Eating Fish and Risk of Type 2 Diabetes: A population-based, prospective follow-up study

Objective: To investigate the relation between total fish, type of fish (lean and fatty), and EPA&DHA intake and risk of type 2 diabetes in a population-based cohort. Research design and methods: The analysis included 4,472 Dutch participants aged =55 years without diabetes at baseline. Dietary intake was assessed with a semi-quantitative food frequency questionnaire. Hazard ratios (RR) with 95% confidence intervals (95% CI) were used to examine risk associations adjusted for age, sex, lifestyle, and nutritional factors. Results: After 15 years of follow-up, 463 participants developed type 2 diabetes. Median fish intake, mainly lean fish (81% ), was 10 g/d. Total fish intake was associated positively with risk of type 2 diabetes; the RR was 1.32 (95% CI 1.02, 1.70) in the highest total fish group (=28 g/d) compared with non-fish eaters (p for trend= 0.04). Correspondingly, lean fish intake tended to be associated positively with type 2 diabetes (RR highest group (=23 g/d): 1.30 (95% CI 1.01, 1.68), p for trend= 0.06), but fatty fish was not. No association was observed between EPA&DHA intake and type 2 diabetes (RR highest group (=149.4 mg/d): 1.22 (95% CI 0.97, 1.53)). When additionally adjusted for intake of selenium, cholesterol, and vitamin D this RR decreased to 1.05 (95% CI 0.80, 1.38) (p for trend= 0.77). Conclusion: The findings do not support a beneficial effect of total fish, type of fish, or EPA&DHA intake on the risk of type 2 diabetes. Alternatively, other dietary components, like selenium, and unmeasured contaminants present in fish might explain our result

Dietary preference, physical activity, and cancer risk in men: national health insurance corporation study

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The effects of vegetable preference and leisure-time physical activity (LPA) on cancer have been inconsistent. We examined the effects of dietary preference and physical activity, as well as their combined effect on cancer risk.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>This prospective cohort study included 444,963 men, older than 40 years, who participated in a national health examination program begun in 1996. Based on the answer to the question "What kind of dietary preference do you have?" we categorized dietary preference as (1) vegetables, (2) mixture of vegetables and meat, and (3) meats. We categorized LPA as low (< 4 times/wk, < 30 min/session), moderate (2–4 times/wk, ≥ 30 min/session or ≥ 5 times/wk, < 30 min/session), or high (≥ 5 times/wk, ≥ 30 min/session). We obtained cancer incidence data for 1996 through 2002 from the Korean Central Cancer Registry. We used a standard Poisson regression model with a log link function and person-time offset to estimate incidence and relative risk..</p> <p>Results</p> <p>During the 6-year follow-up period, we identified 14,109 cancer cases. Multivariate analysis revealed that a preference for vegetables or a mixture of vegetables and meat as opposed to a preference for meat played a significant protective role against lung cancer incidence (aRR, 0.81; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.68–0.98). Compared with the low LPA group, subjects with moderate-high LPA had a significantly lower risk for stomach (aRR, 0.91; 95%CI, 0.86–0.98), lung (aRR, 0.83; 95%CI, 0.75–0.92), and liver (aRR, 0.88; 95%CI, 0.81–0.95) cancer. Among current smokers, the combined moderate-high LPA and vegetable or mixture of vegetables and meat preference group showed a 40% reduced risk of lung cancer (aRR, 0.60; 95%CI, 0.47–0.76) compared with the combined low LPA and meat preference group. Among never/former smokers, subjects with moderate-high LPA and a preference for vegetables or a mixture of vegetables and meat showed reduced stomach cancer risk (aRR, 0.72; 95%CI, 0.54–0.95).</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Our findings add to the evidence of the beneficial effects of vegetable preference on lung cancer risk and of physical activity on lung, stomach, and liver cancer risk. Additionally, vegetable preference combined with LPA might significantly reduce lung and stomach cancer risk.</p

Plasma response to fish oil in the elderly

Little information is available concerning whether incorporation of dietary omega-3 fatty acids into plasma lipids changes during healthy aging. Elderly (74 ± 4 years old) and young (24 ± 2 years old) adults were given a fish oil supplement for 3 weeks that provided 680 mg/day of docosahexaenoic acid and 320 mg/day of eicosapentaenoic acid, followed by a 2 week wash-out period. Compliance was monitored by spiking the capsules with carbon-13 glucose, the excretion of which was measured in breath CO2. In response to the supplement, plasma docosahexaenoic acid rose 42% more in the elderly but eicosapentaenoic responded similarly in both groups. Despite raising docosahexaenoic acid intake by five to tenfold, the supplement did not raise plasma free docosahexaenoic acid (% or mg/dL) in either group. We conclude that healthy aging is accompanied by subtle but significant changes in DHA incorporation into plasma lipids

Dietary intake and breast density in high-risk women: a cross-sectional study

Background Women with a family history of breast cancer may be at higher risk for breast cancer, but few previous studies evaluating diet and breast cancer have focused on such women. The objective of the present study was to determine whether diet, a modifiable risk factor, is related to breast density among women at high genetic risk for breast cancer. Methods Women with at least one first-degree or second-degree relative with breast cancer or ovarian cancer participating in the Fox Chase Cancer Center Family Risk Assessment Program completed health history and food frequency questionnaires and received standard screening mammograms. Cranial–caudal mammographic images were classified into the four Breast Imaging Reporting and Data System categories ranging from \u27entirely fatty\u27 to \u27extremely dense\u27. Logistic regression analysis using proportional odds models for polychotomous outcomes provided estimates of odds ratios for having a higher category versus a lower category of breast density. Results Among 157 high-risk women, breast density was inversely associated with vitamin D intake (odds ratio for third tertile versus first tertile, 0.5; 95% confidence interval, 0.2–1.0). In contrast, intakes above the median level for protein (odds ratio, 3.0; 95% confidence interval, 1.3–6.9) and above the median level for animal protein (odds ratio, 4.3; 95% confidence interval, 1.8–10.3) were associated with higher breast density, but only among women whose family history did not reflect a known familial cancer syndrome or a breast cancer predisposition gene. Conclusion For women with a strong family history that was not associated with known cancer syndromes, dietary factors may be associated with breast density, a strong predictor of breast cancer risk. Since women with strong family history are often very motivated to change their lifestyle habits, further studies are needed to confirm whether changes in diet will change the breast density and the subsequent onset of breast cancer in these women

Dietary preference, physical activity, and cancer risk in men: national health insurance corporation study

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The effects of vegetable preference and leisure-time physical activity (LPA) on cancer have been inconsistent. We examined the effects of dietary preference and physical activity, as well as their combined effect on cancer risk.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>This prospective cohort study included 444,963 men, older than 40 years, who participated in a national health examination program begun in 1996. Based on the answer to the question "What kind of dietary preference do you have?" we categorized dietary preference as (1) vegetables, (2) mixture of vegetables and meat, and (3) meats. We categorized LPA as low (< 4 times/wk, < 30 min/session), moderate (2–4 times/wk, ≥ 30 min/session or ≥ 5 times/wk, < 30 min/session), or high (≥ 5 times/wk, ≥ 30 min/session). We obtained cancer incidence data for 1996 through 2002 from the Korean Central Cancer Registry. We used a standard Poisson regression model with a log link function and person-time offset to estimate incidence and relative risk..</p> <p>Results</p> <p>During the 6-year follow-up period, we identified 14,109 cancer cases. Multivariate analysis revealed that a preference for vegetables or a mixture of vegetables and meat as opposed to a preference for meat played a significant protective role against lung cancer incidence (aRR, 0.81; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.68–0.98). Compared with the low LPA group, subjects with moderate-high LPA had a significantly lower risk for stomach (aRR, 0.91; 95%CI, 0.86–0.98), lung (aRR, 0.83; 95%CI, 0.75–0.92), and liver (aRR, 0.88; 95%CI, 0.81–0.95) cancer. Among current smokers, the combined moderate-high LPA and vegetable or mixture of vegetables and meat preference group showed a 40% reduced risk of lung cancer (aRR, 0.60; 95%CI, 0.47–0.76) compared with the combined low LPA and meat preference group. Among never/former smokers, subjects with moderate-high LPA and a preference for vegetables or a mixture of vegetables and meat showed reduced stomach cancer risk (aRR, 0.72; 95%CI, 0.54–0.95).</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Our findings add to the evidence of the beneficial effects of vegetable preference on lung cancer risk and of physical activity on lung, stomach, and liver cancer risk. Additionally, vegetable preference combined with LPA might significantly reduce lung and stomach cancer risk.</p

Mediterranean Diet and Breast Density in the Minnesota Breast Cancer Family Study

Mediterranean populations’ lower breast cancer incidence has been attributed to a traditional Mediterranean diet, but few studies have quantified Mediterranean dietary pattern intake in relation to breast cancer. We examined the association of a Mediterranean diet scale (MDS) with mammographic breast density as a surrogate marker for breast cancer risk. Participants completed a dietary questionnaire and provided screening mammograms for breast density assessment using a computer-assisted method. Among 1,286 women, MDS was not clearly associated with percent density in multivariate linear regression analyses. Because of previous work suggesting dietary effects limited to smokers, we conducted stratified analyses and found MDS and percent density to be significantly, inversely associated among current smokers (β = –1.68, P = 0.002) but not among nonsmokers (β = –0.08, P = 0.72; P for interaction = 0.008). Our results confirm a previous suggestion that selected dietary patterns may be protective primarily in the presence of procarcinogenic compounds such as those found in tobacco smoke

Cancer risks among BRCA1 and BRCA2 mutation carriers

BRCA1 and BRCA2 mutations increase breast and ovarian cancer risks substantially enough to warrant risk reduction surgery, despite variable risk estimates. Underlying this variability are methodological issues, and also complex genetic and nongenetic effects. Although many modifying factors are unidentified, known factors can already be incorporated in individualised risk prediction

Coffee consumption modifies risk of estrogen-receptor negative breast cancer

10.1186/bcr2879Breast Cancer Research133R4

Variation in breast cancer risk in BRCA1 and BRCA2 mutation carriers

Genetic testing for BRCA1 and BRCA2 (BRCA1/2) mutations can provide important information for women who are concerned about their breast and ovarian cancer risks and need to make relevant prevention and medical management decisions. However, lifetime risks of breast cancer in individual BRCA1/2 mutation carriers have been confusing to apply in clinical decision-making. Published risk estimates vary significantly and are very dependent on the characteristics of the population under study. Recently, Begg and colleagues estimated cancer risks in a population-based study of BRCA1/2 mutation carriers. Here, we discuss the clinical decision-making implications of this research in the context of risk factors that may influence risk estimates in BRCA1/2 mutation carriers