Consumption of Dairy Products and the Risk of Developing Breast Cancer in Polish Women.

Lack of consistency in the relationship between dairy products consumption and breast cancer (BC) risk motivated us to evaluate this association in a case-control study of BC among Polish women. The study includes 1699 women 26-79 years of age, 823 BC cases identified in Cancer Registries and 876 randomly selected controls from the national population registry. Using a validated, semiquantitative food frequency questionnaire (FFQ), the consumption of dairy products was collected for a time period of 10-15 years prior to BC diagnosis. We used logistic regression, adjusting for potential confounders, to assess the relationship between total dairy consumption as well as individual dairy groups of milk, cottage cheese and hard cheese and BC risk for premenopausal and postmenopausal women. For total consumption, a significant decrease in BC risk was observed with increased consumption of one serving/week, OR trend = 0.98, 2% decrease in risk, for premenopausal women only. For milk, a significant decrease in BC risk was observed for an increase in consumption of one glass/week, OR trend = 0.95, 5% decrease, in both strata of menopause. In contrast, for hard cheese, a significant increase in the risk of 10% was observed only in premenopausal women, OR trend = 1.10. Cottage cheese consumption significantly reduced BC risk by 20%, OR trend = 0.80, for an increase in one serving/week for postmenopausal women only. Our results show that individual dairy products have a statistically significant but bi-directional relationship with BC risk, which differs for premenopausal and postmenopausal women.

Cabbage and Sauerkraut Consumption in Adolescence and Adulthood and Breast Cancer Risk among US-Resident Polish Migrant Women.

BACKGROUND: Breast cancer (BC) incidence and mortality are lower in Poland than in the United States (US). However, Polish-born migrant women to US approach the higher BC mortality rates of US women. We evaluated the association between consumption of cabbage/sauerkraut foods and BC risk in Polish-born migrants to US. METHODS: We conducted a case-control study of BC among Polish-born migrants in Cook County and the Detroit Metropolitan Area. Cases (n = 131) were 20-79 years old with histological/cytological confirmation of invasive BC. Population-based controls (n = 284) were frequency matched to cases on age and residence. Food frequency questionnaires assessed diet during adulthood and age 12-13 years. Odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (95% CI) were estimated with conditional logistic regression. Consumption of total, raw/short-cooked, and long-cooked cabbage/sauerkraut foods was categorized as low, medium, or high (frequency of servings/week). RESULTS: Higher consumption of total and raw/short-cooked cabbage/sauerkraut foods, during both adolescence and adulthood, was associated with a significantly lower BC risk. Consumption of long-cooked cabbage/sauerkraut foods was low and not significantly associated with risk. The multivariate OR for total cabbage/sauerkraut consumption, high vs. low (>4 vs. ≤2 servings/week) during adolescence was 0.36 (95% CI = 0.18-0.71, ptrend < 0.01) and 0.50 (95% CI = 0.23-1.06, ptrend = 0.08) during adulthood. For raw/short-cooked cabbage/sauerkraut (>3 vs. ≤1.5 servings/week), the ORs were 0.35 (95% CI = 0.16-0.72, ptrend < 0.01) during adolescence and 0.37 (95% CI = 0.17-0.78, ptrend < 0.01) during adulthood. For joint adolescent/adult consumption of raw/short-cooked cabbage/sauerkraut foods, (high, high) vs. (low, low), the OR was 0.23 (95% CI = 0.07-0.65). The significant association for high adolescent consumption of raw/short-cooked cabbage/sauerkraut foods and reduced BC risk was consistent across all levels of consumption in adulthood. CONCLUSION: Greater consumption of total and raw/short-cooked cabbage/sauerkraut foods either during adolescence or adulthood was associated with significantly reduced BC risk among Polish migrant women. These findings contribute to the growing literature suggesting a protective effect of a potentially modifiable factor, cruciferous vegetable intake, on breast cancer risk.

Intervention for improvement the diet and physical activity of children and adolescents in Poland.

BACKGROUND: The effects of a two-year educational Programme "Keep Balance" addressed to children and adolescents have been evaluated. Its purpose has been to implement the rules of proper nutrition and increasing the level of physical activity on the population level. OBJECTIVE: The main objective of the evaluation was an indication if, after two years of programme activities, outcome indicators have been achieved. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Approximately 400,000 pupils/students from 1600 educational units from the territory of the whole country have been included in the education programme. The efficiency evaluation has been carried out in a sample of n = 1506 pupils/students in the interventional group and n = 1589 in the control group. Education has been addressed to the entire school environment, pupils, students, parents, teachers, headmasters, and the local community. The survey methodology, body weight and height measurements, the BMI index, and EUROFIT physical fitness tests have been used to assess the effects of the education programme in the scope of knowledge and nutritional behaviour regarding physical activity. There were assumed outcome indicators. The certification of schools/kindergartens with "The Certificate of a School/Kindergarten Friendly to Nutrition and Physical Activity" has been used to evaluate the activation of school environments. RESULTS: There was an improvement achieved over the assumed target points in the level of knowledge of pupils/students in the scope of nutrition and the role of physical activity, in the changes of nutritional habits, and in the results of physical fitness tests. There were achieved 20% increase in knowledge in the scope of nutrition and 5% increase in physical activity. There have been changes in the frequency in the consumption of the first breakfast before going to school (by 25% among the younger ones and by 17% among the older ones), an increase in the consumption of bottled water by 49% and reduction of sweet drinks by 19%. The percentage of the pupils/students consuming the recommended 5 meals increased by 33%. Physical fitness indicators were achieved over assumed 5% increase in the individual exercise tests. The Certificate was obtained after meeting the criteria and documenting the durability of the changes by 65% of 1600 educational units included in the Programme. A decrease in the frequency of overweight and obesity occurrence in the whole intervention sample by 1% was obtained; it was greater (but statistically insignificant) among younger students by 3.3% in comparison to the older ones where there was an increase of 1%. CONCLUSIONS: Summing up all achieved results the educational programme "Keep Balance" implemented on the population level aimed at children and adolescents has turned out to be effective and deserves to be continued after minor adjustments. Many positive changes have been identified as well as those that ought to be improved. Comprehensively included education and sometimes small changes in much of nutritional and physical behaviour have influenced the reduction of the percentage of pupils/students with excessive body weight, despite the fact that the average BMI has basically remained on the same level.

Evaluation of dietary intake of vitamins and minerals in 13-15-years-old boys from a sport school in Warsaw.

BACKGROUND: Insufficient intake of vitamins and minerals, in teenagers engaged in physical activity increases the risk of health disorders. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to evaluate selected vitamins and minerals intake in 13-15-year-old boys from sport school. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The study of dietary intake was conducted among 44 boys from the School of Sport Championship (SSC). Nutritional data was collected using 24-hour recall for 3 days of week. Daily intake of minerals: sodium, potassium, calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, iron, zinc, copper, iodine and vitamins: A, E, D, B1, B2, B6, B12, C, folate and niacin was estimated. The probability of insufficient intake of nutrients in relation to the standard levels: Estimated Average Requirement (EAR) or Adequate Intake (AI) as well as excessive intake of them in relation to the Tolerable Upper Intake Level (UL) were assessed. RESULTS: The highest percentage of insufficient intake concerned vitamin D (100%), potassium (69%), folate (53%), and calcium (50%), slightly lower of magnesium (27%), vitamins C (24%) and E (15%). The risk of inadequate intake of other minerals: sodium, copper, iron, zinc, phosphorus, iodine and vitamins: B6, B1, B2, A, B12, niacin, was relatively lower and amounted from 0.3% to 5.4%. The disturbingly high probability of exceeding the UL for sodium (99.5%) was observed. CONCLUSIONS: A significant disproportion between the mean intake and the percentage of inadequate diets indicates a large diversity in the intake of vitamins and minerals in the group of studied boys, what was the reason of unbalanced diet. The insufficient intake concerns especially vitamin D, potassium, folate, calcium and a lesser extent magnesium, vitamins C and E. Sodium intake was disturbingly high. In order to avoid nutritional mistakes in the future education on the rational nutrition among students, their parents, and teachers is necessary.

[Comparison of fat consumption by patients with large bowel adenomas and control group]. / Porównanie spozycia tluszczów u chorych z gruczolakami jelita grubego i w grupie kontrolnej.

STUDY AIM: Analysis of differences in fat consumption (total fat, saturated, monounsaturated and polyunsaturated acids) and cholesterol between patients with large adenomas (study group, GB) and control group (GK). MATERIAL AND METHODS: GB and GK patients were recruited from the patients undergoing full colonoscopy during routine work of endoscopy unit. The whole material included 111 patients: 57 patients with large bowel adenomas and 54 without large bowel adenomas. The intake of fat was assessed using a method calculating intake during 30 days preceding the study. RESULTS: In the group of studied women versus control group women no significant differences were found in consumption including energy value of diet (1755.8 kcal vs 1925.0 kcal), total protein (69.1 g vs 76.1 g), carbohydrates (237.2 g vs 258.0 g). Similarly, in the group of studied men no significant differences were found in the consumption of total protein (84.6 g), carbohydrates (275.7 g) and energy (2126.9 kcal) in relation to control group in which the respective values were: 98.4 g, 336.1 g and 2612.8 kcal. In the group of studied women the mean fat consumption was 67.2 g while in the control group it was 73.4 g. The mean intake of saturated fatty acids was 24.0 g and 25.2 g respectively. The consumption of monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fatty acids was in these group 27.1 g and 10.5 g vs 30.5 g and 11.9 g. The differences were statistically not significant. No difference was found in cholesterol intake between women in the study group and those in control group (245.8 mg and 280.0 mg respectively). The male study group was not differing significantly from the control group in the consumption of total fat (83.6 g vs 102.3 g), saturated fatty acids (29.7 g vs 37.5 g), monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fatty acids (34.2 g vs 42.1 and 13.0 g 14.7 g) and cholesterol (335.0 mg vs 420.4 mg). CONCLUSION: No correlation was found between the consumption of total fat, saturates, monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fatty acids and the occurrence of large bowel adenomas.

[Contents of calcium and phosphorus in the diet of youth from Warsaw elementary schools]. / Zawartosc wapnia oraz fosforu w dietach mlodziezy z warszawskich szkól podstawowych.

The purpose of this study was an assessment average daily intake of calcium and phosphorus by prepubertal adolescents (aged 11 and 12) during monitoring their diets in last 10 years. In 1989-1999 years, it was investigated 767 randomly selected girls and 817 boys, aged 11 and 12 in Warsaw. Information on dietary intake was obtained by 24-hour recall method, always spring, having representation of weekdays and weekends. Among environmental factors, nutrition, and particularly calcium intake is assumed to influence whether the genetically determined maximal peak bone mass is reached. However, near half of examined prepubertal adolescents have intake less than 600 mg calcium per day. It was also observed low calcium to phosphorus ratio in diets and stated Ca:P < 0.25 among 10% diet in different groups of girls and boys. Consequently, due to consider the activity educational efforts directed to prepubertal adolescent with reference to means realization of calcium RDA in daily diet through increase milk and dairy products consumption.