A Randomized Controlled Trial to Increase Navy Bean or Rice Bran Consumption in Colorectal Cancer Survivors.

Consumption of navy beans (NB) and rice bran (RB) have been shown to inhibit colon carcinogenesis. Given the overall poor diet quality in colorectal cancer (CRC) survivors and low reported intake of whole grains and legumes, practical strategies to increase consumption merit attention. This study determined feasibility of increasing NB or RB intake in CRC survivors to increase dietary fiber and examined serum inflammatory biomarkers and telomere lengths. Twenty-nine subjects completed a randomized controlled trial with foods that included cooked NB powder (35 g/day), heat-stabilized RB (30 g/day), or no additional ingredient. Fasting blood, food logs, and gastrointestinal health questionnaires were collected. The amount of NB or RB consumed equated to 4-9% of subjects' daily caloric intake and no major gastrointestinal issues were reported with increased consumption. Dietary fiber amounts increased in NB and RB groups at Weeks 2 and 4 compared to baseline and to control (P ≤ 0.01). Telomere length correlated with age and HDL cholesterol at baseline, and with improved serum amyloid A (SAA) levels at Week 4 (P ≤ 0.05). This study concludes feasibility of increased dietary NB and RB consumption to levels associated with CRC chemoprevention and warrants longer-term investigations with both foods in high-risk populations that include cancer prevention and control outcomes.

A Pilot Randomized Controlled Clinical Trial to Assess Tolerance and Efficacy of Navy Bean and Rice Bran Supplementation for Lowering Cholesterol in Children.

Background: Navy beans and rice bran demonstrate efficacy to regulate serum cholesterol in hypercholesterolemic adults; however, the cardiovascular disease (CVD) protective properties of these foods in children are unknown and merit investigation. Objective: The objectives were to determine whether cooked navy bean powder (NBP) and/or heat-stabilized rice bran (RB) supplementation is tolerable, improves dietary fiber intake in children, and modulates lipid profiles. Methods: Children aged 8 to 13 years at risk for CVD due to abnormal lipids were recruited. Elevated cholesterol levels were defined as total cholesterol ≥180 mg/dL and high-density lipoprotein (HDL) <60 mg/dL; low-density lipoprotein (LDL) ≥100 mg/dL and HDL <60 mg/dL; or non-HDL >100 mg/dL and HDL <60 mg/dL. Participants completed a pilot 4-week, randomized controlled, 4-arm dietary intervention. They consumed study-provided muffins or a smoothie daily that included 0 g NBP or RB (control), 17.5 g NBP, 15 g RB, or a combination 9 g NBP + 8 g RB. Fasting blood was collected at baseline and week 4. Participants also completed 3-day food logs and gastrointestinal health questionnaires. RESULTS: Thirty-eight children completed the trial (n = 9 control, n = 10 NBP, n = 9 RB, and n = 10 NBP + RB groups). Only 3 participants withdrew due to noncompliance of required food consumption. Participants in the intervention groups significantly increased intake of NBP and RB at week 4 (p≤.01). The NBP and NBP + RB groups increased total fiber intake from baseline to week 4 (p=.02 and p=<.01, respectively). HDL-cholesterol was higher in NBP-group participants compared to control at week 4 (P = .02). Conclusion: Increasing NBP and/or RB intake is tolerable for children, and our findings suggest higher daily intakes are needed for a longer duration to induce favorable changes across multiple serum lipid parameters.

Pilot dietary intervention with heat-stabilized rice bran modulates stool microbiota and metabolites in healthy adults.

Heat-stabilized rice bran (SRB) has been shown to regulate blood lipids and glucose, modulate gut mucosal immunity and inhibit colorectal cancer in animal and human studies. However, SRB's effects on gut microbial composition and metabolism and the resulting implications for health remain largely unknown. A pilot, randomized-controlled trial was developed to investigate the effects of eating 30 g/day SRB on the stool microbiome and metabolome. Seven healthy participants consumed a study meal and snack daily for 28 days. The microbiome and metabolome were characterized using 454 pyrosequencing and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) at baseline, two and four weeks post-intervention. Increases in eight operational taxonomic units (OTUs), including three from Bifidobacterium and Ruminococcus genera, were observed after two and four weeks of SRB consumption (p<0.01). Branched chain fatty acids, secondary bile acids and eleven other putative microbial metabolites were significantly elevated in the SRB group after four weeks. The largest metabolite change was a rice bran component, indole-2-carboxylic acid, which showed a mean 12% increase with SRB consumption. These data support the feasibility of dietary SRB intervention in adults and support that SRB consumption can affect gut microbial metabolism. These findings warrant future investigations of larger cohorts evaluating SRB's effects on intestinal health.

Feasibility of Increased Navy Bean Powder Consumption for Primary and Secondary Colorectal Cancer Prevention.

INTRODUCTION: Emerging evidence supports that increased consumption of dry beans (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) reduces both the incidence and recurrence of adenomatous polyps or precancerous growths. Navy beans have been studied for dietary colorectal cancer (CRC) chemoprevention in animal models. Our main objectives were to assess the feasibility of increased navy bean consumption in adults with and without history of CRC and to achieve intake amounts associated with chemoprevention. METHODS: Seven meals and six snacks were developed for both the absence and inclusion of cooked navy bean powder (35grams/day). Sixteen healthy adults (7 non-cancer and 9 CRC survivors) completed the placebo-controlled, randomized, single-blinded dietary intervention trial. Participants consumed one study-provided meal and snack daily for 28 days, which accounted for approximately one-third of their total recommended caloric intake (meals = 202-483 kcal and snacks = 194-401 kcal). Participants also recorded three-day dietary food logs each week. RESULTS: The addition of 35g of cooked navy bean powder (NBP) into foods provided 5-8% daily caloric intake. The compliance to the meal and snack intervention ranged from 89-100%. Non-cancer participants in the NBP group had a significant decrease in total caloric intake after week 4 (p≤0.0001). CRC survivors in the NBP group significantly increased total fiber intake by week 4 (p≤0.0001). CONCLUSIONS: NBP are feasible to include in meals for increased total fiber intake and for consuming the amount that is associated with CRC chemoprevention outcomes. These findings warrant further evaluation of NBP consumption in clinical nutrition trials for CRC control and prevention.

Education in a homeless shelter to improve the nutrition of young children.

OBJECTIVE: To improve the nutritional status of homeless children by implementing an educational program for their mothers and the cafeteria staff at a homeless shelter. DESIGN: Program evaluation including before and after measures of mothers' nutritional knowledge and nutritional quality of foods served in the cafeteria. SAMPLE: Fifty-six mothers with children aged 18 months to 6 years and 3 cafeteria staff. INTERVENTION: Four nutrition classes developed by a registered nutritionist were taught to mothers by clinic nurses; 3 nutrition classes were taught to the cafeteria staff by the nutritionist. RESULTS: Mothers scored higher on posttests than on pretests, indicating improved nutritional knowledge. Minimal differences in the nutritional quality of foods served to residents were observed after staff education. CONCLUSIONS: This project demonstrates the challenges of altering the nutritional status of children in a homeless shelter. Despite mothers showing better knowledge of nutritional requirements for children, the types of food served in the cafeteria were an obstacle to them in practicing what they had learned. The cafeteria staff's ability to demonstrate their learning was impeded by the constraints of food donations. Educational strategies may need to be augmented by policies to improve the nutritional status of children in homeless shelters.