Dietary patterns and associated lifestyles in individuals with and without familial history of obesity: a cross-sectional study

BACKGROUND: Familial history of obesity (FHO) and certain dietary habits are risk factors for obesity. The objectives of this cross-sectional study were 1) to derive dietary patterns using factor analysis in a population of men and women with and without FHO; 2) to compare mean factor scores for each dietary pattern between individuals with and without FHO; and 3) to examine the association between these patterns and anthropometric, lifestyle and sociodemographic variables. METHODS: A total of 197 women and 129 men with a body mass index <30 kg/m(2 )were recruited. A positive FHO (FHO+) was defined as having at least one obese first-degree relative and a negative FHO (FHO-) as no obese first-degree relative. Dietary data were collected from a food frequency questionnaire. Factor analysis was performed to derive dietary patterns. Mean factor scores were compared using general linear model among men and women according to FHO. Regression analyses were performed to study the relationship between anthropometric, lifestyle and sociodemographic variables, and each dietary pattern. RESULTS: Two dietary patterns were identified in both men and women : the Western pattern characterized by a higher consumption of red meats, poultry, processed meats, refined grains as well as desserts, and the Prudent pattern characterized by greater intakes of vegetables, fruits, non-hydrogenated fat, and fish and seafood. Similar Western and Prudent factor scores were observed in individual with and without FHO. In men with FHO+, the Western pattern is negatively associated with age and positively associated with physical activity, smoking, and personal income. In women with FHO-, the Prudent pattern is negatively associated with BMI and smoking and these pattern is positively associated with age and physical activity. CONCLUSION: Two dietary patterns have been identified among men and women with and without FHO. Although that FHO does not seem to influence the adherence to dietary patterns, results of this study suggest that anthropometric, lifestyle and sociodemographic variables associated with dietary patterns differ according to FHO and gender

Par les mains pour les yeux : les représentations de l'identité sourde au sein de performances artistiques de la scène montréalaise

Ce mémoire s’appuie sur une recherche ethnographique réalisée principalement au sein de la communauté sourde de Montréal et tente de déceler les représentations de l’identité sourde au sein de performances artistiques de la scène montréalaise. Le but de cette recherche est d’inscrire la culture sourde dans les réflexions sociales et scientifiques portant sur l’expression identitaire de minorités culturelles par les arts. Afin de démontrer les liens à la fois théoriques et pratiques entre l’identité sourde et celles de minorités socio- politiques, telles que les Noirs, les gays, les femmes ou les Queers, cette étude s’appuie sur les concepts de performativité (Judith Butler), de performance (Clifford Geertz et Victor Turner) et de représentations (Stuart Hall et Serge Moscovici). Y seront également démontrées les relations entre ces notions, le vécu des sujets, leur agency et leur expression artistique.This thesis is based on ethnographic research conducted primarily within the Montreal’s Deaf community and tries to identify Deaf identity representations through artistic performances of the Montreal scene. The purpose of the research is to include Deaf culture in the social and scientific reflections about the expression of their cultural identity by minorities, through the arts. In an attempt to demonstrate the links, both theoretical and practical, between the Deaf identity and recognized social and socio-political minorities such as Blacks, gays, women or Queers, this study is grounded in the concepts of performativity (Judith Butler), performance (Clifford Geertz and Victor Turner) and representations (Moscovici and Stuart Hall). It also demonstrates the relationships between these concepts, the subjects’ personal experiences, their agency and their artistic expression

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

Impact of systemic enzyme supplementation on low-grade inflammation in humans

Systemic enzyme therapy has been shown to be efficient in treating pain and inflammation associated with injury or musculoskeletal disorders. However, whether systemic enzyme supplementation also attenuates subclinical inflammation remains to be investigated. In this randomized controlled trial, we investigated the impact of systemic enzyme supplementation on inflammatory gene expression as well as on markers of inflammation in 24 adult men and women with subclinical inflammation (serum C-reactive protein [CRP] levels >1 mg/L and <10 mg/L). Participants were supplemented with systemic enzymes (Wobenzym®450 FIP from bromelain and 1440 FIP from trypsin, 6 tablets/d) or placebo for periods of 4 weeks separated by a 4-week washout period. Systemic enzyme supplementation had no impact on expression levels of whole blood cell inflammatory genes compared with placebo but significantly reduced serum IL-6 levels (p = 0.04). However, there was a significant sex × treatment interaction for IL-6 (p = 0.02) and CRP (p = 0.007). Specifically, both serum IL-6 and CRP concentrations were significantly reduced in men (p ≤ 0.03) but not in women (p ≥ 0.08). This study suggests that short-term supplementation with systemic enzymes may attenuate subclinical inflammation, with perhaps greater effects among men than among women

The T111I mutation in the EL gene modulates the impact of dietary fat on the HDL profile in women

The objective of the present study was to examine the impact of the T111I missense mutation in exon 3 of the endothelial lipase (EL) gene on HDL and its potential interaction effect with dietary fat. The study sample included 281 women and 216 men aged between 17 and 76 years from the Québec Family Study. Plasma HDL3-C levels of I111I homozygote women were higher compared with those of women carrying the wild-type allele (P 0.03). These differences were not attenuated when adjusted for levels of obesity and were not observed among men. Dietary PUFA interacted with the T111I mutation to modulate apolipoprotein A-I (apoA-I) and HDL3-C levels among women. Specifically, a diet rich in PUFA was associated with increased apoA-I levels among women carriers of the I111 allele and with decreased apoA-I among women homozygotes for the wild-type allele (P 0.002). A similar interaction was observed with plasma HDL3-C levels (P 0.003). These interactions were not observed among men. In conclusion, the EL T111I mutation appears to have a modest effect on plasma HDL levels. The gene-diet interaction among women, however, suggests that the T111I missense mutation may confer protection against the lowering effect of a high dietary PUFA intake on plasma apoA-I and HDL3-C levels.—Paradis, M-E., P. Couture, Y. Bossé, J-P. Després, L. Pérusse, C. Bouchard, M-C. Vohl, and B. Lamarche. The T111I mutation in the EL gene modulates the impact of dietary fat on the HDL profile in women

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

Differences in metabolomic and transcriptomic profiles between responders and non-responders to an n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) supplementation

Studies have demonstrated large within-population heterogeneity in plasma triacylglycerol (TG) response to n-3 PUFA supplementation. The objective of the study was to compare metabolomic and transcriptomic profiles of responders and non-responders of an n-3 PUFA supplementation. Thirty subjects completed a 2-week run-in period followed by a 6-week supplementation with n-3 PUFA (3 g/d). Six subjects did not lower their plasma TG (+9 %) levels (non-responders) and were matched to 6 subjects who lowered TG (−41 %) concentrations (responders) after the n-3 PUFA supplementation. Pre-n-3 PUFA supplementation characteristics did not differ between the non-responders and responders except for plasma glucose concentrations. In responders, changes were observed for plasma hexose concentrations, docosahexaenoic acid, stearoyl-CoA-desaturase-18 ratio, and the extent of saturation of glycerophosphatidylcholine after n-3 PUFA supplementation; however, no change in these parameters was observed in non-responders. Transcriptomic profiles after n-3 PUFA supplementation indicate changes in glycerophospholipid metabolism in both subgroups and sphingolipid metabolism in non-responders. Six key genes in lipid metabolism: fatty acid desaturase 2, phospholipase A2 group IVA, arachidonate 15-lipoxygenase, phosphatidylethanolamine N-methyltransferase, monoglyceride lipase, and glycerol-3-phosphate acyltransferase, were expressed in opposing direction between subgroups. In sum, results highlight key differences in lipid metabolism of non-responders compared to responders after an n-3 PUFA supplementation, which may explain the inter-individual variability in plasma TG response

Impact of adiponectin gene polymorphisms on plasma lipoprotein and adiponectin concentrations of viscerally obese men

The aim of this study was first to examine the relationships between adiponectin gene (Apm1) polymorphisms and anthropometric indices as well as plasma adiponectin and lipoprotein/lipid levels, and then to investigate whether the presence of visceral obesity or insulin resistance may modulate the impact of these polymorphisms on metabolic risk variables. Molecular screening of the Apm1 gene was achieved, and a sample of 270 unrelated men recruited from the greater Quebec City area and selected to cover a wide range of body fatness values was genotyped. Sequencing of the Apm1 gene revealed two previously reported polymorphisms (c.45T>G and c.276G>T) as well as two newly identified genetic variations (−13752delT and −13702G>C). Carriers of the c.276T allele had higher LDL-cholesterol and lower HDL-triglyceride concentrations than did 276G/G homozygotes (P = 0.02 and P = 0.01, respectively). Carriers of the c.45G allele exhibited higher plasma adiponectin concentrations than did 45T/T homozygotes (P = 0.04). After dividing each genotype group into subgroups for visceral AT, homozygotes for the normal allele at position −13752delT, carriers of the c.45G allele, and carriers of the c.276T allele had similar total apolipoprotein B (apoB) concentrations, whether they were viscerally obese or not. These results suggest that some Apm1 gene polymorphisms influence plasma adiponectin concentrations and lipoprotein/lipid levels. In addition, the impact of these polymorphisms is modulated by the presence of visceral obesity