The influence of a period of caloric restriction due to the Dutch famine on breast density

PALTEM: What Parameters Should Be Collected in Disaster Settings to Assess the Long-Term Outcomes of Famine?

Evidence suggests that nutritional status during fetal development and early life leaves an imprint on the genome, which leads to health outcomes not only on a person as an adult but also on his offspring. The purpose of this study is to bring forth an overview of the relevant parameters that need to be collected to assess the long-term and transgenerational health outcomes of famine. A literature search was conducted for the most pertinent articles on the epigenetic effects of famine. The results were compiled, synthesized and discussed with an expert in genetics for critical input and validation. Prenatal and early life exposure to famine was associated with metabolic, cardiovascular, respiratory, reproductive, neuropsychiatric and oncologic diseases. We propose a set of parameters to be collected in disaster settings to assess the long-term outcomes of famine: PALTEM (parameters to assess long-term effects of malnutrition).

Relationship Between Breast Density and Selective Estrogen-Receptor Modulators, Aromatase Inhibitors, Physical Activity, and Diet: A Systematic Review

Background Lower breast density (BD) is associated with lower risk of breast cancer and may serve as a biomarker for the efficacy of chemopreventive strategies. This review explores parameters that are thought to be associated with lower BD. We conducted a systematic review of articles published to date using the PRISMA strategy. Articles that assessed change in BD with estrogen-receptor modulators (tamoxifene [TAM], raloxifene [RLX], and tibolone) and aromatase inhibitors (AIs), as well as cross-sectional and longitudinal studies (LSs) that assessed association between BD and physical activity (PA) or diet were reviewed. Results Ten studies assessed change in BD with TAM; all reported TAM-mediated BD decreases. Change in BD with RLX was assessed by 11 studies; 3 reported a reduction in BD. Effect of tibolone was assessed by 5 RCTs; only 1 reported change in BD. AI-mediated BD reduction was reported by 3 out of 10 studies. The association between PA and BD was assessed by 21 studies; 4 reported an inverse association. The relationship between diet and BD was assessed in 34 studies. All studies on calcium and vitamin D as well as vegetable intake reported an inverse association with BD in premenopausal women. Two RCTs demonstrated BD reduction with a low-fat, high-carbohydrate intervention. Conclusion TAM induces BD reduction; however, the effect of RLX, tibolone, and AIs on BD is unclear. Although data on association between diet and BD in adulthood are contradictory, intake of vegetables, vitamin D, and calcium appear to be associated with lower BD in premenopausal women.

Diet across the Lifespan and the Association with Breast Density in Adulthood

Studies have shown inconsistent results regarding the association between dietary factors across the lifespan and breast density and breast cancer in women. Breast density is a strong risk factor for breast cancer, and the mechanism through which it influences cancer risk remains unclear. Breast density has been shown to be modifiable, potentially through dietary modifications. The goal of this paper is to summarize the current studies on diet and diet-related factors across all ages, determine which dietary factors show the strongest association with breast density, the most critical age of exposure, and identify future directions. We identified 28 studies, many of which are cross-sectional, and found that the strongest associations are among vitamin D, calcium, dietary fat, and alcohol in premenopausal women. Longitudinal studies with repeated dietary measures as well as the examination of overall diet over time are needed to confirm these findings.