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E B Rimm

Publications and source records attributed to E B Rimm.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

Association between dietary patterns and plasma biomarkers of obesity and cardiovascular disease risk.

BACKGROUND: Although the effects of individual foods or nutrients on the development of diseases and their risk factors have been investigated in many studies, little attention has been given to the effect of overall dietary patterns. OBJECTIVE: Our objective was to examine the associations of 2 major dietary patterns, Western and prudent, with biomarkers of obesity and cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk. DESIGN: We used factor analysis to define major dietary patterns for a subsample of men (n = 466) from the Health Professionals Follow-up Study by using dietary information collected from food-frequency questionnaires (FFQs) in 1994. We calculated partial correlation coefficients between pattern scores and biomarker values adjusted for age, smoking status, energy and alcohol intake, physical activity, hours of television watching, and body mass index. RESULTS: We derived 2 major dietary patterns that were generally reproducible over time. The first pattern (prudent) was characterized by higher intakes of fruit, vegetables, whole grains, and poultry. The second pattern (Western) was characterized by higher intakes of red meats, high-fat dairy products, and refined grains. Using pattern scores from 1994 and adjusting for potential confounders, we found significant positive correlations between the Western pattern and insulin, C-peptide, leptin, and homocysteine concentrations, and an inverse correlation with plasma folate concentrations. The prudent pattern was positively correlated with plasma folate and inversely correlated with insulin and homocysteine concentrations. CONCLUSION: Major dietary patterns are predictors of plasma biomarkers of CVD and obesity risk, suggesting that the effect of overall diet on CVD risk may be mediated through these biomarkers.

Adult↗

Prospective study of dietary fat and the risk of age-related macular degeneration.

BACKGROUND: The relation between intakes of total fat and specific types of fat and age-related macular degeneration (AMD) remains unclear. OBJECTIVE: Our objective was to examine prospectively the association between fat intake and AMD. DESIGN: We conducted a prospective follow-up study of participants in the Nurses' Health Study and the Health Professionals Follow-up Study. At baseline (1984 for women and 1986 for men), the study included 42743 women and 29746 men aged > or = 50 y with no diagnosis of AMD who were followed until 1996. Fat intake was assessed with a food-frequency questionnaire. RESULTS: We accrued 567 patients with AMD with a visual loss of 20/30 or worse. The pooled multivariate relative risk (RR) for the highest compared with the lowest quintile of total fat intake was 1.54 (95% CI: 1.17, 2.01; P for trend = 0.008). Linolenic acid was positively associated with risk of AMD (top versus bottom quintile of RR: 1.49; 95% CI: 1.15, 1.94; P for trend = 0.0009). Docosahexaenoic acid had a modest inverse relation with AMD (top versus bottom quintile of RR: 0.70; 95% CI: 0.52, 0.93; P for trend = 0.05), and >4 servings of fish/wk was associated with a 35% lower risk of AMD compared with < or = 3 servings/mo (RR: 0.65; 95% CI: 0.46, 0.91; P for trend = 0.009). CONCLUSIONS: Total fat intake was positively associated with risk of AMD, which may have been due to intakes of individual fatty acids, such as linolenic acid, rather than to total fat intakes per se. A high intake of fish may reduce the risk of AMD.

Age Factors↗

Association of folate intake and serum homocysteine in elderly persons according to vitamin supplementation and alcohol use.

BACKGROUND: The serum total homocysteine concentration (tHcy), an indicator of folate status and a possible risk factor for vascular disease, is elevated with impaired renal function and poor vitamin B-12 status, which are common in the elderly. OBJECTIVE: Our objective was to determine the association between tHcy, folate intake, alcohol consumption, and other lifestyle factors in elderly persons. DESIGN: This cross-sectional study used linear regression to model changes in tHcy. Subjects were 278 men and women aged 66-94 y studied in 1993. RESULTS: Total folate intake was negatively associated with tHcy in models adjusted for age, sex, serum creatinine, and serum albumin. We found an interaction between food folate intake and supplement use. Food folate intake had an inverse dose-response relation with tHcy that was limited to nonusers of supplements. Predicted tHcy was 1.5 micromol/L lower in users of supplements containing folate and vitamin B-12 than in nonusers and was independent of food folate intake. We found a positive dose-response relation of coffee and tea intake with tHcy, a positive association for alcohol intake of > or = 60 drinks/mo compared with low intake, and an interaction of alcohol use with folate intake and supplement use. Compared with alcohol users, nonusers had higher predicted tHcy and a lower inverse dose-response relation of food folate intake with tHcy. CONCLUSIONS: The inverse association between folate intake and tHcy was strongest among nonusers of supplements and among alcohol drinkers. Identifying modifiable factors related to tHcy, a possible risk factor for vascular disease, is especially important in elderly persons.

Age Factors↗

Dietary fat intake and risk of type 2 diabetes in women.

BACKGROUND: The long-term relations between specific types of dietary fat and risk of type 2 diabetes remain unclear. OBJECTIVE: Our objective was to examine the relations between dietary fat intakes and the risk of type 2 diabetes. DESIGN: We prospectively followed 84204 women aged 34-59 y with no diabetes, cardiovascular disease, or cancer in 1980. Detailed dietary information was assessed at baseline and updated in 1984, 1986, and 1990 by using validated questionnaires. Relative risks of type 2 diabetes were obtained from pooled logistic models adjusted for nondietary and dietary covariates. RESULTS: During 14 y of follow-up, 2507 incident cases of type 2 diabetes were documented. Total fat intake, compared with equivalent energy intake from carbohydrates, was not associated with risk of type 2 diabetes; for a 5% increase in total energy from fat, the relative risk (RR) was 0.98 (95% CI: 0.94, 1.02). Intakes of saturated or monounsaturated fatty acids were also not significantly associated with the risk of diabetes. However, for a 5% increase in energy from polyunsaturated fat, the RR was 0.63 (0.53, 0.76; P < 0.0001) and for a 2% increase in energy from trans fatty acids the RR was 1.39 (1.15, 1.67; P = 0.0006). We estimated that replacing 2% of energy from trans fatty acids isoenergetically with polyunsaturated fat would lead to a 40% lower risk (RR: 0.60; 95% CI: 0.48, 0.75). CONCLUSIONS: These data suggest that total fat and saturated and monounsaturated fatty acid intakes are not associated with risk of type 2 diabetes in women, but that trans fatty acids increase and polyunsaturated fatty acids reduce risk. Substituting nonhydrogenated polyunsaturated fatty acids for trans fatty acids would likely reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes substantially.

Adult↗

Alcohol and the pancreas.

This article represents the proceedings of a workshop at the 2000 ISBRA Meeting in Yokohama, Japan. The presentations were (1) Phenotypic alteration of myofibroblast during ethanol-induced pancreatic injury: its relation to bFGF, by Masahiko Nakamura, Kanji Tsuchimoto, and Hiromasa Ishii; (2) Activation of pancreatic stellate cells in pancreatic fibrosis, by Paul S. Haber, Gregory W. Keogh, Minoti V. Apte, Corey S. Moran, Nancy L. Stewart, Darrell H.G. Crawford, Romano C. Pirola, Geoffrey W. McCaughan, Grant A. Ramm, and Jeremy S. Wilson; (3) Pancreatic blood flow and pancreatic enzyme secretion on acute ethanol infusion in anesthetized RAT, by H. Nishino, M. Kohno, R. Aizawa, and N. Tajima; (4) Genotype difference of alcohol-metabolizing enzymes in relation to chronic alcoholic pancreatitis between the alcoholic in the National Institute on Alcoholism and patients in other general hospitals in Japan, by K. Maruyama, H. Takahashi, S. Matsushita, K. Okuyama, A. Yokoyama, Y. Nakamura, K. Shirakura, and H. Ishii; and (5) Alcohol consumption and incidence of type 2 diabetes, by Katherine M. Conigrave, B. Frank Hu, Carlos A. Camargo Jr, Meir J. Stampfer, Walter C. Willett, and Eric B. Rimm.

Alcohol Drinking↗

Risk of bladder cancer by geographic region in a U.S. cohort of male health professionals.

Large regional variations in bladder cancer rates have been observed for numerous decades in the United States and persist to date. We examined the incidence rates of bladder cancer by geographic region among U.S. male health professionals to determine whether diet or other lifestyle factors can account for variations observed. During 12 years of follow-up, 328 cases of bladder cancer were diagnosed in the Health Professionals Follow-up Study cohort. We inquired about diet, lifetime history of smoking, race, marital status, and other nondietary factors using mailed questionnaires. An elevated risk of bladder cancer was observed in the Northeast compared with the West [relative risk (RR) = 1.71, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.23-2.39], which was slightly attenuated after controlling for smoking (RR = 1.65, 95% CI = 1.18-2.30). Smoking patterns, diet, and other lifestyle factors could not account for all of the elevated bladder cancer risk in the Northeast. Bladder cancer risk was highest among men who had a long residency in the Northeast compared with a long residency in the West (RR = 1.77, 95% CI = 1.15-2.71, adjusted for smoking). Diet and other known characteristics do not appear to be responsible for the regional variations in bladder cancer rates in the United States.

Adult↗

A prospective study of drinking patterns in relation to risk of type 2 diabetes among men.

Using data from a 12-year prospective study, we determined the importance of the pattern of alcohol consumption as a risk factor for type 2 diabetes in a cohort of 46,892 U.S. male health professionals who completed biennial postal questionnaires. Overall, 1,571 new cases of type 2 diabetes were documented. Compared with zero alcohol consumption, consumption of 15-29 g/day of alcohol was associated with a 36% lower risk of diabetes (RR = 0.64; 95% CI 0.53-0.77). This inverse association between moderate consumption and diabetes remained if light drinkers rather than abstainers were used as the reference group (RR = 0.60, CI 0.50-0.73). There were few heavy drinkers, but the inverse association persisted to those drinking >/=50 g/day of alcohol (RR = 0.60, CI 0.43-0.84). Frequency of consumption was inversely associated with diabetes. Consumption of alcohol on at least 5 days/week provided the greatest protection, even when less than one drink per drinking day was consumed (RR = 0.48, CI 0.27-0.86). Compared with infrequent drinkers, for each additional day per week that alcohol was consumed, risk was reduced by 7% (95% CI 3-10%) after controlling for average daily consumption. There were similar and independent inverse associations for beer, liquor, and white wine. Our findings suggested that frequent alcohol consumption conveys the greatest protection against type 2 diabetes, even if the level of consumption per drinking day is low. Beverage choice did not alter risk.

Adult↗

Alcohol's effects on the risk for coronary heart disease.

Several studies have indicated that moderate drinkers have a lower risk of both nonfatal myocardial infarction and fatal heart disease than do abstainers. To determine whether alcohol truly prevents coronary heart disease or whether other factors may contribute to this observed relationship, researchers conducted a systematic literature review and a combined analysis (i.e., meta-analysis) of 42 published studies. This analysis found that consumption of up to two drinks per day can promote changes in the levels of molecules that reduce the risk of heart disease while also increasing the levels of certain molecules that promote heart disease. Alcohol also may affect the risk of heart disease by acting on other various other molecules involved in a variety of physiological processes related to heart disease. Finally, the relationship between alcohol consumption and heart disease may be modulated by genetic factors.

Alcohol Drinking↗

Racial variation in prostate cancer incidence and in hormonal system markers among male health professionals.

BACKGROUND: Racial variation in prostate cancer incidence in the United States is pronounced, with African-American men having the highest rates. Whether differences in the distribution of known or suspected risk factors among racial groups explain this variation is unknown. METHODS: We evaluated prospectively the relation between prostate cancer and race among 45 410 U.S. male health professionals aged 40--75 years in 1986. We used multivariable, pooled logistic regression to adjust the rate ratio (RR) for potential dietary and lifestyle risk factors. We also measured circulating levels of steroid hormones, sex hormone-binding globulin, and vitamin D metabolites and length of the androgen receptor gene CAG repeat in a sample of African-American (n = 43), Asian (n = 52), and white (n = 55) participants and assessed variation by race in these possible prostate epithelial cell growth mediators by use of analysis of variance. Statistical tests were two-sided. RESULTS: The age-adjusted RR for prostate cancer was 1.73 (95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.23--2.45) for African-American men compared with white men. After multivariate adjustment, the RR increased to 1.81 (95% CI = 1.27--2.58). The rate of prostate cancer did not differ between Asians and whites. Steroid hormone and 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D levels did not vary appreciably by race. However, the mean number of androgen receptor gene CAG repeats was lower among African-Americans (mean +/- standard deviation = 20.1 +/- 3.5) than among whites (22.1 +/- 3.1; P =.007) and Asians (22.1 +/- 3.9; P =.009). CONCLUSIONS: Our results confirm the elevated incidence of prostate cancer among African Americans and show that it is not explained by differences in the distribution of possible dietary and lifestyle risk factors in this cohort. Racial variation in length of the androgen receptor gene CAG repeat may explain a small part of the excess risk of prostate cancer among African-American men in this cohort.

Adult↗

Prospective study of dietary supplements, macronutrients, micronutrients, and risk of bladder cancer in US men.

Data derived from laboratory investigations suggest that a number of dietary variables may contribute to bladder carcinogenesis. Although bladder cancer is the fourth leading cause of cancer in men in the United States, dietary studies are few. The authors examined the relations between intakes of macro- and micronutrients and the risk of bladder cancer among men in the prospective Health Professionals Follow-Up Study. Each participant completed a 131-item food frequency questionnaire in 1986 and in 1990, from which nutrient intakes were calculated. During 12 years of follow-up, 320 cases of bladder cancer were diagnosed. No association was observed for total caloric or macronutrient intake and bladder cancer risk. Similarly, we found no relation for dietary intake of potassium, sodium, calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, iron, or water-soluble vitamins and bladder cancer risk. Total vitamin E intake and vitamin E supplements were inversely associated with risk. In addition, a dose-response relation was observed for duration of vitamin E supplement use. A suggestive inverse association was seen with dose of vitamin C supplement use. More studies are needed to determine the role of vitamins E and C supplement intake in bladder carcinogenesis.

Adult↗

Leisure-time physical activity, television watching, and plasma biomarkers of obesity and cardiovascular disease risk.

The benefits of physical activity in reducing cardiovascular disease (CVD) are thought to be mediated through changes in blood lipids, insulin sensitivity, and thrombogenic factors. Few studies have addressed the effects of both long-term physical activity and inactivity on these factors. The authors assessed associations between long-term leisure-time physical activity, television watching, and biomarkers of CVD risk among 468 healthy male health professionals. Prior to blood collection in 1993-1994, physical activity and television watching were assessed biennially from 1986 to 1994 by a questionnaire. Physical activity was expressed as metabolic equivalents-hours per week. Multivariate linear regression analyses showed that metabolic equivalents-hours in 1994 were significantly associated with high density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL cholesterol) (positively) and with leptin and C-peptide (inversely). The average number of hours of television watching assessed in 1994 was significantly positively associated with low density lipoprotein cholesterol and significantly inversely associated with HDL cholesterol and apolipoprotein A1. Average hours of television watching per week assessed in 1988-1994 was positively associated with leptin levels (p < 0.01). The associations of television watching and vigorous activity with leptin and HDL cholesterol were independent of each other. In conclusion, physical activity and television watching were significantly associated with several biochemical markers of obesity and CVD risk.

Adult↗

A prospective study of age and lifestyle factors in relation to community-acquired pneumonia in US men and women.

BACKGROUND: Information is limited on risk factors for community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) in free-living populations. We examined the associations of age, smoking status, body mass index (BMI), weight change during adulthood, physical activity, and alcohol intake with risk of CAP among men and women. METHODS: The study population included 26,429 men aged 44 to 79 years from the Health Professionals Follow-up Study and 78,062 women aged 27 to 44 years from the Nurses' Health Study II. Information was collected by biennial mailed questionnaires and the main outcome was physician-diagnosed incident pneumonia. RESULTS: There were 290 cases among men (6 years of follow-up) and 305 cases among women (2 years of follow-up). Age, smoking status, BMI, physical activity, and alcohol intake were taken into account in the multivariate logistic regression model. There was a dose-response relation between aging and risk of CAP among men. Compared with never smokers, current smoking was associated with risk of CAP among men (relative risk, 1.46; 95% confidence interval, 1.00-2.14) and women (relative risk, 1.55; 95% confidence interval, 1.15-2.10). In addition, BMI was directly associated with an increased risk of CAP among women. Compared with the participants who maintained their weight during adulthood, the risks were nearly 2-fold higher among men and women who gained 40 lb or more (> or =18 kg). The risk of CAP decreased with increasing physical activity among women. We also found no significant relation between alcohol intake and risk of CAP among men and women. CONCLUSIONS: Smoking and excessive weight gain are risk factors for CAP among men and women, and physical activity was inversely associated with risk of CAP only among women. The incidence of CAP could possibly be decreased by lifestyle factors.

Adult↗

Whole grain consumption and risk of ischemic stroke in women: A prospective study.

CONTEXT: Although increased intake of grain products has been recommended to prevent cardiovascular disease (CVD), prospective data examining the relation of whole grain intake to risk of ischemic stroke are sparse, especially among women. OBJECTIVE: To examine the hypothesis that higher whole grain intake reduces the risk of ischemic stroke in women. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS: A prospective cohort of 75,521 US women aged 38 to 63 years without previous diagnosis of diabetes mellitus, coronary heart disease, stroke, or other CVDs in 1984, who completed detailed food frequency questionnaires (FFQs) in 1984, 1986, 1990, and 1994, and were followed up for 12 years as part of the Nurses' Health Study. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE: Incidence of ischemic stroke, confirmed by medical records, by quintile of whole grain intake according to FFQ responses. RESULTS: During 861,900 person-years of follow-up, 352 confirmed incident cases of ischemic stroke occurred. We observed an inverse association between whole grain intake and ischemic stroke risk. The age-adjusted relative risks (RRs) from the lowest to highest quintiles of whole grain intake were 1.00 (referent), 0.68 (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.49-0.94), 0.69 (95% CI, 0.51-0.95), 0.49 (95% CI, 0.35-0.69), and 0.57 (95% CI, 0.42-0.78; P =.003 for trend). Adjustment for smoking modestly attenuated this association (RR comparing extreme quintiles, 0.64; 95% CI, 0.47-0.89). This inverse association remained essentially unchanged with further adjustment for known CVD risk factors, including saturated fat and transfatty acid intake (multivariate-adjusted RR comparing extreme quintiles, 0.69; 95% CI, 0.50-0.98). The inverse relation between whole grain intake and risk of ischemic stroke was also consistently observed among subgroups of women who never smoked, did not drink alcohol, did not exercise regularly, or who did not use postmenopausal hormones. No significant association was observed between total grain intake and risk of ischemic stroke. CONCLUSIONS: In this cohort, higher intake of whole grain foods was associated with a lower risk of ischemic stroke among women, independent of known CVD risk factors. These prospective data support the notion that higher intake of whole grains may reduce the risk of ischemic stroke.

Adult↗

Adiposity and mortality in men.

The relation between measures of adiposity and mortality has been a controversial topic. The authors examined prospectively the relation between several measures of adiposity and risks of overall and cause-specific mortality in 39,756 US men aged 40-75 years. During 10 years of follow-up (1986-1996), 1,972 deaths (747 from cancer, 423 from cardiovascular disease, and 802 from other causes) were documented. An elevated risk of death among the leanest men was partly accounted for by excess mortality during early follow-up and high mortality among those with a history of recent weight loss. After exclusion of men with substantial recent weight loss and deaths occurring during the first 4 years of follow-up, overall and cardiovascular disease mortality among men aged <65 years increased linearly with greater body mass index (BMI) (weight (kg)/height (m)2); multivariate relative risks for overall mortality were 1.0 (referent) for a BMI of <23, 1.21 for a BMI of 23-24.9, 1.19 for a BMI of 25-26.9, 1.39 for a BMI of 27-29.9, and 1.97 for a BMI of >30 (test for trend: p< 0.001). Among men aged > or =65 years, there were no significant relations between BMI and overall, cardiovascular disease, or cancer mortality risk. However, waist circumference strongly predicted risk of death from cardiovascular disease among the older men. These findings indicated that the relation between body fat and mortality was influenced by reverse causation and varied by age.

Adipose Tissue↗

Moderate alcohol consumption and risk of coronary heart disease among women with type 2 diabetes mellitus.

BACKGROUND: Moderate alcohol consumption is associated with reduced risk for coronary heart disease (CHD) in generally healthy populations. We assessed prospectively the association between moderate alcohol intake and CHD risk in women with type 2 diabetes mellitus, a group at high risk for cardiovascular disease. METHODS AND RESULTS: We studied women in the Nurses' Health Study who reported a diagnosis of diabetes mellitus at >/=30 years of age. During 39 092 person-years of follow-up from 1980 to 1994, there were 295 CHD events documented among this population, including 194 cases of nonfatal myocardial infarction and 101 cases of fatal CHD. Odds ratios derived from logistic regression were used to estimate relative risks (RRs) for CHD as a function of usual alcohol intake, with adjustment for potential confounders. Compared with diabetic women reporting no alcohol intake, the age-adjusted RR for nonfatal or fatal CHD among diabetic women reporting usual intake of 0.1 to 4.9 g (<0.5 drinks) of alcohol daily was 0.74 (95% CI 0.56 to 0.98), and among those reporting usual intake >/=5 g/d, it was 0.48 (95% CI 0.32 to 0.72) (P for trend <0.0001). Inverse associations between alcohol intake and CHD risk remained significant in multivariate analysis adjusting for several other coronary risk factors (0.1 to 4. 9 g/d: RR 0.72 [95% CI 0.54 to 0.96]; >/=5 g/d: RR 0.45 [0.29 to 0.68]). CONCLUSIONS: Although potential risks of alcohol consumption must be considered, these data suggest that moderate alcohol consumption is associated with reduced CHD risk in women with diabetes and should not be routinely discouraged.

Adult↗