A national FFQ for the Netherlands (the FFQ-NL1.0): development and compatibility with existing Dutch FFQs.

OBJECTIVE: In the Netherlands, various FFQs have been administered in large cohort studies, which hampers comparison and pooling of dietary data. The present study aimed to describe the development of a standardized Dutch FFQ, FFQ-NL1.0, and assess its compatibility with existing Dutch FFQs. DESIGN: Dutch FFQTOOLTM was used to develop the FFQ-NL1.0 by selecting food items with the largest contributions to total intake and explained variance in intake of energy and thirty-nine nutrients in adults aged 25-69 years from the Dutch National Food Consumption Survey (DNFCS) 2007-2010. Compatibility with the Maastricht-FFQ, Wageningen-FFQ and EPICNL-FFQ was assessed by comparing the number of food items, the covered energy and nutrient intake, and the covered variance in intake. RESULTS: FFQ-NL1.0 comprised 160 food items, v. 253, 183 and 154 food items for the Maastricht-FFQ, Wageningen-FFQ and EPICNL-FFQ, respectively. FFQ-NL1.0 covered ≥85 % of energy and all nutrients reported in the DNFCS. Covered variance in intake ranged from 57 to 99 % for energy and macronutrients, and from 45 to 93 % for micronutrients. Differences between FFQ-NL1.0 and the other FFQs in covered nutrient intake and covered variance in intake were <5 % for energy and all macronutrients. For micronutrients, differences between FFQ-NL and other FFQs in covered level of intake were <15 %, but differences in covered variance were much larger, the maximum difference being 36 %. CONCLUSIONS: The FFQ-NL1.0 was compatible with other FFQs regarding energy and macronutrient intake. However, compatibility for covered variance of intake was limited for some of the micronutrients. If implemented in existing cohorts, it is advised to administer the old and the new FFQ in combination to derive calibration factors.

A 4-week high-AGE diet does not impair glucose metabolism and vascular function in obese individuals.

BACKGROUNDAccumulation of advanced glycation endproducts (AGEs) may contribute to the pathophysiology of type 2 diabetes and its vascular complications. AGEs are widely present in food, but whether restricting AGE intake improves risk factors for type 2 diabetes and vascular dysfunction is controversial.METHODSAbdominally obese but otherwise healthy individuals were randomly assigned to a specifically designed 4-week diet low or high in AGEs in a double-blind, parallel design. Insulin sensitivity, secretion, and clearance were assessed by a combined hyperinsulinemic-euglycemic and hyperglycemic clamp. Micro- and macrovascular function, inflammation, and lipid profiles were assessed by state-of-the-art in vivo measurements and biomarkers. Specific urinary and plasma AGEs Nε-(carboxymethyl)lysine (CML), Nε-(1-carboxyethyl)lysine (CEL), and Nδ-(5-hydro-5-methyl-4-imidazolon-2-yl)-ornithine (MG-H1) were assessed by mass spectrometry.RESULTSIn 73 individuals (22 males, mean ± SD age and BMI 52 ± 14 years, 30.6 ± 4.0 kg/m2), intake of CML, CEL, and MG-H1 differed 2.7-, 5.3-, and 3.7-fold between the low- and high-AGE diets, leading to corresponding changes of these AGEs in urine and plasma. Despite this, there was no difference in insulin sensitivity, secretion, or clearance; micro- and macrovascular function; overall inflammation; or lipid profile between the low and high dietary AGE groups (for all treatment effects, P > 0.05).CONCLUSIONThis comprehensive RCT demonstrates very limited biological consequences of a 4-week diet low or high in AGEs in abdominally obese individuals.TRIAL REGISTRATIONClinicaltrials.gov, NCT03866343; trialregister.nl, NTR7594.FUNDINGDiabetesfonds and ZonMw.