Analysis of different plant- and animal-based dietary patterns and their relationship with serum uric acid levels in Chinese adults.

BACKGROUND: Dietary patterns play an important role in regulating serum uric acid levels in the body, but evidence for the association between different kinds of plant-based and animal-based dietary patterns and individual serum uric acid levels is scarce and inconsistent. METHODS: We analyzed data from the sixth wave of the China Health and Nutrition Survey. The plant-based diet of 7,806 participants was determined using three consecutive 24-hour dietary recalls, and latent profile analysis was used to identify dietary patterns among participants. Serum uric acid levels were analyzed using the enzymatic colorimetric method. The association between intakes of different types of dietary pattern and individual serum uric acid levels was analyzed using linear regression analysis, after adjusting for confounding variables. RESULTS: We identified three types of plant-based dietary patterns, namely, low tuber starches and vegetable plant-based diet (LTVP), high cereal, tuber starches and vegetable plant-based diet (HCTVP), and high legume and fruit plant-based diet (HLFP). We also identified three types of animal-based dietary patterns, namely, high milk and egg animal-based diet (HMiEA), low egg and fish animal-based diet, and high meat and fish animal-based diet (HMeFA). Significant coefficients for participant serum uric acid levels were observed for the HCTVP diet (ß = -0.022, P = 0.031) and HMeFA diet (ß = 0.061, P < 0.001). The median intake of foods in the HCTVP diet was as follows: cereals and cereal products, 444.83 g/d; tubers and starch products, 166.67 g/d; dried legumes and legume products, 8.33 g/d; vegetables and vegetable products, 333.33 g/d; and fruits and fruit products, 0 g/d. The median intake of foods in the HMeFA diet was as follows: meat and meat products, 73.33 g/d; poultry and poultry products, 0 g/d; milk and milk products, 0 g/d; eggs and egg products, 26.67 g/d; and fish, shellfish, and mollusks, 180.00 g/d. CONCLUSION: We showed that individual serum uric acid levels (1) might decrease under the plant-based HCTVP diet, (2) might increase under the animal-based HMeFA diet, (3) might not decrease under the plant-based HLFP diet, and (4) might not increase under the animal-based HMiEA diet. Further studies are needed to confirm these associations.

Two Dietary Patterns From China Might Benefit Kidney Function, as Indicated by Latent Profile Analysis.

OBJECTIVES: Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is highly influenced by diet. However, there is a lack of a special dietary pattern to promote kidney health; there might have been some dietary patterns that could be beneficial in preventing the decline of renal function. The aim of this study is to assess the latent friendly dietary patterns for the kidneys in the year with low incidence of CKD in China. METHODS: In this cross-sectional survey (2009), 4,267 adults no less than 18 years old without CKD, hypertension, diabetes, and so on were analyzed in the China Health and Nutrition Survey. Kidney function was reflected by 3 common indicators: uric acid, urea, and creatinine. Food intake was determined based on 3 consecutive 24-hour dietary recalls from the first day of midnight to the fourth day of midnight. Latent profile analysis was used to identify dietary patterns among participants. RESULTS: After adjusting for demographic and lifestyle characteristics, 2 dietary patterns (low animal and high plant diet and high cereal and vegetable diet) which were characterized as higher intake of plant derived food (cereals, tubers, legumes, fruits, and vegetables) from China might benefit kidney function. The median intake of foods in the first dietary pattern was cereals and cereal products 433.33 g/day, tubers and starch products 150.00 g/day, dried legumes and legume products 46.67 g/day, vegetables and vegetable products 303.33 g/day, meat and meat products 40.00 g/day, and egg and egg products 20.00 g/day. The median intake of foods in the second dietary pattern was cereals and cereal products 616.67 g/day, dried legumes and legume products 38.33 g/day, vegetables and vegetable products 700.00 g/day, meat and meat products 66.67 g/day, and egg and egg products 20.00 g/day. CONCLUSIONS: It was shown that there were two dietary patterns in China might benefit kidney function. Future studies are needed to confirm these associations and design dietary patterns specifically to promote kidney health based on these characteristics.

How social isolation and loneliness effect medication adherence among elderly with chronic diseases: An integrated theory and validated cross-sectional study.

INTRODUCTION: Social isolation and loneliness have been described as epidemics among elderly patients with chronic disease. Those epidemics also associates with these elderly's low medication adherence behavior. However, there is a scarcity of research on establishing mechanisms of elderly patients' medication adherence referred to their social isolation and loneliness. METHODS: A mixed-methods design with integrated theory and validated cross-sectional study was used. The integrated theory was constructed by Berkman's conceptual model and the mechanism model of loneliness. The cross-sectional survey was conducted in six districts of Taiyuan, China, through a stratified random cluster sampling method. RESULTS: Low social support mediated the association between social isolation and suboptimal medication adherence in the whole sample, also in multimorbidity patients. Social isolation was positively associated with loneliness, but loneliness couldn't be considered as a mediator between social isolation and medication adherence. In serial mediation model, social isolation caused less social support and more loneliness, and resulted in suboptimal medication adherence in whole sample. In addition, this serial mediational model was not different between patients in non-multimorbidity and multimorbidity. CONCLUSIONS: Social isolation and loneliness are related but independent constructs. Interconnected psychosocial mechanisms explain the influence the mechanism of medication adherence from social isolation and loneliness, and the effective paths of social isolation will increase as the chronic disease evolves. The interventions should initially focus on emotional health to establish a multi-perspective supporting system, which contains tangible support, informational and emotional support, positive social interaction, and affectionate support, especially for the multimorbidity patients.

Moderating effect of social support on depression and health promoting lifestyle for Chinese empty nesters: A cross-sectional study.

BACKGROUND: Health promoting lifestyle (HPL) may be a facilitator for empty nesters' active aging against depression. Social support (SS) may improve their HPL. This study aimed to examine moderating effect of SS and its three sources of SS on relationship between depression and HPL among empty nesters. The compensating role of socioeconomic status (SES) for lack of SS was examined, too. METHODS: A cross-sectional survey of empty nesters (n = 1593) was conducted in six districts of Taiyuan, China, using a stratified random cluster sampling method. Hierarchical multiple linear regression analyses were performed to assess moderation models by SS and its three sources. RESULTS: The findings indicated that low depression (p < 0.001) and sufficient perceived SS (p < 0.001) could directly predict better HPL among empty nesters. The effect of SS on HPL declined with the raise of educational level (p < 0.001). Family support (ß = 0.083, p < 0.001), friends support (ß = 0.085, p < 0.001) and others support (ß = 0.098, p < 0.001) expressed significant negative buffer effects on depression and HPL individually. LIMITATIONS: There was a cross-sectional study that limited the moderating effect of SS on depression and HPL just for empty nesters in Taiyuan, China. The results cannot explain the causal relationships among the study variables. CONCLUSIONS: SS might be a protective factor of empty nesters' health in China. Three sources of SS all showed moderating effect on the relationship between depression and HPL among empty nesters, and should be integrated to achieve maximum utility. Friends support/ others support could play complement role for lack of family support. SES expressed partial compensatory for lack of SS.