Short-term consumption of phytoestrogen-rich foods in humans alters dietary macro- and micronutrient intake

The aim of this study was to determine bow nutrient intake is affected by a short-term phytoestrogen-rich diet. Ten healthy volunteers consumed 100 g soya chunks, 150 g lentils, and 250 g kidney beans daily for 3 days. Urine was collected during the 2 days before, 3 intervention days, and 2 days after the intervention and analyzed for phytoestrogen status. Subjects filled in food diaries throughout the study period. Urinary daidzein, but not equol and enterolactone, levels increased during the 7-day period. There was no change in energy, protein, sugar, or total fat intake, but an increase in carbohydrate, fiber, and starch intake. There was a change in the distribution of fat intake with a fall in saturated fat and cholesterol intake. Iron intake significantly increased, although vitamin B-12 fell significantly. The long-term effects of this diet and the associated health benefits of these changes require further study. (C) 2006 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Micronutrients: dietary intake v. supplement use

Whilst clinical deficiency of micronutrients is uncommon in the developed world, a suboptimal intake of certain micronutrients has been linked with an increased risk of chronic diseases such as CVD and cancer. Attention has therefore focused on increasing micronutrient status in order to theoretically reduce chronic disease risk. Increasing micronutrient status can involve a number of approaches: increasing dietary intake of micronutrient-rich foods; food fortification; use of supplements. Observational cohort studies have demonstrated an association between high intakes of micronutrients such as vitamin E, vitamin C, folic acid and beta-carotene, and lower risk of CHD, stroke and cancer at various sites. However, randomised intervention trials of micronutrient supplements have, to date, largely failed to show an improvement in clinical end points. The discordance between data from cohort studies and the results so far available from clinical trials remains to be explained. One reason may be that the complex mixture of micronutrients found, for example, in a diet high in fruit and vegetables may be more effective than large doses of a small number of micronutrients, and therefore that intervention studies that use single micronutrient supplements are unlikely to produce a lowering of disease risk. Studies concentrating on whole foods (e.g. fruit and vegetables) or diet pattern (e.g. Mediterranean diet pattern) may be more effective in demonstrating an effect on clinical end points. The present review will consider the clinical trial evidence for a beneficial effect of micronutrient supplements on health, and review the alternative approaches to the study of dietary intake of micronutrients.

Dietary intake of fruits and vegetables improves microvascular function in hypertensive subjects in a dose-dependent manner

Background— Observational evidence has consistently linked increased fruit and vegetable consumption with reduced cardiovascular morbidity; however, there is little direct trial evidence to support the concept that fruit and vegetable consumption improves vascular function. This study assessed the dose-dependent effects of a fruit and vegetable intervention on arterial health in subjects with hypertension.

Methods and Results— After a 4-week run-in period during which fruit and vegetable intake was limited to 1 portion per day, participants were randomized to consume either 1, 3, or 6 portions daily for the next 8 weeks. Endothelium-dependent and -independent arterial vasodilator responses were assessed by venous occlusion plethysmography in the brachial circulation before and after intervention. Compliance was monitored with serial contemporaneous 4-day food records and by measuring concentrations of circulating dietary biomarkers. A total of 117 volunteers completed the 12-week study. Participants in the 1-, 3-, and 6-portions/d groups reported consuming on average 1.1, 3.2, and 5.6 portions of fruit and vegetables, respectively, and serum concentrations of lutein and ß-cryptoxanthin increased across the groups in a dose-dependent manner. For each 1-portion increase in reported fruit and vegetable consumption, there was a 6.2% improvement in forearm blood flow responses to intra-arterial administration of the endothelium-dependent vasodilator acetylcholine (P=0.03). There was no association between increased fruit and vegetable consumption and vasodilator responses to sodium nitroprusside, an endothelium-independent vasodilator.

Conclusions— The present study illustrates that among hypertensive volunteers, increased fruit and vegetable consumption produces significant improvements in an established marker of endothelial function and cardiovascular prognosis.

Prokaryotes on the tentacles of deep-sea holothurians: A novel form of dietary supplementation

Bathyal and abyssal epibenthic holothurians have a layer of bacteria lying over the tentacular epidermis and below the cuticle. Thus the tentacles of deep-sea holothurians may provide ideal conditions for subcuticular bacteria. These bacteria appear to be regulated by phagocytosis, which, together with pinocytosis would facilitate transfer of bacterial metabolites to the holothurian. Their abundance suggests a previously unknown pathway for energy transformation and assimilation of particular significance in an environment where food is limiting.

Dietary patterns and smoking in Northern Irish men: a population at High risk of coronary heart disease

This study evaluated dietary habits of Northern Irish men who are at high risk of cardiovascular disease, stratified as never-, ex-, moderate-, or heavy-smokers. Participants were male volunteers (30 - 49 years) from a single workforce in Belfast (n = 765). Dietary information was collected using a validated food frequency questionnaire. For 'a priori' diet scores, never- and ex-smokers had a significantly higher fruit and vegetable score, Mediterranean diet score, and alternative Mediterranean diet score than moderate or heavy-smokers (all p

The effect of increasing dietary fibre and the provision of straw racks on the welfare of sows housed in small static groups

This study assessed the effects of increasing dietary fibre levels in concentrate rations and providing access to straw in racks on the welfare of pregnant sows housed in small static groups. In a 2 x 2 factorial design experiment, 128 Large White x Landrace pregnant sows were offered one of two diets: (i) High fibre diet with 9% crude fibre, or (ii) Control diet with 4.5% CF, and one of two levels of access to a foraging substrate: (i) access to straw in racks or (ii) no straw. The study was replicated eight times using groups of four sows, and treatment periods lasted four weeks. Sows were housed in pens with voluntary cubicles and a slatted exercise area and were offered a wet diet twice a day. Back-fat levels were measured before sows were mixed into groups at 28 days post partum, and four weeks later. Aggressive interactions were recorded on the day of mixing, and injury scores were recorded one week post mixing. Scan sampling was used to collect data on general activity, posture and location of the sows, and on sham-chewing and bar-biting behaviours across the treatment period. In addition, detailed focal observations were carried out on all sows across the treatment period. Straw usage was also recorded. There were no treatment effects on changes in back-fat levels over the treatment period. Treatments had no effect on post-mixing aggression or on injury scores. However, focal observations showed that sows with access to straw were involved in fewer bouts of head-thrusting over the treatment period. Control diet sows spent more time inactive than sows on the high fibre diet, however high fibre diet sows spent more time lying with eyes closed than sows on the control diet. Sows on the high fibre diet with access to straw showed less sham-chewing and bar-biting behaviour than sows in other treatments. These results show that although a diet containing 9% crude fibre promoted resting behaviour, it was necessary to combine it with access to straw to reduce stereotypic behaviour of sows in small static groups.

Understanding dietary decision-making in patients attending a secondary prevention clinic following myocardial infarction

Aims and objectives. This study aimed to explore the issues that influence the dietary choices made by patients attending a secondary prevention clinic following a myocardial infarction.