Predictors of Symptoms of Depression Among Black Seventh-Day Adventists in the United States.

The purpose of this study was to estimate a regression model that best predict symptoms of depression among Black Seventh-day Adventists in the United States. The sample (n = 3,570) was drawn from the Biopsychosocial Religion and Health Study, a sub-study of the larger Adventist Health Study-2 consisting of a random sample (n = 10,998) of Adventists. The results of the study showed that poor sleep quality, hostility, stress, and perceived discrimination were all predictors of symptoms of depression, while religious involvement decreased the likelihood of experiencing those symptoms.

Religious Involvement, Vegetarian Diet, and Mental Well-Being Among Seventh-day Adventists in Peru.

Mental well-being is conditioned by several factors, including religious involvement and diet. However, this evidence does not exist among members of the Seventh-day Adventist Church (SDA) in Latin America, particularly Peru. This study evaluated the association between religious involvement and vegetarian diet with mental well-being in members of the SDA Church in Peru. In this cross-sectional study, the sample included 767 participants, aged 18 to 59 years. A face-to-face and online survey was administered that included information on the dietary regimen and sociodemographic characteristics. Religious involvement and mental well-being were measured using the 12-item version of the General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-12) and the Duke University Religion Index (DUREL), respectively. A multivariate analysis was conducted to investigate the factors associated with mental well-being. Being female (ß = 1.80, p < 0.001), coming from the highland region (ß = 1.98, p < 0.001), having a basic educational degree (ß = 1.85, p < 0.001), a higher level of religious involvement (ß = 0.34, p < 0.001), and being vegetarian (ß = 1.21, p < 0.001) were associated with greater mental well-being. This evidence highlights the implication of religious participation and a vegetarian diet in mental health, not only among SDA church members but also in a broader context. However, it should be recognized that direct transfer of church-based health promotion interventions and strategies to the general population can present challenges; therefore, it is suggested that these strategies should be adapted and adjusted to consider differences in the community context.

Perceived Changes of Attitudes and Behaviors of Seventh-Day Adventists During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Findings from a Cross-Sectional Survey in Germany.

To analyze which pandemic related changes of attitudes and behaviors were perceived by Seventh-day Adventists (SDA) and how these relate to wellbeing, a cross-sectional survey with standardized questionnaires was performed. Participants (n = 1,494) stated changes for Relationships, Digital media usage and Nature/Silence/Contemplation, but not for Spirituality or Reflection of life. Best predictors of psychological wellbeing (WHO-5) were Spiritual wellbeing, perceived Restrictions and Awe/Gratitude (R2 = .32). Mediation analyses (R2 = 0.51) revealed a mediation effect of Awe/Gratitude between spiritual to psychological wellbeing (ß = 0.11, p < 0.0001). Perceived changes were less relevant to buffer the negative effects of the pandemic; instead, they were related to fears of future. More relevant to stabilize SDAs´ wellbeing was their spirituality.

Experience of Spiritual Dryness and Acedia Symptoms in Seventh-Day Adventists.

In a cross-sectional survey among 626 Adventists, we investigated their perception of spiritual dryness, and its association with indicators of Acedia, well-being and emotional exhaustion. Women, younger persons and those without a specific duty within the church had significantly higher spiritual dryness scores. Spiritual dryness was predicted best by perceived Excessive Spiritual Demands (indicating spiritual exhaustion) and low perception of the sacred. Further predictors are Acedia's Difficulties in Prayer Life, reduced well-being and emotional exhaustion. The underlying causes might be complex and thus to support persons experiencing these phases, a thorough differentiation of the underlying 'spirits' is required.

Strategies to Cope with Phases of Spiritual Dryness in Seventh-Day Adventists.

In Adventists (n = 603) 45% were less effective and 55% more effective in coping with phases of spiritual dryness, particularly those with leading roles in the church. Strategies such as devotion/trust in God, private prayer/meditation/scripture reading, openness, talks with close others, and self-care were most often utilized. Their ability to cope was predicted best by low Acedia, Living from the Faith, low emotional exhaustion, well-being and having a duty in the church (R2 = .24). When these phases were overcome, several perceived spiritual depth and were able to help others all the more. Helpful strategies should be made available to support persons struggling with spiritual dryness.

Lower rates of cancer and all-cause mortality in an Adventist cohort compared with a US Census population.

BACKGROUND: Previous research suggests that Adventists, who often follow vegetarian diets, live longer and have lower risks for many cancers than others, but there are no national data and little published comparative data for black subjects. METHODS: This study compared all-cause mortality and cancer incidence between the nationally inclusive Adventist Health Study 2 (AHS-2) and nonsmokers in US Census populations: the National Longitudinal Mortality Study (NLMS) and its Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results substudy. Analyses used proportional hazards regression adjusting for age, sex, race, cigarette smoking history, and education. RESULTS: All-cause mortality and all-cancer incidence in the black AHS-2 population were significantly lower than those for the black NLMS populations (hazard ratio [HR] for mortality, 0.64; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.59-0.69; HR for incidence, 0.78; 95% CI, 0.68-0.88). When races were combined, estimated all-cause mortality was also significantly lower in the AHS-2 population at the age of 65 years (HR, 0.67; 95% CI, 0.64-0.69) and at the age of 85 years (HR, 0.78; 95% CI, 0.75-0.81), as was cancer mortality; this was also true for the rate of all incident cancers combined (HR, 0.70; 95% CI, 0.67-0.74) and the rates of breast, colorectal, and lung cancers. Survival curves confirmed the mortality results and showed that among males, AHS-2 blacks survived longer than white US subjects. CONCLUSIONS: Substantially lower rates of all-cause mortality and cancer incidence among Adventists have implications for the effects of lifestyle and perhaps particularly diet on the etiology of these health problems. Trends similar to those seen in the combined population are also found in comparisons of black AHS-2 and NLMS subjects.

Tomato consumption and intake of lycopene as predictors of the incidence of prostate cancer: the Adventist Health Study-2.

PURPOSE: Studies have controversially suggested that prostate cancer, the most common cancer among Western men, is less common among those with a high intake of tomato products and lycopene. We examine multivariable associations between the intake of tomatoes and lycopene, and risk of prostate cancer. METHODS: In a prospective study of 27,934 Adventist men without prevalent cancer, Cox proportional hazard regression analyses were used to address the objectives. Dietary measurement error was partially corrected with regression calibration. RESULTS: 1226 incident cases of prostate cancer, 355 of them aggressive, were identified during 7.9 years of follow-up. Consumption of canned and cooked tomatoes more than four times a week was associated with a HR = 0.72 (95% CI 0.55, 0.94, P = 0.02) comparing to risk in those never consuming this food. Treating this as a continuous variable, adjusting for confounders, produces a similar result, HR = 0.86 (95% CI 0.75, 0.99), comparing 64 g/day with zero intakes (questionnaire data). Regression calibration, although less precise, suggests a yet stronger and statistically significant inverse relationship, comparing a 24-h dietary recall intake of 71 g/day canned and cooked tomato product, with zero intake. Uncalibrated multivariable-adjusted competing risk analyses do not find differences in tomato associations between aggressive and non-aggressive prostate cancers although power for aggressive cancers is limited. CONCLUSION: Consumption of canned and cooked tomatoes may reduce the risk of prostate cancer. These products contain more available lycopene. However, an observational study cannot exclude confounding by some unidentified, prostate cancer preventive factor. Clinical Trial Registry: ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT03615599.

Dietary patterns and the risk of obesity, type 2 diabetes mellitus, cardiovascular diseases, asthma, and neurodegenerative diseases.

Diet and lifestyle play a significant role in the development chronic diseases; however the full complexity of this relationship is not yet understood. Dietary pattern investigation, which reflects the complexity of dietary intake, has emerged as an alternative and complementary approach for examining the association between diet and chronic diseases. Literature on this association has largely focused on individual nutrients, with conflicting outcomes, but individuals consume a combination of foods from many groups that form dietary patterns. Our objective was to systematically review the current findings on the effects of dietary patterns on chronic diseases. In this review, we describe and discuss the relationships between dietary patterns, such as the Mediterranean, the Dietary Approach to Stop Hypertension, Prudent, Seventh-day Adventists, and Western, with risk of obesity, type-2 diabetes mellitus, cardiovascular diseases, asthma, and neurodegenearive diseases. Evidence is increasing from both observational and clinical studies that plant-based dietary patterns, which are rich in fruits, vegetables, and whole grains, are valuable in preventing various chronic diseases, whereas a diet high in red and processed meat, refined grains and added sugar seems to increase said risk. Dietary pattern analysis might be especially valuable to the development and evaluation of food-based dietary guidelines.

The association between ambient fine particulate matter and incident adenocarcinoma subtype of lung cancer.

BACKGROUND: Adenocarcinoma (AC) is the most common lung cancer among non-smokers, but few studies have assessed the effect of PM2.5 on AC among never smokers. The purpose of this study was to assess the association between ambient PM2.5 and incident lung AC in the Adventist Health and Smog Study-2 (AHSMOG-2), a cohort of 80,044 non-smokers (81% never smokers) followed for 7.5 years (597,177 person-years) (2002-2011). METHODS: Incident lung AC was identified through linkage with U.S. state cancer registries. Ambient PM2.5 levels at subjects' residences were estimated for the years 2000 and 2001, immediately prior to study start. RESULTS: A total of 164 incident lung AC occurred during follow-up. Each 10 µg/m3 increment in PM2.5 was associated with an increase in the hazard rate of lung AC [HR = 1.31 (95% confidence interval (CI) 0.87-1.97)] in the single-pollutant model. Excluding those with prevalent non-melanoma skin cancer (NMSC) strengthened the association with lung AC (HR = 1.62 (95% CI, 1.11-2.36) for each 10 µg/m3 PM2.5 increment. Also, limiting the analyses to subjects who spent more than 1 h/day outdoors, increased the estimate (HR = 1.55, 95% CI: 1.05, 2.30). CONCLUSIONS: Increased risk of AC was observed for each 10 µg/m3 increment in ambient PM2.5 concentrations. The risk was higher among those without prevalent NMSC and those who spent more than 1 h/day outdoors.

Does the social gradient remain in the dietary habits of a health-conscious population? A study of Seventh-Day Adventists in West Malaysia.

Background: Socioeconomic status (SES) is a strong predictor of health, and individuals with higher SES generally have better health than those with lower SES. One of the pathways that SES influences health is through health behaviors, such as dietary intake, and a higher SES has been associated with a better diet. The purpose of this study was to determine whether there was a social gradient in dietary habits among the Seventh-Day Adventists, a group of conservative Christians, where healthy eating is part of the doctrinal teaching. Methods: Data from a survey of 574 Adventists residing in West Malaysia, aged 18-80 years, were analyzed. Dietary habits were measured using the Nutrition subscale of Health Promoting Lifestyle Profile II. Results: Education and income were significantly associated with dietary habits before and after controlling for demographics. There was a gradient of association; a higher level of education and higher income were associated with better dietary habits. However, only education remained significantly associated with dietary habits when the other two socioeconomic variables were included. Employment was not significantly associated with dietary habits before or after controlling for demographic variables and the other two sociodemographic variables. Conclusions: This study showed that education is the strongest predictor of healthy diet, and a social gradient in dietary habits still exists even among health-conscious population.

Vegetarian dietary patterns and the risk of breast cancer in a low-risk population.

Among cancers in American women, breast cancer (BC) has the second highest incidence and mortality. The association of BC with diet has been inconsistent. Studies that evaluate associations with dietary patterns are less common and reflect an individual's whole diet. We associated dietary patterns with the risk of BC in American women of the Adventist Health Study-2 (AHS-2), a prospective cohort of 96 001 subjects recruited between 2002 and 2007. Answers to a previously validated FFQ were used to classify subjects to vegan, lacto-ovo-vegetarian, pesco-vegetarian, semi-vegetarian and non-vegetarian dietary patterns. Incident BC were identified by matching AHS-2 subjects to data from forty-eight state cancer registries. Statistical analyses used proportional hazard regression analyses with covariates that were chosen a priori. From 50 404 female participants (26 193 vegetarians), we identified 892 incident BC cases, with 478 cases among vegetarians. As compared with non-vegetarians, all vegetarians combined did not have a significantly lower risk (hazard ratio (HR) 0·97; CI 0·84, 1·11; P=0·64). However, vegans showed consistently lower (but non-significant) point estimates when compared with non-vegetarians (all cases: HR 0·78; CI 0·58, 1·05; P=0·09). In summary, participants in this cohort who follow a vegetarian dietary pattern did not experience a lower risk of BC as compared with non-vegetarians, although lower risk in vegans is possible. These findings add to the very limited literature associating vegetarian diets with BC risk and can assist nutritionists when evaluating the impact of these diets. The findings will also motivate further evaluation of vegan diets and their special characteristics.

Religious Social Support and Hypertension Among Older North American Seventh-Day Adventists.

Seventh-day Adventists have been noted for their unique lifestyle, religious practices and longevity. However, we know little about how religion is directly related to health in this group. Specifically, we know nothing about how religious social support is related to hypertension. Using data from the Biopsychosocial Religion and Health Study, we carried out a cross-sectional study of 9581 and a prospective study of 5720 North American Seventh-day Adventists examining new 534 cases of hypertension occurring up to 4 years later. We used binary logistic regression analyses to examine study hypotheses. Of the religious social support variables, in both the cross-sectional and prospective study only anticipated support significantly predicted hypertension, but the relationship was mediated by BMI. There were no significant race or gender differences. The favorable relationships between anticipated support and hypertension appear to be mediated by BMI and are an indication of how this dimension of religion combined with lifestyle promotes good health, specifically, reduced risk of hypertension.

Vegetarian diets and cardiovascular risk factors in black members of the Adventist Health Study-2.

OBJECTIVE: To compare cardiovascular risk factors between vegetarians and non-vegetarians in black individuals living in the USA. DESIGN: A cross-sectional analysis of a sub-set of 592 black women and men enrolled in the Adventist Health Study-2 (AHS-2) cohort of Seventh-day Adventists. SETTING: Members of the AHS-2 cohort, who lived in all states of the USA and provinces of Canada. SUBJECTS: Black/African-American members of two sub-studies of AHS-2 where blood and physiological measurements were obtained. RESULTS: Of these women and men, 25% were either vegan or lacto-ovo-vegetarians (labelled 'vegetarian/vegans'), 13% were pesco-vegetarian and 62% were non-vegetarian. Compared with non-vegetarians, the vegetarian/vegans had odds ratios for hypertension, diabetes, high blood total cholesterol and high blood LDL-cholesterol of 0·56 (95% CI 0·36, 0·87), 0·48 (95% CI 0·24, 0·98), 0·42 (95% CI 0·27, 0·65) and 0·54 (95% CI 0·33, 0·89), respectively, when adjusted for age, gender, education, physical activity and sub-study. Corresponding odds ratios for obesity in vegetarian/vegans and pesco-vegetarians, compared with non-vegetarians, were 0·43 (95% CI 0·28, 0·67) and 0·47 (95% CI 0·27, 0·81), respectively; and for abdominal obesity 0·54 (95% CI 0·36, 0·82) and 0·50 (95% CI 0·29, 0·84), respectively. Results for pesco-vegetarians did not differ significantly from those of non-vegetarians for other variables. Further adjustment for BMI suggested that BMI acts as an intermediary variable between diet and both hypertension and diabetes. CONCLUSIONS: As with non-blacks, these results suggest that there are sizeable advantages to a vegetarian diet in black individuals also, although a cross-sectional analysis cannot conclusively establish cause.

Gender and Race Variations in the Intersection of Religious Involvement, Early Trauma, and Adult Health.

PURPOSE: This study aimed to determine gender and race variations in regards to the influence of religious involvement (RI) as a moderator of the effects of early traumatic stress (ETS) on health-related quality of life among adult survivors of child abuse. DESIGN: A cross-sectional predictive design was used to study Seventh-day Adventist adults in North America (N = 10,283). METHODS: A secondary analysis of data collected via questionnaires was done using multiple regression. RESULTS: Data revealed that women had a significantly higher prevalence of any or all ETS subtypes, except for physical abuse prevalence, which was the same for both genders. Blacks reported a significantly higher prevalence of at least one ETS subtype than did Whites, except for neglect, where Whites had a higher prevalence. Exposure to at least one ETS subtype was associated with worse negative effect on mental health (B = -2.08, p < .0001 vs. B = -1.54, p < .0001) and physical health (B = -2.01, p < .0001 vs. B = -1.11, p < .0001) for women compared to men. Among those exposed to all ETS subtypes (n = 447), Whites had significant worse physical health, with White women having almost two times the negative effect on physical health (B = -4.50, p < .0001) than White men (B = -2.87, p < .05). As for RI moderation, based on tests of three-way interactions of race-RI-ETS, there were no associated differences. However, tests of three-way interactions of gender-RI-ETS showed a significant buffering effect. Among those with high levels of negative religious coping (RC), women exposed to ETS had significantly worse physical health (B = -1.28) than men. CONCLUSIONS: Results give evidence of gender and racial differences on the magnitude of the ETS-health effect, as well as gender differences in ETS-health buffering by RC. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Findings suggest gender and racial differences must be considered when devising holistic nursing interventions for improving health outcomes of early trauma survivors.

Religious involvement and health-related behaviors among Black Seventh-Day Adventists in Canada.

BACKGROUND: Most studies that involve Black Seventh-Day Adventists (SDAs) have been conducted in the United States. We sought to examine the association between religious involvement and lifestyle practices among Black SDAs in Canada. METHOD: A convenience sample of 509 Black SDA church members 18 years and older completed a self-administered questionnaire, assessing religious involvement and seven lifestyle practices promoted by the SDA church: diet, physical activity, water intake, exposure to sunlight, alcohol use, caffeine and tobacco use, and rest. RESULTS: Compliance with lifestyle practices ranged from a low of 10% meeting fitness guidelines to a high of 99% abstaining from tobacco products. Religious involvement and lifestyle were positively related (rs = .11, p < .05). Multivariate analyses indicated that private religious practice (ß = .16, p =.003), importance of the health principles (ß = .17, p = .003), and acceptance of health principles (ß = .65, p = .00001) significantly predicted the number of behaviors practiced. CONCLUSION: Greater religious involvement is associated with positive lifestyle practices but is not an independent predictor of lifestyle practices for Black Canadian SDAs.

Body Mass Index, Adherence to a Healthy Lifestyle, and Breakfast Consumption Associated with Religious Affiliation in Peruvian University Students: A Cross-Sectional Study.

BACKGROUND: Despite evidence suggesting a relationship between religiosity and health habits, there is a paucity of studies specifically examining this association in the context of Peruvian university students. This study compared body mass index (BMI), adherence to a healthy lifestyle, and breakfast consumption in Peruvian university students of four religious denominations: Seventh Day Adventists (SDA), Catholics, Baptists, and Evangelicals. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted online among 4557 students from a Peruvian university. The BMI and the frequency of breakfast consumption were evaluated, and the Diet and Healthy Lifestyle Scale (DEVS) was applied. The variables studied were associated using simple and multiple linear regression and Poisson models with robust variance. RESULTS: Baptist (B = 0.44, 95% CI: 0.10-0.78; p = 0.011), Catholic (B = 0.3, 95% CI: 0.12-0.47; p = 0.001), and Evangelical (B = 0.32, 95% CI: 0.09 to 0.64; p = 0.014) students had a significantly higher BMI compared to SDA. Baptist (B = -0.2, 95% CI: -0.37--0.05; p = 0.017) and Evangelical (B = -0.13, 95% CI: -0.28--0.03; p = 0.012) students exhibited a lower mean score on the measure of healthy lifestyles compared to SDA students. Additionally, Baptist (PR = -0.32, 95% CI: -0.92--0.12; p = 0.035) and Catholic (PR = -0.3, 95% CI: -0.99--0.19; p = 0.016) students exhibited a lower probability of eating breakfast regularly compared to SDA students. CONCLUSIONS: Health professionals should consider these findings when designing and implementing health promotion programs that are culturally sensitive and respectful of the beliefs and practices of all religious groups in university settings.

Relationship Between Dietary Self-Efficacy and Religiosity Among Seventh-Day Adventists in Peru.

BACKGROUND: Most of the studies involving members of the Seventh-Day Adventist Church (SDA) have been conducted in the United States and Canada. AIM: The purpose of the study was to explore the relationship between dietary self-efficacy and religiosity among SDA members in Peru. METHODS: In this online cross-sectional study, 403 participants aged 18 to 59 years selected by convenience were included. The data collected included sociodemographic information. In addition, the Dietary Self-Efficacy Scale (DIET-SE) and the Duke University Index of Religion (DUREL) were administered. A correlation analysis was performed and multiple linear regression was used to examine the association between religiosity, dietary self-efficacy, and sociodemographic variables. RESULTS: Dietary self-efficacy was significantly negatively correlated with all dimensions of religiosity, ie, organized religious activities (ORA), non-organized religious activities (NORA), and intrinsic religiosity (IR). In addition, participants had high dietary self-efficacy and religiosity. CONCLUSION: Although religiosity dimensions did not significantly predict dietary self-efficacy, however, the non-organized religious activities dimension was the strongest predictor of dietary self-efficacy among Adventists in Peru. The present study will serve as a basis for future research to further investigate the potential positive effect of religiosity on the improvement a healthy diet and possible changes in the physical and mental health of the population.

Dairy foods, calcium intakes, and risk of incident prostate cancer in Adventist Health Study-2.

BACKGROUND: Prostate cancer is the most common noncutaneous cancer in American males. Causal links between dairy, or dietary calcium, and this cancer are considered suggestive but limited. OBJECTIVES: To evaluate these associations in a large North American cohort, including many with no (or very low) dairy intake and much calcium from nondairy sources. METHODS: A prospective cohort study of 28,737 Seventh-day Adventist men in the United States and Canada, of whom 6389 were of black ethnicity. Diet was measured by FFQ, and 275 male participants also provided repeated 24-h dietary recalls as a calibration substudy. Incident cancers were mainly found by matching with cancer registries. Analyses used multivariable proportional hazards regressions and regression calibration for some analyses. RESULTS: In total, 1254 (190 advanced) incident prostate cancer cases were found during an average 7.8 y of follow-up. Men at the 90th percentile of dairy intake (430 g/d) compared with the 10th percentile (20.2 g/d) had higher prostate cancer risk (HR: 1.27; 95% CI: 1.12, 1.43). Similar findings, comparing the same g/d intakes, were demonstrated for advanced prostate cancers (HR: 1.38; 95% CI: 1.02, 1.88), for nonadvanced cases (HR: 1.27; 95% CI: 1.11, 1.45), in black participants (HR: 1.24; 95% CI: 0.98, 1.58), and when excluding vegan participants (HR: 1.22; 95% CI: 1.03, 1.43). Calibrated dairy (g/d) regressions (all participants and all prostate cancers), adjusting for dietary measurement error, found a HR of 1.75 (95% CI: 1.32, 2.32). Comparing 90th percentile intake to zero intakes (uncalibrated), the HR was 1.62 (95% CI: 1.26, 2.05). There was no evidence of an effect of higher (905 mg/d) compared with lower (349 mg/d) intakes of nondairy calcium (HR: 1.16; 95% CI: 0.94, 1.44). CONCLUSIONS: Men with higher intake of dairy foods, but not nondairy calcium, had a higher risk of prostate cancer compared with men having lower intakes. Associations were nonlinear, suggesting greatest increases in risk at relatively low doses.

Comparison of Lifestyle of Catholics and Seventh-Day Adventists and the Relationship with Homocysteine as Risk Factor for Cardiovascular Diseases, a Cross-Sectional Study in Polish Males and Females.

BACKGROUND: A review of epidemiological data demonstrates relationships between defined health behaviours linked with religious affiliation and a reduced risk of developing and dying from Cardiovascular Disease (CVD). The aim of the study was to compare the lifestyle of Seventh-day Adventists (SDA) and Catholics (CA), to determine the relationship between the lifestyle of SDA, CA and the level of serum homocysteine as a risk factor for CVD. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted on 252 SDA and CA. The following tools were used: interview questionnaire, anthropometric measurement, the International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ), the Inventory of Health Behaviours (IHB), the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS-10), laboratory tests (homocysteine level), and the Fagerström Test for Nicotine Dependence (FTND). RESULTS: Selected lifestyle elements, such as smoking cigarettes, drinking alcohol, physical activity, diet, Body Mass Index (BMI), health behaviours on the IHB, psychosocial factors and level of stress for CA were significantly different in comparison to SDA. The religion professed by the respondents was not significantly associated with the increased level of homocysteine as a risk factor for cardiovascular diseases (CVD). The level of homocysteine for CA were significantly different in comparison to SDA. The studied group of CA was significantly influenced by socio-demographic factors: gender, age, education, place of residence, BMI and lifestyle: drinking alcohol and smoking cigarettes, consumption of dark bread, pasta, and groats. For the studied group of SDA, the level of homocysteine was significantly influenced by socio-demographic factors such as gender, age, professional activity, and consumption of legumes. CONCLUSIONS: Public health professionals and nurses should develop culturally specific educational interventions.

A New Approach to Assess Lifetime Dietary Patterns Finds Lower Consumption of Animal Foods with Aging in a Longitudinal Analysis of a Health-Oriented Adventist Population.

Life-course diet patterns may impact risk of disease, but little is known about dietary trends with aging. In a retrospective longitudinal analysis we estimated lifetime intake of animal products and adherence to vegetarian dietary patterns among 51,082 Adventist Health Study-2 (AHS-2) subjects using data from a reliable life-course dietary (meats, dairy, eggs) questionnaire. Results showed a marked tendency to consume fewer animal products (in total) in older years and to reduce consumption of meat, poultry and fish, but not eggs or dairy. Among the 29% of elderly subjects who during their lifetime kept the same dietary pattern (LTS) were: LTS-vegans (1.1%), LTS-lacto-ovo vegetarians (31.2%), LTS-pesco vegetarians (0.49%), LTS-semi vegetarians (3.7%), and LTS-non-vegetarians (63.5%). Among the 71% of switchers were "Converters" (59.7%) who moved towards and "Reverters" (9.1%) who moved away from vegetarian diets, and Multiverters (31.2%), who had moved in both directions. LTS-non-vegetarians, and also reverters, were more overweight and showed a less healthy lifestyle than others. We conclude that the dietary patterns are dynamic with strong trends to reduce animal foods and to adopt more vegetarian patterns with aging. The disease experience of subjects with different lifetime dietary patterns can be compared.