Glycemic Index, Glycemic Load, Fiber, and Gluten Intake and Risk of Laparoscopically Confirmed Endometriosis in Premenopausal Women.

BACKGROUND: The etiology of endometriosis is not well understood. Limited evidence suggests that dietary factors influence risk, but prospective data related to carbohydrate, fiber, and gluten consumption are scarce. Despite this, recommendations concerning fiber, gluten intake, and endometriosis are pervasive in the lay literature. OBJECTIVES: We aimed to investigate the associations of carbohydrate quality [glycemic index (GI) and glycemic load (GL)], fiber intake (total, legume, vegetable, cruciferous vegetable, fruit, cereal), and gluten intake with incident laparoscopically confirmed endometriosis. METHODS: This was a prospective cohort study using data collected from 81,961 premenopausal women in the Nurses' Health Study II (mean age = 36 y in 1991). Diet was assessed with a validated FFQ every 4 y. Cox proportional hazards models were used to calculate rate ratios (RRs) and 95% CIs. RESULTS: A total of 3810 incident cases of laparoscopically confirmed endometriosis were reported over 24 y of follow-up. Women in the highest quintile of GI had 12% (95% CI: 1.01, 1.23; Ptrend = 0.03) higher risk of endometriosis diagnosis than those in the lowest quintile. Total vegetable and cruciferous vegetable fiber intakes were also associated with higher risk (highest compared with lowest quintile RR: 1.13; 95% CI: 1.02, 1.24; Ptrend = 0.004 and RR: 1.17; 95% CI: 1.06, 1.29; Ptrend = 0.02, respectively). Higher intake of fruit fiber was associated with lower risk of endometriosis but the association was not significant after adjusting for the Alternative Healthy Eating Index. Gluten intake was also associated with lower risk (highest compared with lowest quintile RR: 0.91; 95% CI: 0.80, 1.02; Ptrend = 0.01), but these results were not consistent in direction nor statistical significance across sensitivity analyses. No association was observed for GL or total, legume, or cereal fiber intake. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings suggest that carbohydrate quality and specific types of fiber-total vegetable and cruciferous vegetable fiber-are associated with endometriosis diagnosis in premenopausal women. These results also indicate it is unlikely that gluten intake is a strong factor in the etiology or symptomatology of endometriosis.

Validity of Self-Assessed Sexual Maturation Against Physician Assessments and Hormone Levels.

OBJECTIVE: To compare self-report and physician assessments of sexual maturation against serum hormone markers to evaluate the hypothesis that the validity of self-assessed sexual maturation is underestimated in traditional validation studies. STUDY DESIGN: We adapted a self-assessment instrument that 248 Mexican children and adolescents, aged 8-13 years, completed. The participants were examined by a trained pediatrician and provided fasting blood samples for measurement of reproductive hormones (eg, testosterone, estradiol, sex hormone-binding globulin, inhibin B) and other hormones (eg, C-peptide, insulin-like growth factor 1, leptin, dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate) known to change during adolescence. Spearman correlations (r) were calculated among the average rank of all hormones and self-assessed and physician-assessed Tanner stage. The method of triads was used to assess the validity of self-reports by estimating correlations between self-assessments and true but unobservable sexual maturation based on all available data. Bootstrap sampling was used to construct 95% CIs. RESULTS: The validity of self-reported genitalia staging for boys was modest (r = 0.50; 95% CI, 0.31-0.65) and inferior to physician assessment (r = 0.75; 95% CI, 0.56-0.93). Breast stage was well reported (r = 0.89; 95% CI, 0.79-0.97) and superior to physician assessment (r = 0.80; 95% CI, 0.70-0.89). Pubic hair stage reported by boys (r = 0.91; 95% CI, 0.79-0.99) and girls (r = 0.99; 95% CI, 0.96-1.00) was superior to physician assessment (r = 0.79; 95% CI, 0.57-0.97 and r = 0.91; 95% CI, 0.83-0.97, respectively). CONCLUSION: Self-assessment can be validly used in epidemiologic studies for evaluating sexual maturation in children; however, physician assessment may be necessary for accurate assessment of genitalia development in boys.

Breakfast Dietary Patterns among Mexican Children Are Related to Total-Day Diet Quality.

Background: Mexico has experienced shifts in food availability and consumption patterns over the past few decades from traditional diets to those containing more high-energy density foods, resulting in the development of unhealthful dietary patterns among children and adults. However, to our knowledge it is not known whether breakfast consumption patterns contribute to the overall daily diet of Mexican children.Objective: We examined total-day diet among breakfast consumers compared with breakfast skippers, identified and investigated breakfast dietary patterns in relation to energy and nutrient intakes at breakfast and across the day, and examined these patterns in relation to sociodemographic characteristics.Methods: With the use of nationally representative dietary data (one 24-h recall) from the 2012 Mexican National Health and Nutrition Survey, 3760 children aged 4-13 y were categorized into mutually exclusive breakfast patterns with the use of cluster analysis. The association between breakfast patterns and breakfast skippers with dietary intake at breakfast and for the total day was investigated with the use of multivariate linear regression.Results: Most children (83%) consumed breakfast. Six breakfast dietary patterns were identified (milk and sweetened breads, tortillas and beans, sweetened beverages, sandwiches and quesadillas, eggs, and cereal and milk) and reflected both traditional and more Westernized dietary patterns. Sugar-sweetened beverages were consumed across all patterns. Compared with all breakfast dietary patterns, breakfast skippers had the lowest intake of several nutrients of public health concern. Nutrients to limit that were high at breakfast tended to be high for the total day and vice versa for nutrients to encourage.Conclusions: There was not a single pattern that complied perfectly with the Mexican School Breakfast Guidelines, but changes such as increasing dietary fiber by encouraging more whole grains, fruits, vegetables, and beans and reducing sodium and sugar-sweetened beverages could support compliance with these targets and improve overall diet quality.

The contribution of at-home and away-from-home food to dietary intake among 2-13-year-old Mexican children.

OBJECTIVE: Away-from-home foods have been shown to have lower nutritional quality and larger portion sizes than many foods prepared at home. We aimed to describe energy and nutrient intakes among 2-13-year-old Mexican children by eating location (at home and away from home), overall, by socio-economic status (SES) and by urbanicity. DESIGN: Dietary intake was collected via one 24 h recall in the 2012 Mexican National Health and Nutrition Survey (ENSANUT). Location was reported for each food consumed. Results were adjusted for sex, day of recall, region, weight status, SES and urbanicity. SETTING: Mexico (nationally representative). SUBJECTS: Children aged 2-5 years (n 1905) and 6-13 years (n 2868). RESULTS: Children consumed the majority of daily energy at home (89% of 2-5-year-olds; 82 % of 6-13-year-olds). The most common away-from-home eating location was school (22 % of 2-5-year-olds; 43 % of 6-13-year-olds), followed by the street (14 % of 2-5-year-olds; 13 % of 6-13-year-olds). The most common foods consumed away from home were wheat/rice and corn mixed dishes, sugar-sweetened beverages, pastries/candy/desserts, milk (2-5-year-olds only) and salty snacks (6-13-year-olds). Multivariate models showed that high-SES 2-5-year-olds consumed 14 % of daily energy away from home v. 8 % among low-SES 2-5-year-olds, and high-SES 6-13-year-olds consumed 21 % of daily energy away from home v. 14 % among low-SES 6-13 year-olds. There were no differences by urban residence. CONCLUSIONS: Among Mexican children, most foods and beverages were consumed at home. However, the percentage of foods consumed or purchased away from home increased with age and with SES.

Increased Snacking and Eating Occasions Are Associated with Higher Energy Intake among Mexican Children Aged 2-13 Years.

BACKGROUND: Little is known about the dietary behaviors of Mexican children with regard to frequency, amount, and quality of foods consumed at eating occasions and their impact on total daily energy intake. OBJECTIVES: The objectives were to 1) describe foods consumed across eating occasions and 2) examine whether the number or type of total eating occasions was associated with increased total daily energy intake and differed between 2- to 5-y-old and 6- to 13-y-old Mexican children. METHODS: A nationally representative sample of 5031 children from the 2012 ENSANUT (Encuesta Nacional de Salud y Nutrición) was used to examine the percentage of meals and snacks consumed, mean energy intake from meals and snacks, and the top food groups contributing to meals and snacks. Multivariate linear regression was used to examine the association between meals, snacks, and total eating occasions with daily energy intake for 2- to 5-y-old and 6- to 13-y-old children. RESULTS: Eating patterns were similar across age groups (per capita mean intake of 3 meals and 1.4-1.6 snacks/d). Each additional snack was associated with greater increases in mean daily energy for older children (+191-289 kcal/d; P < 0.01) relative to younger children (+102-130 kcal/d; P < 0.01). Likewise, each additional eating occasion was associated with greater increases in mean daily energy for older children (+323 kcal/d; P < 0.01) relative to younger children (+166-261 kcal/d; P < 0.01). In both younger and older children, snacking was prevalent (75% and 68%, respectively). Top food contributors to snacks included fruit, salty snacks, candy, sweetened breads, and cookies. Among older children, whole milk as a snack was partially replaced with soda and sweetened fruit drinks. CONCLUSION: Snacks represent an area for potential improvement in the diets of Mexican children, especially among those aged 6 to 13 y, for whom each additional snack or eating occasion was linked to even greater increases in total daily energy intake.

Public health 101 nanocourse: a condensed educational tool for non-public health professionals.

Graduate students and postdoctoral fellows-including those at the Harvard School of Public Health (HSPH)-have somewhat limited opportunities outside of traditional coursework to learn holistically about public health. Because this lack of familiarity could be a barrier to fruitful collaboration across disciplines, HSPH postdocs sought to address this challenge. In response, the Public Health 101 Nanocourse was developed to provide an overview of five core areas of public health (biostatistics, environmental health sciences, epidemiology, health policy and management, and social and behavioral sciences) in a two half-day course format. We present our experiences with developing and launching this novel approach to acquainting wider multidisciplinary audiences with the field of public health.

Meat intake and reproductive parameters among young men.

BACKGROUND: In the United States, anabolic sex steroids are administered to cattle for growth promotion. There is concern regarding the reproductive consequences of this practice in men who eat beef. We investigated whether meat consumption was associated with semen quality parameters and reproductive hormone levels in young men. METHODS: Semen samples were obtained from 189 men aged 18-22 years. Diet was assessed with a previously validated food frequency questionnaire. We used linear regression to analyze the cross-sectional associations of meat intake with semen quality parameters and reproductive hormones while adjusting for potential confounders. RESULTS: There was an inverse relation between processed red meat intake and total sperm count. The adjusted relative differences in total sperm counts for men in increasing quartiles of processed meat intake were 0 (ref), -3 (95% confidence interval = -67 to 37), -14 (-82 to 28), and -78 (-202 to -5) million (test for trend, P = 0.01). This association was strongest among men with abstinence time less than 2 days and was driven by a strong inverse relation between processed red meat intake and ejaculate volume (test for trend, P = 0.003). CONCLUSIONS: In our population of young men, processed meat intake was associated with lower total sperm count. We cannot distinguish whether this association is because of residual confounding by abstinence time or represents a true biological effect.

Processed meat intake is unfavorably and fish intake favorably associated with semen quality indicators among men attending a fertility clinic.

Emerging literature suggests that men's diets may affect spermatogenesis as reflected in semen quality indicators, but literature on the relation between meat intake and semen quality is limited. Our objective was to prospectively examine the relation between meat intake and indicators of semen quality. Men in subfertile couples presenting for evaluation at the Massachusetts General Hospital Fertility Center were invited to participate in an ongoing study of environmental factors and fertility. A total of 155 men completed a validated food-frequency questionnaire and subsequently provided 338 semen samples over an 18-mo period from 2007-2012. We used linear mixed regression models to examine the relation between meat intake and semen quality indicators (total sperm count, sperm concentration, progressive motility, morphology, and semen volume) while adjusting for potential confounders and accounting for within-person variability across repeat semen samples. Among the 155 men (median age: 36.1 y; 83% white, non-Hispanic), processed meat intake was inversely related to sperm morphology. Men in the highest quartile of processed meat intake had, on average, 1.7 percentage units (95% CI: -3.3, -0.04) fewer morphologically normal sperm than men in the lowest quartile of intake (P-trend = 0.02). Fish intake was related to higher sperm count and percentage of morphologically normal sperm. The adjusted mean total sperm count increased from 102 million (95% CI: 80, 131) in the lowest quartile to 168 million (95% CI: 136, 207) sperm in the highest quartile of fish intake (P-trend = 0.005). Similarly, the adjusted mean percentages of morphologically normal sperm for men in increasing quartiles of fish intake were 5.9 (95% CI: 5.0, 6.8), 5.3 (95% CI: 4.4, 6.3), 6.3 (95% CI: 5.2, 7.4), and 7.5 (95% CI: 6.5, 8.5) (P-trend = 0.01). Consuming fish may have a positive impact on sperm counts and morphology, particularly when consumed instead of processed red meats.

Consumption of Milk Beverages Reduces Iron, Vitamin A, Vitamin C, Calcium, and B Vitamins Inadequacies in Pakistani School-Aged Children from Sindh and Punjab: A Diet Modeling Study.

Background: Only 47% of households in Pakistan's Sindh and Punjab provinces are food secure. More than 80% of 5-9 y old children are below recommended intakes of calcium, iron, zinc, and vitamin A and vitamin D. Although 89% consume dairy products daily, only 3% comply with Pakistan's recommended dairy consumption of 2-3 servings/d. Objectives: The objectives of this study were to evaluate the theoretical impact of substituting or adding fortified milk and/or buffalo milk in the diets of Pakistani school-aged children to address nutrient inadequacy. Methods: Dairy consumption and nutrient intakes were calculated using dietary data collected from 5842 children via a 24-h diet recall in the School-age Children Health and Nutrition Survey conducted in Sindh and Punjab provinces of Pakistan between 2019 and 2020. Given daily intakes documented in the School-age Children Health and Nutrition Survey, 2 modeling scenarios were applied to test the impact on nutrient intakes of 1) substituting current milk (buffalo, cow, and goat) consumption (volume by volume) with a fortified milk beverage and 2) adding a fortified milk beverage or buffalo milk to current consumption to meet dairy consumption recommendations. Results: The hypothetical substitution of current milk consumption with fortified milk lowered nutrient inadequacies for vitamin C (by 86%), vitamin A (by 45%), thiamin (by 26%), riboflavin (by 14%), vitamin B6 (by 13%), calcium (by 8%), and iron (by 7%), compared to baseline (relative percent reduction). Among children consuming <2 dairy servings/d, theoretically adding buffalo milk had a positive contribution to calcium, phosphorous, zinc, vitamin A, vitamin C, riboflavin, niacin, and folate; theoretically adding fortified milk additionally reduced inadequacies of iron, thiamin, vitamin B6, and greatly reduced vitamin C inadequacy. Conclusions: Buffalo milk and fortified milk each have their own value in closing nutrient gaps. Increasing their consumption can be integrated into a multi-pronged public health strategy (including fortified foods, ensuring food security, and diet diversity) to tackle nutrient inadequacies in children.

The Dietary Inflammatory Index Is Associated with Subclinical Mastitis in Lactating European Women.

Subclinical mastitis (SCM) is an inflammatory state of the lactating mammary gland, which is asymptomatic and may have negative consequences for child growth. The objectives of this study were to: (1) test the association between the dietary inflammatory index (DII®) and SCM and (2) assess the differences in nutrient intakes between women without SCM and those with SCM. One hundred and seventy-seven women with available data on human milk (HM) sodium potassium ratio (Na:K) and dietary intake data were included for analysis. Multivariable logistic regression was used to examine the association between nutrient intake and the DII score in relation to SCM. Women without SCM had a lower median DII score (0.60) than women with moderate (1.12) or severe (1.74) SCM (p < 0.01). A one-unit increase in DII was associated with about 41% increased odds of having SCM, adjusting for country and mode of delivery, p = 0.001. Women with SCM had lower mean intakes of several anti-inflammatory nutrients. We show for the first time exploratory evidence that SCM may be associated with a pro-inflammatory diet and women with SCM have lower intakes of several antioxidant and anti-inflammatory nutrients.

Analysis of dietary patterns and nutritional adequacy in lactating women: a multicentre European cohort (ATLAS study).

Eating habits of lactating women can influence the nutrient composition of human milk, which in turn influences nutrient intake of breastfed infants. The aim of the present study was to identify food patterns and nutritional adequacy among lactating women in Europe. Data from a multicentre European longitudinal cohort (ATLAS study) were analysed to identify dietary patterns using cluster analysis. Dietary information from 180 lactating women was obtained using 3-d food diaries over the first 4 months of lactation. Four dietary patterns were identified: 'vege-oils', 'fish-poultry', 'confectionery-salads' and 'mixed dishes'. Nutrition adequacy was not significantly different between clusters, but the 'vege-oils' cluster tended to yield the highest nutrition adequacy measured by Mean Adequacy Ratio. Compared with European dietary reference values (DRVs) for lactating women, women in all clusters had inadequate intakes of energy, pantothenic acid, folate, vitamin C, vitamin A, vitamin D, zinc, iodine, potassium and linoleic acid. Adequate intake for fibre and α-linolenic acid was only achieved in the 'vege-oils' cluster. Overall, fat intake was above DRVs. The present study showed that various dietary patterns do not adequately supply all nutrients, indicating a need to promote overall healthy dietary habits for European lactating women.

Fat intake during pregnancy and risk of preeclampsia: a prospective cohort study in Denmark.

BACKGROUND: Previous studies suggest that eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), and alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), may decrease the risk of preeclampsia, but many suffer from important methodological limitations. METHODS: We prospectively examined the association between fat intake during pregnancy and preeclampsia and among 65,220 singleton pregnancies in the Danish National Birth Cohort (1996-2002). Women were asked to report their diet around gestation week 20 with a food frequency questionnaire. Preeclampsia diagnosis was obtained via linkage with the Danish National Patient Registry. We estimated relative risks (RR) and 95% confidence intervals (95% CI) of preeclampsia and severe preeclampsia according to fat intake using logistic regression models with generalized estimating equations to account for repeated pregnancies per woman while adjusting for potential confounders. RESULTS: We documented 1302 cases of preeclampsia, including 301 cases of severe preeclampsia. Intake of long-chain omega-3 fatty acids was associated to preeclampsia. Women in the top quintile of DHA intake had a lower risk of preeclampsia (RR 0.67 (0.51-0.89)) and severe preeclampsia (RR 0.46 (0.25-0.83)) than women in the bottom quintile. Women who met daily recommended intake of EPA+DHA according to the Dietary Guidelines for Americans (≥250 mg/day), had a lower risk of severe preeclampsia (RR 0.77 (0.60-0.99)), but not of preeclampsia (RR 0.93 (0.82-1.05)). Conversely, ALA intake was associated with higher risk of severe preeclampsia (RR 1.71 (1.07-2.75)). CONCLUSIONS: Higher intake of DHA is inversely related to preeclampsia and severe preeclampsia, whereas ALA increases the risk of severe preeclampsia among Danish women.

Early lead exposure and pubertal development in a Mexico City population.

BACKGROUND: Previous studies have examined the association between blood lead levels and pubertal timing in adolescent girls; however, the evidence is lacking on the role of lead exposure during sensitive developmental periods on sexual maturation. OBJECTIVES: To examine the association of prenatal and early childhood lead exposure with pubertal stages among 264 boys and 283 girls aged 9.8-18.0 years in Mexico City. METHODS: We measured maternal bone lead (a proxy for cumulative fetal exposure to lead from maternal bone stores mobilized during pregnancy) at 1 month postpartum. Blood lead was measured annually from 1 to 4 years. Pubertal stage was assessed by a pediatrician. We examined the association between lead and pubertal stages of breast, pubic hair and genitalia using ordinal regression. Age at menarche was evaluated using Cox proportional-hazard models. RESULTS: Multivariate models showed that maternal patella lead and early childhood blood lead were inversely associated with breast growth (patella OR = 0.72, 95% CI: 0.51-1.00; blood OR = 0.70, 95% CI: 0.53-0.93) in girls. Girls with maternal patella lead in the 3rd tertile and child blood lead in the 2nd tertile had a later age at menarche compared with girls in the 1st tertile (patella HR = 0.60, 95% CI: 0.41-0.88; blood HR = 0.65, 95% CI 0.46-0.91). Additionally, early childhood blood lead was negatively associated with pubic hair growth (OR = 0.68, 95% CI: 0.51-0.90) in girls. No associations were found in boys. CONCLUSIONS: These data suggest that higher prenatal and early childhood exposure to lead may be associated with delayed pubertal development in girls but not boys. Our findings are consistent with previous analyses and reinforce the reproductive effects of lead for girls.

Early lead exposure and childhood adiposity in Mexico city.

BACKGROUND: Prenatal and early childhood lead exposures have been associated with reduced weight in infants and young children, while studies that have examined such associations in children during peripubescence are rare. OBJECTIVES: We investigated the associations of prenatal and early-life exposure to lead with indices of adiposity in peripubertal children living in Mexico City. METHODS: Maternal bone lead (as a proxy for cumulative fetal exposure) was assessed at 1 month postpartum. Blood samples were obtained from children annually from 1 to 4 years. Multivariable linear regression models were used to examine the association between each lead biomarker and BMI z-score, waist circumference, sum of skinfolds and body fat percentage in 248 children aged 8-16 years. RESULTS: After adjusting for covariates, maternal patella lead was associated with lower child BMI z-score (ß = -0.02, 95% CI: 0.03, -0.01, p = 0.004), waist circumference (ß = -0.12 cm, 95% CI: 0.22, -0.03, p = 0.01), sum of skinfolds (ß = -0.29 mm, 95% CI: 0.50, -0.08, p = 0.007) and body fat percentage (ß = -0.09%, 95% CI: 0.17, -0.01, p = 0.03). No significant associations were detected from the postnatal exposure period. CONCLUSIONS: We observed a significant and inverse association of prenatal lead exposure with body composition in Mexican children, suggesting the potential role of early lead exposure in the fetal programming of child growth. Further research on the biological mechanisms underlying these associations is needed.

Many Infants and Young Children Are Not Compliant with Mexican and International Complementary Feeding Recommendations for Milk and Other Beverages.

Mexican and international authorities provide guidelines for milk and beverage consumption for young children. This study classifies beverages as appropriate or inappropriate by age (0-5.9, 6-11.9, and 12-23.9 months) and details consumption patterns, amounts consumed, and the associated socio-demographic characteristics. Analysis of the Mexican National Nutrition and Health Survey (ENSANUT 2012) was conducted (n = 949). Among 0-5.9 month olds, 66.7% consumed either breast milk, infant formula, or a combination with no other beverages, whereas 29.3% consumed breast milk and/or infant formula with water (mean = 58 g/day) and/or other beverages (mean = 115 g/day), such as 100% fruit juice, milk, and sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs). For infants 6-11.9 months, appropriate beverages include breast milk, infant formula, and water; only 40.2% met these recommendations. Many 6-11.9 month olds consumed age-inappropriate beverages, including milk (31%) and SSBs (35%). After 12 months of age, appropriate beverages include water, milk, and a limited amount of 100% fruit juice and SSBs; 32.4% complied fully, 18.3% consumed appropriate and inappropriate beverages, and 49.3% consumed only inappropriate beverages. Among 12-23.9 month olds, 58% consumed milk, 18% juice, and 42% water while 63% consumed SSBs. Many infants and young children are not compliant with Mexican and international breastfeeding and complementary feeding guidelines for beverages. Communication and guidance about age-appropriate beverages should be improved.

Snacking Patterns in Children: A Comparison between Australia, China, Mexico, and the US.

Snacking is common in children and influenced by many factors. The aim of this study is to provide insight of both common and country-specific characteristics of snacking among 4-13 year old children. We analyzed snacking prevalence, energy and nutrient contributions from snacking across diverse cultures and regions, represented by Australia, China, Mexico, and the US using data from respective national surveys. We found that the highest prevalence of snacking was in Australia and the US (over 95%) where snacking provided one-third and one-quarter of total energy intake (TEI), respectively, followed by Mexico (76%, provided 15% TEI) and China (65%, provided 10% TEI). Compared to 4-8 year-olds, the consumption of fruits and milk was lower in 9-13 year-old children, with a trend of increasing savory snacks consumption in China, Mexico, and the US. The nutrient density index of added sugars and saturated fat was higher, especially in Australia, Mexico, and the US. Results suggested that snacking could be an occasion to promote fruit and vegetable consumption in all countries, especially for older children. Snacking guidelines should focus on reducing consumption of snacks high in saturated fat and added sugars for Australia, Mexico, and the US, whereas improving dairy consumption is important in China.

Hair mercury (Hg) levels, fish consumption and semen parameters among men attending a fertility center.

General population exposure to methylmercury (MeHg), the most common organic mercury compound found in the environment, occurs primarily through the consumption of contaminated fish and shellfish. Due to limited studies and lack of consideration of effect modification by fish consumption, it remains uncertain if exposure to mercury affects semen parameters. Thus, we investigated whether hair Hg levels, a biomarker of mercury exposure, were associated with semen parameters among men attending an academic fertility center, and whether this relationship was modified by intake of fish. This analysis included 129 men contributing 243 semen samples who were enrolled in the Environment and Reproductive Health (EARTH) Study between 2005 and 2013, and had data of hair Hg, intake of fish and semen parameters available. Hair Hg levels were assessed using a direct mercury analyzer. Intake of fish was collected using a validated food frequency questionnaire. Semen parameters were analyzed following WHO 2010 evaluation criteria. Generalized linear mixed models with random intercepts accounting for within-man correlations across semen samples were used to evaluate the association of hair Hg levels and semen parameters adjusting for age, BMI, smoking status, abstinence time and alcohol intake. Effect modification by total fish intake (≤1.68 vs. >1.68 servings/week) was tested. The median hair Hg levels of the men was 0.72ppm and ranged from 0.03 to 8.01ppm; almost 30% of the men had hair Hg levels >1ppm. Hair Hg levels were positively related with sperm concentration, total sperm count, and progressive motility, after adjusting for potential confounders and became attenuated after further adjustment for fish intake. Specifically, men in the highest quartile of hair mercury levels had 50%, 46% and 31% higher sperm concentration, total sperm count and progressive motility, respectively, compared to men in the lowest quartile. These associations were stronger among men whose fish intake was above the study population median. Semen volume and normal morphology were unrelated to hair Hg levels. These results confirmed exposure to MeHg through fish intake and showed the important role of diet when exploring the associations between heavy metals and semen parameters among men of couples seeking fertility care. Further research is needed to clarify the complex relationship between fish intake and Hg, and potential effects on male reproductive health, specifically, semen parameters.

Food Sources of Energy and Nutrients in Infants, Toddlers, and Young Children from the Mexican National Health and Nutrition Survey 2012.

Food sources of nutrients in Mexican children are not well known. To fill the knowledge gap, dietary intake was assessed in 2057 children using a 24-hour dietary recall. All reported foods and beverages were assigned to one of 76 food groups. Percent contribution of each food group to nutrient intake was estimated for four age groups: 0-5.9, 6-11.9, 12-23.9, and 24-47.9 months. Breast milk, infant formula, and cow's milk were the top sources of energy and nutrients, especially in younger groups. Among infants aged 6-11.9 months, the top food sources of energy included soups and stews, cookies, fruit, tortillas, eggs and egg dishes, and traditional beverages. The same foods plus sweetened breads, dried beans, and sandwiches and tortas were consumed as the top sources of energy among toddlers and young children. Milk, soups, and stews were the top contributors for all nutrients and tortillas, eggs, and egg dishes were among the top contributors for iron and zinc. This study showed that low nutrient-dense cookies, sweetened breads, and traditional beverages were among the core foods consumed early in life in Mexico. This compromises the intake of more nutritious foods such as vegetables and fortified cereals and increases the risk of obesity.

Impact of men's dairy intake on assisted reproductive technology outcomes among couples attending a fertility clinic.

Intake of full-fat dairy has been linked to lower semen quality but whether this leads to decreased fertility is unknown. To address this question, we prospectively evaluated the association of men's dairy intake with treatment outcomes of subfertile couples undergoing assisted reproductive technology (ART). We followed 142 men from couples undergoing infertility treatment with ART at an academic fertility centre between 2007 and 2014. Couples completed dietary assessments prior to treatment, and the female partners underwent a total of 248 ART cycles. Multivariable generalized linear mixed models were used to examine the association of dairy intake with fertilization, implantation, clinical pregnancy and live birth rates adjusting for age, body mass index, smoking status, total exercise time, dietary patterns, alcohol, caffeine, total energy intake, and female dairy intake. Intake of dairy foods, regardless of their fat content, was not associated with fertilization, implantation, clinical pregnancy or live birth rates. The adjusted live birth rates (95% confidence interval) for couples in increasing quartiles of men's dairy intake were 0.42 (0.25, 0.60), 0.25 (0.13, 0.42), 0.26 (0.15, 0.41), and 0.44 (0.27, 0.63) (p linear trend = 0.73). Results remained similar after adjustment for female partner intake of dairy foods. Overall, men's dairy intake was not associated with treatment outcomes of couples undergoing ART.