Milk intake and incident stroke and CHD in populations of European descent: a Mendelian randomisation study.

Higher milk intake has been associated with a lower stroke risk, but not with risk of CHD. Residual confounding or reverse causation cannot be excluded. Therefore, we estimated the causal association of milk consumption with stroke and CHD risk through instrumental variable (IV) and gene-outcome analyses. IV analysis included 29 328 participants (4611 stroke; 9828 CHD) of the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC)-CVD (eight European countries) and European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition-Netherlands (EPIC-NL) case-cohort studies. rs4988235, a lactase persistence (LP) SNP which enables digestion of lactose in adulthood was used as genetic instrument. Intake of milk was first regressed on rs4988235 in a linear regression model. Next, associations of genetically predicted milk consumption with stroke and CHD were estimated using Prentice-weighted Cox regression. Gene-outcome analysis included 777 024 participants (50 804 cases) from MEGASTROKE (including EPIC-CVD), UK Biobank and EPIC-NL for stroke, and 483 966 participants (61 612 cases) from CARDIoGRAM, UK Biobank, EPIC-CVD and EPIC-NL for CHD. In IV analyses, each additional LP allele was associated with a higher intake of milk in EPIC-CVD (ß = 13·7 g/d; 95 % CI 8·4, 19·1) and EPIC-NL (36·8 g/d; 95 % CI 20·0, 53·5). Genetically predicted milk intake was not associated with stroke (HR per 25 g/d 1·05; 95 % CI 0·94, 1·16) or CHD (1·02; 95 % CI 0·96, 1·08). In gene-outcome analyses, there was no association of rs4988235 with risk of stroke (OR 1·02; 95 % CI 0·99, 1·05) or CHD (OR 0·99; 95 % CI 0·95, 1·03). Current Mendelian randomisation analysis does not provide evidence for a causal inverse relationship between milk consumption and stroke or CHD risk.

Meal patterns across ten European countries - results from the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC) calibration study.

OBJECTIVE: To characterize meal patterns across ten European countries participating in the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC) calibration study. DESIGN: Cross-sectional study utilizing dietary data collected through a standardized 24 h diet recall during 1995-2000. Eleven predefined intake occasions across a 24 h period were assessed during the interview. In the present descriptive report, meal patterns were analysed in terms of daily number of intake occasions, the proportion reporting each intake occasion and the energy contributions from each intake occasion. SETTING: Twenty-seven centres across ten European countries. SUBJECTS: Women (64 %) and men (36 %) aged 35-74 years (n 36 020). RESULTS: Pronounced differences in meal patterns emerged both across centres within the same country and across different countries, with a trend for fewer intake occasions per day in Mediterranean countries compared with central and northern Europe. Differences were also found for daily energy intake provided by lunch, with 38-43 % for women and 41-45 % for men within Mediterranean countries compared with 16-27 % for women and 20-26 % for men in central and northern European countries. Likewise, a south-north gradient was found for daily energy intake from snacks, with 13-20 % (women) and 10-17 % (men) in Mediterranean countries compared with 24-34 % (women) and 23-35 % (men) in central/northern Europe. CONCLUSIONS: We found distinct differences in meal patterns with marked diversity for intake frequency and lunch and snack consumption between Mediterranean and central/northern European countries. Monitoring of meal patterns across various cultures and populations could provide critical context to the research efforts to characterize relationships between dietary intake and health.

Healthy lifestyle index and risk of gastric adenocarcinoma in the EPIC cohort study.

Several modifiable lifestyle factors, including smoking, alcohol, certain dietary factors and weight are independently associated with gastric cancer (GC); however, their combined impact on GC risk is unknown. We constructed a healthy lifestyle index to investigate the joint influence of these behaviors on GC risk within the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC) cohort. The analysis included 461,550 participants (662 first incident GC cases) with a mean follow-up of 11.4 years. A healthy lifestyle index was constructed, assigning 1 point for each healthy behavior related to smoking status, alcohol consumption and diet quality (represented by the Mediterranean diet) for assessing overall GC and also body mass index for cardia GC and 0 points otherwise. Risk of GC was calculated using Cox proportional hazards regression models while adjusting for relevant confounders. The highest versus lowest score in the healthy lifestyle index was associated with a significant lower risk of GC, by 51% overall (HR 0.49 95% CI 0.35, 0.70), by 77% for cardia GC (HR 0.23 95% CI 0.08, 0.68) and by 47% for noncardia GC (HR 0.53 (95% CI 0.32, 0.87), p-trends<0.001. Population attributable risk calculations showed that 18.8% of all GC and 62.4% of cardia GC cases could have been prevented if participants in this population had followed the healthy lifestyle behaviors of this index. Adopting several healthy lifestyle behaviors including not smoking, limiting alcohol consumption, eating a healthy diet and maintaining a normal weight is associated with a large decreased risk of GC.

Dietary intake of acrylamide and endometrial cancer risk in the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition cohort.

BACKGROUND: Three prospective studies have evaluated the association between dietary acrylamide intake and endometrial cancer (EC) risk with inconsistent results. The objective of this study was to evaluate the association between acrylamide intake and EC risk: for overall EC, for type-I EC, and in never smokers and never users of oral contraceptives (OCs). Smoking is a source of acrylamide, and OC use is a protective factor for EC risk. METHODS: Cox regression was used to estimate hazard ratios (HRs) for the association between acrylamide intake and EC risk in the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC) cohort. Acrylamide intake was estimated from the EU acrylamide monitoring database, which was matched with EPIC questionnaire-based food consumption data. Acrylamide intake was energy adjusted using the residual method. RESULTS: No associations were observed between acrylamide intake and overall EC (n=1382) or type-I EC risk (n=627). We observed increasing relative risks for type-I EC with increasing acrylamide intake among women who both never smoked and were non-users of OCs (HRQ5vsQ1: 1.97, 95% CI: 1.08-3.62; likelihood ratio test (LRT) P-value: 0.01, n=203). CONCLUSIONS: Dietary intake of acrylamide was not associated with overall or type-I EC risk; however, positive associations with type I were observed in women who were both non-users of OCs and never smokers.

Plasma methionine, choline, betaine, and dimethylglycine in relation to colorectal cancer risk in the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC).

BACKGROUND: Disturbances in one carbon metabolism may contribute to carcinogenesis by affecting methylation and synthesis of DNA. Choline and its oxidation product betaine are involved in this metabolism and can serve as alternative methyl group donors when folate status is low. PATIENTS AND METHODS: We conducted a case-control study nested within the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC), to investigate plasma concentrations of the methyl donors methionine, choline, betaine (trimethylglycine), and dimethylglycine (DMG) in relation to colorectal cancer (CRC) risk. Our study included 1367 incident CRC cases (965 colon and 402 rectum) and 2323 controls matched by gender, age group, and study center. Multivariate-adjusted odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (95% CIs) for CRC risk were estimated by conditional logistic regression, comparing the fifth to the first quintile of plasma concentrations. RESULTS: Overall, methionine (OR: 0.79, 95% CI: 0.63-0.99, P-trend = 0.05), choline (OR: 0.77, 95% CI: 0.60-0.99, P-trend = 0.07), and betaine (OR: 0.85, 95% CI: 0.66-1.09, P-trend = 0.06) concentrations were inversely associated with CRC risk of borderline significance. In participants with folate concentration below the median of 11.3 nmol/l, high betaine concentration was associated with reduced CRC risk (OR: 0.71, 95% CI: 0.50-1.00, P-trend = 0.02), which was not observed for those having a higher folate status. Among women, but not men, high choline concentration was associated with decreased CRC risk (OR: 0.62, 95% CI: 0.43-0.88, P-trend = 0.01). Plasma DMG was not associated with CRC risk. CONCLUSIONS: Individuals with high plasma concentrations of methionine, choline, and betaine may be at reduced risk of CRC.

Dietary intake of acrylamide and pancreatic cancer risk in the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC) cohort.

BACKGROUND: In 1994, acrylamide (AA) was classified as a probable human carcinogen by the International Agency for Research on Cancer. In 2002, AA was discovered at relatively high concentrations in some starchy, plant-based foods cooked at high temperatures. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A prospective analysis was conducted to evaluate the association between the dietary intake of AA and ductal adenocarcinoma of the exocrine pancreatic cancer (PC) risk in the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC) cohort using Cox regression modeling. EPIC includes >500,000 men and women aged 35-75 at enrollment from 10 European countries. AA intake was estimated for each participant by combining questionnaire-based food consumption data with a harmonized AA database derived from the EU monitoring database of AA levels in foods, and evaluated in quintiles and continuously. RESULTS: After a mean follow-up of 11 years, 865 first incident adenocarcinomas of the exocrine pancreas were observed and included in the present analysis. At baseline, the mean dietary AA intake in EPIC was 26.22 µg/day. No overall association was found between continuous or quintiles of dietary AA intake and PC risk in EPIC (HR:0.95, 95%CI:0.89-1.01 per 10 µg/day). There was no effect measure modification by smoking status, sex, diabetes, alcohol intake or geographic region. However, there was an inverse association (HR: 0.73, 95% CI: 0.61-0.88 per 10 µg/day) between AA intake and PC risk in obese persons as defined using the body mass index (BMI, ≥ 30 kg/m(2)), but not when body fatness was defined using waist and hip circumference or their ratio. CONCLUSIONS: Dietary intake of AA was not associated with an increased risk of PC in the EPIC cohort.

Eating out, weight and weight gain. A cross-sectional and prospective analysis in the context of the EPIC-PANACEA study.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to examine the association of body mass index (BMI) and weight gain with eating at restaurants and similar establishments or eating at work among 10 European countries of the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC) study. SUBJECTS: This study included a representative sample of 24,310 randomly selected EPIC participants. METHODS: Single 24-h dietary recalls with information on the place of consumption were collected using standardized procedures between 1995 and 2000. Eating at restaurants was defined to include all eating and drinking occasions at restaurants, cafeterias, bars and fast food outlets. Eating at work included all eating and drinking occasions at the workplace. Associations between eating at restaurants or eating at work and BMI or annual weight changes were assessed using sex-specific linear mixed-effects models, controlling for potential confounders. RESULTS: In southern Europe energy intake at restaurants was higher than intake at work, whereas in northern Europe eating at work appeared to contribute more to the mean daily intake than eating at restaurants. Cross-sectionally, eating at restaurants was found to be positively associated with BMI only among men (ß=+0.24, P=0.003). Essentially no association was found between BMI and eating at work among both genders. In a prospective analysis among men, eating at restaurants was found to be positively, albeit nonsignificantly, associated with weight gain (ß=+0.05, P=0.368). No association was detected between energy intake at restaurants and weight changes, controlling for total energy intake. CONCLUSION: Among men, eating at restaurants and similar establishments was associated with higher BMI and possibly weight gain.

Development and validation of a food frequency index using nutritional biomarkers in a sample of middle-aged and older adults.

BACKGROUND: An index of diet quality, which examines different aspects of a diet concurrently, may facilitate the identification of poor dietary habits in population sub-groups. The objectives of the present study were to develop a food frequency index (FFI) and to test its associations with nutritional biomarkers and nutrient intake. METHODS: The study comprised a cross-sectional survey among 444 adults aged 55 years and older in Vienna, Austria, and a sub-sample of 226 subjects who provided fasting blood specimen. Data from a qualitative 28-item food-frequency questionnaire were used to develop the FFI. RESULTS: FFI scores were positively correlated with plasma concentrations of beta-carotene (r = 0.26), beta-cryptoxanthin (r = 0.31), zeaxanthin (r = 0.19), lutein (r = 0.21), phylloquinone (r = 0.19), 25-hydroxyvitamin D (r = 0.20), and serum high-density lipoprotein (HDL)-cholesterol (r = 0.24) and were negatively correlated with the ratio of total : HDL-cholesterol (r = -0.23). Sub-groups with higher FFI scores had, on average, lower intakes of total fat, saturated fat, and dietary cholesterol and higher intakes of total carbohydrates, dietary fibre, and most of the examined micronutrients. CONCLUSION: The FFI as a measure of diet quality has the ability to discern population sub-groups, with reasonable validity, into low- or high-risk dietary habits.

Folate, vitamin B12 and homocysteine status in women of childbearing age: baseline data of folic acid wheat flour fortification in Iran.

BACKGROUND: Folic acid fortification implemented mandatorily in many countries has been associated with significant increase in blood folate concentrations and reduction in the prevalence of neural tube defects. However, there are controversial findings on the probability of vitamin B(12) deficiency being masked in the population after folic acid fortification. Baseline data on folate and vitamin B(12) status are necessary before mandatory flour fortification is implemented. OBJECTIVES: To assess dietary intake of folate and vitamin B(12) and to determine blood concentrations of folate, vitamin B(12) and homocysteine in women of childbearing age as baseline data regarding folic acid fortification in Iran. METHODS: A descriptive cross-sectional survey was performed with 579 healthy women as a representative sample of the Golestan province. Fasting blood samples were taken and dietary (24-hour recall), health and sociodemographic data were collected with an interview. Serum concentrations of folate and vitamin B(12) were measured with radioimmunoassay, and plasma homocysteine concentrations were assessed by high-performance liquid chromatography with fluorescence detection. RESULTS: Mean serum concentrations of folate and vitamin B(12) were 13.6 nmol/l (95% CI 12.8-14.4) and 194.4 pmol/l (95% CI 183.8-205.0), respectively. Inadequate serum folate levels were present in 14.3% of the women and 22.7% had serum vitamin B(12) levels below normal. Mean plasma homocysteine concentration was 12.6 micromol/l (95% CI 12.1-13.2) and hyperhomocysteinemia was observed in 38.3% of the women. Mean daily intake of folate and vitamin B(12) was 198.3 microg (95% CI 185.4-211.3) and 2.6 microg (95% CI 1.9-3.2), respectively. Folate intake from food was positively correlated with serum folate concentrations (r = 0.084, p < 0.05) and inversely correlated with plasma homocysteine concentrations (r = -0.115, p < 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: An insufficient vitamin B(12) as well as folate status is present in Iranian women of childbearing age. The final evaluation will be carried out 18 months after flour fortification and the results will be compared with baseline data obtained from the present study in order to show the efficacy and safety of folic acid fortification in Iran.

Outcomes of the Nutri-Senex project: a co-ordination action funded by the European Commission.

This project's primary aim is to contribute to the improvement of the quality of life of the elderly. The state of the art in age-related research and technology, to highlight the most promising areas for development, has been documented in an extensive literature report. A research database has been established to map current research activities within the European research area. Through several expert group meetings with representatives from universities, research institutions, organizations concerned with the care of the elderly, and industry, suitable technologies and policies that can improve the diet of the elderly have been identified. A legislation survey relating to aspects of nutrition of the elderly has been carried out. A set of guidelines and recommendations of best practice for use in the health and care industry have been developed. The project's results are disseminated through an enhanced website, technology transfer workshops and a staff training program. Good communication between the partners has been promoted and permanent research links have been forged. The main outputs will lead to better co-ordinated European research: less duplication of effort, more rapid commercialization, increased awareness of the problems faced by the elderly, improved guidelines and recommendations for health care professionals and policymakers.

Eating at restaurants, at work or at home. Is there a difference? A study among adults of 11 European countries in the context of the HECTOR* project.

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: To compare macronutrient intakes out of home-by location-to those at home and to investigate differences in total daily intakes between individuals consuming more than half of their daily energy out of home and those eating only at home. SUBJECTS/METHODS: Data collected through 24-h recalls or diaries among 23 766 European adults. Participants were grouped as 'non-substantial', 'intermediate' and 'very substantial out-of-home' eaters based on energy intake out of home. Mean macronutrient intakes were estimated at home and out of home (overall, at restaurants, at work). Study/cohort-specific mean differences in total intakes between the 'very substantial out-of-home' and the 'at-home' eaters were estimated through linear regression and pooled estimates were derived. RESULTS: At restaurants, men consumed 29% of their energy as fat, 15% as protein, 45% as carbohydrates and 11% as alcohol. Among women, fat contributed 33% of energy intake at restaurants, protein 16%, carbohydrates 45% and alcohol 6%. When eating at work, both sexes reported 30% of energy from fat and 55% from carbohydrates. Intakes at home were higher in fat and lower in carbohydrates and alcohol. Total daily intakes of the 'very substantial out-of-home' eaters were generally similar to those of individuals eating only at home, apart from lower carbohydrate and higher alcohol intakes among individuals eating at restaurants. CONCLUSIONS: In a large population of adults from 11 European countries, eating at work was generally similar to eating at home. Alcoholic drinks were the primary contributors of higher daily energy intakes among individuals eating substantially at restaurants.

Review and evaluation of innovative technologies for measuring diet in nutritional epidemiology.

INTRODUCTION: The use of innovative technologies is deemed to improve dietary assessment in various research settings. However, their relative merits in nutritional epidemiological studies, which require accurate quantitative estimates of the usual intake at individual level, still need to be evaluated. OBJECTIVE: To report on the inventory of available innovative technologies for dietary assessment and to critically evaluate their strengths and weaknesses as compared with the conventional methodologies (i.e. Food Frequency Questionnaires, food records, 24-hour dietary recalls) used in epidemiological studies. METHODS: A list of currently available technologies was identified from English-language journals, using PubMed and Web of Science. The search criteria were principally based on the date of publication (between 1995 and 2011) and pre-defined search keywords. RESULTS: Six main groups of innovative technologies were identified ('Personal Digital Assistant-', 'Mobile-phone-', 'Interactive computer-', 'Web-', 'Camera- and tape-recorder-' and 'Scan- and sensor-based' technologies). Compared with the conventional food records, Personal Digital Assistant and mobile phone devices seem to improve the recording through the possibility for 'real-time' recording at eating events, but their validity to estimate individual dietary intakes was low to moderate. In 24-hour dietary recalls, there is still limited knowledge regarding the accuracy of fully automated approaches; and methodological problems, such as the inaccuracy in self-reported portion sizes might be more critical than in interview-based applications. In contrast, measurement errors in innovative web-based and in conventional paper-based Food Frequency Questionnaires are most likely similar, suggesting that the underlying methodology is unchanged by the technology. CONCLUSIONS: Most of the new technologies in dietary assessment were seen to have overlapping methodological features with the conventional methods predominantly used for nutritional epidemiology. Their main potential to enhance dietary assessment is through more cost- and time-effective, less laborious ways of data collection and higher subject acceptance, though their integration in epidemiological studies would need additional considerations, such as the study objectives, the target population and the financial resources available. However, even in innovative technologies, the inherent individual bias related to self-reported dietary intake will not be resolved. More research is therefore crucial to investigate the validity of innovative dietary assessment technologies.

Rationale and methods of the European Food Consumption Validation (EFCOVAL) Project.

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: The overall objective of the European Food Consumption Validation (EFCOVAL) Project was to further develop and validate a trans-European food consumption method to be used for the evaluation of the intake of foods, nutrients and potentially hazardous chemicals within the European population. SUBJECTS/METHODS: The EFCOVAL Project was carried out by 13 institutes from 11 European countries. The main activities were centered on the three main objectives of the project organized in different sub-projects. RESULTS: In EFCOVAL, EPIC-Soft (the software developed to conduct 24-h dietary recalls (24-HDRs) in the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC) Study) was reprogrammed and adapted according to prioritized specifications, resulting in a software program working under the Windows operating system. In parallel of the EPIC-Soft development, the repeated 24-HDR method using EPIC-Soft and a food propensity questionnaire was evaluated against biomarkers in 24-h urine collections and in blood samples among adults from Belgium, the Czech Republic, (the South of) France, the Netherlands and Norway. As a result from an expert workshop on a proposed dietary assessment method for children (4-12 years), the suggested method was tested in a feasibility study in Denmark and Spain among children of 4-5, 7-8 and 12-13 years. To ensure that collected data had sufficient detail in food description for the assessment of additives and contaminants to foods the EPIC-Soft databases were adapted. Finally, the EFCOVAL Consortium developed a statistical tool (Multiple Source Method) for estimating the usual intake and distribution, which has been tested using real food consumption data and compared with three other statistical methods through a simulation study. In addition, a methodology was developed to quantify uncertainty due to portion-size estimation in usual intake distributions. CONCLUSION: The findings of EFCOVAL provide sufficient evidence to conclude that the repeated 24-HDR using EPIC-Soft for standardization in combination with a food propensity questionnaire and modeling of usual intake is a suitable method for pan-European surveillance of nutritional adequacy and food safety among healthy adults and maybe in children aged 7 years and older.

The European Food Consumption Validation Project: conclusions and recommendations.

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: To outline and discuss the main results and conclusions of the European Food Consumption Validation (EFCOVAL) Project. SUBJECTS/METHODS: The EFCOVAL Project was carried out within the EU Sixth Framework Program by researchers in 11 EU countries. The activities focused on (1) the further development of the EPIC-Soft software (the software developed to conduct 24-h dietary recalls (24-HDRs) in the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC) Study) and the validation of the 2-day non-consecutive 24-HDR method using EPIC-Soft, (2) defining and investigating the applicability of the most appropriate dietary assessment method to younger age groups and expanding the applicability of the software for use in exposure assessment of some potentially hazardous chemicals and (3) to improve the methodology and statistical methods that estimate usual intake distributions from short-term dietary intake information and develop a methodology to quantify uncertainty in usual intake distributions. RESULTS: The preexisting EPIC-Soft application was reprogrammed into a Windows environment and more than 60 new specifications were implemented in the software. A validation study showed that two non-consecutive EPIC-Soft 24-HDRs are suitable to estimate the usual intake distributions of protein and potassium of European adult populations. The 2-day non-consecutive 24-HDRs in combination with a food propensity questionnaire also appeared to be appropriate to rank individuals according to their fish and fruit and vegetable intake in a comparable way in five European centers. Dietary intake of (young) children can be assessed by the combination of EPIC-Soft 24-HDRs and food recording booklets. The EPIC-Soft-standardized method of describing foods is useful to estimate dietary exposure to potentially hazardous chemicals such as specific flavoring substances. With the developed Multiple Source Method, repeated non-consecutive 24-HDR data in combination with food propensity data can be used to estimate the population distribution of the usual intake by estimating the individual usual intakes. CONCLUSIONS: The findings provide sufficient evidence to conclude that the repeated 24-HDR using EPIC-Soft for standardization in combination with a food propensity questionnaire and modeling of usual intake is a suitable method for pan-European surveillance of nutritional adequacy and food safety among healthy adults and maybe in children aged 7 years and older. To facilitate this methodology in other European countries, the next step is to provide and standardize an implementation plan that accounts for maintenance and updates, sampling designs, national surveillance programs, tailored capacity building and training, and linkage to food composition and occurrence databases.

Inventory of experiences from national/regional dietary monitoring surveys using EPIC-Soft.

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: The EPIC-Soft 24-h recall (the software developed to conduct 24-h dietary recalls (24-HDRs) in the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC) Study) has been used in several regional/national dietary monitoring surveys. The main objective of the study was to present and discuss design, settings, logistics, data management and quality controls of dietary monitoring surveys that used EPIC-Soft for the collection of food consumption data. SUBJECTS/METHODS: Within European Food Consumption Validation (EFCOVAL), a questionnaire including questions on current/past EPIC-Soft experiences and requirements for the future was developed and sent to all institutes that used EPIC-Soft in their food consumption survey(s) (five surveys in four different countries). RESULTS: EPIC-Soft was used in the national food consumption survey in Belgium (≥ 15-97 years), Germany (14-80 years), the Netherlands (19-30 years and 2-6 years) and Spain (regional only; 4-18 years). Participation rates in these surveys were 46% (Belgium), 42% (Germany), 42% (Dutch survey in adults), 79% (Dutch survey in children) and 77% (Basque survey). Two 24-HDRs were collected by conducting face-to-face interviews in Belgium and Spain, and through telephone interviews in Germany and the Netherlands. Except the Netherlands (19-30 years), where the study was conducted only in autumn, in all other countries the study was conducted throughout the four seasons, including all days of the week. Interviews were conducted by dietitians, except in Germany and Spain. Mean EPIC-Soft interview time was 20-34 min. The dropout rate between the first and second interviews was low (<7.5%) in all surveys. CONCLUSION: EPIC-Soft has been used in different study settings and populations for nutritional exposure assessments. To guarantee the comparability of data across countries, recommendations for the design of future pan-European dietary monitoring surveys using EPIC-Soft should be drawn.

Respondents' evaluation of the 24-h dietary recall method (EPIC-Soft) in the EFCOVAL Project.

BACKGROUND: To improve participation rate, accuracy and respondents' compliance, it is important to know the respondents' viewpoint. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate respondents' preferences and perception about the EPIC-Soft (the software developed to conduct 24-h dietary recalls (24-HDRs) in the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC) Study) 24-HDR interviews and to compare these preferences and perception between population groups (for example, between genders). DESIGN: Data were collected in Belgium, Czech Republic, France, the Netherlands and Norway in 2007. Two 24-HDRs (face-to-face and telephone administered) were conducted using EPIC-Soft. An evaluation questionnaire on different study aspects was completed by the respondents. SETTING: Data were collected in the European Food Consumption Validation Study. SUBJECTS: A convenience sample of 600 apparently healthy men and women, 45-65 years old and including all educational levels, were recruited (120 subjects per country). Differences among population groups were compared by means of the χ (2)-test. RESULTS: A total of 585 respondents completed the evaluation questionnaire. In all, 88% experienced problems only to a low degree when answering face-to-face and telephone-administered 24-HDR using EPIC-Soft. A total of 15% would have preferred help of another person during the face-to-face interview in the study center (mainly men: P < 0.001). Significantly, more subjects in the Netherlands and in Norway preferred two telephone (instead of face-to-face) interviews compared with the other countries (P<0.001). CONCLUSION: Most subjects only experienced problems to a low degree during the EPIC-Soft interviews. Differences in preferences and capabilities to answer the EPIC-Soft interviews were identified between population groups (for example, gender differences). Therefore, the methods and the design to be used in a survey should be adapted according to the study population, so as to optimize response rate and compliance.

The standardized computerized 24-h dietary recall method EPIC-Soft adapted for pan-European dietary monitoring.

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: The EPIC-Soft program (the software initially developed to conduct 24-h dietary recalls (24-HDRs) in the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC) Study) was recommended as the best way to standardize 24-HDRs for future pan-European dietary monitoring. Within European Food Consumption Validation (EFCOVAL), EPIC-Soft was adapted and further developed on various aspects that were required to optimize its use. In this paper, we present the structure and main interview steps of the EPIC-Soft program, after implementation of a series of new specifications deemed to satisfy specific requirements of pan-European monitoring surveys and other international studies. SUBJECTS/METHODS: Updates to optimize the EPIC-Soft program were ascertained according to the following stepwise approach: (1) identification of requested specifications to be potentially implemented through an ad hoc 'EPIC-Soft specifications questionnaire' sent to past, current and possible future users of the software; (2) evaluation of the specifications in collaboration with two ad hoc task force groups and through a workshop; (3) development of a technical solution for each retained specification; (4) implementation of the specifications by software developers; (5) testing and amendment of bugs. RESULTS: A number of new specifications and facilities were implemented to EPIC-Soft program. In addition, the software underwent a full reprogramming and migration to a modern Windows environment, including changes in its internal architecture and user interface. Although the overall concept and structure of the initial software were not changed substantially, these improvements ease the current and future use of EPIC-Soft and increase further its adaptation to other countries and study contexts. CONCLUSIONS: EPIC-Soft is enriched with further functions and facilities expected to fulfil specific needs of pan-European dietary monitoring and risk assessment purposes. The validity, feasibility and relevance of this software for different national and international study designs, and the logistical aspects related to its implementation are reported elsewhere.

Potential and requirements for a standardized pan-European food consumption survey using the EPIC-Soft software.

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: To describe the strengths, limitations and requirements of using EPIC-Soft software (the software developed to conduct 24-h dietary recalls in the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC) Study) in pan-European food consumption surveys, and to discuss potentials and barriers for a harmonized pan-European food consumption survey. SUBJECTS/METHODS: The paper is based on the experiences in the 'European Food Consumption and Validation' Project, which included updating six existing and preparing one new country-specific EPIC-Soft version, applying EPIC-Soft in validation and feasibility studies, and estimating the intake of nutrients and flavoring substances. The experiences were discussed in the September 2009 workshop 'Pan-European Food Consumption Surveys--for Standardized and Comparable Transnational Data Collection'. RESULTS: EPIC-Soft is suitable for detailed and standardized food consumption data collection in pan-European food consumption surveys. A thorough preparation of all aspects of the food consumption survey is important for the quality and efficiency during data collection and processing. The preparation and data-handling phase of working with EPIC-Soft is labor intensive and requires trained, motivated and qualified personnel. CONCLUSIONS: Given the suitability of EPIC-Soft as standardized dietary assessment tool in European dietary monitoring, the proposed strategy toward a pan-European food consumption survey is to prepare well, to allow flexibility in national extensions and to start with a limited number of countries that are interested.

The effect of socioeconomic status on dietary intake, physical activity and Body Mass Index in Austrian pregnant women.

OBJECTIVES: To examine the associations of socioeconomic status (SES) with dietary intake and health related factors in pregnant women. SUBJECTS: A total of 261 pregnant women attending maternity clinics in Austria. METHODS: Descriptive cross-sectional survey using a self-administered questionnaire in combination with an interview to assess dietary intake (24-hour-recall). RESULTS: In the linear regression models, women with a higher level of education showed a higher intake of dietary fibre (P = 0.015), folate (P = 0.048), beta-carotene (P = 0.008), and calcium (P = 0.003), whereas the intake of total fat (P = 0.039) was lower. The mean reported prepregnancy Body Mass Index (BMI) of lower educated women (23.6 kg m(-2)) was significantly higher (p for trend = 0.018) than that of women with medium or high levels of education (21.7 and 21.6 kg m(-2), respectively). The manual occupation group was more than four times less likely to engage in structured physical activity compared with the nonmanual occupation group (adjusted odds ratio for manual group = 0.23, 95% CI: 0.08; 0.87). CONCLUSIONS: Education is a strong and independent predictor of nutrient intake and BMI in pregnant women. The use of occupation and household income in addition to education improves the description of socioeconomic inequalities in diet and health related factors.

Fat intake, diet variety and health promotion.

Different epidemiological studies indicated that the optimization of diet and nutrition combined with healthy life style can decrease the risk and even lead to amelioration of various noncommunicable diseases. Promising food-based dietary guidelines have been recommended in order to improve the nutritional and health status. One of the most popular recommendations is related to the amount (less fat and fat-rich foods) and type of the dietary fat component (less saturated, more polyunsaturated fatty acids, lower n-6:n-3 ratio). An overview on the nutrient intake among different age groups in Austria shows that the general consumption of some food groups--especially those rich in carbohydrates--is too low and that the intake of fat is far beyond the recommended amount of 30% of total energy (E%). The results of the 24-hour recall made among Austrian adults (n = 2,585) showed that about 18% of this population group had a fat intake of 30-35 E%, whereas 60% had an intake higher than 35 E%. Only 24% of the female and male adults had a fat intake lower than 30 E%. A result of this high proportion of fat--in the form of foods rich in fat--in the average total energy consumption is a too low intake of carbohydrates, and foods rich in carbohydrates, respectively. An increasing fat intake is associated with an increasing intake of some nutrients such as vitamin A, E, calcium and zinc, but a decreasing intake of other nutrients like vitamin C, folate, carotenoids and others. The diversity of foods consumed during a day increases with decreasing amount of fat in the diet of adults. People with a high amount of fat in their daily diet show a lower intake of vegetables and fruit, cereal products, carotenoids, folates and dietary fibers, but a higher intake of meat and meat products, milk and milk products, sweets and flummeries as well as saturated fatty acids (SFA) and cholesterol. Of course, a higher variety of food items in the daily diet should not be associated with a higher energy intake. Thus, foods with a high nutrient density (vegetables, fruits, low-fat milk products, whole grain cereals, legumes etc.) are recommended. Finally, it has to be annotated that a high diversity in the daily diet with reduced fat and SFA intake allows a sufficient nutrient intake and is an important approach for health promotion.