An Eight-Week Randomized Controlled Trial of Active Mobilization of the Hamstrings for Non-Specific Low Back Pain and Musculoskeletal Discomfort during Prolonged Sitting among Young People: Study Protocol.

Participants will be recruited from the Faculty of Physical Education and randomly assigned to either the hamstring stretching group or the control group with education only. The primary outcome measures will be pain intensity, musculoskeletal discomfort, and functional disability. Secondary outcome measures will be satisfaction with the intervention and flexibility of the hamstring. A total of 44 participants fulfilling the inclusion criteria will complete the study. As an increase in LBP frequency is observed, it seems justified to determine effective interventions for LBP and musculoskeletal discomfort in young people. The findings of this study will provide information about the effect of an 8-week intervention involving active hamstring flexibility exercises with hip flexion mobilization on the reduction of LBP and musculoskeletal discomfort during prolonged sitting in young adults. We hope this study will add to the development of ergonomic recommendations for young people with LBP.

The Relationship between Chocolate Consumption and the Severity of Acne Lesions-A Crossover Study.

The aim of this study was to assess the relationship between the daily consumption of 50 g of chocolate with 85% cocoa content and the severity of acne lesions. METHODS: The study involved 92 participants with acne who were divided into two groups, A (n = 51) and B (n = 41). In the first week, both groups had to follow an anti-inflammatory diet (AID), then for the next 4 weeks, group A continued on with the AID, and group B followed an AID with chocolate. After this time, group B started a 4-week AID without chocolate, and group A started a 4-week AID with chocolate. The severity of acne lesions was assessed using the Investigator's Static Global Assessment scale, where zero points indicated no lesions and five points indicated severe acne. RESULTS: As a result of the consumption of 50 g of chocolate, a statistically significant intensification of acne lesions was observed in both groups. After 4 weeks of following the chocolate diet, the severity of acne lesions increased from 2.5 ± 0.7 to 3.4 ± 0.8 points (p < 0.0001) in group A, and from 2.4 ± 0.7 to 3.5 ± 0.6 points (p < 0.0001) in group B. Overall, chocolate intake contributed to the exacerbation of acne lesions by one point in 65 participants, by two points in 13 participants and by three points in one participant. CONCLUSIONS: The obtained results suggest that daily consumption of 50 g of chocolate with 85% cocoa content, even with an anti-inflammatory diet, may intensify acne lesions in this study group. However, it remains unclear which chocolate components may lead to the exacerbation of acne.

The Effect of an Active Break Intervention on Nonspecific Low Back Pain and Musculoskeletal Discomfort during Prolonged Sitting among Young People-Protocol for a Randomized Controlled Trial.

BACKGROUND: The most recent evidence has shown that the pandemic of COVID-19 caused an increasing problem with spinal pain in the population of teenagers and young adults. This may be explained by prolonged sitting times in flexed positions with electronic devices. Positions maintained for a prolonged time cause overloading of soft tissue and discogenic symptoms. This study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of the active break program in reducing musculoskeletal discomfort and LBP (low back pain) among young people. METHODS: This will be a randomized controlled study. The participants will be recruited from Bachelor's course students of the Physical Education Department aged 18-25 years. The participants will be assigned to an experimental group (with an active break) and a control group. The group with an active break with lumbar and hip extension exercises will be recommended to take a break for every 30 min of sitting. The control group will receive self-care recommendations. The primary outcomes will be pain intensity (Visual Analogue Scale), disability index (Oswestry Disability Index), and perceived musculoskeletal discomfort during prolonged sitting (Borg scale), assessed at baseline and after the intervention, and the Global Perceived Effect, only assessed after the 12-week intervention. The secondary outcome will be a Post-Intervention Questionnaire (a 5-item self-completed questionnaire), only assessed after the 12-week intervention. RESULTS: Our main research outcome-exercise protocols and interventions-will lead to the development of recommendations and protocols for the LBP population. It is important to determine the effect of interventions that are feasible and effective in addressing LBP and perceived musculoskeletal discomfort in young people. CONCLUSIONS: This is the first study examining the effect of active breaks with proposed lumbar and hip extension exercises on reducing or decreasing LBP in students based on a search of the literature. Exercises and recommendations will be the basis for developing proprietary preventative and therapeutic programs, which will be implemented in selected educational institutions.

Dietary Patterns and the Prevalence of Noncommunicable Diseases in the PURE Poland Study Participants.

The aim of the study was to analyze the association between dietary patterns (DP) identified in the group of Lower Silesia (Poland) inhabitants and the prevalence of selected noncommunicable diseases, such as total cardiovascular diseases (CVD), hypertension, diabetes, impaired fasting glucose (IFG), visceral obesity, and excessive body weight. This study involved 2023 subjects aged 35-70 years, from Wroclaw and surrounding villages. The assessment of food intake in the study group was assessed using the standardized Food Frequency Questionnaire. Dietary patterns were identified using the principal components analysis (PCA) with varimax rotation. Three dietary patterns were identified in the study group: unhealthy, healthy, and traditional. The prevalence of hypertension, diabetes, IFG, and visceral obesity decreased across the quartiles of healthy DP. Prevalence of IFG increased across the quartiles of unhealthy DP, but the prevalence of hypertension decreased. When the diet was more adherent to the traditional DP the prevalence of CVD, diabetes, IFG, visceral obesity, obesity, and being overweight was higher. DP abundant in fruits, vegetables, seeds, nuts, raisins, and unrefined grains, named "healthy dietary pattern", had a beneficial association with lower prevalence of selected noncommunicable diseases. DP abundant in meat products, but poor in fruits and vegetables were positively associated with higher prevalence of total CVD, diabetes, IFG, excessive body weight, and visceral obesity.

A High-Quality Diet, as Measured by the DASH Score, Is Associated with a Lower Risk of Metabolic Syndrome and Visceral Obesity.

The current study was designed to examine the relationship between diet quality, as measured by the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) score, and the prevalence of metabolic syndrome (MetS) and its components. The study was cross-sectional in design and enrolled 535 people, including 215 with MetS and 320 without MetS. Using a validated food frequency questionnaire, the DASH diet quality score was counted. The mean age of the MetS group and control subjects was 58.48 ± 14.65 and 58.33 ± 9.26 years, respectively. The study showed that the MetS group had a significantly lower mean total DASH score than the control group (23.13 ± 5.44 vs. 24.62 ± 5.07, p = 0.0023). In addition, it was found that an increase in the total DASH score was associated with a lower risk of MetS (odds ratio [OR] = 0.95, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.91-0.99, p = 0.009). In the correlation analysis of the total population, a better-quality diet (higher DASH score) was positively correlated with high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-c), and negatively correlated with triglyceride (TG) concentration and waist circumference. It was also found that an increase in the total DASH score was associated with a lower risk of abdominal obesity (OR = 0.93, 95% CI = 0.88-0.99, p = 0.017). The results from the analyzed data highlight the potential benefits of following a healthy diet such as DASH.

Metabolic Syndrome Is Associated with Low Diet Quality Assessed by the Healthy Eating Index-2015 (HEI-2015) and Low Concentrations of High-Density Lipoprotein Cholesterol.

Presenting diet quality of patients with metabolic syndrome (MetS), using a holistic approach is more useful than investigating dietary individual components, but there is still a small amount of research in this area. The aim of this study assessed the diet quality, as measured by the HEI-2015, of MetS patients compared to healthy individuals. The study and control group consisted of 215 patients with MetS and 320 people without MetS, respectively. A nutritional analysis using a semi-quantitative food frequency questionnaire was used to evaluate the nutritional habits in the study and control group. Total HEI-2015 scores were significantly lower in MetS subjects than in those in the control group (65.04 ± 9.71 vs. 66.75 ± 8.88) and the quality of women's diets was better than the quality of men's diet (66.83 ± 8.99 vs. 64.75 ± 9.57). We also observed that low HDL-c concentration increased the risk of MetS in the general population the most. Across the population, there was a weak positive correlation between HDL-c concentrations and total HEI-2015 scores and a weak negative correlation between mean waist circumference values and total HEI-2015 scores. HDL-c concentrations may be a key factor in the prevention of MetS and appropriate therapeutic management to increase HDL-c levels may be of key importance in patients diagnosed with MetS.

Estimation of Vitamin K Content and Its Sources in the Diet of the Polish Participants of the PURE Study.

The aim of the study was to estimate the content of K1, K2 (MK-n) as well as total K vitamins and their sources in the diets of 1985 PURE Poland study participants based on the FFQ questionnaire. Due to the pleiotropic effect of K vitamins, it is important to know their food sources depending on different eating habits. Total vitamin K in the diets amounted to 331.1 ± 151.5 µg/d and 358.6 ± 181.0 µg/d for men and women, respectively. Dietary patterns (DPs) were identified in the study group, and the relationship between them and vitamin K intake was assessed. The proportion of dominant products as sources of vitamin K in the fourth quartile of each of the three identified DPs did not change significantly compared to the proportion of these products as sources of vitamin K in all subjects. In the fourth quartile of individual DPs, vitamin K1 came mainly from vegetables (56.5-76.8%); K2 mainly from processed meat and high-fat cheese and cream (70.1-77.6%); and total K mainly from vegetables and processed meat (57.6-67.8%). Intakes of K vitamins were high and similar in terms of predominant vitamin K provider products, in groups of subjects whose diets were most consistent with the particular DP. In the absence of global findings on the most appropriate dietary content of MK-n vitamins other than phylloquinone, the estimated high content of these vitamins in the diets of the subjects compared with other nations suggests that their level in diets was satisfactory. Future studies should aim to determine the need for MK-n vitamins in terms of fulfilling all their functions in the body.

Characteristic of FINDRISC Score and Association with Diabetes Development in 6-Year Follow-Up in PURE Poland Cohort Study.

PURPOSE: The aim of the study was to assess if FINDRISC score was associated with diabetes development after 6 years of observation. METHODS: Polish cohort is a part of global PURE study. Hereby analysis presents data from baseline (2007-2010) and 6-year follow-up (2013-2016) and was conducted on 1090 participants (702 women) from urban and rural areas in Lower Silesia region (Poland) without diabetes at the baseline and with complete data throughout course of the study. RESULTS: At the baseline, women had significantly higher FINDRISC score than men (10.43 vs 8.91; p=0.000) and participants from rural areas had higher score than from urban areas (10.97 vs 9.33; p=0.000). At the baseline, 25.87% of the participants had low risk of diabetes according to FINDRISC score, 38.90% had slightly elevated risk, 16.79% moderate risk, 16.42% high risk and 2.02% very high risk. Participants, who were healthy at baseline, but developed diabetes after 6 years of observation had significantly higher FINDRISC, than those who did not (13.39 vs 9.36; p=0.000). In 6-year follow-up, diabetes was diagnosed in 2.8% of participants, who were ascertained to "low risk" according to FINDRISC score in baseline; in 9.9% of participants of "slightly elevated risk", 17.5% of participants of "moderate risk", 26.8% in participants of "high risk" and 50.0% of participants of "very high risk". CONCLUSIONS: Results of PURE Poland cohort study indicates that higher FINDRISC score at the baseline was associated with higher risk of diabetes development during 6 years of observation.

Changes in diabetes prevalence and corresponding risk factors - findings from 3- and 6-year follow-up of PURE Poland cohort study.

BACKGROUND: Diabetes mellitus (DM) is one of the greatest challenges for public health worldwide. The aim of the study was the analysis of diabetes development in participants with normoglycemia and Impaired Fasting Glucose (IFG) in 3-year and 6-year follow-up of PURE Poland cohort study. METHODS: The analysis was conducted in Polish cohort enrolled into Prospective Urban and Rural Epidemiology (PURE) Study. The following study presents results of 1330 participants that have partaken both in the baseline study, in 3-year and in the 6-year follow up. The analysis of the impact of risk factors on diabetes development was performed using multivariate Cox frailty analysis. Population Attributable Risk (PAR) was computed individually for every risk factor. RESULTS: Diabetes prevalence increased from 17.7% at baseline to 23.98% in 3-year- and 28.27% in 6-year follow-up. The risk of diabetes was higher in participants with obesity [HR = 5.7, 95%Cl 2,56-12,82], overweight [HR = 3.4, 95%Cl 1,56-7,54] and IFG [HR = 2.7, 95%Cl 1,87-3,85]. The risk of diabetes development was almost 2-fold higher in men than in women [HR = 1.826; 95%CI =1,24 - 2,69]. In 6 years, diabetes developed in 23.8% of participants with IFG and 7.9% of participants with normoglycemia. According to PAR, overweight and obesity accounted for 80.8%, hypertension for 67.6% and IFG for 38.3% of diabetes cases in our population. CONCLUSIONS: Our study reveals alarming increase in prevalence of diabetes during 6 years of observation. In our population, most diabetes cases can be attributed to overweight, obesity, hypertension and IFG. Findings add strong rationale to implement targeted preventive measures in population of high risk.

Association of dairy consumption with metabolic syndrome, hypertension and diabetes in 147 812 individuals from 21 countries.

OBJECTIVE: Our aims were to assess the association of dairy intake with prevalence of metabolic syndrome (MetS) (cross-sectionally) and with incident hypertension and incident diabetes (prospectively) in a large multinational cohort study. METHODS: The Prospective Urban Rural Epidemiology (PURE) study is a prospective epidemiological study of individuals aged 35 and 70 years from 21 countries on five continents, with a median follow-up of 9.1 years. In the cross-sectional analyses, we assessed the association of dairy intake with prevalent MetS and its components among individuals with information on the five MetS components (n=112 922). For the prospective analyses, we examined the association of dairy with incident hypertension (in 57 547 individuals free of hypertension) and diabetes (in 131 481 individuals free of diabetes). RESULTS: In cross-sectional analysis, higher intake of total dairy (at least two servings/day compared with zero intake; OR 0.76, 95% CI 0.71 to 0.80, p-trend<0.0001) was associated with a lower prevalence of MetS after multivariable adjustment. Higher intakes of whole fat dairy consumed alone (OR 0.72, 95% CI 0.66 to 0.78, p-trend<0.0001), or consumed jointly with low fat dairy (OR 0.89, 95% CI 0.80 to 0.98, p-trend=0.0005), were associated with a lower MetS prevalence. Low fat dairy consumed alone was not associated with MetS (OR 1.03, 95% CI 0.77 to 1.38, p-trend=0.13). In prospective analysis, 13 640 people with incident hypertension and 5351 people with incident diabetes were recorded. Higher intake of total dairy (at least two servings/day vs zero serving/day) was associated with a lower incidence of hypertension (HR 0.89, 95% CI 0.82 to 0.97, p-trend=0.02) and diabetes (HR 0.88, 95% CI 0.76 to 1.02, p-trend=0.01). Directionally similar associations were found for whole fat dairy versus each outcome. CONCLUSIONS: Higher intake of whole fat (but not low fat) dairy was associated with a lower prevalence of MetS and most of its component factors, and with a lower incidence of hypertension and diabetes. Our findings should be evaluated in large randomized trials of the effects of whole fat dairy on the risks of MetS, hypertension, and diabetes.

Assessment of the glycemic index of groats available on the Polish food market

Background: Glycemic index (GI) and glycemic load (GL) are often used to assess diet quality in relation to the risk of diabetes, cardiovascular diseases and cancer development. Taking into account differences in nutritional value of food products in different countries it is often suggested to used national databases to assess dietary intake in different populations. Objective: To assess the glycemic index and glycemic load of the selected groats available on the Polish food market. Material and methods: GI of the following groats available on the Polish food market was assessed: couscous, buckwheat (roasted) groats, millet groats, spelt groats, barley (hulled) groats and bulgur groats. The GI was assessed as the incremental area under the blood glucose response curve of a 50g carbohydrate portion of a test food expressed as a percent of the response to the same amount of carbohydrate from a standard food taken by the same subject. GL was calculated for the 100 g of the cooked product. Results: The lowest GI was found for buckwheat (34.7±8.2%) and barley (31.3±13.4%) groats. The GL for these groats was 8.1±1.9 and 8.0±3.4, respectively. The GI for millet, spelt and bulgur groats amounted to 56.2±20.6%, 69.8±35.0%, 64.5±36.8%, respectively, while for couscous amounted to 99.0± 36.0%. The highest GL was observed for couscous (24.7±9.0). Conclusions: The groats tested in this study can be classified as follows: barley and buckwheat as a low GI food, millet and bulgur as a medium GI food, spelt and couscous as a high GI food. Buckwheat and barley groats should be chosen the most often among these products, while the intake of couscous should be limited especially by people with diabetes.

Association between dietary glycaemic load and selected demographic, socio-economic and lifestyle factors in a group of adult Poles in Lower Silesia - Results of the PURE Poland Study.

INTRODUCTION: There is a strong association between the occurrence of cardiovascular disease (CVD) and low socio-economic status (SES). It is interesting to consider whether high dietary glycaemic load (GL) is also associated with low SES or demographic factors. OBJECTIVE: The aim of the study is to assess the relationship between dietary GL and demographic, socio-economic and lifestyle factors in a selected population of Polish adults in Lower Silesia. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The study group consisted of 2,025 Polish adults (aged 35-70 years), enrolled in the 1st stage of the Prospective Urban Rural Epidemiological (PURE) study. Nutritional data were collected using a food frequency questionnaire (FFQ), which was developed and validated for the Polish population in Lower Silesia. The overall GL of each diet was computed as a sum of GL values of consumed foods. RESULTS: Significantly higher GL and GL/1,000 kcal were observed in the diets of males compared to females and in the diets of rural compared to urban inhabitants. An adverse relationship between both GL and GL/1,000 kcal and level of education was found. The percentage of females, urban inhabitants, people with university education and not married decreased with quartiles of the overall dietary GL and GL/1,000 kcal. The percentage of former smokers, people who never used alcohol and people with low and moderate physical activity decreased with quartiles of GL and GL/1,000 kcal. Lower percentage of individuals aged 44-64 years was observed with quartiles of the overall dietary GL. CONCLUSIONS: Factors such as: male gender, rural place of residence, low level of education and smoking determine the group of people that is the most exposed on the effects of improper nutrition, according to the low quality and/or high amount of carbohydrates defined by GL and GL per 1,000 kcal.

Relationship between the dietary glycemic load of the adult Polish population and socio-demographic and lifestyle factors - results of the WOBASZ II study.

BACKGROUND: Cardiovascular disease (CVD) occurs more often among people with a low sociodemographic status, so it is worth knowing if any sociodemographic factor also has an impact on diet quality, defined by glycemic load (GL). OBJECTIVES: Assessment of the relationship between the sociodemographic and lifestyle factors, health status self-assessment and dietary GL of the adult Polish population based on WOBASZ II study results. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The study included a representative group of the Polish population aged ≥20 years (2,554 men and 3,136 women). A 24-hour dietary recall was collected to assess the dietary intake. The total GL was calculated by summing the GL values of the consumed food. RESULTS: The average GL/1,000 kcal was significantly higher in women's than in men's diets (74.0 ±15.9 vs 71.2 ±15.7). Dietary GL/1,000 kcal increased with age (men: aged <35 - 70.3 and aged ≥65 - 73.9, women: 73.5 and 76.5, respectively). The lowest dietary GL/1,000 kcal was found among people living in large population centers. Dietary GL/1,000 kcal decreased with education level (men with primary, secondary and higher education: 73.4, 69.5 and 68.9, respectively, and women: 76.7, 73.4 and 70.9, respectively). Dietary GL decreased as an income increased. The highest GL/1,000 kcal was observed in the diets of participants who performed less physical activity. The highest GL/1,000 kcal was observed in the participants who defined their health status as very poor/poor and the lowest among those who defined their health status as good/very good. CONCLUSIONS: Nutritional education about the proper selection of products that are sources of carbohydrates in the diet should be addressed mainly to people with low sociodemographic status, such as: people in the older age group, living in small population centers, and with lower levels of education and lower income. It should also be directed to people with a lower level of physical activity. Greater awareness of the choices of carbohydrate products is recommended to improve diet quality in these groups of people.

Food groups in dietary prevention of type 2 diabetes

According to the World Health Organization diabetes will be the seventh leading cause of death worldwide in 2030. Majority of diabetic patients suffer from type 2 diabetes (T2DM), which is mostly avoidable. The most important modifiable risk factors of type 2 diabetes are: overweight and obesity, improper diet, sedentary lifestyle and tobacco smoking. Even in prediabetic state, improving diet and physical activity can slow down or even stop progression to diabetes. In the view of health burden of diabetes it is essential to thoroughly investigate the risk factors and develop more specific preventive strategies. Recently published studies focus on food groups rather than individual products to assess the link between nutrition and risk of type 2 diabetes. Identifying food groups of possible beneficial and deleterious effect on the risk of type 2 diabetes could facilitate the dietary counselling. The aim of the overview is to summarize the possible association between consumption of food groups on the risk of type 2 diabetes on the basis of available literature. Observations from studies and meta-analyses indicate on an inverse association between consumption of fresh vegetables and fruit, whole grains, lean dairy, fish, nuts and the risk of type 2 diabetes. Food groups that seemed to increase the risk of type 2 diabetes are: red and processed meat, refined grains, sugar-sweetened beverages. It is important to note, that no individual nutrients, but diverse dietary pattern, composed of every recommended food group in adequate amounts can contribute to healthy lifestyle and T2DM prevention.

Association between egg consumption and elevated fasting glucose prevalence in relation to dietary patterns in selected group of Polish adults.

BACKGROUND: The safety of high egg intake in view of its impact on glucose metabolism remains inconclusive. The aim of the study was to assess the relationship between egg intake, dietary patterns and elevated fasting glucose (FG) level in a selected group of Polish adults. METHODS: The study group consisted of 1630 adults who participated in the Polish arm of the Prospective Urban Rural Epidemiological Study. Dietary intake, including egg intake, was assessed based on the data from the Additional file 2 Food Frequency Questionnaire previously validated for the population of Lower Silesia. DPs were derived using principal component analysis. FG levels ≥100 mg/dl were considered elevated. Subjects who used antidiabetic drugs were included in the group with elevated FG levels. RESULTS: Egg consumption increased in higher quartiles of "Western" and "traditional" DPs in both men and women (p < 0.0001). In a crude model each 10 g of eggs consumed per day was associated with 7% increased risk (OR 1.07; 95% CI: 1.01-1.15) of elevated glucose level in the overall group and 10% increased risk (OR 1.10; 95% CI: 1.01-1.21) of elevated glucose level in the group of men. Men who consumed at least five eggs per week had higher risk for elevated FG level compared to men who consumed at most one egg per week (OR 1.79; 95% CI 1.13-2.84), but this relationship became insignificant when the data were adjusted for DPs. In the group of women no association between egg intake and elevated FG level was observed. CONCLUSIONS: Higher egg intake may be associated with the overall unhealthy dietary habits, which is why the number of eggs consumed daily should not be considered an independent risk factor for elevated fasting glucose level.

Association between dietary patterns and metabolic syndrome in the selected population of Polish adults-results of the PURE Poland Study.

BACKGROUND: Dietary pattern (DP) analysis is a statistical method used to evaluate the comprehensive effect of the diet on health. The aim of the study was to assess the relationship between DPs derived in selected population of Lower Silesia and the prevalence of metabolic syndrome (MS) and its components. METHODS: Study group consisted of 1634 individuals enrolled in the Prospective Urban and Rural Epidemiological Study Poland. Dietary intake was estimated using the data from the Food Frequency Questionnaire. DPs were identified using principal component analysis. MS prevalence was evaluated based on the criteria accepted by International Diabetes Federation, American Heart Association and National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute in 2009. RESULTS: Three DPs were identified. The percentage of individuals with MS was lower in the upper quartile (Q) of the 'fruit & vegetables' DP in comparison with Q1 (40.4 vs. 48.9%). Inverse relationship was observed for 'Western' (Q4 vs. Q1: 50.7 vs. 40.8%) and 'traditional' DPs (51.0 vs. 38.3%). After adjusting for potential confounders, in Q4 of 'traditional' DP higher risk for central obesity was observed compared to Q1 (OR 1.52; 95% CI: 1.10-2.12). Individuals in Q3 of 'fruit & vegetables' DP had lower risk for raised blood pressure in comparison with the bottom Q (OR 0.54; 95% CI: 0.36-0.82). CONCLUSIONS: DP analysis allows to evaluate the synergistic effect of the diet on the MS prevalence. 'Fruit & vegetables' DP, in contrast to 'Western' and 'traditional' DPs, was negatively associated with the prevalence of MS and its components in the study group.

Association between dietary patterns and cardiovascular risk factors in a selected population of Lower Silesia (PURE Study Poland).

INTRODUCTION: Dietary pattern analysis is used to describe the dietary habits of a selected population. In many studies, dietary patterns (DPs) have been associated with risk factors for cardiovascular disease (CVD). The aim of the study was to assess the association between dietary patterns identified in the population of Lower Silesia, Poland, with anthropometric and biochemical risk factors for CVD. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The study group included 2,025 participants of the Prospective Urban Rural Epidemiological (PURE) Study. Dietary intake was evaluated based on data from the Food Frequency Questionnaire (FFQ). Dietary patterns were derived using principal component analysis (PCA). The relationship between DPs and body mass index (BMI), waist circumference, waist-hip ratio, blood pressure, total cholesterol, HDL cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, triglycerides and fasting glucose level, was assessed. RESULTS: Three dietary patterns identified in the study explained 35.6% of total variance. The 'fruit, vegetables & dairy' DP, characterized by a high intake of vegetables, fruits, nuts, seeds, raisins, milk and low-fat dairy, was associated with improved lipid profile and anthropometric measures, lower diastolic blood pressure and lower fasting glucose concentration. 'Traditional' and 'fat & sugar' DPs were unfavourably associated with most of the risk factors for CVD presented in this study. CONCLUSIONS: Dietary patterns identified in this study were differently related to selected anthropometric and biochemical risk factors for CVD. 'Fruit, vegetables & dairy' DP was favourably associated with the biochemical and anthropometric CVD risk factors, and was characterized by higher nutritional value in comparison with 'traditional' and 'fat & sugar' DPs.

Association of dairy intake with cardiovascular disease and mortality in 21 countries from five continents (PURE): a prospective cohort study.

BACKGROUND: Dietary guidelines recommend minimising consumption of whole-fat dairy products, as they are a source of saturated fats and presumed to adversely affect blood lipids and increase cardiovascular disease and mortality. Evidence for this contention is sparse and few data for the effects of dairy consumption on health are available from low-income and middle-income countries. Therefore, we aimed to assess the associations between total dairy and specific types of dairy products with mortality and major cardiovascular disease. METHODS: The Prospective Urban Rural Epidemiology (PURE) study is a large multinational cohort study of individuals aged 35-70 years enrolled from 21 countries in five continents. Dietary intakes of dairy products for 136 384 individuals were recorded using country-specific validated food frequency questionnaires. Dairy products comprised milk, yoghurt, and cheese. We further grouped these foods into whole-fat and low-fat dairy. The primary outcome was the composite of mortality or major cardiovascular events (defined as death from cardiovascular causes, non-fatal myocardial infarction, stroke, or heart failure). Hazard ratios (HRs) were calculated using multivariable Cox frailty models with random intercepts to account for clustering of participants by centre. FINDINGS: Between Jan 1, 2003, and July 14, 2018, we recorded 10 567 composite events (deaths [n=6796] or major cardiovascular events [n=5855]) during the 9·1 years of follow-up. Higher intake of total dairy (>2 servings per day compared with no intake) was associated with a lower risk of the composite outcome (HR 0·84, 95% CI 0·75-0·94; ptrend=0·0004), total mortality (0·83, 0·72-0·96; ptrend=0·0052), non-cardiovascular mortality (0·86, 0·72-1·02; ptrend=0·046), cardiovascular mortality (0·77, 0·58-1·01; ptrend=0·029), major cardiovascular disease (0·78, 0·67-0·90; ptrend=0·0001), and stroke (0·66, 0·53-0·82; ptrend=0·0003). No significant association with myocardial infarction was observed (HR 0·89, 95% CI 0·71-1·11; ptrend=0·163). Higher intake (>1 serving vs no intake) of milk (HR 0·90, 95% CI 0·82-0·99; ptrend=0·0529) and yogurt (0·86, 0·75-0·99; ptrend=0·0051) was associated with lower risk of the composite outcome, whereas cheese intake was not significantly associated with the composite outcome (0·88, 0·76-1·02; ptrend=0·1399). Butter intake was low and was not significantly associated with clinical outcomes (HR 1·09, 95% CI 0·90-1·33; ptrend=0·4113). INTERPRETATION: Dairy consumption was associated with lower risk of mortality and major cardiovascular disease events in a diverse multinational cohort. FUNDING: Full funding sources are listed at the end of the paper (see Acknowledgments).

The use of antioxidant vitamin supplements among oncological patients.

BACKGROUND: Dietary supplementation is becoming more and more common among both healthy and unhealthy people. The use of supplements is often unjustified, though in some groups of patients it is a necessary management for providing the required vitamins and minerals. OBJECTIVES: The aim of the study was to assess the frequency of using antioxidant vitamin supplements (A, C and E) among the patients of the oncology ward. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The study group included 78 patients aged 19-83 years. The dietary intake of vitamins as well as the intake of supplements was assessed based on the data from the Food Frequency Questionnaire (FFQ). RESULTS: It was observed that 46.2% of patients used some kind of a dietary supplement and 77.8% of them used antioxidant vitamins. Among those taking vitamin A, C or E supplements, 72.2% of women and 80% of men used multivitamins. It was reported that the average fulfillment of the recommended daily intake for vitamin A was 303 ±136%, for vitamin C it was 282 ±166% and for vitamin E it was 199 ±80%. More than 25% of the patients whose diets contained at least the same level of vitamins as dietary recommendations were using antioxidant vitamin supplements at the same time. CONCLUSIONS: Although the average dietary intake of antioxidant vitamins among the patients was not insufficient, the use of dietary supplements in different forms was common in our study. The results of other studies concerning the safety of using dietary supplements by cancer patients are not conclusive. Dietary supplementation in oncological patients should always be used after a medical consultation with a doctor and a dietician.

The significance of anthocyanins in the prevention and treatment of type 2 diabetes.

Anthocyanins are food compounds which belong to polyphenols and can mainly be found in dark fruits (e.g., blueberries, black currants, cranberries) and vegetables (e.g., red cabbage, radish, eggplant). The results of large research have shown that these compounds play an important role in the prevention of type 2 diabetes (T2D). In rodent studies and in studies with isolated omental adipocytes, it was observed that anthocyanins regulated the carbohydrate metabolism in the body due to the upregulation of GLUT4 (insulinregulated glucose transporter) translocation, increased activation of PPARγ (peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-γ) in adipose tissue and skeletal muscles as well as increased secretion of adiponectin and leptin. Moreover, these compounds reduced the inflammation status in the body. Studies conducted on humans and experimental animals showed that anthocyanins decrease insulin resistance. This effect may be achieved by the upregulation of GLUT4 gene expression, activation of AMP-activated protein kinase and downregulation of retinol binding protein 4 (RBP4) expression. Anthocyanins also increased the uptake and utilization of glucose by tissues in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats and mice, and they also protected pancreatic cells against necrosis induced by streptozotocin. Another mechanism that might explain the lower glucose level in the blood after a meal with anthocyanins compared to a meal without them is the inhibition of intestinal α-glucosidase and pancreatic α-amylase by these compounds. Moreover, anthocyanins improve insulin secretion, which can have a special meaning for people with T2D. The evidence from the presented studies suggests that foods rich in anthocyanins may be one of the diet elements supporting the prevention and treatment of T2D.