Dietary Nitrates, Nitrites, and N-Nitroso Compounds and Cancer Risk: a Review of the Epidemiologic Evidence

Experimental animal studies have shown N-nitroso compounds (NOC) to be potent carcinogens. Epidemiologic evidence of the carcinogenic potential of dietary NOC and precursor nitrates and nitrites in humans remains inconclusive with regard to the risk of stomach, brain, esophageal, and nasopharyngeal cancers. Inadequate available data could obscure a small to moderate effect of NO

Ungenügender Früchte- und Gemüsekonsum in der Schweiz: Resultate der Schweizerischen Gesundheitsbefragung 1992/93

Zusammenfassung: Da ungenügender Früchte- und Gemüsekonsum das Risiko verschiedener (chronischer) Krankheiten erhöht, wird empfohlen, täglich mindestens drei Portionen Gemüse und zwei Portionen Früchte zu essen. Ziel der vorliegenden Studie ist es, die Prävalenz des ungenügenden Früchte- und Gemüse-/Salatekonsums (Kartoffeln gelten in der Schweiz nicht als Gemüse) in der Schweiz insgesamt und nach soziodemographischen und Lebensstilfaktoren zu bestimmen. Die Daten stammen aus der für die Schweiz repräsentativen "Schweizerischen Gesundheitsbefragung”, die 1992/93 vom Bundesamt für Statistik durchgeführt wurde. 7930 Männer und 7358 Frauen (Teilnehmerquote 71%) ab 15 Jahren wurden (mehrheitlich) telefonisch befragt. Früchte- und Gemüse-/Salatekonsum wurden anhand von "Food-Frequency-Fragen” erhoben. Nichttäglicher Konsum wurde als ungenügender Konsum definiert. 30% der Befragten weisen einen ungenügenden Früchtekonsum auf, beim Gemüse-/Salatekonsum sind dies 16,5%. Rund ein Viertel der Studienteilnehmer essen entweder zu selten Früchte oder zu selten Gemüse/ Salate. Für zusätzliche 11% ist sowohl der Früchte- wie der Gemüsekonsum ungenügend. Wie multivariate Analysen zeigen, verhalten sich Männer, Junge, Leute mit niedrigem Bildungsniveau, Westschweizer-und Tessiner/-innen, Raucher/-innen und sportlich Inaktive unerwünschter als Frauen, Ältere, besser Gebildete, Deutschschweizer/-innen, Nichtraucher und sportlich Aktive. Dieser weit verbreitete, ungenügende Konsum weist auf die dringende Notwendigkeit von öffentlichen Ernährungskampagnen hi

Effects of phenotypes in heterocyclic aromatic amine (HCA) metabolism-related genes on the association of HCA intake with the risk of colorectal adenomas

Background: Heterocyclic aromatic amines (HCA), formed by high-temperature cooking of meat, are well-known risk factors for colorectal cancer (CRC). Enzymes metabolizing HCAs may influence the risk of CRC depending on the enzyme activity level. We aimed to assess effect modification by polymorphisms in the HCA-metabolizing genes on the association of HCA intake with colorectal adenoma (CRA) risk, which are precursors of CRC. Methods: A case-control study nested in the EPIC-Heidelberg cohort was conducted. Between 1994 and 2005, 413 adenoma cases were identified and 796 controls were matched to cases. Genotypes were determined and used to predict phenotypes (i.e., enzyme activities). Odds ratios (OR) and corresponding 95% confidence intervals (CI) were calculated by logistic regression analysis. Results: CRA risk was positively associated with PhIP, MeIQx, and DiMeIQx (p trend=0.006, 0.022, and 0.045, respectively) intake. SULT1A1 phenotypes modified the effect of MeIQx on CRA risk (p Interaction>0.01) such that the association of MeIQx intake with CRA was stronger for slow than for normal phenotypes. Other modifying effects by phenotypes did not reach statistical significance. Conclusions: HCA intake is positively associated with CRA risk, regardless of phenotypes involved in the metabolizing process. Due to the number of comparisons made in the analysis, the modifying effect of SULT1A1 on the association of HCA intake with CRA risk may be due to chanc

Impact of overweight and obesity on postmenopausal breast cancer: analysis of 20-year data from Switzerland

Purpose: Greater body fatness has been identified as a risk factor for postmenopausal breast cancer. For countries with low overweight/obesity rates, data on prevalence and time course of overweight/obesity in women with breast cancer in comparison to women in the general population is limited. The Swiss female population is distinctive for two reasons: (a) low rates of overweight/obesity compared with other western countries, and (b) no obesity epidemic, i.e. stable rates of overweight/obesity for more than 10years. Methods: Overweight and obesity were analyzed in 51 to 80-year-old breast cancer patients initially diagnosed between 1990 and 2009. Patient data was derived from the Basel Breast Cancer Database (BBCD). This data was compared with the data of women of the same age from the four Swiss Health Surveys (SHS) conducted between 1992 and 2007. Differences between measured (BBCD) and self-reported (SHS) data were corrected using equations approved for the Swiss population. Results: Of 958 postmenopausal BBCD patients, 32% were overweight and 20% were obese. Of the 14,476 women of the SHS, 38% were overweight and 17% were obese. In the BBCD, there was no change in the prevalence of overweight/obesity over the last 20years. The four SHS show a convex curvature for obesity, i.e. a transient increase. No significant differences were observed between BBCD and corrected SHS data for overweight and obesity during this period. Conclusions: In this Swiss study group with a comparably low prevalence of overweight and obesity, no association between body fatness and postmenopausal breast cancer was observe

The association between urinary phytoestrogen excretion and components of the metabolic syndrome in NHANES

Background: Metabolic syndrome is a major risk factor for cardiovascular diseases, which are still the major cause of death in developed countries. Methods: We cross-sectionally studied the association between urinary phytoestrogen excretion and metabolic cardiovascular risk factors. Hence, we used data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey from 1999 to 2004 with 1,748 participants, who had urine levels of isoflavones and lignans measured. Geometric means of waist circumference, blood pressure, fasting glucose, HDL cholesterol, and triglyceride levels were computed by quartiles of isoflavone or lignan urinary excretion. Outcome was assessed as the presence of metabolic syndrome according to NCEP-ATP III criteria. The association between phytoestrogen concentration and the metabolic syndrome was calculated using logistic regression analyses. Results: Plasma triglyceride and HDL cholesterol levels were lower in participants in the highest quartile of lignan excretion compared with the lowest (both P<0.01). However, blood pressure, waist circumference, and plasma glucose levels did not differ significantly between extreme quartiles. The presence of metabolic syndrome was lower with increasing levels of urinary lignans (OR 0.48, 95 % CI 0.28; 0.80 top vs. bottom quartile), especially when separately computed for the excretion of enterolactone (OR 0.47, 95 % CI 0.28; 0.78). There was no significant association between isoflavone excretion and any component of the metabolic syndrome. Conclusions: Our study shows that an increasing excretion of lignans, especially enterolactone, might be associated with a decreased presence of the metabolic syndrome

Urinary lignans and inflammatory markers in the US National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 1999-2004 and 2005-2008

Purpose: Chronic inflammation has been implicated in the etiology of various chronic diseases. We previously found that certain urinary isoflavones are associated with markers of inflammation. In the present study, we examined the associations of serum C-reactive protein (CRP) and white blood cell (WBC) count with lignans, which are more frequent in the Western diet than isoflavones. Methods: Our analysis included 2,028 participants of NHANES 2005-2008 and 2,628 participants of NHANES 1999-2004 aged 18years and older. The exposures of interest were urinary mammalian lignans (enterodiol and enterolactone). Outcome variables were two inflammatory markers (CRP [≤10mg/L] and WBC [≥3.0 and ≤11.7 (1,000 cells/μL)]). Log-transformed CRP concentration and WBC count by log-transformed creatinine-standardized concentrations of mammalian lignans were used for linear regression. Results: Statistically significant inverse associations of urinary lignan, enterodiol, and enterolactone concentrations with circulating CRP and WBC counts were observed in the multivariate-adjusted models: In NHANES 2005-2008, per one-percent increase in lignan concentrations in the urine, CRP concentrations and WBC counts decreased by 8.1% (95% CI −11.5, −4.5) and 1.9% (95% CI −2.7; −1.2), respectively. Per one-percent increase in enterodiol and enterolactone, WBC counts decreased by 2.1% (95% CI −2.8, −1.3) and 1.3% (95% CI −1.9, −0.6), respectively. In NHANES 1999-2004, analogous results were 3.0% (95% CI −5.6, −0.3), 1.2% (95% CI −2.0; −0.4), 1.0% (95% CI −1.8, −0.2), and 0.8% (95% CI −1.4, 0.2). Conclusions: Mammalian lignans were inversely associated with markers of chronic inflammation. Due to the cross-sectional design, our findings require confirmation in prospective studies

Effects of phenotypes in heterocyclic aromatic amine (HCA) metabolism-related genes on the association of HCA intake with the risk of colorectal adenomas

BACKGROUND: Heterocyclic aromatic amines (HCA), formed by high-temperature cooking of meat, are well-known risk factors for colorectal cancer (CRC). Enzymes metabolizing HCAs may influence the risk of CRC depending on the enzyme activity level. We aimed to assess effect modification by polymorphisms in the HCA-metabolizing genes on the association of HCA intake with colorectal adenoma (CRA) risk, which are precursors of CRC. METHODS: A case-control study nested in the EPIC-Heidelberg cohort was conducted. Between 1994 and 2005, 413 adenoma cases were identified and 796 controls were matched to cases. Genotypes were determined and used to predict phenotypes (i.e., enzyme activities). Odds ratios (OR) and corresponding 95 % confidence intervals (CI) were calculated by logistic regression analysis. RESULTS: CRA risk was positively associated with PhIP, MeIQx, and DiMeIQx (p trend = 0.006, 0.022, and 0.045, respectively) intake. SULT1A1 phenotypes modified the effect of MeIQx on CRA risk (p (Interaction) > 0.01) such that the association of MeIQx intake with CRA was stronger for slow than for normal phenotypes. Other modifying effects by phenotypes did not reach statistical significance. CONCLUSIONS: HCA intake is positively associated with CRA risk, regardless of phenotypes involved in the metabolizing process. Due to the number of comparisons made in the analysis, the modifying effect of SULT1A1 on the association of HCA intake with CRA risk may be due to chance

Racial variation in vitamin D cord blood concentration in white and black male neonates

Aim: The aim of this study is to evaluate racial variation in umbilical cord blood concentration of vitamin D and to explore its correlation with markers of the insulin-like growth factor axis (IGFs) and sex steroid hormones in white and black male neonates. Methods: In 2004-2005, venous umbilical cord blood samples were collected from 75 black and 38 white male neonates, along with maternal and birth characteristics from two hospitals in Maryland, United States. 25-Hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D] and 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D [1,25(OH)2D] were measured by radioimmunoassay and testosterone, estradiol, and sex hormone-binding globulin (SHBG) by immunoassay and IGF-1, IGF-2, and IGF-binding protein-3 by ELISA. Crude and multivariable-adjusted geometric mean concentrations were computed. Results: Mean 25(OH)D levels were lower in black than in white neonates (11.44; 95% CI 10.10-12.95ng/mL vs. 18.24; 95% CI 15.32-21.72ng/mL; p<0.0001). Black neonates were at higher risk of suboptimal vitamin D levels [25(OH)D<20ng/mL] than whites (84 vs. 63%). 25(OH)D concentrations varied by season in whites but not in blacks and were significantly inversely correlated with mother's parity (number of live births) in blacks but not in whites. Mean concentration of 1,25(OH)2D did not differ by race. 25(OH)D and 1,25(OH)2D did not correlate with IGFs, sex steroid hormones, and SHBG. Conclusions: Suboptimal vitamin D levels were prevalent especially in blacks and influenced by mother's parity and by season. The observed vitamin D differences between black and white neonates warrant further evaluation of the etiology of the disparity in chronic diseases in adulthoo