The Impact of Meal Dietary Inflammatory Index on Exercise-Induced Changes in Airway Inflammation in Adults with Asthma.

Research suggests exercise may reduce eosinophilic airway inflammation in adults with asthma. The Dietary Inflammatory Index (DII®) quantifies the inflammatory potential of the diet and has been associated with asthma outcomes. This study aimed to determine whether the DII of a meal consumed either before or after exercise influences exercise-induced changes in airway inflammation. A total of 56 adults with asthma were randomised to (1) 30-45 min moderate-vigorous exercise, or (2) a control group. Participants consumed self-selected meals, two hours pre- and two hours post-intervention. Energy-adjusted DII (E-DIITM) was determined for each meal, with meals then characterised as "anti-inflammatory" or "pro-inflammatory" according to median DII. Induced sputum cell counts were measured pre- and four hours post-intervention. Participants consuming an anti-inflammatory meal two hours post-exercise had a decrease in sputum %eosinophils (-0.5 (-2.0, 0.3)%) compared with participants who consumed a pro-inflammatory meal two hours post-exercise (0.5 (0, 3.0)%, p = 0.009). There was a positive correlation between the E-DII score of the post-exercise meal and change in sputum %eosinophils (rs = 0.478, p = 0.008). The E-DII score of the meal consumed two hours pre-exercise had no effect on sputum %eosinophils (p = 0.523). This study suggests an anti-inflammatory meal two hours post-exercise augments exercise-induced improvements in eosinophilic airway inflammation in adults with asthma.

Diet Quality and Cognitive Performance in Australian Adults Aged 55-85 Years: A Cross-Sectional Analysis of the Hunter Community Study Cohort.

There is a lack of evidence to determine if diet quality is associated with cognitive performance in older adults. Therefore, the aim of this study was to examine whether diet quality is associated with cognitive performance among older adults. A cross-sectional, secondary analysis of baseline data from the Hunter Community Study (HCS), comparing diet quality, measured using the Australian Recommended Food Score (ARFS), along with validated cognitive performance instruments the Audio Recorded Cognitive Screen (ARCS) and the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) were undertaken in adults aged 55-85 years, living in Newcastle, NSW, Australia. Adjusted linear regression analyses showed that, compared with the lowest ARFS quintile, those in the highest quintile had an ARCS score 5.883 units greater (p < 0.001; R2 = 0.0098). Furthermore, when quintiles of ARFS score were tested against each ARCS sub-scale score, statistically significant associations were observed with the greatest effect for the Memory (ß = 4.055; p = 0.001; R2 = 0.0065) and Attention (ß = 4.136; p = 0.002; R2 = 0.0047) domains. No statistically significant associations were observed between quintiles of ARFS and MMSE score in the adjusted linear regression analyses. In conclusion, a positive association was observed between diet quality and cognitive performance within this sample of older Australian adults. Further investigation of the above association over time, when follow-up data becomes available, in longitudinal analysis is recommended.

Better diet quality scores are associated with a lower risk of hypertension and non-fatal CVD in middle-aged Australian women over 15 years of follow-up.

OBJECTIVE: To explore if better diet quality scores as a measure of adherence to the Australian Dietary Guidelines (ADG) and the Mediterranean diet (MedDiet) are associated with a lower incidence of hypertension and non-fatal CVD. DESIGN: Prospective analysis of the 1946-1951 cohort of the Australian Longitudinal Study on Women's Health (ALSWH). The Australian Recommended Foods Score (ARFS) was calculated as an indicator of adherence to the ADG; the Mediterranean Diet Score (MDS) measured adherence to the MedDiet. Outcomes included hypertension and non-fatal CVD. Generalised estimating equations estimated OR and 95 % CI across quartiles of diet quality scores. SETTING: Australia, 2001-2016. PARTICIPANTS: 1946-1951 cohort of the ALSWH (n 5324), without CVD, hypertension and diabetes at baseline (2001), with complete FFQ data. RESULTS: There were 1342 new cases of hypertension and 629 new cases of non-fatal CVD over 15 years of follow-up. Multivariate analysis indicated that women reporting better adherence to the ARFS (≥38/74) had 15 % (95 % CI 1, 28 %; P = 0·05) lower odds of hypertension and 46 % (95 % CI 6, 66 %; P = 0·1) lower odds of non-fatal CVD. Women reporting better adherence to the MDS (≥8/17) had 27 % (95 % CI 15, 47 %; P = 0·0006) lower odds of hypertension and 30 % (95 % CI 2, 50 %; P = 0·03) lower odds of non-fatal CVD. CONCLUSIONS: Better adherence to diet quality scores is associated with lower risk of hypertension and non-fatal CVD. These results support the need for updated evidenced based on the ADG as well as public health nutrition policies in Australia.

Rural versus urban women: An examination of anthropometry and body composition.

OBJECTIVE: To describe and compare body composition and fat distribution of Australian women 18-44 years from an urban and rural location. DESIGN: Cross-sectional survey and collection of anthropometric and body composition measurements. SETTING: Newcastle and Tamworth in New South Wales. PARTICIPANTS: Convenience sample of women recruited through media and community. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Weight, height, waist and hip girths, visceral fat area, body fat (kg and %) and skeletal muscle mass. RESULTS: Of the total sample (n = 254), 53% resided in an urban area and the mean age was 28.0 (7.6) years. The mean age of rural women was significantly higher than for urban women. The majority of women (66.5%) had a Body Mass Index within the healthy range (18.5-24.9 kg m-2 ) and there was no significant difference in mean Body Mass Index between rural and urban women. Measures of central fat distribution, waist circumference and waist-to-hip ratio were significantly higher in rural residents. Visceral fat area was significantly higher among rural women. After adjustment for age, differences in waist circumference, waist-to-hip ratio and visceral fat area were no longer statistically significant. CONCLUSION: While we did not find statistically significant differences in body composition among urban and rural women, these results highlight the dramatic effect of age on measures of central adiposity. Population surveillance needs to incorporate measures of excess central adiposity, particularly visceral fat area, to better investigate changes in body composition among women in their 20s and 30s.

Vegetable Nitrate Intakes Are Associated with Reduced Self-Reported Cardiovascular-Related Complications within a Representative Sample of Middle-Aged Australian Women, Prospectively Followed up for 15 Years.

Nitric oxide (NO) facilitates anti-atherosclerotic effects. Vegetables are a major source of dietary nitrate. Experimental data indicates that dietary nitrate can significantly reduce major risk factors for atherosclerosis and subsequent cardiovascular disease (CVD), as nitrate can be metabolized to produce NO via the nitrate-nitrite-NO pathway. The purpose of this study was to prospectively investigate the association between habitual dietary nitrate intakes and the incidence of self-reported CVD-related complications within a representative sample of middle-aged Australian women (1946⁻1951 cohort of the Australian Longitudinal Study on Women's Health). Women free from disease at baseline who had completed the food frequency questionnaire data were included. Generalized estimating equations were used to estimate odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (95% CI) across quartiles for nitrate intakes. Of the 5324 women included for analysis, there were 1951 new cases of CVD-related complications over 15-years of follow-up. Women reporting higher total dietary nitrate intakes (Q4 > 78.2 mg/day) and vegetable nitrate intakes (Q4 > 64.4 mg/day) were 25% and 27% reduced risk of developing CVD-related complications respectively, compared with women reporting low total (Q1 < 45.5 mg/day) and vegetable nitrate intakes (Q1 < 34.8 mg/day). Our findings were consistent with other observational data indicating that dietary nitrate may explain some of the cardiovascular benefits of vegetable consumption.

Dietary nitrate consumption and risk of CHD in women from the Nurses' Health Study.

The consumption of nitrate-rich vegetables can acutely lower blood pressure and improve mediators shown to optimise vascular health. However, we do not yet understand the impact of long-term habitual dietary nitrate intake and its association with CVD. Therefore, the aim of this investigation was to examine the relationship between habitual dietary nitrate intakes and risk of CHD in women from the Nurses' Health Study. We prospectively followed 62 535 women who were free from diabetes, CVD and cancer at baseline in 1986. Information on diet was updated every 4 years with validated FFQ. The main outcome was CHD defined by the occurrence of non-fatal myocardial infarction or fatal CHD. Cox proportional hazard regression models were used to estimate the relative risks (RR) and 95 % CI. During 26 years of follow-up, 2257 cases of CHD were identified. When comparing the highest quintile of nitrate intake with the lowest quintile, in aged-adjusted analysis there was a protective association for CHD (RR=0·77, 95 % CI 0·68, 0·97; P=0·0002) which dissipated after further adjustment for smoking, physical activity, BMI and race (RR=0·91; 95 % CI 0·80, 1·04; P=0·27). This magnitude of association was further attenuated once we adjusted for the Alternative Healthy Eating Index excluding vegetable and fruit consumption (RR=1·04, 95 % CI 0·91, 1·20; P=0·34). Dietary nitrate intake was not related to the risk of CHD after adjustment for other lifestyle and non-vegetable dietary factors in a large group of US women.

Dietary Nitrate and Diet Quality: An Examination of Changing Dietary Intakes within a Representative Sample of Australian Women.

Dietary nitrate is increasingly linked to a variety of beneficial health outcomes. Our purpose was to estimate dietary nitrate consumption and identify key dietary changes which have occurred over time within a representative sample of Australian women. Women from the 1946⁻1951 cohort of the Australian Longitudinal Study on Women's Health with complete food frequency questionnaire data for both 2001 and 2013 were included for analysis. Dietary nitrate intakes were calculated using key published nitrate databases. Diet quality scores including the Australian Recommended Food Score, the Mediterranean Diet Score and the Nutrient Rich Foods Index were calculated along with food group serves as per the Australian Dietary Guidelines. Wilcoxon matched pairs tests were used to test for change in dietary intakes and Spearman's correlations were used to examine associations. In our sample of 8161 Australian women, dietary nitrate intakes were on average 65⁻70 mg/day, and we detected a significant increase in dietary nitrate consumption over time (+6.57 mg/day). Vegetables were the primary source of dietary nitrate (81⁻83%), in particular lettuce (26%), spinach (14⁻20%), beetroot (10⁻11%), and celery (7⁻8%) contributed primarily to vegetable nitrate intakes. Further, increased dietary nitrate intakes were associated with improved diet quality scores (r = 0.3, p < 0.0001). Although there is emerging evidence indicating that higher habitual dietary nitrate intakes are associated with reduced morbidity and mortality, future work in this area should consider how dietary nitrate within the context of overall diet quality can facilitate health to ensure consistent public health messages are conveyed.

The protective effect of muesli consumption on diabetes risk: Results from 12 years of follow-up in the Australian Longitudinal Study on Women's Health.

Diabetes affects 9.8% of Australian women. Breakfast cereal consumption is potentially protective against diabetes. This study investigated the effects of breakfast cereal consumption on the 12-year risk of developing diabetes among mid-aged participants of the Australian Longitudinal Study of Women's Health (ALSWH). It was hypothesized that any breakfast cereal and higher-fiber breakfast cereals would be protective against the risk of developing diabetes. Data from Survey 3 (S3) to Survey 7 (S7) inclusive, from the 1946-51 ALSWH cohort were analyzed. Dietary data were obtained at S3 and the outcome was incident diabetes between S4-S7. Women were excluded if: they reported existing diabetes or impaired glucose tolerance at S3; dietary data were incomplete; or daily energy intake was <4,500 or >20,000 kJ. Logistic regression with discrete time survival analyses investigated the association between breakfast cereal intake and incident diabetes. Models were adjusted for income, BMI, smoking, physical activity, education, and dietary intakes and included a measure of time. There were 637 incident cases of diabetes. Breakfast cereal intake per se was not associated with incident diabetes (OR: 1.00; P = .98). Muesli consumption on its own (OR: 0.74; P = .00) or as a part of oats-based cereal (OR: 0.84; P = .047) was significantly associated with a decrease in the odds of developing diabetes. No other breakfast cereals were significantly associated with diabetes risk. Among mid-aged Australian women, muesli consumption was associated with a reduction in diabetes risk. This effect may be due to a particular profile of muesli eaters, but the relationship warrants further investigation.

The role of inorganic nitrate and nitrite in cardiovascular disease risk factors: a systematic review and meta-analysis of human evidence.

Context: Depleted nitric oxide levels in the human body play a major role in cardiovascular disease pathogenesis. Inorganic nitrate/nitrite (rich dietary sources include beetroot and spinach) can act as a nitric oxide donor because nitrate/nitrite can be metabolized to produce nitric oxide. Objective: This review and meta-analysis sought to investigate the role of inorganic nitrate/nitrite in preventing or treating cardiovascular disease risk factors in humans. Data Sources: Electronic databases, including Medline, Embase, Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature, Cochrane, and Scopus, were searched. Data Extraction: Experimental trials examining the effect of oral inorganic nitrate/nitrite intake on cardiovascular disease risk factors were included for systematic analysis. Results: Thirty-four studies were included for qualitative synthesis, 23 of which were eligible for meta-analysis. Included studies measured the following outcomes: blood pressure, endothelial function, arterial stiffness, platelet aggregation, and/or blood lipids. Inorganic nitrate intake was found to significantly reduce resting blood pressure (systolic blood pressure: -4.80 mmHg, P < 0.0001; diastolic blood pressure: -1.74 mmHg, P = 0.001), improve endothelial function (flow-mediated dilatation: 0.59%, P < 0.0001), reduce arterial stiffness (pulse wave velocity: -0.23 m/s, P < 0.0001; augmentation index: -2.1%, P = 0.05), and reduce platelet aggregation by 18.9% (P < 0.0001). Conclusions: Inorganic nitrate consumption represents a simple strategy for targeting cardiovascular disease risk factors. Future studies investigating the long-term effects of inorganic nitrate on cardiovascular disease outcomes are warranted.

Breakfast Cereal Consumption and Obesity Risk amongst the Mid-Age Cohort of the Australian Longitudinal Study on Women's Health.

Obesity affects 27.5% of Australian women. Breakfast cereal consumption has been proposed to be protective against obesity. This study investigated the association of breakfast cereal consumption with the risk of developing obesity (Body Mass Index (BMI) ≥ 30 kg/m²) over 12 years among mid-age participants in the Australian Longitudinal Study on Women's Health (ALSWH). Dietary data were obtained at S3 and obesity incidence at S4-S7. Women were excluded if: dietary data were incomplete, energy intake was <4500 or >20,000 kJ/day, or they reported being overweight or obese at S3. Logistic regressions with discrete time survival analysis investigated the association between breakfast cereal intake and incident obesity and were adjusted for: area of residency, income, smoking, physical activity, hypertension, dietary intakes and a discrete measure of time. There were 308 incident cases of obesity. Any breakfast cereal intake was not associated with incident obesity (Odds Ratio (OR): 0.92; p = 0.68). Oat-based cereal (OR: 0.71; p = 0.01), muesli (OR: 0.57; p = 0.00) and All-Bran (OR: 0.62; p = 0.01) intakes were associated with a significant reduction in obesity risk. Among this cohort, muesli on its own, or as part of oat-based cereals, and All-Bran, were associated with a reduction in obesity. This effect may be due to particular characteristics of these cereal eaters, but the relationship warrants further investigation.

A sputum gene expression signature predicts oral corticosteroid response in asthma.

Biomarkers that predict responses to oral corticosteroids (OCS) facilitate patient selection for asthma treatment. We hypothesised that asthma patients would respond differently to OCS therapy, with biomarkers and inflammometry predicting response.Adults with stable asthma underwent a randomised controlled cross-over trial of 50 mg prednisolone daily for 10 days (n=55). A six-gene expression biomarker signature (CLC, CPA3, DNASE1L3, IL1B, ALPL and CXCR2) in induced sputum, and eosinophils in blood and sputum were assessed and predictors of response were investigated (changes in forced expiratory volume in 1 s (ΔFEV1), six-item Asthma Control Questionnaire score (ΔACQ6) or exhaled nitric oxide fraction (ΔFeNO)).At baseline, responders to OCS (n=25) had upregulated mast cell CPA3 gene expression, poorer lung function, and higher sputum and blood eosinophils. Following treatment, CLC and CPA3 gene expression was reduced, whereas DNASE1L3, IL1B, ALPL and CXCR2 expression remained unchanged. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis showed the six-gene expression biomarker signature as a better predictor of clinically significant responses to OCS than blood and sputum eosinophils.The six-gene expression signature including eosinophil and Th2 related mast cell biomarkers showed greater precision in predicting OCS response in stable asthma. Thus, a novel sputum gene expression signature highlights an additional role of mast cells in asthma, and could be a useful measurement to guide OCS therapy in asthma.

Calculation of Haem Iron Intake and Its Role in the Development of Iron Deficiency in Young Women from the Australian Longitudinal Study on Women's Health.

Total iron intake is not strongly associated with iron stores, but haem iron intake may be more predictive. Haem iron is not available in most nutrient databases, so experimentally determined haem contents were applied to an Australian Food Frequency Questionnaire (FFQ) to estimate haem iron intake in a representative sample of young women (25-30 years). The association between dietary haem iron intakes and incident self-reported diagnosed iron deficiency over six years of follow-up was examined. Haem iron contents for Australian red meats, fish, and poultry were applied to haem-containing foods in the Dietary Questionnaire for Epidemiological Studies V2 (DQESv2) FFQ. Haem iron intakes were calculated for 9076 women from the Australian Longitudinal Study on Women's Health (ALSWH) using the DQESv2 dietary data from 2003. Logistic regression was used to examine the association between haem iron intake (2003) and the incidence of iron deficiency in 2006 and 2009. Multiple logistic regression showed baseline haem iron intake was a statistically significant predictor of iron deficiency in 2006 (Odds Ratio (OR): 0.91; 95% Confidence Interval (CI): 0.84-0.99; p-value: 0.020) and 2009 (OR: 0.89; 95% CI: 0.82-0.99; p-value: 0.007). Using the energy-adjusted haem intake made little difference to the associations. Higher haem iron intake is associated with reduced odds of iron deficiency developing in young adult Australian women.

Soluble Fibre Meal Challenge Reduces Airway Inflammation and Expression of GPR43 and GPR41 in Asthma.

Short chain fatty acids (SCFAs) are produced following the fermentation of soluble fibre by gut bacteria. In animal models, both dietary fibre and SCFAs have demonstrated anti-inflammatory effects via the activation of free fatty acid receptors, such as G protein-coupled receptor 41 and 43 (GPR41 and GPR43). This pilot study examined the acute effect of a single dose of soluble fibre on airway inflammation-including changes in gene expression of free fatty acid receptors-in asthma. Adults with stable asthma consumed a soluble fibre meal (n = 17) containing 3.5 g inulin and probiotics, or a control meal (n = 12) of simple carbohydrates. Exhaled nitric oxide (eNO) was measured and induced sputum was collected at 0 and 4 h for differential cell counts, measurement of interleukin-8 (IL-8) protein concentration, and GPR41 and GPR43 gene expression. At 4 h after meal consumption, airway inflammation biomarkers, including sputum total cell count, neutrophils, macrophages, lymphocytes, sputum IL-8, and eNO significantly decreased compared to baseline in the soluble fibre group only. This corresponded with upregulated GPR41 and GPR43 sputum gene expression and improved lung function in the soluble fibre group alone. Soluble fibre has acute anti-inflammatory effects in asthmatic airways. Long-term effects of soluble fibre as an anti-inflammatory therapy in asthma warrants further investigation.

A systematic review of the effect of oral glucocorticoids on energy intake, appetite, and body weight in humans.

Obesity is a serious risk factor for chronic disease, and commonly prescribed oral glucocorticoids (OCS) may be contributing to the prevalence of obesity. The objective of this review was to assess the impact of OCS on obesity in humans through effects on body weight (BW), energy intake, appetite, and body composition. An electronic search of English language peer-reviewed studies from 1973 up to March 2012 was conducted using Medline, CINAHL, EMBASE, and Cochrane databases. Original studies that addressed the effects of OCS on appetite, energy intake, BW, or body composition in adults were considered eligible. Data from 21 studies with objectively measured outcomes were extracted and assessed for quality using standardized tools. The publication year varied from 1986 to 2013, and the sample size, from 6 to 189. Energy intake was measured in 6 studies; BW, in 19 studies; energy expenditure, in 3 studies; body composition, in 6 studies; and appetite was evaluated in 3 studies. Short-term oral glucocorticoid therapy may result in small increases in energy intake but does not appear to result in increased BW, possibly due to an increase in energy expenditure. Long-term therapy may result in clinically significant weight gain. Within-subject variation due to metabolism and physical activity levels confounds the relationship. A dose-response relationship of oral glucocorticoid therapy on energy intake, appetite, BW, or body composition was not found. Additional well-designed, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trials that use standardized doses of OCS and assess the effects on appetite, energy intake, BW, and composition are strongly justified to confirm the findings of this review.

Investigation of the association between dietary intake, disease severity and airway inflammation in asthma.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Dietary intake is an important modifiable risk factor for asthma and may be related to disease severity and inflammation, through the effects of intake of anti-oxidant-rich foods and pro-inflammatory nutrients. This study aimed to examine dietary intake in asthma in relation to asthma severity, lung function, inhaled corticosteroid use, leptin levels and inflammation. METHODS: Food frequency questionnaires, spirometry and hypertonic saline challenge were completed by 137 stable asthmatics and 65 healthy controls. Plasma leptin was analysed by immunoassay. Induced sputum differential cell counts were determined. RESULTS: Subjects with severe persistent asthma consumed more fat and less fibre as compared with healthy controls (odds ratio 1.04 (95% confidence interval: 1.01-1.07), P = 0.014) (odds ratio 0.94 (95% confidence interval: 0.90-0.99), P = 0.018). Among asthmatics, higher fat and lower fibre intakes were associated with lower forced expiratory volume in 1 s and airway eosinophilia. Leptin levels were increased in both male and female asthmatics as compared with healthy controls. No association existed among asthmatics between corticosteroid use and dietary intake. CONCLUSIONS: It was found that asthmatics within the subgroup of severe persistent asthma have a different pattern of dietary intake as compared with healthy controls, which was associated with lower lung function and increased airway inflammation.

Dietary balance during pregnancy is associated with fetal adiposity and fat distribution.

BACKGROUND: The prenatal environment can induce permanent changes in offspring phenotype. Thinness at birth is associated with adult risk of cardiometabolic disease. OBJECTIVE: The objective was to investigate the association between maternal nutrition during pregnancy and intrauterine development of fetal body composition. DESIGN: We used prospective data from 179 Australian women with singleton pregnancies from the Women and Their Children's Health Study. A validated food-frequency questionnaire was used at 18-24 wk and 36-40 wk of gestation to quantify maternal diet during the previous 3 mo of pregnancy. Fetal body-composition measurements were ascertained from abdominal and midthigh sites by ultrasound performed at 19, 25, 30, and 36 wk. The subcutaneous fat area at each site was calculated by subtracting the lean/visceral area from the total area. RESULTS: In linear mixed-model regressions, maternal intakes of protein (b = -0.13; P = 0.04) and starch (b = 0.10; P = 0.02) and the protein:carbohydrate ratio (b = -3.61; P = 0.02) were associated with the percentage of abdominal fat, whereas SFA (b = 0.27; P = 0.04) and PUFA (b = -0.48; P = 0.03) were associated with the percentage of midthigh fat. Response surfaces for fetal adiposity were maximized at different macronutrient intakes. Abdominal fat was highest with low protein intakes (<16% of energy), and midthigh fat was highest at intermediate protein (18-21% of energy), high fat (>40% of energy), and low carbohydrate (<40% of energy) intakes. CONCLUSION: Fetal body composition may be modifiable via nutritional intervention in the mother and thus may play an important role in influencing the offspring's risk of future disease.

Disparities exist between National food group recommendations and the dietary intakes of women.

BACKGROUND: Preconception and pregnancy dietary intakes can influence the health of future generations. In this study we compared the food intakes of reproductive-aged women by pregnancy status, to current Australian recommendations. METHODS: Data are from the Australian Longitudinal Study on Women's Health, younger cohort aged 25-30 years in 2003, with self-reported status as pregnant (n = 606), trying to conceive (n = 454), given birth in the last 12 months (n = 829) or other (n = 5597). Diet was assessed using a validated 74-item food frequency questionnaire. Food group servings and nutrient intakes were compared to the Australian Guide to Healthy Eating (AGHE) and Australian Nutrient Reference Values (NRVs). RESULTS: No women met all AGHE food group recommendations. Highest adherence rates [mean (95% CI) servings/day] were for meat [85%, 1.9(1.8-1.9)], fruit [44%, 2.1(2.1-2.2)] and dairy [35%, 1.8(1.8-1.9)], with < 14% meeting remaining recommendations. Women who achieved NRVs (folate, iron, calcium, zinc, fibre) for pregnancy, breastfeeding and adult life stages were 1.5%, 3.3% and 13.7%, respectively. Compared to AGHE, women consumed more servings of fruit (4.9 vs 4.0;P = 0.034) and dairy (3.4 vs 2.0;P = 0.006) to achieve pregnancy NRVs; more dairy (2.9 vs 2.0;P = 0.001), less fruit (3.9 vs 5.0;P < .001) and vegetables (3.4 vs 7.0;P < .001) to achieve breastfeeding NRVs; more fruit (3.6 vs 3.0;P < .001), dairy (2.5 vs 2.0;P < .001), meat (1.8 vs 1.5;P = 0.015), less vegetables (3.6 vs 5.0;P < .001) to achieve adult NRVs. CONCLUSIONS: The AGHE does not align with contemporary diets of Australian women or enable them to meet all NRVs. Current tools to guide food consumption by women during pregnancy require revision.

Oxidative stress and antioxidants in athletes undertaking regular exercise training.

Exercise has been shown to increase the production of reactive oxygen species to a point that can exceed antioxidant defenses to cause oxidative stress. Dietary intake of antioxidants, physical activity levels, various antioxidants and oxidative stress markers were examined in 20 exercise-trained "athletes" and 20 age- and sex-matched sedentary "controls." Plasma F2-isoprostanes, antioxidant enzyme activities, and uric acid levels were similar in athletes and sedentary controls. Plasma alpha-tocopherol and beta-carotene were higher in athletes compared with sedentary controls. Total antioxidant capacity tended to be lower in athletes, with a significant difference between male athletes and male controls. Dietary intakes of antioxidants were also similar between groups and well above recommended dietary intakes for Australians. These findings suggest that athletes who consume a diet rich in antioxidants have elevated plasma alpha-tocopherol and beta-carotene that were likely to be brought about by adaptive processes resulting from regular exercise.

Antioxidant restriction and oxidative stress in short-duration exhaustive exercise.

PURPOSE: To determine the effect of dietary antioxidant restriction on oxidative stress, antioxidant defenses, and exercise performance in athletes. Oxidative stress has been shown to increase during exercise. To alleviate oxidative stress, a high intake of antioxidant rich foods or supplements may be required in trained athletes. METHODS: Plasma oxidative stress and antioxidant defenses were examined in 17 trained athletes who underwent two separate exercise tests. Before the initial exercise test participants followed their habitual (high) antioxidant (H-AO) diets. Then they followed a 2-wk restricted-antioxidant (R-AO) diet before the second exercise test. Blood was taken at rest, after submaximal and high-intensity exhaustive exercise, and after 1 h of recovery. RESULTS: The R-AO diet induced a threefold reduction in antioxidant intake when compared with habitual-antioxidant (H-AO) diets. F(2)-isoprostane concentration (marker of oxidative stress) was significantly higher after submaximal exercise (38%), exhaustion (45%), and 1 h of recovery (31%) when following the R-AO diet compared with the H-AO diet. Rate of perceived exertion was increased on the R-AO diet whilst exercise time to exhaustion was not affected. Total antioxidant capacity and circulating antioxidant concentrations, although not significantly different, tended to be lower when following the R-AO diet. CONCLUSION: Athletes regularly participating in up to 40 min of acute high-intensity exercise may require higher intakes of exogenous antioxidants to defend against increased oxidative stress during exercise, which can be met through an adequate intake of high-antioxidant foods. Thus, there seems no valid reason to recommend antioxidant supplements to athletes participating in acute high-intensity exercise events up to 40 min in duration, except in those known to be consuming a low-antioxidant diet for prolonged periods.

Incorporation of n-3 fatty acids into plasma and liver lipids of rats: importance of background dietary fat.

The health benefits of long-chain n-3 PUFA (20:5n-3 and 22:6n-3) depend on the extent of incorporation of these FA into plasma and tissue lipids. This study aimed to investigate the effect of the background dietary fat (saturated, monounsaturated, or n-6 polyunsaturated) on the quantitative incorporation of dietary 18:3n-3 and its elongated and desaturated products into the plasma and the liver lipids of rats. Female weanling Wistar rats (n = 54) were randomly assigned to six diet groups (n = 9). The fat added to the semipurified diets was tallow (SFA), tallow plus linseed oil (SFA-LNA), sunola oil (MUFA), sunola oil plus linseed oil (MUFA-LNA), sunflower oil (PUFA), or sunflower oil plus linseed oil (PUFA-LNA). At the completion of the 4-wk feeding period, quantitative FA analysis of the liver and plasma was undertaken by GC. The inclusion of linseed oil in the rat diets increased the level of 18:3n-3, 20:5n-3, and, to a smaller degree, 22:6n-3 in plasma and liver lipids regardless of the background dietary fat. The extent of incorporation of 18:3n-3, 20:5n-3, and 22:5n-3 followed the order SFA-LNA > MUFA-LNA > PUFA-LNA. Levels of 22:6n-3 were increased to a similar extent regardless of the type of major fat in the rat diets. This indicates that the background diet affects the incorporation in liver and plasma FA pools of the n-3 PUFA with the exception of 22:6n-3 and therefore the background diet has the potential to influence the already established health benefits of long-chain n-3 fatty acids.