium intake (844 mg per day) was above, and mean vitamin D intake (2.0 μg per day) largely below the Belgian recommendations. Milk, sweetened milk drinks and cheese were the main sources of calcium intakes (26, 25 and 11%, respectively). Butter and margarine were the main vitamin D sources (26%), followed by growth milk (=fortified milk) (20%) and fish (15%). Calcium and vitamin D intake were negatively associated with participants' age, and calcium positively with parental education and family size. The child's gender, supplement use and physical activity level, and the employment status and smoking behaviour of the parents were not associated with calcium or vitamin D intake.
Flemish preschoolers had too low vitamin D intakes while most had adequate calcium intakes. Milk (including sweetened, fortified/growth milk) was the main food source of calcium intake and the second important source of vitamin D intake after butter and margarine. Calcium intake was positively associated with parental education, while vitamin D intake was not.
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DOBA, EMUNI, FIS, FZAB, GEOZS, GIS, IJS, IMTLJ, IZUM, KILJ, KISLJ, MFDPS, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, SBMB, SBNM, SIK, UILJ, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK, VKSCE, VSZLJ, ZAGLJ
Flaxseed, the richest source of mammalian lignan precursors, such as secoisolariciresinol diglycoside (SD), has been shown over the short term to decrease some early markers of colon cancer risk. ...This study determined whether over the long term flaxseed still experts a colon cancer protective effect, whether its effect may, in part, be due to its high content of SD and whether any change in β-glucuronidase activity plays a role in the protective effect. Six groups of male Sprague-Dawley rats were fed for 100 days either a basal high fat (20%) diet (BD), BD supplemented with 2.5 or 5% flaxseed or 2.5 or 5% defatted faxseed (equivalent to the respective flaxseed diets) or BD with a daily gavageof 1.5 mg SD. All rats were injected with a single dose of azoxymethane (15 mg/kg body wt) 1 week prior to commencing the dietary treatments. Urinary lignan excretion, which is an indicator of mammalian lignan production, was significantly increased in the flaxseed and defatted flaxseed groups. The total activity of cecal β-glucuronidase was significantly increased in a dose-dependent manner by the flaxseed and defatted flaxseed diet groups. Compared with the control the number of aberrant crypts per focus was significantly reduced in the distal colon of the treated rats. Four microadenomas and two polyps were observed in the control group, but not in the treated groups. The total activity of β-glucuronidase was positively correlated with total urinary lignan excretion and negatively with the total number of aberrant crypts and the total number of aberrant crypt foci in the distal colon. There were no significant differences between the flaxseed and the corresponding defatted flaxseed groups. It is concluded that flaxseed has a colon cancer protective effect, that it is due, in part, to SD and that the protective effect of flaxseed is associated with increased β-glucuronidase activity.
We examined plasma concentrations of phyto-oestrogens in relation to risk for subsequent prostate cancer in a case-control study nested in the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and ...Nutrition. Concentrations of isoflavones genistein, daidzein and equol, and that of lignans enterolactone and enterodiol, were measured in plasma samples for 950 prostate cancer cases and 1042 matched control participants. Relative risks (RRs) for prostate cancer in relation to plasma concentrations of these phyto-oestrogens were estimated by conditional logistic regression. Higher plasma concentrations of genistein were associated with lower risk of prostate cancer: RR among men in the highest vs the lowest fifth, 0.71 (95% confidence interval (CI) 0.53-0.96, P trend=0.03). After adjustment for potential confounders this RR was 0.74 (95% CI 0.54-1.00, P trend=0.05). No statistically significant associations were observed for circulating concentrations of daidzein, equol, enterolactone or enterodiol in relation to overall risk for prostate cancer. There was no evidence of heterogeneity in these results by age at blood collection or country of recruitment, nor by cancer stage or grade. These results suggest that higher concentrations of circulating genistein may reduce the risk of prostate cancer but do not support an association with plasma lignans.
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DOBA, EMUNI, FIS, FZAB, GEOZS, GIS, IJS, IMTLJ, IZUM, KILJ, KISLJ, MFDPS, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, SBMB, SBNM, SIK, UILJ, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK, VKSCE, ZAGLJ
IntroductionHigher intake levels of dietary calcium have been shown to be associated with decreased risk of colorectal cancer (CRC) development in several prospective studies. However, very little ...information is available on the CRC risk association of circulating calcium concentrations, particularly since elevated serum calcium has been associated in some settings with metabolic dysfunction and diabetes, factors which appear to be related to higher CRC risk.Material and methodsIn order to explore this question, we conducted a case-control study nested within the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC) cohort to investigate the association between serum calcium levels and the risk of colorectal cancer (CRC) development. 975 first incident CRC cases were matched to 975 matched controls from within the cohort by sex, age, study centre, length of follow-up and some additional relevant variables. Serum calcium levels were measured using reflection X-ray fluorescence spectrometry on the pre-diagnostically-collected serum samples from cases and matched controls.Conditional logistic regression was used to calculate multivariable-adjusted odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs).Results and discussionsHigher levels of serum calcium were associated with reduced risk of CRC (OR Q5vs.Q1=0.69, 95% CI: 0.48–0.99; p trend=0.02). Sub-group analyses by anatomical sub-site suggest that the observed inverse cancer risk association is apparent in the colon (OR Q5vs.Q1=0.61, 95% CI: 0.38–0.98; p trend=0.04) and not in the rectum (OR Q5vs.Q1=0.99, 95% CI: 0.53–1.85; p trend=0.54) where the association appeared to be non-linear. The magnitude of the association in the colon is similar to that observed with dietary calcium at the same anatomical site. Stratified analysis by sex is suggestive of a stronger association for men than women.ConclusionIn conclusion, elevated serum calcium levels are inversely associated with risk of CRC development, with some evidence for heterogeneity by anatomical sub-site and sex. Additional studies are necessary to confirm these findings and to further investigate potential underlying mechanisms for the role of serum calcium in CRC development.
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GEOZS, IJS, IMTLJ, KILJ, KISLJ, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, UILJ, UL, UM, UPCLJ, UPUK, ZAGLJ, ZRSKP
Heavy alcohol drinking is a risk factor of colorectal cancer (CRC), but little is known on the effect of polymorphisms in the alcohol-metabolizing enzymes, alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH) and aldehyde ...dehydrogenase (ALDH) on the alcohol-related risk of CRC in Caucasian populations.
A nested case-control study (1269 cases matched to 2107 controls by sex, age, study centre and date of blood collection) was conducted within the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC) to evaluate the impact of rs1229984 (ADH1B), rs1573496 (ADH7) and rs441 (ALDH2) polymorphisms on CRC risk. Using the wild-type variant of each polymorphism as reference category, CRC risk estimates were calculated using conditional logistic regression, with adjustment for matching factors.
Individuals carrying one copy of the rs1229984(A) (ADH1B) allele (fast metabolizers) showed an average daily alcohol intake of 4.3 g per day lower than subjects with two copies of the rs1229984(G) allele (slow metabolizers) (P(diff)<0.01). None of the polymorphisms was associated with risk of CRC or cancers of the colon or rectum. Heavy alcohol intake was more strongly associated with CRC risk among carriers of the rs1573496(C) allele, with odds ratio equal to 2.13 (95% confidence interval: 1.26-3.59) compared with wild-type subjects with low alcohol consumption (P(interaction)=0.07).
The rs1229984(A) (ADH1B) allele was associated with a reduction in alcohol consumption. The rs1229984 (ADH1B), rs1573496 (ADH7) and rs441 (ALDH2) polymorphisms were not associated with CRC risk overall in Western-European populations. However, the relationship between alcohol and CRC risk might be modulated by the rs1573496 (ADH7) polymorphism.
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DOBA, EMUNI, FIS, FZAB, GEOZS, GIS, IJS, IMTLJ, IZUM, KILJ, KISLJ, MFDPS, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, SBMB, SBNM, SIK, UILJ, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK, VKSCE, VSZLJ, ZAGLJ
Objectives: To describe the intake of the fat-soluble nutrients retinol, β-carotene, vitamin E and vitamin D and their food sources among 27 redefined centres in 10 countries participating in the ...European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC) study. Methods: Between 1995 and 2000, 36 034 subjects (age range: 35–74 years) completed a single standardized 24-h dietary recall using a computerized interview software program (EPIC-SOFT). Intakes of the fat-soluble nutrients were estimated using the standardized EPIC Nutrient Database. Results: For all the nutrients, in most centres, men had a higher level of intake than did women, even after adjustments for total energy intake and anthropometric confounders. Distinct regional gradients from northern to southern European countries were observed for all nutrients. The level intake of β-carotene and vitamin E also showed some differences by level of education, smoking status and physical activity. No meaningful differences in the nutrient intake were observed by age range. Conclusions: These results show differences by study centre, gender, age and various lifestyle variables in the intake of retinol, β-carotene, vitamin E and vitamin D between 10 European countries.
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DOBA, EMUNI, FIS, FZAB, GEOZS, GIS, IJS, IMTLJ, IZUM, KILJ, KISLJ, MFDPS, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, SBMB, SBNM, SIK, UILJ, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK, VKSCE, VSZLJ, ZAGLJ
IntroductionUnconjugated Bilirubin (UCB), the end product of heme catabolism, is a powerful antioxidant. A mild chronic elevation of circulating UCB, known as Gilbert’s Syndrome (GS), is a relatively ...common condition affecting 5%–10% (depending on ethnicity and gender) of the adult population. Individuals with endogenously elevated UCB appear to be at lower risk of developing certain diseases where oxidative stress has been implicated in the disease process, such as cancer.Material and methodsWe investigated the association between pre-diagnostic plasma UCB concentrations and risk of colorectal cancer (CRC) development in a case-control study nested within the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC) cohort, a multicenter prospective study carried out in 23 centres from 10 European countries including 5 19 978 participants.Plasma UCB was measured by High Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC) in 1387 cases and 1387 controls matched on age, centre, follow-up time, time of blood collection, fasting status and menopausal status in women.Odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) for CRC risk were estimated using multivariable conditional logistic regression models stratified by sex, which were adjusted for potential confounders. UCB was Log2- transformed when used as a continuous variable to improve linearity.Results and discussionsIn a multivariable model that included potential confounding factors, higher Log2- transformed UCB, corresponding to a doubling of UCB concentration, was associated with increased CRC risk in men (OR=1.27; 95% CI: 1.05,1.52; p=0.01) whereas an inverse association with CRC risk was observed in women (OR=0.83; 95% CI: 0.70,0.99; p=0.04).ConclusionThese results suggest that higher levels of circulating UCB may confer protection against CRC in women but may elevate risk in men. Additional studies are necessary to confirm these findings and to further investigate potential underlying mechanisms for the role of circulating UCB in CRC development.
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GEOZS, IJS, IMTLJ, KILJ, KISLJ, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, UILJ, UL, UM, UPCLJ, UPUK, ZAGLJ, ZRSKP
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