Flavonoids and Breast Cancer Risk in Italy BOSETTI, Cristina; SPERTINI, Luana; GIACOSA, Attilio ...
Cancer epidemiology, biomarkers & prevention,
04/2005, Letnik:
14, Številka:
4
Journal Article
Recenzirano
Odprti dostop
Few epidemiologic studies have investigated the potential relation between flavonoids and breast cancer risk. We have applied
recently published data on the composition of foods and beverages in ...terms of six principal classes of flavonoids (i.e., flavanones,
flavan-3-ols, flavonols, flavones, anthocyanidines, and isoflavones) on dietary information collected in a large-case control
study of breast cancer conducted in Italy between 1991 and 1994. The study included 2,569 women with incident, histologically
confirmed breast cancer, and 2,588 hospital controls. Odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals were estimated by multiple
logistic regression models. After allowance for major confounding factors and energy intake, a reduced risk of breast cancer
was found for increasing intake of flavones (OR, 0.81, for the highest versus the lowest quintile; P -trend, 0.02), and flavonols (OR, 0.80; P -trend, 0.06). No significant association was found for other flavonoids, including flavanones (OR, 0.95), flavan-3-ols (OR,
0.86), anthocyanidins (OR, 1.09), as well as for isoflavones (OR, 1.05). The findings of this large study of an inverse association
between flavones and breast cancer risk confirm the results of a Greek study.
Purpose
To investigate the role of the overall antioxidant activity of diet, we estimated the relation between three dietary indices of total antioxidant capacity (TAC) and endometrial cancer risk
...Methods
We analyzed data from an Italian case–control study including 454 women with incident, histologically confirmed endometrial cancer, and 908 frequency-matched controls admitted to the same hospitals as cases for acute non-neoplastic conditions. A reproducible and valid food frequency questionnaire was used to assess subjects’ habitual diet. TAC was measured using Italian food composition tables in terms of Ferric-reducing antioxidant power (FRAP), Trolox equivalent antioxidant capacity (TEAC), and total radical-trapping antioxidant parameter (TRAP). We computed odds ratios (OR) and corresponding 95 % confidence intervals (CIs) using conditional multiple logistic regression models, including terms for recognized endometrial cancer risk factors and total energy intake.
Results
TAC was inversely related to endometrial cancer risk with ORs for the highest versus the lowest quartile of 0.69 (95 % CI 0.47–1.00) for FRAP, 0.68 (95 % CI 0.46–0.99) for TEAC, and 0.68 (95 % CI 0.47–0.98) for TRAP. The relations appeared consistent in strata of selected risk factors and decreased when considering TAC without the contribution of coffee.
Conclusions
Our findings suggest a favorable role of a diet high in TAC on endometrial cancer risk, which can be partially driven by coffee consumption.
Background: Consumption of vegetables, fruit and whole grain cereals has been inversely related to laryngeal cancer risk. Among the potential protective agents found in these foods, information on ...dietary fibres and laryngeal cancer risk are scanty. Patients and methods: A multi-centric, hospital-based case–control study was conducted on 527 patients with squamous-cell carcinoma of the larynx and 1297 non-neoplastic controls. Cases and controls, frequency matched by age, sex and study centre, were interviewed using a validated food frequency questionnaire. Results: Compared with the lowest quintile of fibre intake, the odds ratios (ORs) for the highest quintile were 0.3 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.2–0.4 for total fibre, 0.3 (95% CI 0.2–0.5) for soluble non-cellulose polysaccharides (NCP) and for total insoluble fibre, including cellulose (OR = 0.3, 95% CI 0.2–0.4) and insoluble NCP (OR = 0.4, 95% CI 0.3–0.7). The ORs were 0.2 (95% CI 0.1–0.4) for fibre from vegetables, 0.5 (95% CI 0.3–0.7) from fruit and 1.1 (95% CI 0.6–1.9) from grains. The inverse association observed was similar among different subsites of laryngeal cancer, and consistent across strata of various covariates. Conclusions: This study found a strong inverse association between fibre intake and laryngeal cancer risk, which points to fibre as one of the beneficial components of vegetables and fruit.
Abstract
Background and Aims
Metabolic Syndrome (MS) is a multifactorial condition that increases the risk of cardio–vascular events, it’s frequent in Heart transplant (HTx) candidates and worsens ...with immunosuppressive therapy.
Aim of the study was to analyse the impact of MS on long–term outcome of HTx patients in our centre.
Methods
MS was defined through the presence of at least 3 of the following factors: Triglyceride ≥150mg/dl or drug treatment for hypertriglyceridemia HDL <40mg/dl for men and <50mg/dl for women Blood glucose ≥100mg/dl or diabetes mellitus Arterial pressure ≥130/80 or hypertensive drug treatment BMI>30. In 349 HTx patients since 2007, mortality and morbidity predictors were evaluated.
Results
MS was present in 35% of patients pre–HTx and 47% within the first year of follow–up. Five–year survival in patients with pre–HTx MS was worst (65% vs 78%, p < 0.01), as well as in those with MS in the first year of follow–up (78% vs 89%, p < 0.01). At the univariate analysis, risk factors for mortality were recipient age (HR 1.07, 1.04–1.09, p < 0.01), pre–HTx MS (HR 1.86, 1.29–2.69, p < 0.01), pre–HTx hypertension (HR 2.46, 1.70–3.55, p < 0.01), pre–HTx hypertriglyceridemia (HR 1.50, 1.04–2.18, p = 0.03), chronic renal failure (HR 2.95, 2.03–4.27, p < 0.01), MS and diabetes at 1–year follow–up (HR 2.00, 1.25–3.19, p < 0.01; HR 2.02, 1.27–3.23, p < 0.01, respectively). The last two resulted also risk factors for CAV (HR 1.86, 1.16–2.99, p = 0.01; HR 1.67, 1.03–2.69, p = 0.04, respectively). MS at 1–year follow–up determined a significant higher risk to develop CAV at 5– and 10–year follow–up, compared to patients without MS (25% vs 14% and 44% vs 25%, p < 0.01).
Conclusions
MS is an important risk factor for both mortality and morbidity post–HTx, suggesting the need for a strict monitoring of metabolic disorders with a careful nutritional follow–up in HTx patients.
Abstract
Background
Customer satisfaction represents an innovative approach to measure strengths and weaknesses of an organization and is useful for a customer-focused management and culture ...development. Our survey’s aim was to investigate perceived quality and needs of customers in the university canteen sector.
Methods
Between April and June 2018, an anonymous online questionnaire was distributed by “agenzia regionale per il diritto agli studi superiori” (ARDISS) among university students in Friuli Venezia Giulia, Italy. The questions covered 3 thematic areas: attendance of the service, quality of services and opinions on new initiatives. Furthermore, there was an open question to collect students’ suggestions or proposals to improve the service. Satisfaction about the service was evaluated through five topics: environments, hygiene, staff, meals, global satisfaction. Collected data were analyzed with descriptive, univariate and multivariate analyses. Statistical analyses were performed using 9.4 SAS software.
Results
Response rate was 20.5% (1933/9404). Multiple logistic regression analyses showed a difference in meal choice (entire vs reduced) between institutional canteen and partner cafeterias users (p < 0.0001) and that male (p < 0.0001) and foreign students (p 0.0003) prefer entire meal instead of reduced. Percentage of students who prefer entire meal is reduced (p < 0.0001) if price range increases. Univariate and multivariate analyses showed that high quality perception is associated with lower price range and no suggestions about food and environments (p < 0.0001); multivariate analyses also showed an association between high quality perception and high canteen attendance (p < 0.05).
Conclusions
The survey showed an association between meal choice and students’ profile and between perceived quality and customer’s features. These data and further analyses may help to select areas where an intervention could improve service quality and, therefore, customer satisfaction.
Key messages
Customer satisfaction is an important tool to measure and improve university canteen service quality.
These results helped us to identify services’ strengths and weaknesses according to students’ opinions; this could be useful to select improvement areas.
Abstract
Background
Socioeconomic status (SES) has been proposed as an important determinant of oral health outcomes. The aim of this project is to assess the association between nationality, ...parents’ educational level and oral health in a sample of children in Udine, Italy.
Methods
Between February and May 2018, in the context of a screening programme carried out to evaluate the oral health status in 6-year-old children, parents filled out a questionnaire investigating behavioural, socioeconomic and demographical factors. For each child the number of decayed, missing and filled deciduous teeth (dmft) and caries prevalence (CP) were assessed.
Results
The screening was conducted on 976 children, 705 (72%) Italian (I) and 271 (28%) foreign residents (F). Not-Italian nationality significantly increased the CP (F: 59.32%; I: 32.74%; RR: 1.81 95% CI: 1.57-2.10; Risk Difference: 26.59 95% CI: 19.98-33.19) and dmft median value (F: 2±5; I:0±1; p < 0.0001). Stratified by level of education, the differences between I and F were significant when both parents had low educational level (CP: RR = 1.62 95%; CI: 1.00-2.62; dmft: F = 5±5; I = 0±3; p < 0.05) and when both parents had high school education (CP: RR = 1.45 95%; CI: 1.14-1.84; dmft: F = 2±6; I = 0±2; p < 0.001). Otherwise, when both parents had university degree, nationality did not increase significantly the outcome (CP: RR = 1.17 95%; CI: 0.91-1.50; p > 0.1; dmft: F = 0±2; I = 0±0; p > 0.1).
Conclusions
The analyses suggest that being a foreign resident is a risk factor for lower child oral health. Moreover, parents’ educational level seems to be an effect modifier: when parents had a university degree there was no significant difference between Italians and foreign residents, otherwise the lower the level of education, the greater the difference between the categories. These data may help to identify particularly vulnerable groups and to develop preventive strategies.
Key messages
These findings confirmed the presence of a vulnerable population (foreign residents) in which socioeconomic factors had stronger associations to oral health than Italian citizens.
Further research may be useful to identify both protective and risk factors associated with different nationality, in order to evaluate specific interventions in low-SES groups.
Objective: This paper describes the ad hoc methodological concepts and procedures developed to improve the comparability of Nutrient databases (NDBs) across the 10 European countries participating in ...the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC). This was required because there is currently no European reference NDB available. Design: A large network involving national compilers, nutritionists and experts on food chemistry and computer science was set up for the 'EPIC Nutrient DataBase' (ENDB) project. A total of 550-1500 foods derived from about 37 000 standardized EPIC 24-h dietary recalls (24-HDRS) were matched as closely as possible to foods available in the 10 national NDBs. The resulting national data sets (NDS) were then successively documented, standardized and evaluated according to common guidelines and using a DataBase Management System specifically designed for this project. The nutrient values of foods unavailable or not readily available in NDSs were approximated by recipe calculation, weighted averaging or adjustment for weight changes and vitamin/mineral losses, using common algorithms. Results: The final ENDB contains about 550-1500 foods depending on the country and 26 common components. Each component value was documented and standardized for unit, mode of expression, definition and chemical method of analysis, as far as possible. Furthermore, the overall completeness of NDSs was improved (>or=99%), particularly for β-carotene and vitamin E. Conclusion: The ENDB constitutes a first real attempt to improve the comparability of NDBs across European countries. This methodological work will provide a useful tool for nutritional research as well as end-user recommendations to improve NDBs in the future.
A large case-control study (2,569 women with breast cancer and 2,588 control women) carried out in Italy between 1991 and 1994 permits elucidation of breast cancer risk in relation to dietary ...patterns in a southern European population. Major findings include direct associations with the intake of bread and cereal dishes, sugar, and pork meat, and inverse associations with the intake of vegetable oils, raw vegetables, fish, beta-carotene, vitamin E, and calcium.
Highlights • Relation between non-enzymatic antioxidant capacity and gastric cancer was examined. • We used three different dietary measures of non-enzymatic antioxidant capacity. • A protective role ...of high levels of antioxidant capacity on gastric cancer was found. • This could explain the relation between fruit and vegetable intake and gastric cancer.
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