Differential impact of milk fatty acid profiles on cardiovascular risk biomarkers in healthy men and women

International audienceObjectives: to evaluate the impact of three specific ruminant (R) milk fats resulting from modification of the cow's diet on cardiovascular risk factors in healthy volunteers. R-milk fats were characterized by increased content in total trans fatty acids (R-TFA) and parallel decrease in saturated fatty acids (SFA). Methods: 111 healthy, normolipemic men and women have been recruited for a monocentric, randomised, double-blind, and parallel intervention, 4-week controlled study. Volunteers consumed 3 experimental products (butter, dessert cream and cookies) made with one of the 3 specific milk fats (55 g fat/day). During the first week (run-in period), the subjects consumed on a daily basis dairy products containing 72% SFA/2.85% R-TFA (called "L0"). For the next 3 weeks of the study (intervention period), the first group continued to consume L0 products. The second group received dairy products containing 63.3% SFA/4.06% R-TFA (called "L4"), and the third group received dairy products containing 56.6% SFA/12.16% R-TFA (called "L9"). Results: plasma concentrations of HDL-cholesterol was not significantly altered by either diet (p = 0.38). Compared to L0 diet, L4 diet contributed to reduce LDL-cholesterol (-0.140.38 mmol/L, p= 0.04), total cholesterol (-0.130.50 mmol/L, p = 0.04), LDL-cholesterol/HDL-cholesterol (-0.140.36, p = 0.03) and total cholesterol/HDL-cholesterol (-0.180.44, p = 0.02). Conclusion: different milk fat profiles can change cardiovascular plasma parameters in human healthy volunteers. A limited increase of the R-TFA/SFA ratio in dairy products is associated with an improvement in some cardiovascular risk factors. However, a further increase in R-TFA/SFA ratio has no additional benefit

A Dietary Intervention of Bioactive Enriched Foods Aimed at Adults at Risk of Metabolic Syndrome: Protocol and Results from PATHWAY-27 Pilot Study

Around a quarter of the global adult population have metabolic syndrome (MetS) and therefore increased risk of cardiovascular mortality and diabetes. Docosahexaenoic acid, oat beta-glucan and grape anthocyanins have been shown to be effective in reducing MetS risk factors when administered as isolated compounds, but their effect when administered as bioactive-enriched foods has not been evaluated. Objective: The overall aim of the PATHWAY-27 project was to evaluate the effectiveness of bioactive-enriched food consumption on improving risk factors of MetS. A pilot study was conducted to assess which of five bioactive combinations provided within three different food matrices (bakery, dairy or egg) were the most effective in adult volunteers. The trial also evaluated the feasibility of production, consumer acceptability and gastrointestinal tolerance of the bioactive-enriched food. Method: The study included three monocentric, parallel-arm, double-blind, randomised, dietary intervention trials without a placebo. Each recruiting centre tested the five bioactive combinations within a single food matrix. Results: The study was completed by 167 participants (74 male, 93 female). The results indicated that specific bioactive/matrix combinations have effects on serum triglyceride or HDL-cholesterol level without adverse effects. Conclusion: The study evidenced that bioactive-enriched food offers a promising food-based strategy for MetS prevention, and highlighted the importance of conducting pilot studies

Short Telomere Length Is Related to Limitations in Physical Function in Elderly European Adults

The present study aims to explore the potential influence of leucocyte telomere length (LTL) on both a single indicator and a composite construct of physical functioning in a large European population of elderly men and women across diverse geographical locations. A total of 1,221 adults (65–79 years) were recruited from five European countries within the framework of NU-AGE study. The physical functioning construct was based on the 36-item Short Form Health Survey. Handgrip strength was used as a single indicator of muscle function and LTL was assessed using quantitative real-time PCR. Women had significantly longer (p < 0.05) LTL than men. Participants in Poland had significantly shorter LTL than in the other study centers, whereas participants in the Netherlands had significantly longer LTL than most of the other centers (p < 0.01). An analysis of LTL as a continuous outcome against physical functioning by using linear models revealed inconsistent findings. In contrast, based on an analysis of contrasting telomere lengths (first vs. fifth quintile of LTL), a significant odds ratio (OR) of 1.7 (95% CI: 1.1 – 2.6; p < 0.05) of having functional limitation was observed in those belonging to the first LTL quintile compared to the fifth. Interestingly, having the shortest LTL was still related to a higher likelihood of having physical limitation when compared to all remaining quintiles (OR: 1.5, 95% CI: 1.1 – 2.1; p < 0.05), even after adjustment by study center, age, sex, and overweight status. Collectively, our findings suggest that short LTL is an independent risk factor that accounts for functional decline in elderly European populations. The influence of LTL on functional limitation seems driven by the detrimental effect of having short telomeres rather than reflecting a linear dose-response relationship

A Mediterranean-like dietary pattern with vitamin D3 (10 µg/d) supplements reduced the rate of bone loss in older Europeans with osteoporosis at baseline: results of a 1-y randomized controlled trial

Background: The Mediterranean diet (MD) is widely recommended for the prevention of chronic disease, but evidence for a beneficial effect on bone health is lacking.  Objective: The aim of this study was to examine the effect of a Mediterranean-like dietary pattern [NU-AGE (New Dietary Strategies Addressing the Specific Needs of the Elderly Population for Healthy Aging in Europe)] on indexes of inflammation with a number of secondary endpoints, including bone mineral density (BMD) and biomarkers of bone and collagen degradation in a 1-y multicenter randomized controlled trial (RCT; NU-AGE) in elderly Europeans.  Design: An RCT was undertaken across 5 European centers. Subjects in the intervention group consumed the NU-AGE diet for 1 y by receiving individually tailored dietary advice, coupled with supplies of foods including whole-grain pasta, olive oil, and a vitamin D3 supplement (10 µg/d). Participants in the control group were provided with leaflets on healthy eating available in their country.  Results: A total of 1294 participants (mean ± SD age: 70.9 ±4.0 y; 44% male) were recruited to the study and 1142 completed the 1-y trial. The Mediterranean-like dietary pattern had no effect on BMD (site-specific or whole-body); the inclusion of compliance to the intervention in the statistical model did not change the findings. There was also no effect of the intervention on the urinary biomarkers free pyridinoline or free deoxypyridinoline. Serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D significantly increased and parathyroid hormone decreased (P < 0.001) in the MD compared with the control group. Subgroup analysis of individuals with osteoporosis at baseline (site-specific BMD T-score ≤ −2.5 SDs) showed that the MD attenuated the expected decline in femoral neck BMD (n = 24 and 30 in MD and control groups, respectively; P = 0.04) but had no effect on lumbar spine or whole-body BMD.  Conclusions: A 1-y intervention of the Mediterranean-like diet together with vitamin D3 supplements (10 µg/d) had no effect on BMD in the normal age-related range, but it significantly reduced the rate of loss of bone at the femoral neck in individuals with osteoporosis. The NU-AGE trial is registered at clinicaltrials.gov as NCT01754012

Vitamin B-6 intake is related to physical performance in European older adults: results of the New Dietary Strategies Addressing the Specific Needs of the Elderly Population for Healthy Aging in Europe (NU-AGE) study

BACKGROUND: Maintenance of high physical performance during aging might be supported by an adequate dietary intake of niacin, vitamins B-6 and B-12, and folate because these B vitamins are involved in multiple processes related to muscle functioning. However, not much is known about the association between dietary intake of these B vitamins and physical performance. OBJECTIVES: The objectives of this study were to investigate the association between dietary intake of niacin, vitamins B-6 and B-12, and folate and physical performance in older adults and to explore mediation by niacin status and homocysteine concentrations. METHODS: We used baseline data from the New Dietary Strategies Addressing the Specific Needs of the Elderly Population for Healthy Aging in Europe (NU-AGE) trial, which included n = 1249 healthy older adults (aged 65-79 y) with complete data on dietary intake measured with 7-d food records and questionnaires on vitamin supplement use and physical performance measured with the short physical performance battery and handgrip dynamometry. Associations were assessed by adjusted linear mixed models. RESULTS: Intake of vitamin B-6 was related to lower chair rise test time [β: -0.033 ± 0.016 s (log); P = 0.043]. Vitamin B-6 intake was also significantly associated with handgrip strength, but for this association, a significant interaction effect between vitamin B-6 intake and physical activity level was found. In participants with the lowest level of physical activity, higher intake of vitamin B-6 tended to be associated with greater handgrip strength (β: 1.5 ± 0.8 kg; P = 0.051), whereas in participants in the highest quartile of physical activity, higher intake was associated with lower handgrip strength (β: -1.4 ± 0.7 kg; P = 0.041). No evidence was found for an association between intake of niacin, vitamin B-12, or folate and physical performance or for mediation by niacin status or homocysteine concentrations. CONCLUSIONS: Vitamin B-6 intake was associated with better chair rise test time in a population of European healthy older adults and also with greater handgrip strength in participants with low physical activity only. Homocysteine concentrations did not mediate these associations. The NU-AGE trial was registered at clinicaltrials.gov as NCT01754012

Implementation of foodomics in the food industry

International audienceDansla recherche de ces dernières annéesdans alimentset les sciences de la nutrition sont passées des méthodes analytiques classiques à des approches omiques très sophistiquées qui créent une quantité impressionnante de données. Les dernières ne peuvent être analysées qu'à l'aide d'outils bioinformatiques. Les travaux publiés jusqu'à présent ont montré la puissance des technologies omiquesdansLe domaine defoodomique. La plupart des études menées jusqu'à présent ont utilisé une ou deux approches telles que la transcriptomique et la métabolomique, et un défi majeur consiste à intégrer et à connecter des ensembles de données de différents niveaux d'expression tels que gène, transcrit, protéine et métabolite. Cependant, des développements restent à faire pour transférer cette approche utilisée principalementdanslaboratoires de recherche au monde industriel. La plupart des techniques utiliséesdans foodomiqueles approches sont complexes, coûteuses et nécessitent des personnes hautement qualifiées pour obtenir des données solides. Des équipes qui travaillentdansce domaine doit être composé de personnes ayant des compétences complémentairesdanschimie, analyse, statistiques, biologie et bioinformatique. Les gouvernements de différents pays ont développé de grands centres « omiques », utilisant parfois des coentreprises avec des industries privées. D'autres entreprises privées ont investi de l'argent et fournissent des services aux laboratoires du secteur public. Des initiatives de partage de bases de données et d'outils bioinformatiques ont également été proposées. Par conséquent, une façon d'innoverdansce domaine passerait par des collaborations plus étroites entre le monde académique etindustri

Acides gras trans et conjugués : Origine et effets nutritionnels

National audienceTrans fatty acids (mainly 18:1 isomers) and conjugated fatty acids (CLA) have two major origins. The first one for both families is ruminal biohydrogenation, which takes place during digestion in ruminants. The second origin is industrial technologies, i.e. vegetable oil processing in order to modify physicochemical properties (trans fatty acids) or specific production (conjugated fatty acids). Industrially produced trans fatty acids are clearly associated with an increase of cardiovascular risk. On the other hand, specific effects of rumen-derived trans fatty acids are less documented, but epidemiological data do not suggest strong adverse effects. Considering CLA isomers, beneficial results have been reported in animal models (cancer, cardiovascular risk, body composition). However, adverse effects are clearly associated with the intake of a specific industrially produced isomer, which clearly supports that no supplementation of food is suitable. The effect of the natural isomer seems at least neutral of beneficial.Les acides gras trans (en particulier les formes 18:1) et les acides gras conjugués (ou CLA) ont deux origines. La première est commune aux deux familles. Il s'agit de l'hydrogénation bactérienne qui existe dans le rumen des espèces animales concernées. La seconde origine est une origine technologique, par des transformations des huiles végétales en vue de la modification de leurs propriétés physicochimiques (acides gras trans) ou de la production spécifique de composés (CLA). Les acides gras trans d'origines technologiques sont clairement associés à une augmentation du risque cardiovasculaire. En revanche, les effets des acides gras trans issus de la biohydrogénation ruminale sont encore mal connus, mais les données épidémiologiques suggèrent un effet plus neutre. Concernant les CLA, des résultats bénéfiques ont été décrits sur des modèles animaux (cancer, maladies cardiovasculaires, composition corporelle). Toutefois, des effets délétères majeurs sont associés à la consommation d'un des isomères d'origine technologique, ce qui plaide en défaveur de toute complémentation de l'alimentation humaine. Les effets de l'isomère naturel semblent plus neutres, voire bénéfiques

Basal versus resting metabolic rate as measured in calorimetric chambers

Context: Many studies involving measurement of energy expenditure are often confused with the term "basal metabolic rate" (BMR) and “resting metabolic rate” (RMR). RMR is usually carried out using a canopy, over a short time (less than one hour), with subjects in decubitus position, quiet but awake. However, the lowest values of energy metabolism (BMR) can only be measured when the volunteer is deeply asleep, i.e. during the night. Methodological tools such as calorimetric chambers are able to perform both measurements since they continuously measure all kinetics changes of energy expenditure over 24 hours or more. Methods: Among several studies regarding energy expenditure using two calorimetric chambers, BMR were collected from the sleep periods by considering at least 2 consecutive hours for which the volunteers were asleep, when their heart rate and energy expenditure were low. Then, volunteers were also asked to lie down on their bed in the morning just after waking, such like under a canopy, for RMR measurement. Results: Overall, 48 men were included with mean age 57±1.2 years. Total EE of the individuals was 2326±47 kcal/24h. BMR was significantly different from RMR (62.2±1.3 and 75.5±1.7 kcal/h respectively, P<0.0001), so that it represents 64.2 and 77.9 % % of total EE, respectively. In addition, positive correlations were found between BMR, RMR and body weight: BMR and RMR were correlated to fat free mass (0.346 vs 0.546, P<0.05). Conclusion: Energy expenditure during BMR is 17.6 % lower than RMR. The investigations often referring to the basal metabolism rate should rather talk about the resting metabolism rate when they are not asleep. The basal metabolism rate can only be measured during sleep and calorimetric chambers are appropriate for this activit

CLAs, nature, origin and some metabolic aspects

CLA (conjugated linoleic acid) is a generic term for several isomers of linoleic acid with conjugated double bonds. They have been reported since 1935 in butter fat, but the major natural isomer (9cis,11trans-18 :2) was identified in 1977 and further named « rumenic acid ». This fatty acid is formed in the rumen as a product of biohydrogenation. Tissues may also produce rumenic acid from vaccenic acid, which is a further intermediate of ruminal biohydrogenation. Interest for CLAs started with a report on beneficial effects of CLA from grilled beef on skin tumours. CLA was produced as mixtures of isomers from chemically modified vegetable oil. As a metabolic point of view, it has been shown that rumenic acid is bioconverted like linoleic acid and beta-oxidised. CLA isomers may also interfere with the metabolism of other fatty acids. Other targets than skin tumours have also been identified. These aspects will be developed in other sections of the present issue

CLAs, nature, origin and some metabolic aspects

CLA (conjugated linoleic acid) is a generic term for several isomers of linoleic acid with conjugated double bonds. They have been reported since 1935 in butter fat, but the major natural isomer (9cis,11trans-18 :2) was identified in 1977 and further named « rumenic acid ». This fatty acid is formed in the rumen as a product of biohydrogenation. Tissues may also produce rumenic acid from vaccenic acid, which is a further intermediate of ruminal biohydrogenation. Interest for CLAs started with a report on beneficial effects of CLA from grilled beef on skin tumours. CLA was produced as mixtures of isomers from chemically modified vegetable oil. As a metabolic point of view, it has been shown that rumenic acid is bioconverted like linoleic acid and beta-oxidised. CLA isomers may also interfere with the metabolism of other fatty acids. Other targets than skin tumours have also been identified. These aspects will be developed in other sections of the present issue