Dietary Changes over 25 Years in Tianjin Residents: Findings from the 1986–1988, 2000–2004, and 2008–2011 Nutrition Surveys

In China, the rates of chronic diseases characteristic of countries in nutritional transition have been increasing. However, few studies have examined diet changes in recent decades. We analyzed dietary changes in Tianjin, China. The data in this descriptive, population-based study in ≥18-year-old adults were collected from three surveys from 1986 to 2011. Food consumption and nutrient intake were compared among the three surveys separately for urban and rural areas. Differences in food consumption between urban and rural areas in different periods were also shown. The consumption of cereals, vegetables, and oils decreased, and that of fruits and beans increased in both urban and rural areas. Moreover, the total consumption of animal foods, especially milk, increased (0.01% in 1986–1988; 1.72% in 2008–2011) in rural areas. Although milk consumption also increased in urban areas, consumption of other animal foods decreased (19.33% in 1986–1988; 13.74% in 2008–2011). Meanwhile, cereals consumption rebounded from 22.63% in 2000–2004 to 29.75% in 2008–2011. Moreover, the lack of dairy products and some nutrients, e.g., retinol, calcium, and dietary fiber (<80% of recommended nutrient intake), in the diet persisted in both urban and rural areas. In conclusion, differences in diet between urban and rural areas decreased over time

Association between complement C3 and prevalence of fatty liver disease in an adult population: a cross-sectional study from the Tianjin Chronic Low-Grade Systemic Inflammation and Health (TCLSIHealth) cohort study.

Activation of the innate immune system plays a key role in the development of fatty liver disease (FLD). The complement system is a major humoral component of the innate immune response and complement C3 plays a central role, implying that C3 may be a powerful predictor or therapeutic target for FLD. However, few studies have assessed the association between C3 and FLD in a large population. Here we use a cross-sectional study to investigate the link between serum C3 levels and FLD. Participants were recruited from Tianjin Medical University's General Hospital-Health Management Centre. Serum C3 was measured using immunoturbidimetry method and FLD was diagnosed by liver ultrasonography. Multiple logistic regression analysis was used to examine the association between quartiles of C3 and FLD prevalence. The overall prevalence of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and alcoholic fatty liver disease (AFLD) were 37.3% and 10.1%, respectively. After adjusting for covariates, the odds ratio of having NAFLD or AFLD (only in males) in the fourth quartile of C3 compared with the first quartile was 4.13 times greater (95% confidence interval, 2.97-5.77) (trend P values < 0.0001) and 2.09 times greater (95% confidence interval, 1.08-4.18) (trend P values = 0.02). This is the first study to demonstrate that serum C3 levels are independently associated with a higher prevalence of NAFLD and AFLD (only in males) in an adult population. Further studies are needed to establish a causal link and determine the precise role of C3 in FLD