Potato Consumption Is not Associated with Higher Risk of Mortality: A Longitudinal Study among Southern Italian Older Adults

Association between liver steatosis, fibrosis, and the onset of type 2 diabetes in overweight individuals: A fibroscan-based study in Southern Italy

OBJECTIVE

This study aims to explore the association between liver steatosis and fibrosis, as assessed by Fibroscan, and the onset of type 2 diabetes in overweight, medication-free men and women.

METHODS

We analyzed data from 164 participants with overweight or obesity (41.4 % male), including 39 individuals (23.8 %) with type 2 diabetes. All participants underwent Fibroscan to evaluate liver steatosis (CAP > 275 dBm) and fibrosis (liver stiffness > 8.2 kPa). Diabetes was diagnosed using fasting glucose, 2-hour glucose tolerance test (OGTT), and HbA1c levels.

RESULTS

Liver steatosis was significantly more prevalent in individuals with diabetes (89.7 % vs 52 %, P < 0.001). Liver fibrosis was observed in 35.9 % of subjects with diabetes (vs 13.6 %, P = 0.002). Mean CAP (P < 0.001) and kPA (P = 0.006) values were significantly higher in the group with diabetes. Significant associations between CAP (MD: 30.87, P = 0.009) and liver stiffness (MD: 2.454, P = 0.006) with diabetes were found, independent of other variables. Additionally, liver steatosis was independently associated with elevated HOMA-IR levels (P = 0.001).

CONCLUSION

Elevated liver steatosis and fibrosis are both linked to type 2 diabetes, independent of traditional risk factors. These findings support screening for diabetes in individuals with significant steatosis and fibrosis and vice versa.

Current intake levels of potatoes and all-cause mortality in China: A population-based nationwide study

OBJECTIVE

Current levels of potato consumption in relation to mortality in Chinese people remains unknown. The aim of this study was to investigate the intakes of total potatoes, fried potatoes, non-fried potatoes, and sweet potatoes as dietary carbohydrate sources in relation to all-cause mortality in the China Health and Nutrition Survey (CHNS).

METHODS

Overall 14 117 participants ≥20 y of age were included, with a median follow-up of 14 y. The cumulative average consumption of potatoes and other foods were calculated and validated using weighing methods in combination with 3-d, 24-h dietary recalls at both household and individual levels. Hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were estimated using Cox proportional hazards regression models after multivariate adjustment.

RESULTS

We documented 1007 deaths among the participants. The low and moderate intakes of total potatoes, fried potatoes, and non-fried potatoes were inversely associated with mortality. Compared with non-consumers, the intakes of total potatoes (HR, 0.48; 95% CI, 0.38-0.59), fried potatoes (HR, 0.44; 95% CI, 0.34-0.56), and non-fried potatoes (HR, 0.47; 95% CI, 0.37-0.61) at low consumption levels were most significantly related to lower mortality. Sweet potato consumption was inversely associated with mortality after full adjustment (HR, 0.82; 95% CI, 0.69-0.96) compared with non-consumers. Substituting grains and mixed beans for potatoes with equal amounts at high consumption levels strengthened the inverse associations.

CONCLUSION

In the CHNS, current low and moderate, but not high levels of total potato and fried/non-fried potato consumption as well as sweet potato consumption were inversely associated with all-cause mortality among Chinese people.

Potatoes and risk of chronic disease: a systematic review and dose-response meta-analysis

PURPOSE

We aimed to synthesize the evidence on the relation between different types of potato consumption with risk of all-cause mortality, coronary heart disease (CHD), stroke, type 2 diabetes (T2D), colorectal cancer (CRC), and hypertension.

METHODS

Systematic searches until May 2018 were conducted in PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science. Random effects meta-analyses comparing extreme categories, linear and non-linear dose-response analyses were conducted.

RESULTS

Twenty-eight reports were identified. Only total potato consumption was available for some endpoints which showed no associations with all-cause mortality (RR: 0.88, 95% CI 0.69-1.12), CHD (RR: 1.03, 95% CI 0.96-1.09), stroke (RR: 0.98, 95% CI 0.93-1.03), and CRC (RR: 1.05, 95% CI 0.92-1.20) per one daily/serving (150 g/day) increase. Consumption of one daily serving of boiled/baked/mashed-potatoes was not associated with risk of hypertension (RR: 1.08, 95% CI 0.96-1.21), but slightly with the risk of T2D (RR: 1.09, 95% 1.01-1.18). Positive associations for the risk of T2D (RR: 1.66, 95% CI 1.43-1.94) and hypertension (RR: 1.37, 95% CI 1.15-1.63) were observed for each 150 g/day increase in French-fries consumption. The quality of evidence was rated mostly low (moderate quality of evidence for the risk-associations of French-fries).

CONCLUSION

Total potato consumption is not related to risk for many chronic diseases but could pose a small increase in risk for T2D if consumed boiled. A clear risk relation was found between French-fries consumption and risk of T2D and hypertension. For several outcomes, the impact of different preparation procedures could not be assessed.

Potato consumption and risk of all cause, cancer and cardiovascular mortality: a systematic review and dose-response meta-analysis of prospective cohort studies

A systematic review and meta-analysis of prospective cohort studies was conducted to examine the association of potato consumption and risk of all-cause, cancer and cardiovascular mortality in adults. We searched PubMed, Scopus databases up to September 2018 for all relevant published papers. All analyses were performed on HRs or RRs and 95% CIs. In twenty prospective studies, 25,208 cases were reported for all-cause mortality, 4877 for cancer mortality and 2366 for CVD mortality. No significant association was found between potato consumption and risk of all-cause (0.90; 95% CI: 0.8, 1.02, p = 0.096) and cancer (1.09; 95% CI: 0.96, 1.24, P = 0.204) mortality. In addition, no significant linear association was found between each 100 g/d increments in potato consumption and risk of all-cause (P = 0.7) and cancer (P = 0.09) mortality. Moreover, nonlinear association between potato consumption and risk of cancer mortality was non-significant (P-nonlinearity = 0.99). In addition, two of three studies which examined the association of potato consumption with CVD mortality did not find any significant relationship. There was no evidence for publication bias in this study. We failed to find significant association between potato consumption and risk of mortality. Further studies are required to confirm this issue.