Eating behaviors of non-obese individuals with and without familial history of obesity

The aim of the present study was to examine whether eating behaviours and their subscales are associated with familial history of obesity (FHO) in a cohort of 326 non-obese men and women. Anthropometric measurements, eating behaviours (Three-Factor Eating Questionnaire) and dietary intakes (FFQ) have been determined in a sample of 197 women and 129 men. A positive FHO (FHOþ) was defined as having at least one obese first-degree relative and a negative FHO (FHO2) as no obese first-degree relative. Men with FHOþ had higher scores of cognitive dietary restraint and flexible restraint than men with FHO2. In women, those with FHOþ had a higher score of disinhibition than women with FHO2. In both men and women, eating behaviours were not significantly associated with the number of obese family members. However, having an obese mother was associated with higher scores of cognitive dietary restraint, flexible restraint and rigid restraint in women. These findings demonstrate that eating behaviours of non-obese subjects are different according to the presence or absence of obese family members. More specifically, having an obese mother is associated with a higher dietary restraint score in women

Carotenoids as biomarkers of fruit and vegetable intake in men and women

High fruit and vegetable (FAV) intake is associated with a lower prevalence of chronic diseases. Identifying the ideal number of FAV servings needed to reduce chronic disease risk is, however, difficult because of biases inherent to common self-report dietary assessment tools. The aim of our study was to examine the associations between daily FAV intake and plasma carotenoid concentrations in men and women enrolled in a series of fully controlled dietary interventions. We compiled and analysed data from a group of 155 men and 109 women who participated in six fully controlled dietary interventions and compared post-intervention fasting plasma carotenoid (a-carotene, ß-carotene, ß-cryptoxanthin, lutein, lycopene, zeaxanthin) concentrations with regard to the daily FAV servings consumed by the participants. We found that plasma ß-cryptoxanthin, lutein and zeaxanthin concentrations were positively associated with daily FAV servings (P=0·005). However, daily FAV intake was negatively associated with plasma a-carotene (P<0·0005) and lycopene (P<0·0001) concentrations, whereas no association was noted with plasma ß-carotene. When men and women were analysed separately, we found that for any given number of FAV servings consumed women had higher circulating lutein concentrations compared with men (P<0·01). Significant sex×FAV (P<0·0001) and sex×dietary ß-cryptoxanthin (P<0·0005) interactions were also noted favouring higher plasma ß-cryptoxanthin concentrations in women than in men for a given FAV consumption. Results from these fully controlled dietary feeding studies indicate that plasma ß-cryptoxanthin and lutein concentrations can be used as robust biomarkers of FAV consumption. They also suggest the existence of sex differences influencing circulating ß-cryptoxanthin and lutein concentrations following FAV consumption

Associations between dietary patterns and gene expression profiles of healthy men and women: a cross-sectional study

Background: Diet regulates gene expression profiles by several mechanisms. The objective of this study was to examine gene expression in relation with dietary patterns. Methods: Two hundred and fifty four participants from the greater Quebec City metropolitan area were recruited. Two hundred and ten participants completed the study protocol. Dietary patterns were derived from a food frequency questionnaire (FFQ) by factor analysis. For 30 participants (in fasting state), RNA was extracted from peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) and expression levels of 47,231 mRNA transcripts were assessed using the Illumina Human-6 v3 Expression BeadChipsW. Microarray data was pre-processed with Flexarray software and analysed with Ingenuity Pathway Analysis (IPA). Results: Two dietary patterns were identified. The Prudent dietary pattern was characterised by high intakes of vegetables, fruits, whole grain products and low intakes of refined grain products and the Western dietary pattern, by high intakes of refined grain products, desserts, sweets and processed meats. When individuals with high scores for the Prudent dietary pattern where compared to individuals with low scores, 2,083 transcripts were differentially expressed in men, 1,136 transcripts in women and 59 transcripts were overlapping in men and women. For the Western dietary pattern, 1,021 transcripts were differentially expressed in men with high versus low scores, 1,163 transcripts in women and 23 transcripts were overlapping in men and women. IPA reveals that genes differentially expressed for both patterns were present in networks related to the immune and/or inflammatory response, cancer and cardiovascular diseases. Conclusion: Gene expression profiles were different according to dietary patterns, which probably modulate the risk of chronic diseases

The metabolic signature associated with the Western dietary pattern : a cross-sectional study

Background: Metabolic profiles have been shown to be associated to obesity status and insulin sensitivity. Dietary intakes influence metabolic pathways and therefore, different dietary patterns may relate to modifications in metabolic signatures. The objective was to verify associations between dietary patterns and metabolic profiles composed of amino acids (AAs) and acylcarnitines (ACs). Methods: 210 participants were recruited in the greater Quebec City area between September 2009 and December 2011. Dietary patterns had been previously derived using principal component analysis (PCA). The Prudent dietary pattern was characterised by higher intakes of vegetables, fruits, whole grain products, non-hydrogenated fat and lower intakes of refined grain products, whereas the Western dietary pattern was associated with higher intakes of refined grain products, desserts, sweets and processed meats. Targeted metabolites were quantified in 37 participants with the Biocrates Absolute IDQ p150 (Biocrates Life Sciences AG, Austria) mass spectrometry method (including 14 amino acids and 41 acylcarnitines). Results: PCA analysis with metabolites including AAs and ACs revealed two main components explaining the most variance in overall data (13.8%). PC1 was composed mostly of medium- to long-chain ACs (C16:2, C14:2, C14:2-OH, C16, C14:1-OH, C14:1, C10:2, C5-DC/C6-OH, C12, C18:2, C10, C4:1-DC/C6, C8:1 and C2) whereas PC2 included certain AAs and short-chain ACs (xLeu, Met, Arg, Phe, Pro, Orn, His, C0, C3, C4 and C5). The Western dietary pattern correlated negatively with PC1 and positively with PC2 (r = −0.34, p = 0.05 and r = 0.38, p = 0.03, respectively), independently of age, sex and BMI. Conclusion: These findings suggest that the Western dietary pattern is associated with a specific metabolite signature characterized by increased levels of AAs including branched-chain AAs (BCAAs) and short-chain ACs

An interaction effect between glucokinase gene variation and carbohydrate intakes modulates the plasma triglyceride response to a fish oil supplementation

A large inter-individual variability in the plasma triglyceride (TG) response to fish oil consumption has been observed. The objective was to investigate the gene-diet interaction effects between single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) within glucokinase (GCK) gene and dietary carbohydrate intakes (CHO) on the plasma TG response to a fish oil supplementation. Two hundred and eight participants were recruited in the greater Quebec City area. The participants completed a 6-week fish oil supplementation (5 g fish oil/day: 1.9-2.2 g EPA and 1.1 g DHA). Thirteen SNPs within GCK gene were genotyped using TAQMAN methodology. A gene-diet interaction effect on the plasma TG response was observed with rs741038 and CHO adjusted for age, sex and BMI (p = 0.008). In order to compare the plasma TG response between genotypes according to CHO, participants were divided according to median CHO. Homozygotes of the minor C allele of rs741038 with high CHO >48.59 % had a greater decrease in their plasma TG concentrations following the intake of fish oil (p < 0.05) than C/C homozygotes with low CHO and also than the other genotypes either with high or low CHO. The plasma TG response to a fish oil supplementation may be modulated by gene-diet interaction effects involving GCK gene and CHO

Effect of the Mediterranean diet on lipid and lipoprotein profile : is it influenced by the family history of dyslipidemia?

Background: A large inter-individual variability in the lipid-lipoprotein response to Mediterranean diet (MedDiet) has been highlighted in clinical studies. This variability may be attributed to multiple factors, including inherited genetic susceptibilities to dyslipidemia. The aim of the present study was to examine whether family history of dyslipidemia influences the lipid-lipoprotein response to the MedDiet. Design and Methods: We recruited 36 individuals with a positive family history of dyslipidemia (i.e. having at least one firstdegree relative with a diagnosis of dyslipidemia) and 28 individuals with a negative family history of dyslipidemia, aged between 24-53 years, who had slightly elevated LDL-C concentrations (3.4-4.9 mmol/l) or total cholesterol to HDL-&UDWLR Variables related to the lipid-lipoprotein profile were measured before and after a 4-week isocaloric MedDiet during which all foods and drinks were provided to participants. Results: A group by time interaction was noted for plasma total cholesterol concentrations (P=0.03), subjects with a negative family history of dyslipidemia having greater decreases than those with a positive family history of dyslipidemia (respectively -11.3% vs. -5.1%). Decreases in LDL-C, HDLC, total cholesterol to HDL-C ratio, LDL-C to HDL-C ratio, apolipoprotein (apo) B, apo A- 1, apo A-2 and apo B to apo A-1 ratio were also noted, with no difference between groups (P for group by time interaction ). No change was observed for triglyceride (TG) concentrations and TG to HDL-C ratio. Conclusions: Results highlight that inherited susceptibilities to dyslipidemia may explain at least in part the heterogeneity in the cholesterol-lowering effects of the MedDiet. (A

Pelvic floor muscles training to reduce symptoms and signs of vulvovaginal atrophy : a case study

Objective: Vulvovaginal atrophy (VVA), caused by decreased levels of estrogen, is a common problem in aging women. Main symptoms of VVA are vaginal dryness and dyspareunia. First-line treatment consists of the application of local estrogen therapy (ET) or vaginal moisturizer. In some cases however, symptoms and signs persist despite those interventions. This case study describes a 77-year-old woman with severe VVA symptoms despite use of local ET and the addition of pelvic floor muscle (PFM) training to her treatment. Methods: A patient with stress urinary incontinence and VVA was referred to a randomized clinical trial on PFM training. On pretreatment evaluation while on local ET, she showed VVA symptoms on the ICIQ Vaginal Symptoms questionnaire and the ICIQ-Female Sexual Matters associated with lower urinary tract Symptoms questionnaire, and also showed VVA signs during the physical and dynamometric evaluation of the PFM. She was treated with a 12-week PFM training program. Results: The patient reported a reduction in vaginal dryness and dyspareunia symptoms, as well as a better quality of sexual life after 12 weeks of PFM training. On posttreatment physical evaluation, the PFMs' tone and elasticity were improved, although some other VVA signs remained unchanged. Conclusions: Pelvic floor muscle training may improve some VVA symptoms and signs in women taking local ET. Further study is needed to investigate and confirm the present case findings and to explore mechanisms of action of this intervention for VVA

The lipoprotein/lipid profile is modulated by a gene–diet interaction effect between polymorphisms in the liver X receptor-α and dietary cholesterol intake in French-Canadians

Genetic and nutritional factors interact together and modulate the plasma lipid profile. We identified variations in the gene encoding the liver X receptor α (LXRα) and investigated their effects on the plasma lipoprotein/lipid profile. We also examined whether the association between cholesterol intake and plasma lipid profile was modulated by LXRα variants. The LXRα gene was sequenced in thirty-five French-Canadian men with high plasma total cholesterol (>5·0 mmol/l) and LDL-cholesterol (>3·5 mmol/l) concentrations. Dietary cholesterol was obtained from a food-frequency questionnaire. The LXRα c.-115G>A, c.-840C>A and c.-1830T>C genotypes were determined by direct sequencing in 732 subjects. Molecular screening of the LXRα gene revealed sixteen variants. Genotypes c.-115G>A, c.-840C>A and c.-1830T>C (rare allele frequency of 14·3 %, 14·2 % and 11·0 %, respectively) were analysed further. Plasma total cholesterol concentrations were higher in carriers of the -115A, -840A and -1830C allele, compared with the -115G/G, -840C/C and -1830T/T homozygotes (P ≤ 0·05). In a model including the c.-115G>A polymorphism, cholesterol intake, the interaction term c.-115G>A × cholesterol intake (mg/d) and covariates, LXRα-115G>A explained 1·8 % and 2·1 % of the variance in total cholesterol and LDL-cholesterol concentrations (P = 0·02 and P = 0·01), whereas the interaction term explained 2·9 % (P = 0·002) and 2·8 % (P = 0·005), respectively. When subjects were divided into four groups according to the median of cholesterol (290·8 mg) and -115G>A genotypes, high cholesterol intake was associated with higher cholesterol levels in -115A carriers. Similar results were observed for c.-840C>A and c.-1830T>C. These results suggest that cholesterol intake interacts with LXRα variants to modulate the plasma lipid profile

Effects of FADS and ELOVL polymorphisms on indexes of desaturase and elongase activities: results from a pre-post fish oil supplementation

Polymorphisms (SNPs) within the FADS gene cluster and the ELOVL gene family are believed to influence enzyme activities after an omega-3 (n-3) fatty acid (FA) supplementation. The objectives of the study are to test whether an n-3 supplementation is associated with indexes of desaturase and elongase activities in addition to verify whether SNPs in the FADS gene cluster and the ELOVL gene family modulate enzyme activities of desaturases and elongases. A total 208 subjects completed a 6-week supplementation period with 5 g/day of fish oil (1.9–2.2 g/day of EPA ? 1.1 g/day of DHA). FA profiles of plasma phospholipids were obtained by gas chromatography (n = 210). Desaturase and elongase indexes were estimated using product-to-precursor ratios. Twenty-eight SNPs from FADS1, FADS2, FADS3, ELOVL2 and ELOVL5 were genotyped using TaqMan technology. Desaturase indexes were significantly different after the 6-week n-3 supplementation. The index of d-5 desaturase activity increased by 25.7 ± 28.8 % (p\0.0001), whereas the index of d-6 desaturase activity decreased by 17.7 ± 18.2 % (p\0.0001) post-supplementation. Index of elongase activity decreased by 39.5 ± 27.9 % (p\0.0001). Some gene–diet interactions potentially modulating the enzyme activities of desaturases and elongases involved in the FA metabolism post-supplementation were found. SNPs within the FADS gene cluster and the ELOVL gene family may play an important role in the enzyme activity of desaturases and elongases, suggesting that an n-3 FAs supplementation may affect PUFA metabolism