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Biomedical subjects

Lenore Arab

Publications and source records attributed to Lenore Arab.

9 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2003

Ethnic differences in the nutrient intake adequacy of premenopausal US women: results from the Third National Health Examination Survey.

OBJECTIVE: To examine the adequacy of dietary intake of calcium; folate; and vitamins C, D, E, B-6, and B-12 in premenopausal US women of differing ethnicity. DESIGN: Analyses of single and duplicate 24-hour recalls were conducted to determine dietary intake during the Third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. SUBJECTS: Three thousand five hundred eighty-five randomly selected women aged 20 to 50 years from across the United States who were not pregnant or lactating were examined between 1988 and 1994. STATISTICAL ANALYSES: Usual nutrient intake distributions were estimated using the Iowa State University method for adjustment of the distribution. The Estimated Average Requirement cut-point method was used to determine the proportion of women with inadequate intake for each nutrient in each ethnic group. RESULTS: More than 75% of women irrespective of ethnic group had usual intakes of calcium lower than the new Adequate Intake. More than 90% of the women had inadequate intakes of folate and vitamin E from food sources alone. More than half of smokers had inadequate intakes of vitamin C. Intakes of vitamins B-6 and B-12 were low in less than 10% of these women. APPLICATIONS/CONCLUSIONS: This article provides evidence that a high proportion of premenopausal US women are underconsuming a variety of nutrients. Dietary intakes alone are not currently adequate to meet the new recommended intakes. Nutritional supplement use is widespread and effective, but does not eliminate the concerns for at-risk populations. Awareness of the general inadequacies in intakes of vitamin E and folic acid at large, and in many women vitamin C as well, can help direct individual dietary recommendations and place the emphasis in group counseling on nutrients that are of widespread concern. In addition, foods rich in vitamins B-6 and of general nutritional benefit should be emphasized among African American women in the United States as a substantial proportion of this group is still showing inadequate intakes from foods.

Adult↗
PubMed2003

Black tea consumption and risk of rectal cancer in Moscow population.

PURPOSE: This population-based case-control study (663 cases and 323 controls) examined the effect of black tea intake on the risk of rectal cancer in Moscow residents. The Moscow population was selected for its wide range of black tea consumption. METHODS: This study used three measures of tea consumption: the volume of beverage (l/month), zavarka (tea concentrate, l/month), and dry tea (g/month). We calculated the adjusted odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for these three parameters of tea intake using logistic regression. RESULTS: Greater use of dry tea was associated with lower risk of rectal cancer in women (high vs. low: OR = 0.40; 95% CI, 0.23-0.70) and in men (high vs. low: OR = 0.77; 95% CI, 0.42-1.43). The observed effect was weaker when tea was measured as zavarka (high vs. low in women: OR = 0.47; 95% CI, 0.26-0.83; in men: OR = 0.99; 95% CI, 0.52-1.96) and as beverage volume (high vs. low in women: OR = 0.68; 95% CI, 0.39-1.19; in men: OR = 1.03; 95% CI, 0.53-2.09). CONCLUSIONS: These findings support the hypothesis that black tea consumption reduces the risk of rectal cancer. The attenuation of the effect across the three measures of tea intake can be explained by an increasing degree of exposure misclassification from dry tea to zavarka and beverage volume.

Adenocarcinoma↗
PubMed2003

Biomarkers of fat and fatty acid intake.

Unlike other macronutrients such as protein, the amounts and types of fat in the human diet vary tremendously across cultures and over time have changed significantly within Westernized countries. Studies of the effect that fat sources, fat amounts and changes in fat intake have on human disease are extremely difficult to conduct with traditional dietary assessment methods for a number of reasons. These include the hidden nature of many fats, the variation in fatty acids contained in foods and feed and the sensitivity of individuals to questions about fat intake in their diets. For these reasons biomarkers of fat intake are particularly desirable. Fat and fat-soluble substances have the advantages over other nutrients of a long half-life and readily accessible storage depots (in the absence of starvation, undernutrition or eating disorders). Technological advances in quantitative measurements of individual fatty acids, with the help of gas chromatography and mass spectrometry (GCMS)((3)) and high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), made possible the study of specific isomers of minor fatty acids from small tissue samples. Technological advances also opened the gateways to the study of fats that represent less than 1% of the total fat profiles, such as decosahexanoic acid (DHA), eicosapentanoic acid (EPA) and conjugated linoleic acid (CLA). Biological advances enhanced our appreciation of the differences between fats of differing chain lengths within a family, including the saturated fats. Challenges remain, such as assessing total fat intake, discriminating the contribution of endogenously produced fats, determining how to evaluate the importance of relative versus absolute contributions of fat and accounting for the factors that influence deposition and mobilization of individual fats within and between individuals. Factors that can influence deposition and mobilization include genetic variation, disease status, lifestyle differences (i.e., alcohol consumption and smoking), circulating apolipoprotein levels and the hormonal milieu of the individual and the source tissue.

Arachidonic Acid↗
PubMed2003

Antioxidant supplements and risk of breast cancer recurrence and breast cancer-related mortality among postmenopausal women.

Despite widespread use, only a few clinical or epidemiological studies have examined the relationship between antioxidant supplements and risk of breast cancer recurrence or breast cancer-related mortality. We used proportional hazards and logistic regression modeling to estimate rate ratios and odds ratios (ORs) for recurrence and mortality among 385 postmenopausal women diagnosed with breast cancer between 1986 and 1988 enrolled into a case-control study on diet and cancer. Women were recontacted with a single questionnaire to ascertain the use of nutritional supplements during 12-14 yr of follow-up time. In multivariable models, antioxidant supplement users compared with nonusers were less likely to have a breast cancer recurrence or breast cancer-related death (OR = 0.54, 95% CI = 0.27-1.04). Vitamin E supplements showed a modest protective effect when used for more than 3 yr (OR = 0.33, 95% CI = 0.10-1.07). Premorbid dietary intake of vitamins C or E from diet, supplements, or both showed no relationship with risk. Risks of recurrence and disease-related mortality were reduced among women using vitamin C and vitamin E supplements for more than 3 yr. Recall bias among proxy respondents for women who died during follow-up may have contributed to these findings. This study provides limited support for the hypothesis that antioxidant supplements may reduce the risk of breast cancer recurrence or breast cancer-related mortality.

Aged↗
PubMed2002

Tea consumption and the reduced risk of colon cancer -- results from a national prospective cohort study.

OBJECTIVE: This study examines the relationship between tea consumption and colon cancer risk in the US population. DESIGN: Data from the NHANES I Epidemiologic Follow-up study (NHEFS) were used to examine the hypothesis. Cox proportional hazard models were used to examine the hypothesis of a protective effect of frequent tea consumption on colon cancer occurrence. SETTING: Due to differences in the precision of the exposure data, we analysed two cohort periods based on the NHEFS. Cohort I was based on the survey conducted at the NHEFS baseline and Cohort II began at the first follow-up. SUBJECTS: After excluding non-incidence cases and cases lost to follow-ups, there were 2359 tea users and 6498 non-tea users at baseline and 7656 tea users and 4514 non-tea users at the first follow-up. RESULTS: : After adjusting for confounders, the relative risks of colon cancer are 0.57 (95% confidence interval (CI) 0.42, 0.78) and 0.59 (95% 1.00) for subjects who consumed 1.5 cups per day, respectively, compared with non-tea users in Cohort II. Although more women consumed tea and the mean intake was higher, the preventive effect of tea consumption on colon cancer was found predominantly in men. The relative risks of colon cancer are 0.41 (95% 0.66) for men who consumed 1.5 cups day-1 of tea consumption (P-value for trend <0.01). No significant results were found in Cohort I. CONCLUSIONS: This study suggests an inverse association between colon cancer risk and habitual tea consumption.

Adult↗
PubMed2002

Biomarkers and the measurement of fatty acids.

OBJECTIVE: To review the various biomarkers of dietary intakes of fatty adds in human populations, their measurement, limitations and analytical considerations. DESIGN: Review of the literature. RESULTS: Although there is no good biomarker of intake of total fat, a number of alternatives exist for assessing the intakes of exogenously produced fatty acids that are consumed. Adipose tissue, erythrocyte membrane concentrations and serum or plasma levels can reflect prior intakes over the past few hours to the past few years. The concentrations of individual fatty acids in these media generally reflect relative levels, and are influenced by a number of factors. Although relatively expensive to analyse, a single analysis by gas chromatography or high-performance liquid chromatography provides information on multiple fatty acids, and is superior to attempting to measure specific fatty acids using traditional dietary assessment methods. CONCLUSIONS: Biomarkers of fatty acids that reflect long-term intake are available for nutritional epidemiology purposes. Analytical methods have become very accurate and able to detect and quantify smaller families, such as trans-fatty acids.

Adipose Tissue↗
PubMed2002

Soy-based formulae and infant growth and development: a review.

Soy-based infant formulae, initially developed for infants who were lactose intolerant or allergic to cow's milk-based formulae, now account for >25% of the infant formulae sold in the United States. Formulations have changed over the years to improve digestibility, the stability and availability of minerals, and protein quality. Recent concerns have been raised regarding the phytoestrogenic isoflavone content of soy-based formulae. A systematic review of the literature was conducted to evaluate various measures of infant health and development in clinical studies comparing modern soy-based formulae with other diets and to document areas in which further research seems warranted. Results suggest that modern soy-based formulae support normal growth and nutritional status in healthy term infants in y 1 of life. However, there are very limited data on sexual and reproductive development or outcomes such as immune function, visual acuity/cognitive development and thyroid function. Available data do not provide evidence of meaningful differences in timing of maturation, sexual development or fertility in adolescents or adults. Nonetheless, given evidence suggesting that early exposure to soy and/or isoflavones might have long-term effects, further research following infants fed soy-based formulae into adulthood is warranted.

Clinical Trials as Topic↗
PubMed2002

Lycopene and the lung.

The human lung, due to the oxidative and ozone stress to which it is exposed, is particularly vulnerable to oxidative damage. Concentrations of dietary antioxidants in the lung epithelial lining and lining fluids may provide protection against oxidative damage. A randomized clinical trial was conducted to study the effects of supplemental, carotenoid-rich vegetable juice (V-8) on lung function macrophage levels of carotenoids and in moderating ozone-induced lung damage. Healthy young adults (n = 23) were exposed to 0.4 ppm ozone in a chamber for 2 hr after either 2 weeks of antioxidant supplementation (including one can of V-8 juice daily) or placebo. Mean lung concentrations of lycopene increased by 12%, and lung epithelial cell DNA damage as measured by the Comet Assay decreased 20% in supplemented subjects. No change in peripheral blood lymphocyte DNA damage was observed as evidenced by no change in mean comet area or length in supplemented or placebo subjects. We were not able to separate the effects of lycopene from other carotenoids or antioxidants administered in this study; however, lycopene is the predominant carotenoid in V-8 (it represents 88% of total carotenoids). A review of the epidemiologic literature providing evidence for the effect of lycopene (diet or serum) or tomatoes on the risk of lung cancer reveals 27 observational epidemiologic studies (18 case-control and nine cohort studies) reporting relative risk (RR) estimates. RR estimates for cohort studies ranged from 0.63 to 1.24 (mean RR = 0.93, SD = 0.16). Odds ratios (OR) for case-control studies ranged from 0.27 to 0.93 (mean OR = 0.61, SD = 0.16). Both plasma levels (RR = 1.01, OR = 0.37) and estimated intakes of lycopene from dietary sources (mean RR = 0.93, RR range = 0.80-1.05; mean OR = 0.67, OR range = 0.27-0.93) were examined. Seventeen studies, three of which were cohorts, reported their results at the level of tomato consumption rather than, or in addition to, lycopene consumption (mean RR = 0.89, RR range = 0.63-1.24; mean OR = 0.61, OR range = 0.37-0.80). The published epidemiologic literature shows an interaction between study design and the relationship between lycopene and/ or tomatoes and risk of lung cancer. Overall, cohort studies did not show an association, whereas case-control studies showed a decreased risk with greater consumption of lycopene and tomatoes. Although lycopene can be found in the human lung, and there is evidence, albeit weak, for a protective association with lung cancer, its biologic role remains to be elucidated.

Adult↗