Fibre-rich Foods to Treat Obesity and Prevent Colon Cancer trial study protocol: a randomised clinical trial of fibre-rich legumes targeting the gut microbiome, metabolome and gut transit time of overweight and obese patients with a history of noncancerous adenomatous polyps.

INTRODUCTION: Recently published studies support the beneficial effects of consuming fibre-rich legumes, such as cooked dry beans, to improve metabolic health and reduce cancer risk. In participants with overweight/obesity and a history of colorectal polyps, the Fibre-rich Foods to Treat Obesity and Prevent Colon Cancer randomised clinical trial will test whether a high-fibre diet featuring legumes will simultaneously facilitate weight reduction and suppress colonic mucosal biomarkers of colorectal cancer (CRC). METHODS/DESIGN: This study is designed to characterise changes in (1) body weight; (2) biomarkers of insulin resistance and systemic inflammation; (3) compositional and functional profiles of the faecal microbiome and metabolome; (4) mucosal biomarkers of CRC risk and (5) gut transit. Approximately 60 overweight or obese adults with a history of noncancerous adenomatous polyps within the previous 3 years will be recruited and randomised to one of two weight-loss diets. Following a 1-week run-in, participants in the intervention arm will receive preportioned high-fibre legume-rich entrées for two meals/day in months 1-3 and one meal/day in months 4-6. In the control arm, entrées will replace legumes with lean protein sources (eg, chicken). Both groups will receive in-person and written guidance to include nutritionally balanced sides with energy intake to lose 1-2 pounds per week. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION: The National Institutes of Health fund this ongoing 5-year study through a National Cancer Institute grant (5R01CA245063) awarded to Emory University with a subaward to the University of Pittsburgh. The study protocol was approved by the Emory Institutional Review Board (IRB approval number: 00000563). TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: NCT04780477.

Alcohol consumption and prognosis and survival in breast cancer survivors: The Pathways Study.

BACKGROUND: The impact of alcohol consumption on breast cancer (BC) prognosis remains unclear. METHODS: The authors examined short-term alcohol intake in relation to recurrence and mortality in 3659 women who were diagnosed with stage I-IV BC from 2003 to 2013 in the Pathways Study. Alcohol drinking in the past 6 months was assessed at cohort entry (mean, 2 months postdiagnosis) and 6 months later using a food-frequency questionnaire. Study end points were recurrence and death from BC, cardiovascular disease, and all causes. Hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were estimated using multivariable Cox proportional hazards models. RESULTS: Over an average follow-up of 11.2 years, 524 recurrences and 834 deaths (369 BC-specific and 314 cardiovascular disease-specific) occurred. Compared with nondrinkers (36.9%), drinkers were more likely younger, more educated, and current or past smokers. Overall, alcohol consumption was not associated with recurrence or mortality. However, women with higher body mass index (BMI ≥ 30 kg/m2 ) had lower risk of overall mortality with increasing alcohol consumption for occasional drinking (HR, 0.71; 95% CI, 0.54-0.94) and regular drinking (HR, 0.77; 95% CI, 0.56-1.08) around the time of diagnosis, along with 6 months later, in a dose-response manner (p < .05). Women with lower BMI (<30 kg/m2 ) were not at higher risk of mortality but were at possibly higher, yet nonsignificant, risk of recurrence for occasional drinking (HR, 1.29; 95% CI, 0.97-1.71) and regular drinking (HR, 1.19; 95% CI, 0.88-1.62). CONCLUSIONS: Alcohol drinking around the time of and up to 6 months after BC diagnosis was associated with lower risk of all-cause mortality in obese women. A possible higher risk of recurrence was observed in nonobese women.

Major Gaps in Understanding Dietary Supplement Use in Health and Disease.

Precise dietary assessment is critical for accurate exposure classification in nutritional research, typically aimed at understanding how diet relates to health. Dietary supplement (DS) use is widespread and represents a considerable source of nutrients. However, few studies have compared the best methods to measure DSs. Our literature review on the relative validity and reproducibility of DS instruments in the United States [e.g., product inventories, questionnaires, and 24-h dietary recalls (24HR)] identified five studies that examined validity (n = 5) and/or reproducibility (n = 4). No gold standard reference method exists for validating DS use; thus, each study's investigators chose the reference instrument used to measure validity. Self-administered questionnaires agreed well with 24HR and inventory methods when comparing the prevalence of commonly used DSs. The inventory method captured nutrient amounts more accurately than the other methods. Reproducibility (over 3 months to 2.4 years) of prevalence of use estimates on the questionnaires was acceptable for common DSs. Given the limited body of research on measurement error in DS assessment, only tentative conclusions on these DS instruments can be drawn at present. Further research is critical to advancing knowledge in DS assessment for research and monitoring purposes.

Associations of Post-Diagnosis Lifestyle with Prognosis in Women with Invasive Breast Cancer.

BACKGROUND: Lifestyle habits can impact breast cancer development, but its impact on breast cancer prognosis remains unclear. We investigated associations of post-diagnosis lifestyle with mortality and recurrence in 1,964 women with invasive breast cancer enrolled in the Kaiser Permanente Northern California Pathways Study shortly after diagnosis with lifestyle information at baseline (2005-2013) and the 2-year follow-up. METHODS: We calculated a post-diagnosis lifestyle score (range, 0-18) based on 9 diet, physical activity, and body weight recommendations from the American Cancer Society/American Society of Clinical Oncology (ACS/ASCO) using follow-up data (body weight also included baseline data); higher scores indicate greater guideline concordance. Similarly, we calculated a pre-diagnosis lifestyle score using baseline data to investigate pre- to post-diagnosis changes. We estimated hazard ratios (HR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) using Cox proportional hazard models, with follow-up through December 2018 (observing 290 deaths and 176 recurrences). RESULTS: The 2-year post-diagnosis lifestyle score was inversely associated with all-cause mortality (ACM; HR per 2-point increase = 0.90; 95% CI, 0.82-0.98), and breast cancer-related mortality (HR, 0.79; 95% CI, 0.67-0.95), but not recurrence. Relative to women who maintained low concordance with recommendations at both time points, women who maintained high concordance had a lower risk of ACM (HR, 0.61, 95% CI, 0.37-1.03). Improved concordance with some specific recommendations (particularly PA) may be associated with a lower hazard of ACM (HRPA, 0.52; 95% CI, 0.35-0.78). CONCLUSIONS: Results suggest that women with breast cancer may benefit from a post-diagnosis lifestyle aligned with ACS/ASCO guidelines. IMPACT: This information may potentially guide lifestyle recommendations for breast cancer survivors to reduce mortality risk.

Self-Reported Eating-Occasion Frequency and Timing are Reproducible and Relatively Valid in the American Cancer Society Cancer Prevention Study-3 Diet Assessment Substudy.

BACKGROUND: Accurate assessment of eating-occasion behaviors, such as timing, frequency, and consumption intervals, is important for evaluating associations with obesity and other chronic diseases. OBJECTIVES: The main objective of this study was to assess the relative validity of a 24-hour grid approach to assess eating-occasion timing and frequency in comparison to data derived from repeated 24-hour dietary recalls (DRs). A second objective was to assess the 1-year test-retest reproducibility of the 24-hour grid. METHODS: Between 2015 and 2016, 626 participants in the Cancer Prevention Study-3 (CPS-3) Diet Assessment Substudy (mean age, 52 years; age range, 31-70 years; 64% female; 64% non-Hispanic white, 22% non-Hispanic black, 14% Hispanic) completed 2 grids and up to 6 unannounced, telephone, interviewer-administered DRs over 1 year. Spearman correlations (ρ; 95% CIs) were calculated to assess reproducibility between the repeated eating-occasion grid-derived variables (e.g., numbers of snacks and meals per day, timing of eating occasions) and to assess relative validity by comparing the meal grid and DR-derived summary data separately for weekdays and weekend days. RESULTS: Reproducibility correlations for eating-occasion variables derived from the eating-occasion grids completed 1 year apart were ≥0.5 for the majority of variables analyzed for both weekdays and weekend days, including numbers of snacks and meals per day and timing of the first and last eating occasions of the day. Relative validity was highest among weekday variables and was ≥0.5 for the majority of variables, with correlations ranging from ρ values of 0.32 (number of meals per day) to 0.68 (hour of the first eating occasion). CONCLUSIONS: These findings suggest the eating-occasion grid used in CPS-3 has good reproducibility over 1 year and yields estimates comparable to those from a more detailed method of assessment of eating timing and frequency.

The association between prenatal F2-isoprostanes and child wheeze/asthma and modification by maternal race.

BACKGROUND: Childhood wheeze, asthma, and allergic rhinitis are common and likely have prenatal origins. Oxidative stress is associated with respiratory disease, but the association of oxidative stress during the prenatal period with development of respiratory and atopic disease in childhood, particularly beyond the infancy period, is unknown. This study aims to investigate associations between prenatal oxidative stress, measured by maternal urinary F2-isoprostanes, and child respiratory outcomes, including effect modification by maternal race. METHODS: We prospectively studied Black (n = 717) and White (n = 363) mother-child dyads. We measured F2-isoprostanes in 2nd-trimester urine (ng/mg-creatinine). At approximately age 4, we obtained parent report of provider-diagnosed asthma (ever), current wheeze, current asthma (diagnosis, symptoms and/or medication), and current allergic rhinitis (current defined as previous 12 months). We used multivariable logistic regression to estimate adjusted odds ratios (aOR) and 95% confidence intervals (95%CI) per interquartile range (IQR) increase in F2-isoprostane concentration, controlling for confounders. We examined modification by maternal race using interaction terms. RESULTS: The prevalence of provider-diagnosed asthma and current wheeze, asthma and allergic rhinitis was 14%, 19%, 15%, and 24%, respectively. Median (IQR) F2-isoprostane levels were 2.1 (1.6, 2.9) ng/mg-creatinine. Associations between prenatal F2-isoprostanes and provider-diagnosed asthma, current wheeze, and current asthma were modified by maternal race. Results were strongest for current wheeze (aOR [95%CI]: 1.55 [1.16, 2.06] for White; 0.98 [0.78, 1.22] for Black; p-interaction = 0.01). We observed no association between F2-isoprostanes and allergic rhinitis. CONCLUSION: Prenatal urinary F2-isoprostanes may be a marker associated with childhood wheeze/asthma in certain populations. Research is needed to understand underlying mechanisms and racial differences.

Oxidative Balance Score during Pregnancy Is Associated with Oxidative Stress in the CANDLE Study.

The objective of this study was to calculate an oxidative balance score (OBS) utilizing diet and lifestyle information collected from 1322 women during the second trimester of pregnancy in the Conditions Affecting Neurocognitive Development and Learning in Early Childhood study. An energy-adjusted OBS was calculated using nutrient information from a Food Frequency Questionnaire (FFQ), lifestyle measures, and plasma folate and vitamin D levels. Using the least absolute shrinkage and selection operator method, 91 food items from the FFQ were selected and they accounted for 82% of the variance in the OBS, with cruciferous vegetables, citrus fruits, fruit juice, and coffee being among the highest anti-oxidant predictors, and red meats and alcohol among the highest pro-oxidant contributors. Urinary F2-isoprostane, an objective indicator of oxidative stress, was lower with increasing OBS quintiles in a stairstep manner (p for trend = 0.0003), suggesting the possible utility of the OBS as an indicator of oxidative stress. The OBS was moderately correlated with the Healthy Eating Index (correlation coefficient = 0.6076), suggesting it provides a distinct measure of a healthy diet. In conclusion, the OBS may serve as a valid reflective indicator of urinary F2-isoprostanes and an epidemiological tool to inform intervention studies, in order to minimize oxidative stress during pregnancy.

Self-Reported Dietary Supplement Use Is Reproducible and Relatively Valid in the Cancer Prevention Study-3 Diet Assessment Substudy.

BACKGROUND: Dietary supplement use is common, particularly among cancer survivors and those at increased risk for cancer. OBJECTIVE: The objectives of this study were to assess 1-year test-retest reproducibility of dietary supplement use reported via food frequency questionnaire (FFQ-1 vs FFQ-2) and relative validity in comparison to repeated 24-hour dietary recalls (FFQ-2 vs DRs). DESIGN: This ancillary study was conducted within a large prospective cohort, the American Cancer Society's Cancer Prevention Study-3. PARTICIPANTS/SETTING: Between 2015 and 2016, 684 participants in the United States (64% women; 62% non-Hispanic White, 23% non-Hispanic Black, and 15% Hispanic) completed two FFQs and up to six unannounced telephone interviewer-administered DRs over 1 year as part of the Cancer Prevention Study-3 Diet Assessment Substudy. PRIMARY OUTCOME MEASURES: FFQs queried current multivitamin-mineral supplement (≥10 components) use, frequency and dose (range) for seven supplements taken individually or as part of a complex (individual/complex) including calcium, vitamins D, C, and E, folic acid, fish oil, and glucosamine. DRs allowed exact reporting of supplement frequency and dose. STATISTICAL ANALYSES: Weighted κ statistics were used to evaluate reproducibility between FFQ-1 and FFQ-2 and Spearman correlation coefficients assessed agreement between supplemental nutrient amounts assessed by FFQ-2 and the average of DRs. RESULTS: Just more than half of the participants reported taking multivitamin-mineral supplements on the baseline FFQ. Kappa statistics for the comparison of categorical responses between FFQ-1 and FFQ-2 were 0.67 for multivitamin-mineral supplements. Kappas for individual/complex supplements ranged from 0.47 for folic acid to 0.74 for vitamin D, with a mean of 0.64. Results were similar between men and women. Spearman correlation coefficients comparing FFQ-2 with the average of DRs (validity) for nutrient intakes from all sources ranged from 0.65 (fish oil for women) to 0.77 (vitamin D for men and calcium for women); results were similar among men and women. CONCLUSIONS: These findings suggest the FFQ used in Cancer Prevention Study-3 has good reproducibility over 1 year and yields estimates comparable to a more detailed assessment for commonly consumed dietary supplements.

Prenatal exposure to mixtures of persistent endocrine disrupting chemicals and postnatal body size in British girls.

BACKGROUND: Endocrine disrupting chemical (EDC) exposure is ubiquitous. EDC exposure during critical windows of development may interfere with the body's endocrine system, affecting growth. Previous human studies have examined one EDC at a time in relation to infant growth. By studying mixtures, the human experience can be better approximated. AIMS: We investigated the association of prenatal exposure to persistent EDCs (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), and organochlorine pesticides (OCPs)) as mixtures with postnatal body size among female offspring. SUBJECTS: We used a sub-sample of the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (N = 425), based in the United Kingdom. STUDY DESIGN: We quantified 52 EDCs in maternal serum collected during pregnancy. We used Bayesian kernel machine regression with a random intercept to examine the association of prenatal concentrations of EDC mixtures with longitudinal postnatal body size measures for each EDC class separately (PFAS, PCBs, and OCPs) and for all three classes combined. OUTCOME MEASURES: Weight and height measures at 0, 2, 9, and 19 months were obtained by health professionals as part of routine child health surveillance. RESULTS: The mixture representing all three classes combined (31 chemicals) (n = 301) was inversely associated with postnatal body size. Holding all EDCs in the 31-chemical mixture at the 75th percentile compared to the 50th percentile was associated with 0.15 lower weight-for-age z-score (95% credible interval -0.26, -0.03). Weak inverse associations were also seen for height-for-age and body mass index-for-age scores. CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that prenatal exposure to mixtures of persistent EDCs may affect postnatal body size.

Dietary Energy Density and Fertility: Results from the Lifestyle and Fertility Study.

BACKGROUND: Diet is a modifiable lifestyle factor linked with fertility in a growing number of studies. OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to evaluate the association between dietary energy density (ED), a summary measure of diet quality that estimates the amount of energy per unit food (kcal/g) consumed, and conception and pregnancy outcomes. METHODS: A prospective cohort study of couples planning their first pregnancy was conducted in the Northeast region of the USA. Dietary data were collected prior to conception via 3 unannounced interviewer-administered 24-h dietary recalls. Multivariable-adjusted logistic regression (ORs and Cox proportional hazards models [RR] and 95% CIs) were estimated for continuous and categorical (tertile [T]) variables of dietary ED. RESULTS: The majority of women (n = 80; 61%) achieved clinical pregnancy. Median time to conception of a clincal pregnancy(TTC) for those who conceived was 4.64 mo with an IQR of 4.37 mo. ED modeled as a continuous variable was not associated with clinical pregnancy, live birth, or TTC after controlling for race, physical activity, and male partner's ED. When ED was categorized to consider nonlinear associations, 60%, 73%, and 50% of the participants in the tertiles (from lowest ED to highest) achieved clinical pregnancy. In multivariable logistic analyses with the middle group as the referent (ED = 1.37-1.60), membership in the highest ED group (ED >1.60) was associated with lower odds of clinical pregnancy (OR = 0.30; 95% CI: 0.11, 0.81, P = 0.02). In Cox proportional hazards analyses, membership in the highest ED group was associated with significantly longer TTC compared with the middle category (HR = 0.41; 95% CI: 0.21,0.82, P = 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that high dietary ED is associated with reduced fertility.This study evaluated associations between dietary energy density and the probability of conceiving clinical pregnancy, having a live birth, and the time to conception among couples planning pregnancy.

Identification and Reproducibility of Urinary Metabolomic Biomarkers of Habitual Food Intake in a Cross-Sectional Analysis of the Cancer Prevention Study-3 Diet Assessment Sub-Study.

Previous cross-sectional metabolomics studies have identified many potential dietary biomarkers, mostly in blood. Few studies examined urine samples although urine is preferred for dietary biomarker discovery. Furthermore, little is known regarding the reproducibility of urinary metabolomic biomarkers over time. We aimed to identify urinary metabolomic biomarkers of diet and assess their reproducibility over time. We conducted a metabolomics analysis among 648 racially/ethnically diverse men and women in the Diet Assessment Sub-study of the Cancer Prevention Study-3 cohort to examine the correlation between >100 food groups/items [101 by a food frequency questionnaire (FFQ), and 105 by repeated 24 h diet recalls (24HRs)] and 1391 metabolites measured in 24 h urine sample replicates, six months apart. Diet-metabolite associations were examined by Pearson's partial correlation analysis. Biomarkers were evaluated for prediction accuracy assessed using area under the curve (AUC) calculated from the receiver operating characteristic curve and for reproducibility assessed using intraclass correlation coefficients (ICCs). A total of 1708 diet-metabolite associations were identified after Bonferroni correction for multiple comparisons and restricting correlation coefficients to >0.2 or <-0.2 (1570 associations using the FFQ and 933 using 24HRs), 513 unique metabolites correlated with 79 food groups/items. The median ICCs of the 513 putative biomarkers was 0.53 (interquartile range 0.42-0.62). In this study, with comprehensive dietary data and repeated 24 h urinary metabolic profiles, we identified a large number of diet-metabolite correlations and replicated many found in previous studies. Our findings revealed the promise of urine samples for dietary biomarker discovery in a large cohort study and provide important information on biomarker reproducibility, which could facilitate their utilization in future clinical and epidemiological studies.

Prenatal Exposure to Mixtures of Persistent Endocrine-disrupting Chemicals and Birth Size in a Population-based Cohort of British Girls.

BACKGROUND: Previous studies of endocrine-disrupting chemicals have examined one of these chemicals at a time in association with an outcome; studying mixtures better approximates human experience. We investigated the association of prenatal exposure to mixtures of persistent endocrine disruptors (perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances [PFAS], polychlorinated biphenyls [PCBs], and organochlorine pesticides) with birth size among female offspring in the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (ALSPAC), based in the United Kingdom in 1991-1992. METHODS: We quantified concentrations of 52 endocrine-disrupting chemicals in maternal serum collected during pregnancy at median 15-week gestation. Birth weight, crown-to-heel length, and head circumference were measured at birth; ponderal index and small for gestational age were calculated from these. We used repeated holdout Weighted Quantile Sum (WQS) regression and Bayesian kernel machine regression to examine mixtures in 313 mothers. RESULTS: Using WQS regression, all mixtures (each chemical class separately and all three together) were inversely associated with birth weight. A one-unit increase in WQS index (a one-decile increase in chemical concentrations) for all three classes combined was associated with 55 g (ß = -55 g, 95% confidence interval [CI] = -89, -22 g) lower birth weight. Associations were weaker but still inverse using Bayesian kernel machine regression. Under both methods, PFAS were the most important contributors to the association with birth weight. We also observed inverse associations for crown-to-heel length. CONCLUSIONS: These results are consistent with the hypothesis that prenatal exposure to mixtures of persistent endocrine-disrupting chemicals affects birth size.

A novel evolutionary-concordance lifestyle score is inversely associated with all-cause, all-cancer, and all-cardiovascular disease mortality risk.

PURPOSE: Evolutionary discordance may contribute to the high burden of chronic disease-related mortality in modern industrialized nations. We aimed to investigate the associations of a 7-component, equal-weight, evolutionary-concordance lifestyle (ECL) score with all-cause and cause-specific mortality. METHODS: Baseline data were collected in 2003-2007 from 17,465 United States participants in the prospective REasons for Geographic and Racial Differences in Stroke (REGARDS) study. The ECL score's components were: a previously reported evolutionary-concordance diet score, alcohol intake, physical activity, sedentary behavior, waist circumference, smoking history, and social network size. Diet was assessed using a Block 98 food frequency questionnaire and anthropometrics by trained personnel; other information was self-reported. Higher scores indicated higher evolutionary concordance. We used multivariable Cox proportional hazards regression models to estimate ECL score-mortality associations. RESULTS: Over a median follow-up of 10.3 years, 3771 deaths occurred (1177 from cardiovascular disease [CVD], 1002 from cancer). The multivariable-adjusted hazard ratios (HR) (95% confidence intervals [CI]) for those in the highest relative to the lowest ECL score quintiles for all-cause, all-CVD, and all-cancer mortality were, respectively, 0.45 (0.40, 0.50), 0.47 (0.39, 0.58), and 0.42 (0.34, 0.52) (all P trend < 0.01). Removing smoking and diet from the ECL score attenuated the estimated ECL score-all-cause mortality association the most, yielding fifth quintile HRs (95% CIs) of 0.56 (0.50, 0.62) and 0.50 (0.46, 0.55), respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings suggest that a more evolutionary-concordant lifestyle may be inversely associated with all-cause, all-CVD, and all-cancer mortality. Smoking and diet appeared to have the greatest impact on the ECL-mortality associations.

Prenatal exposure to mixtures of persistent endocrine disrupting chemicals and early menarche in a population-based cohort of British girls.

Exposure to endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs) is ubiquitous. EDC exposure, especially during critical periods of development like the prenatal window, may interfere with the body's endocrine system, which can affect growth and developmental outcomes such as puberty. Most studies have examined one EDC at a time in relation to disease; however, humans are exposed to many EDCs. By studying mixtures, the human experience can be more closely replicated. We investigated the association of prenatal exposure to persistent EDCs (poly- and perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), and organochlorine pesticides (OCPs)) as mixtures with early menarche among female offspring in a nested case-control study within the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (ALSPAC) recruited in the United Kingdom in 1991-1992. Concentrations of 52 EDCs were quantified in maternal serum samples collected during pregnancy. Daughter's age at menarche was ascertained through mailed questionnaires sent annually. We used repeated holdout weighted quantile sum (WQS) regression and Bayesian kernel machine regression (BKMR) to examine the association between prenatal exposure to multiple EDCs and early menarche (<11.5 (n = 218) vs. ≥11.5 years (n = 230)) for each chemical class separately (PFAS, PCBs, and OCPs) and for all three classes combined. Models adjusted for maternal age at menarche, maternal education, parity, pre-pregnancy body mass index, maternal age, prenatal smoking, and gestational week at sample collection. Mixture models showed null associations between prenatal exposure to EDC mixtures and early menarche. Using WQS regression, the odds ratio for early menarche for a one-decile increase in chemical concentrations for all three classes combined was 0.89 (95% CI: 0.76, 1.05); using BKMR, the odds ratio when all exposures were at the 60th percentile compared to the median was 0.98 (95% CI: 0.91, 1.05). Results suggest the overall effect of prenatal exposure to persistent EDC mixtures is not associated with early menarche.

Plant food intake is associated with lower cadmium body burden in middle-aged adults.

PURPOSE: Dietary intake is a primary source of cadmium (Cd) exposure in the non-smoking population. Plant foods containing metal-binding plant compounds such as polyphenols, phytates, and phytochelatins may reduce Cd bioavailability and result in lower Cd body burden. In this study, we investigated the association between plant food intake and urinary creatinine-adjusted Cd (uCd), a well-established marker of Cd body burden. METHODS: Participants were from a cross-sectional sample of 1901 adults in the REasons for Geographic and Racial Differences in Stroke (REGARDS) cohort. Dietary intake was assessed with a food frequency questionnaire. We created a 12-point plant food score (PFS) based on reported intake across seven categories (fruits, vegetables, legumes, nuts/seeds, whole grains, tea, and wine). Higher scores indicated higher consumption and diversity of plant food intake. Multivariable linear regression models were used to estimate the association between PFS and uCd. Due to the influence of age and smoking on Cd status, stratified analyses were conducted. RESULTS: Mean PFS was 5.4 (SD 2.2) and mean uCd was 0.53 µg/g creatinine (SD 0.39). In adjusted models, PFS was not associated with uCd (p > 0.05). In stratified analyses, PFS was inversely associated with uCd (p = 0.047) with a 1-point higher PFS associated with 0.018 µg/g lower uCd among middle-aged (45-59) adults. No significant association was observed between PFS and uCd in older (≥ 60) adults. The association of PFS and uCd did not differ by smoking status. CONCLUSION: Our findings suggest higher plant food intake is associated with lower Cd body burden in middle-aged but not older adults.

Adolescent physical activity, sedentary behavior and sleep in relation to body composition at age 18 years in urban South Africa, Birth-to-Twenty+ Cohort.

BACKGROUND: Adolescence is marked by a decline in physical activity, rapid physical growth and changes in body composition, which have been linked to body composition. Prospective data on these associations are rare, particularly in Africa. AIM: The aim of this study was to examine the association of longitudinal patterns across adolescent in physical activity, sedentary behavior and sleep, with anthropometry and body composition at age 18 years in urban South Africa. METHODS: We analyzed data from the Birth-to-Twenty Plus Cohort (Bt20+), a longitudinal study of children born in 1990 in Soweto-Johannesburg, South Africa. We used general linear models to investigate the association of adolescent (ages 12 to 18 years) longitudinal trends in physical activity, sedentary behavior and schoolnight sleep and overall physical activity patterns, with body mass index (BMI), waist circumference, fat mass index (FMI), lean mass index (LMI) and percent body fat at age 18 years. RESULTS: The final study sample included 1337 participants with anthropometric measurements (52% female) and 958 participants with body composition measurements (53% female). Males who were consistently more active and consistently walked to school over adolescence had lower waist circumference (B = - 2.0, 95% CI: - 3.9 to - 0.2), FMI (B = - 0.8, 95%: CI: - 1.2 to - 0.1) and percent body fat (B = -2.9, 95% CI: - 4.9 to - 0.9) at age 18 years than those who decreased activity and did not walk to school. Consistently-sedentary females had higher waist circumference than those whose sedentary behavior increased over adolescence (B = 5.4, 95% CI: 0.2 to 10.6). Males who reported sleeping 9 h or more per night on schoolnights had significantly lower BMI (B = -1.0, 95% CI: - 1.4 to- 0.5), and percent body fat (B = -1.5, 95%CI - 2.8 to - 0.1) than those who reported sleeping 8 h or less per night. CONCLUSION: Patterns of adolescent physical activity, sedentary behavior and sleep are related to young-adult body composition in urban South Africa. These modifiable behaviors may be paths for public health interventions to curb overweight and obesity in many low- or middle-income countries.

The Cancer Prevention Study-3 FFQ Is a Reliable and Valid Measure of Nutrient Intakes among Racial/Ethnic Subgroups, Compared with 24-Hour Recalls and Biomarkers.

BACKGROUND: Valid assessment of dietary intake in diverse populations is important for studies of chronic disease risk in the United States. OBJECTIVES: We evaluated the reproducibility and validity of a food frequency questionnaire (FFQ) modified for the American Cancer Society's Cancer Prevention Study-3 (CPS-3) prospective cohort, among a racially/ethnically diverse subgroup. METHODS: The Diet Assessment Substudy included 677 CPS-3 participants (64% women; 61% non-Hispanic white, 24% non-Hispanic black, 15% Hispanic), aged 31-70 y, who completed 2 FFQs 1 y apart (FFQ1, FFQ2), 4-6 telephone-administered 24-h dietary recalls (24HRs), and 2 fasting blood samples and 24-h urine collections ∼6 mo apart in the interim. Spearman rank correlation coefficients (ρ) were used to evaluate FFQ reproducibility and validity compared with 24HRs for 67 nutrient exposures. For 18 of these nutrients, we used the method of triads to calculate validity coefficients (VCs, ρ) from pairwise correlations of FFQ2, 24HRs, and biomarkers. Analyses were stratified by sex, race/ethnicity, education, and BMI. RESULTS: Mean (range) FFQ reproducibility correlations were ρ = 0.65 (0.50-0.91) for men and ρ = 0.63 (0.37-0.89) for women; mean (range) energy-adjusted, deattenuated correlations of FFQ2 with 24HRs were ρ = 0.60 (0.33-0.84) for men and ρ = 0.55 (0.21-0.79) for women. FFQ2 VCs (ρ) among men ranged from 0.42 for ß-cryptoxanthin to 0.91 for omega-3 (n-3) fatty acids and, among women, from 0.41 for sodium to 0.79 for total vitamin D. Mean FFQ reproducibility and validity were highest among whites (ρ = 0.68, ρ = 0.58, respectively) and slightly lower among blacks (ρ = 0.57, ρ = 0.49, respectively) and Hispanics (ρ = 0.59, 0.55, respectively). FFQ reproducibility and validity were slightly lower among those with less than a 4-y college degree, and those with a BMI ≥30 kg/m2. CONCLUSIONS: Reproducibility and validity of the CPS-3 FFQ were comparable with similar studies for most nutrients, among all subgroups. These findings support future dietary analyses in the contemporary CPS-3 cohort and other similar cohorts.

Maternal dietary patterns during pregnancy and exposure to persistent endocrine disrupting chemicals in two European birth cohorts.

Food consumption, particularly of animal-based products, is considered the most important contributor to persistent endocrine disrupting chemical (EDC) exposure. This study aims to describe the association between maternal diet during pregnancy and exposure to persistent EDCs using dietary pattern analysis. This study is based on subsamples of the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (ALSPAC) (N=422) and the Norwegian Mother, Father, and Child Cohort Study (MoBa) (N=276) which uses data from the Medical Birth Registry of Norway (MBRN). Women in both studies completed food frequency questionnaires (FFQs) during pregnancy, from which consumption data were categorized into 38 aggregated food groups. Maternal blood samples were collected during pregnancy and concentrations of perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), and organochlorine pesticides (OCPs) in serum/plasma were measured. Dietary patterns were identified using reduced rank regression, with blood EDC concentrations as response variables. Within ALSPAC, all patterns (PFAS, PCB, and OCP) were characterized by high consumption of meat, poultry, white fish, and biscuits. In MoBa, high consumption of sausages and burgers (representing processed meats), pasta, and chocolate bars characterized PCB and OCP dietary patterns, while high consumption of cheese characterized the PFAS pattern. Across both cohorts, PFAS patterns were characterized by high consumption of cheese, PCB patterns by high consumption of rice, and OCP patterns by poultry. Dietary patterns explained between 8 and 20% of the variation in serum EDC concentrations, with explained variance being the highest for PCBs in both cohorts. In conclusion, dietary patterns high in animal-based products appear to be associated with persistent EDC concentrations among pregnant women. Diet explains more variation in PCB concentrations than for other persistent EDC classes.

Prenatal vitamin D levels and child wheeze and asthma.

Background: Maternal vitamin D status during pregnancy may influence lung development and risk of childhood wheeze and asthma. We investigated the relationship between prenatal vitamin D and child asthma in a racially diverse cohort with a high burden of vitamin D insufficiency and child asthma.Materials and methods: We included mother-child dyads in the prenatal Conditions Affecting Neurocognitive Development and Learning in Early Childhood (CANDLE) cohort (2006-2011, Shelby County, Tennessee). Maternal plasma vitamin D [25(OH)D] was measured from second trimester (n = 1091) and delivery specimens (n = 907). At age 4-6 years, we obtained parent report of current child wheeze (symptoms within the past 12 months) and asthma (physician diagnosis and/or medication or symptoms within the past 12 months). We used multivariable logistic regression to assess associations of 25(OH)D and child wheeze/asthma, including an interaction term for maternal race.Results: Median second trimester 25(OH)D levels were 25.1 and 19.1 ng/ml in White (n = 366) and Black women (N = 725), respectively. We detected significant interactions by maternal race for second-trimester plasma 25(OH)D and child current wheeze (p = .014) and asthma (p = .011). Odds of current wheeze and asthma decreased with increasing 25(OH)D in dyads with White mothers and increased in dyads with Black mothers, e.g. adjusted odds ratio (95% confidence interval) for asthma: 0.63 (0.36-1.09) and 1.41 (1.01-1.97) per interquartile range (15-27 ng/ml 25[OH]D) increase, respectively. At delivery, protective associations in White dyads were attenuated.Conclusion: We detected effect modification by maternal race in associations between prenatal 25(OH)D and child wheeze/asthma. Further research in racially diverse populations is needed.

Physical Fitness but Not Diet Quality Distinguishes Lean and Normal Weight Obese Adults.

BACKGROUND: Individuals with normal weight obesity (NWO) have increased cardiometabolic disease and mortality risk, but factors contributing to NWO development are unknown. OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to determine whether diet quality scores and physical fitness levels differed between adults classified as lean, NWO, and overweight-obese. Secondary objectives of the study were to compare clinical biomarkers and food groups and macronutrient intakes between the three groups, and to test for associations between body composition components with diet quality scores and physical fitness levels. DESIGN: This is a secondary data analysis from a cross-sectional study that included metropolitan university and health care system employees. Body composition was measured by dual energy x-ray absorptiometry. Individuals with a body mass index <25 kg/m2 and body fat >23% for men and >30% for women were classified as having NWO. Alternate Healthy Eating Index, Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension score, and Mediterranean Diet Score were calculated from Block food frequency questionnaires. Physical fitness was assessed by measuring maximal oxygen uptake (VO2 maximum) during treadmill testing. PARTICIPANTS/SETTING: This study included 693 adults (65% women, mean age 48.9 ± 11.5 years) enrolled between 2007 and 2013 in Atlanta, GA. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: The main outcome measures were Alternate Healthy Eating Index, Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension, and Mediterranean Diet Score diet quality scores and maximal oxygen uptake. STATISTICAL ANALYSES: Multiple linear regression analyses with post hoc comparisons were used to investigate group differences in fitness, diet quality, and biomarkers. Regression analyses were also used to examine relationships between diet quality scores and fitness with body composition. RESULTS: VO2 maximum was significantly lower in the NWO compared with the lean group (36.2 ± 0.8 mL/min/kg vs 40.2 ± 1.0 mL/min/kg; P < 0.05). Individuals with NWO reported similar diet quality to lean individuals and more favorable Alternate Healthy Eating Index and Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension scores than individuals with overweight-obesity (P < 0.05). Diet quality scores and physical fitness levels were inversely associated with percent body fat and visceral adipose tissue (P < 0.05), regardless of weight status. Individuals with NWO exhibited higher fasting blood insulin concentrations, insulin resistance, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, and triglyceride levels, and significantly lower high-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels than lean individuals (P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Physical fitness was significantly decreased in individuals with NWO compared with lean individuals. Higher diet quality was associated with decreased total and visceral fat but did not distinguish individuals with NWO from lean individuals.