Adherence to Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH)-Style Diet and the Risk of Cancer: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Cohort Studies

Weight Loss Programs: Why Do They Fail? A Multidimensional Approach for Obesity Management

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

Despite the prevalence of weight loss programs, their success rates remain discouraging, with around half of individuals regaining lost weight within two years. The primary objective of this review is to explore the factors contributing to the failure of weight loss programs and to provide insights into effective weight management strategies.

RECENT FINDINGS

Factors contributing to the failure of weight loss programs include the impracticality of restrictive diets, potential metabolic impacts, limited focus on lifestyle changes, genetic predispositions, psychological influences, socioeconomic status, and medical conditions. A holistic approach considering these factors is crucial for safe and sustainable weight loss. Key findings indicate the importance of holistic approaches to weight management, including lifestyle modifications, medical interventions, and behavioral and psychological strategies. Effective weight loss strategies emphasize low-calorie, nutrient-rich diets, regular physical activity, and interventions tailored to individual needs. Combining multiple approaches offers the best chance of successful weight management and improved health outcomes. This review provides insights into the complexities of obesity management and the factors contributing to the failure of weight loss programs. It highlights the necessity of adopting a holistic approach that addresses dietary habits, physical activity, genetic factors, psychological well-being, and socioeconomic influences. Recommendations include implementing lifestyle modifications, medical interventions when necessary, and integrating behavioral and psychological support to achieve sustainable weight loss and mitigate the global health challenge posed by obesity.

Diet quality from mid to late life and its association with physical frailty in late life in a cohort of Chinese adults

BACKGROUND

It is unclear if improving diet quality after midlife could reduce the risk of physical frailty at late life. We aimed to associate changes in diet quality after midlife with physical frailty at late life.

METHODS

Diet quality in 12,580 participants from the Singapore Chinese Health Study was assessed with the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) scores at baseline (1993-1998; mean age 53 years) and follow-up 3 (2014-2016; mean age 73 years). Physical frailty was assessed using the modified Cardiovascular Health Study phenotype at follow-up 3. Multivariable logistic regressions examined associations between DASH scores and physical frailty.

RESULTS

Comparing participants in extreme quartiles of DASH scores, the odds ratios (OR) [95% confidence interval (CI)] for physical frailty were 0.85 (0.73,0.99) at baseline and 0.49 (0.41, 0.58) at follow-up 3. Compared to participants with consistently low DASH scores, participants with consistently high scores (OR 0.74, 95% CI: 0.59, 0.94) and those with > 10% increase in scores (OR 0.78, 95% CI: 0.64, 0.95) had lower odds of frailty. Compared to those in the lowest DASH tertiles at both time-points, significantly lower odds of physical frailty were observed in those who were in the highest DASH tertiles at both time points [0.59 (0.48, 0.73)], and in those who improved their scores from the lowest [0.68 (0.51, 0.91)] or second tertile at baseline [0.61 (0.48, 0.76)] to the highest tertile at follow-up 3.

CONCLUSIONS

Maintaining a high diet quality or a substantial improvement in diet quality after midlife could lower the risk of physical frailty at late life.

Mid-life adherence to the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) diet and late-life subjective cognitive complaints in women

INTRODUCTION

Evidence is limited on the role of mid-life Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) diet in late-life subjective cognitive complaints (SCCs).

METHODS

We included 5116 women (mean age in 1985-1991: 46 years) from the New York University Women's Health Study. SCCs were assessed from 2018 to 2020 (mean age: 79 years) by a 6-item questionnaire.

RESULTS

Compared to women in the bottom quartile of the DASH scores, the odds ratio (OR) for having two or more SCCs was 0.83 (95% confidence interval: 0.70-0.99) for women in the top quartile of DASH scores at baseline (P for trend = 0.019). The association was similar with multiple imputation and inverse probability weighting to account for potential selection bias. The inverse association was stronger in women without a history of cancer (P for interaction = 0.003).

DISCUSSION

Greater adherence to the DASH diet in mid-life was associated with lower prevalence of late-life SCCs in women.

Life's Essential 8: Optimizing Health in Older Adults

The population worldwide is getting older as a result of advances in public health, medicine, and technology. Older individuals are living longer with a higher prevalence of subclinical and clinical cardiovascular disease (CVD). In 2010, the American Heart Association introduced a list of key prevention targets, known as "Life's Simple 7" to increase CVD-free survival, longevity, and quality of life. In 2022, sleep health was added to expand the recommendations to "Life's Essential 8" (eat better, be more active, stop smoking, get adequate sleep, manage weight, manage cholesterol, manage blood pressure, and manage diabetes). These prevention targets are intended to apply regardless of chronologic age. During this same time, the understanding of aging biology and goals of care for older adults further enhanced the relevance of prevention across the range of functions. From a biological perspective, aging is a complex cellular process characterized by genomic instability, telomere attrition, loss of proteostasis, inflammation, deregulated nutrient-sensing, mitochondrial dysfunction, cellular senescence, stem cell exhaustion, and altered intercellular communication. These aging hallmarks are triggered by and enhanced by traditional CVD risk factors leading to geriatric syndromes (eg, frailty, sarcopenia, functional limitation, and cognitive impairment) which complicate efforts toward prevention. Therefore, we review Life's Essential 8 through the lens of aging biology, geroscience, and geriatric precepts to guide clinicians taking care of older adults.

Association between dietary approaches to stop hypertension eating pattern and lung cancer risk in 98,459 participants: results from a large prospective study

Background

Dietary approaches to stop hypertension (DASH) eating pattern is linked to anti-inflammatory responses and antioxidation, which overlap with the pathogenesis of lung cancer. However, there is insufficient epidemiological evidence to link this dietary pattern to lung cancer risk conclusively.

Aim

To determine if adherence to the DASH diet is linked to a lower risk of developing lung cancer in a large prospective study.

Methodology

The data of participants were retrieved from the Prostate, Lung, Colorectal, and Ovarian (PLCO) Cancer Screening Trial. A DASH score was calculated based on 8 dietary components to reflect adherence to DASH, with greater scores representing higher adherence. Three Cox proportional hazards models were constructed to analyze the association between DASH scores and lung cancer risk, including an unadjusted model and two adjusted models (model 1 for demographics and model 2 for fully confounding factors). A restricted cubic spline plot was utilized to illustrate the likelihood of developing lung cancer across the entire range of DASH scores. The association between each of the 8 DASH components and the risk of lung cancer was assessed separately. Several subgroup analyses were conducted to identify potential modifiers, and several sensitivity analyses were performed to verify the robustness of the findings.

Results

The study involved 98,459 individuals in total. The mean (standard deviation) DASH score was 24.00 (4.62) points, along with the mean follow-up period of 8.84 (1.94) years. Lung cancer was identified in 1642 cases over 869807.9 person-years of follow-up, and the overall incidence rate was 0.189 cases/100 person-years. Participants in the highest quartile in the fully adjusted model had a relatively decreased risk of developing lung cancer in comparison to those in the lowest quartile (HR_{quartile 4 versus 1}: 0.647; 95% CI: 0.557, 0.752; P_trend < 0.001). The restricted cubic spline plot demonstrated that DASH score and lung cancer risk were inversely associated and had a linear dose-response relationship (P_non-linear = 0.944). According to subgroup analyses, those who were current or former smokers had a stronger inverse connection than those who never smoked (P_interaction = 0.013). The results remained robust after several sensitivity analyses.

Conclusion

The risk of lung cancer was inversely associated with DASH scores in the US population. This suggests that following the DASH pattern can help prevent lung cancer, especially for current or former smokers. More epidemiological evidence from other regions and populations is needed to confirm our findings.

A longitudinal study of lifestyle behaviours in emerging adulthood and risk for symptoms of depression, anxiety, and stress

BACKGROUND

Little research has examined how lifestyle behaviours cluster together to contribute to mental health outcomes. The current study aimed to identify latent classes of emerging adult lifestyle behaviours (diet, physical activity, sedentary time, smoking, alcohol, cannabis, and other drug use) at age 20 years and their associations with depression, anxiety, and stress symptoms at age 22 and 27 years.

METHODS

Participants were 616 emerging adults enrolled in the Raine Study. Lifestyle classes at baseline were identified using latent class analysis. Longitudinal associations between latent class membership and risk of depression, anxiety, and stress symptoms were examined using logistic regression models.

RESULTS

Three lifestyle classes were identified: Class 1 (healthier pattern, n = 399 [64.8 %]), Class 2 (predominantly female, high substance-use, low physical activity pattern, n = 121 [19.6 %]), and Class 3 (predominantly male, high substance-use, poor diet pattern, n = 96 [15.6 %]). Following adjustment, Class 2 were at a higher risk of depression, anxiety, and stress symptoms at age 22 years, and a higher risk of anxiety and stress symptoms at age 27 years, compared to Class 1.

LIMITATIONS

This study was limited by reliance on self-report data, lack of available indicators for parental socioeconomic status, and some measurement inconsistencies across variables. Adherence to lifestyle clusters over time was not assessed.

CONCLUSIONS

Latent classes of lifestyle behaviours were identified among emerging adults, and differences in mental health outcomes were found among the classes at two prospective time points. Future research and prevention strategies for common mental disorders should target emerging adults and focus on lifestyle patterns.

Adherence to the DASH, MeDi, and MIND diet scores and the incidence of metabolically unhealthy phenotypes

BACKGROUND

A metabolically unhealthy phenotype is associated with the risk of cardiometabolic events and can be prevented by adherence to healthy dietary patterns. The present study was designed to investigate the association between high adherence to the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH), Mediterranean (MeDi), and Mediterranean-DASH intervention for neurodegenerative delay (MIND) diet scores and the incidence of metabolically unhealthy phenotypes in adults across body mass index (BMI) categories.

METHODS

In this cohort study, 512 subjects with metabolically healthy normal weight (MHNW) at baseline and 787 subjects with metabolically healthy overweight/obesity (MHOW/MHO) at baseline were included. Dietary intake was collected by a validated food frequency questionnaire, and DASH, MeDi, and MIND scores were calculated. The Joint Interim Statement (JIS) criteria were used to define a metabolically unhealthy status.

RESULTS

A total of 137 and 388 subjects with metabolically unhealthy normal weight (MUNW) and metabolically unhealthy overweight/obesity (MUOW/MUO) phenotypes, respectively, were observed, over a mean of 5.91 years of follow-up. The Cox proportional hazard regression indicated participants in the third tertile of the DASH score had a lower risk of the MUNW phenotype (HR: 0.59; 95% CI: 0.37-0.92) than those in the lowest tertile. Similarly, the highest adherence to the MeDi and MIND scores was also linked to a 46% (HR: 0.54; 95% CI: 0.36-0.81) and 47% (HR: 0.53; 95% CI: 0.34-0.83) lower risk of the MUNW phenotype, respectively. As well, there was an inverse relationship between the highest adherence to the DASH (HR: 0.66; 95% CI: 0.50-0.86), MeDi (HR: 0.74; 95% CI: 0.58-0.93), and MIND (HR: 0.57; 95% CI: 0.43-0.74) scores and the risk of MUOW/MUO. There was no interaction between age and the three dietary patterns in relation to a metabolically unhealthy phenotype.

CONCLUSION

High compliance with the DASH, MeDi, and MIND scores was associated with a lower risk of MUNW. An inverse relationship between these three dietary patterns and the incidence of the metabolically unhealthy phenotype was also observed in individuals who had MHOW/MHO at baseline.

A bibliometric analysis of Mediterranean diet on cancer from 2012 to 2021

Background

Numerous studies have demonstrated the value of the Mediterranean diet (MD) as a nutritious eating regimen for lowering the risk of cancer. This study aims to discuss the research patterns, existing state, and possible hotspots in implementing the MD for the prevention and treatment of cancer using bibliometrics.

Methods

The Web of Science Core Collection (WoSCC) was searched for articles on cancer that were related to the MD. CiteSpace, VOSviewer, Microsoft Excel 2019, and R software were utilized for bibliometric analysis and data visualization.

Results

There were 1,415 articles and reviews published from 2012 to 2021. Annual publication volume showed a continuous upward trend. Italy and Harvard University were the country and institution, respectively, with the highest number of publications on this topic. Nutrients ranked first in the number of documents, number of citations, and the H-index. James R. Hebert was the most productive writer, and Antonia Trichopoulou was the most co-cited author. "Alcohol consumption," "oleic acid," and "low density lipoprotein" were keywords used in earlier publications, while more recent hotspots focused on "gut microbiota," "older adult," and "polyphenol."

Conclusion

Over the past decade, research on the MD in the field of cancer has received increasing attention. To improve the level of evidence for the beneficial effects of the MD on a range of cancers, more research on molecular mechanisms and better clinical studies are required.

The relationship between Mediterranean-DASH diet intervention for the neurodegenerative delay (MIND) Diet and risk of breast Cancer: a case-control study among iranian adult women

BACKGROUND

choosing a healthier lifestyle and modifying dietary habits could prevent four million new people from developing cancer. Recently, a new index called the Mediterranean-dietary approach to stop hypertension (DASH) diet intervention for the neurodegenerative delay (MIND) diet has been developed. In the current study, we aimed to assess the relationship between the MIND diet and the risk of breast cancer (BC) among Tehranian adult women.

METHOD

In this hospital-based, case-control study, 134 Tehranian women ≥ 30 years old with recently (< 6 months) diagnosed BC, confirmed histologically and 272 women of the same age as control were included. Dietary intakes were assessed in a personal interview using a valid and reliable semi-quantitative 168-item food frequency questionnaire. The odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) of breast cancer across tertiles of the MIND diet were determined using multivariable-adjusted logistic regression analysis.

RESULTS

In the crude model, participants in the highest tertiles had lower odds of BC [(OR = 0.57; 95% CI,0.34-0.95), P for trend = 0.020)] than those with the lowest scores on the MIND diet. After controlling for potential confounding variables, individuals in the highest tertile of the MIND diet had a 45% lower risk of BC [(OR = 0.55; 95% CI, 0.32-0.96), P for trend = 0.021)] compared with those in the lowest tertile. Also, in women with an abortion history, higher adherence to the MIND diet was associated with a lower risk of BC [(OR = 0.15; 95% CI, 0.04-0.52, P for trend = 0.002)].

CONCLUSION

Our findings revealed that higher adherence to the MIND diet was associated with decreased BC risk, which was strongly observed among women with a history of abortion.

Association of Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension diet and risk of bladder cancer: A case-control study

OBJECTIVE

The Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) diet is rich in recommended foods that are inversely associated with bladder cancer (BC) risk. The main objective of this study was to investigate the association between adherence to DASH diet and the risk of BC among Iranian adults.

METHOD

This study included 103 BC cases and 200 controls. The controls were patients who were hospitalised for acute non-neoplastic diseases. DASH scores were computed from dietary intake assessed by a previously validated food frequency questionnaire.

RESULTS

After controlling for potential confounders, participants in the highest quintile of DASH (compared to the lowest quintile) had 84% lower BC risk (OR = 0.16; 95%CI: 0.05-0.45; p trend = 0.001). Among the DASH components, significant negative associations were observed between low fat dairy and whole grains intake with BC (p value < 0.05). A positive relation was observed for sodium, nuts and legumes, and sweetened beverages (p value < 0.05).

CONCLUSION

The results of this study suggested that adherence to DASH might be associated with reduced risk of BC. These findings could be used to develop evidence-based recommendations for the prevention of BC.

Consumption of “Diabetes Risk Reduction Diet” and Odds of Breast Cancer Among Women in a Middle Eastern Country

Background:

Given the role of insulin resistance in several cancers, we hypothesized that consumption of a diet that reduces insulin resistance might lower the risk of breast cancer.

Objective

The present study was designed to assess the association between consumption of “diabetes risk reduction diet” (DRRD) and odds of breast cancer among a large group of women in a Middle Eastern country.

Methods

This population-based case-control study enrolled 350 newly diagnosed cases of stage I-IV breast cancer and 700 age-matched apparently healthy individuals as controls. We collected dietary data via a validated 106-item Willett-format semi-quantitative dish-based food frequency questionnaire. A DRRD score was included based on 9 dietary factors (cereal fiber, coffee, nuts, whole fruits, ratio of polyunsaturated to saturated, trans fat, sugar-sweetened beverages, red and processed meat, and lower glycemic index). For food and nutrient items with a protective association with diabetes in earlier studies, participants were given the score as the quintile of that food item, but for food groups with unfavorable association with diabetes, we did vice versa. Total DRRD score ranged from 5 to 45.

Results

Mean age of cases and controls was 65.28 and 61.04 years. Mean BMI of patients with breast cancer and controls was 25.5 and 21.0. We found that individuals with the greatest adherence to the DRRD were 0.41 times less likely to have breast cancer than those with the lowest adherence (OR: 0.59; 95% CI: 0.38, 0.90, and P-trend = 0.002). Stratified analysis by menopausal status indicated a significant inverse relationship in postmenopausal women (OR: 0.57; 95% CI: 0.36–0.90), but not in premenopausal women (OR: 0.76; 95% CI: 0.19–2.96). Moreover, by BMI status, we found statistically significant inverse association between adherence to the DRRD and odds of breast cancer among normal-weight women (OR: 0.59; 95% CI: 0.36, 0.98) but not in overweight women (OR: 0.66; 95% CI: 0.31, 1.40). Conclusions: Significant inverse associations were found between adherence to DRRD and breast cancer, especially among postmenopausal and normal-weight women.

Association of smoking and polygenic risk with the incidence of lung cancer: a prospective cohort study

Background

Genetic variation increases the risk of lung cancer, but the extent to which smoking amplifies this effect remains unknown. Therefore, we aimed to investigate the risk of lung cancer in people with different genetic risks and smoking habits.

Methods

This prospective cohort study included 345,794 European ancestry participants from the UK Biobank and followed up for 7.2 [6.5–7.8] years.

Results

Overall, 26.2% of the participants were former smokers, and 9.8% were current smokers. During follow-up, 1687 (0.49%) participants developed lung cancer. High genetic risk and smoking were independently associated with an increased risk of incident lung cancer. Compared with never-smokers, HR per standard deviation of the PRS increase was 1.16 (95% CI, 1.11–1.22), and HR of heavy smokers (≥40 pack-years) was 17.89 (95% CI, 15.31–20.91). There were no significant interactions between the PRS and the smoking status or pack-years. Population-attributable fraction analysis showed that smoking cessation might prevent 76.4% of new lung cancers.

Conclusions

Both high genetic risk and smoking were independently associated with higher lung cancer risk, but the increased risk of smoking was much more significant than heredity. The combination of traditional risk factors and additional PRS provides realistic application prospects for precise prevention.

Genetic Risk and Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease Independently Predict the Risk of Incident Severe COVID-19

Rationale: Both genetic variants and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) contribute to the risk of incident severe coronavirus disease (COVID-19). Whether genetic risk of incident severe COVID-19 is the same regardless of preexisting COPD is unknown. Objectives: In this study, we aimed to investigate the potential interaction between genetic risk and COPD in relation to severe COVID-19. Methods: We constructed a polygenic risk score for severe COVID-19 by using 112 single-nucleotide polymorphisms in 430,582 participants from the UK Biobank study. We examined the associations of genetic risk and COPD with severe COVID-19 by using logistic regression models. Results: Of 430,582 participants, 712 developed severe COVID-19 as of February 22, 2021, of whom 19.8% had preexisting COPD. Compared with participants at low genetic risk, those at intermediate genetic risk (odds ratio [OR], 1.34; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.09-1.66) and high genetic risk (OR, 1.50; 95% CI, 1.18-1.92) had higher risk of severe COVID-19 (P for trend = 0.001), and the association was independent of COPD (P for interaction = 0.76). COPD was associated with a higher risk of incident severe COVID-19 (OR, 1.37; 95% CI, 1.12-1.67; P = 0.002). Participants at high genetic risk and with COPD had a higher risk of severe COVID-19 (OR, 2.05; 95% CI, 1.35-3.04; P < 0.001) than those at low genetic risk and without COPD. Conclusions: The polygenic risk score, which combines multiple risk alleles, can be effectively used in screening for high-risk populations of severe COVID-19. High genetic risk correlates with a higher risk of severe COVID-19, regardless of preexisting COPD.

Nutritional Interventions for Patients with Melanoma: From Prevention to Therapy-An Update

Melanoma is an aggressive skin cancer, whose incidence rates have increased over the past few decades. Risk factors for melanoma are both intrinsic (genetic and familiar predisposition) and extrinsic (environment, including sun exposure, and lifestyle). The recent advent of targeted and immune-based therapies has revolutionized the treatment of melanoma, and research is focusing on strategies to optimize them. Obesity is an established risk factor for several cancer types, but its possible role in the etiology of melanoma is controversial. Body mass index, body surface area, and height have been related to the risk for cutaneous melanoma, although an 'obesity paradox' has been described too. Increasing evidence suggests the role of nutritional factors in the prevention and management of melanoma. Several studies have demonstrated the impact of dietary attitudes, specific foods, and nutrients both on the risk for melanoma and on the progression of the disease, via the effects on the oncological treatments. The aim of this narrative review was to summarize the main literature results regarding the preventive and therapeutic role of nutritional schemes, specific foods, and nutrients on melanoma incidence and progression.

A case-control study of Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) diets, colorectal cancer and adenomas among Iranian population

Background and aims

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the third most common cancer, worldwide. Recently, much attention has been given to the association between Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) and CRC, however, data on colorectal adenomas (CRAs) as its precursor are scarce. Thus, the purpose of this case-control study was to investigate the association of DASH score with the risk of CRC and CRA in Iranian adults.

Method

A total of 499 participants, including 129 CRC and 130 CRA cases, along with 240 controls, were asked about their dietary intake via a validated questionnaire. The DASH score was then calculated based on a priori methods and categorized in quartiles. Multivariate logistic regression was performed to assess the association of DASH score and the risk of CRC and CRA.

Results

After adjusting for confounding variables, adherence to the DASH diet was associated with a reduction in the risk of CRC and CRA, respectively (OR of 4th versus 1st quartile = 0.04, 95% CI: 0.01–0.11, OR = 0.10, 95% CI: 0.04–0.22). Also, subgroup analysis based on gender showed that women and men with a higher DASH score had a significantly lower risk of CRC and CRAs.

Conclusion

The results of this study demonstrated that adherence to a DASH dietary pattern could reduce the risk of CRC and CRA in men and women. Promoting a DASH eating plan can be helpful in reducing the risk of CRC.

Adherence to the DASH Diet and Risk of Breast Cancer

BACKGROUND

The Dietary Approach to Stop Hypertension (DASH) eating pattern has been recommended as a healthy dietary plan by several international guidelines. However, data on the association between the DASH diet and breast cancer is limited. This study investigated the association between the DASH dietary pattern and risk of breast cancer.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

This is a hospital-based case-control study conducted between 2014 and 2016 in the Cancer Institute of Iran. Patients with histopathologically confirmed breast cancer were recruited. Controls were healthy subjects who were frequency matched to cases by residential place and age (±10 years). A validated 168-item Food Frequency Questionnaire was applied to assess the dietary intake of participants. Physical activity was assessed using the Global Physical Activity Questionnaire. The DASH dietary pattern scores were calculated using the method introduced by Fung. Unconditional logistic regression, in which potential confounders were taken into account, was applied to determine the association between adherence to the DASH dietary pattern and odds of breast cancer.

RESULTS

The study participants comprised 477 patients with breast cancer and 507 healthy controls. In the total population, patients with breast cancer were slightly older (45.9 vs. 43.9 years, P = .02), had slightly higher BMI (21.9 vs. 20.2, P = .01) and were less physically active (20 vs. 27 MET h/wk. P < .01) than controls. In Model A, which was adjusted for age and energy intake, adherence to the DASH dietary pattern substantially reduced breast cancer risk in the total population (OR for comparing extreme tertiles: 0.62; 95% CI 0.44-0.78; P_trend = 0.004). Even after controlling for more cofounders, greatest adherence to DASH diet was associated with a 34% reduction in risk of breast cancer (OR 0.66; 95% CI 0.46, 0.94; P_trend = 0.03). In premenopausal women, adherence to the DASH dietary pattern was insignificantly associated with a 32% reduction in breast cancer risk. This risk reduction was 38% in postmenopausal women, which was also not found to be significant CONCLUSION: Adherence to the DASH dietary pattern could be associated with an approximately 30% reduction in risk of breast cancer. However, further studies, in particular studies with prospective design, are required to confirm this claim.

Associations between initiating antihypertensive regimens on stage I-III colorectal cancer outcomes: A Medicare SEER cohort analysis

Purpose

Colorectal cancer (CRC) diagnosis is associated with high mortality in the United States and thus warrants the study of novel treatment approaches. Vascular changes are well observed in cancers and evidence indicates that antihypertensive (AH) medications may interfere with both tumor vasculature and in recruiting immune cells to the tumor microenvironment based on preclinical models. Extant literature also shows that AH medications are correlated with improved survival in some forms of cancer. Thus, this study sought to explore the impact of AH therapies on CRC outcomes.

Patients and Methods

This study was a non‐interventional, retrospective analysis of patients aged 65 years and older with CRC diagnosed from January 1, 2007 to December 31st, 2012 in the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End‐Results (SEER)‐Medicare database. The association between AH drug utilization on AJCC stage I–III CRC mortality rates in patients who underwent treatment for cancer was examined using Cox proportional hazards models.

Results

The study cohort consisted of 13,982 patients diagnosed with CRC. Adjusted Cox proportional hazards regression showed that among these patients, the use of AH drug was associated with decreased cancer‐specific mortality (HR: 0.79, 95% CI: 0.75–0.83). Specifically, ACE inhibitors (hazard ratio [HR]: 0.84, 95% CI: 0.80–0.87), beta‐blockers (HR: 0.87, 95% CI: 0.84–0.91), and thiazide diuretics (HR: 0.83, 95% CI: 0.80–0.87) were found to be associated with decreased mortality. An association was also found between adherence to AH therapy and decreased cancer‐specific mortality (HR: 0.94, 95% CI: 0.90–0.98).

Conclusion

Further research needs to be performed, but AH medications may present a promising, low‐cost pathway to supporting CRC treatment for stage I–III cancers.

Dietary patterns and biomarkers of oxidative stress and inflammation: A systematic review of observational and intervention studies

INTRODUCTION

Oxidative stress and inflammation are known to play a critical role in ageing and chronic disease development and could therefore represent important targets for developing dietary strategies for disease prevention. We aimed to systematically review the results from observational studies and intervention trials published in the last 5 years on the associations between dietary patterns and biomarkers of oxidative stress and inflammation.

METHODS

A systematic search of the PubMed, MEDLINE and Web of Science (January 2015 to October 2020) was conducted following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. Methodological quality of selected studies was evaluated based on the NUTRIGRADE and BIOCROSS assessment tools.

RESULTS

In total, 29 studies among which 16 observational studies and 13 intervention studies were found eligible for review. Overall, results indicated an inverse association between plant-based diets - the Mediterranean and Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) diet - and oxidative stress and proinflammatory biomarkers. In observational studies, inverse associations were further revealed for the vegetarian diet, the USDA Healthy Eating Index (HEI) - based diet and the paleolithic diet, whereas a positive association was seen for western and fast food diets. Quality assessment suggested that majority of dietary intervention studies (n = 12) were of low to moderate quality.

CONCLUSIONS

This study provides evidence that the plant-based dietary patterns are associated with lowered levels of oxidative stress and inflammation and may provide valid means for chronic disease prevention. Future large-scale intervention trials using validated biomarkers are warranted to confirm these findings.

Optimal Diet Strategies for Weight Loss and Weight Loss Maintenance

Obesity has become one of the most important public health problems worldwide, which suggests the need for evidence-based dietary strategies for weight loss and its maintenance. Weight management depends upon complex factors such as amount of food eaten, type of food eaten, and timing of meals. In this review, we identified evidence-based dietary strategies for weight management based on these three components. An energy deficit is the most important factor in weight loss. A low-calorie diet with a low fat or carbohydrate content has been recommended; however, in some cases, a very-low-calorie diet is required for a short period. Some macronutrient composition-based diets, such as the ketogenic diet or high-protein diet, could be considered in some cases, although the potential risks and long-term effectiveness remain unknown. Meal timing is also an important factor in weight management, and higher-calorie breakfasts in combination with overnight fasting may help to prevent obesity. Our review indicated that there is no single best strategy for weight management. Hence, strategies for weight loss and its maintenance should be individualized, and healthcare providers must choose the best strategy based on patient preferences.

Food, Nutrition, Physical Activity and Microbiota: Which Impact on Lung Cancer?

Lung cancer still represents the leading cause of cancer-related death, globally. Likewise, malnutrition and inactivity represent a major risk for loss of functional pulmonary capacities influencing overall lung cancer severity. Therefore, the adhesion to an appropriate health lifestyle is crucial in the management of lung cancer patients despite the subtype of cancer. This review aims to summarize the available knowledge about dietary approaches as well as physical activity as the major factors that decrease the risk towards lung cancer, and improve the response to therapies. We discuss the most significant dietary schemes positively associated to body composition and prognosis of lung cancer and the main molecular processes regulated by specific diet schemes, functional foods and physical activity, i.e., inflammation and oxidative stress. Finally, we report evidence demonstrating that dysbiosis of lung and/or gut microbiome, as well as their interconnection (the gut–lung axis), are strictly related to dietary patterns and regular physical activity playing a key role in lung cancer formation and progression, opening to the avenue of modulating the microbiome as coadjuvant therapy. Altogether, the evidence reported in this review highlights the necessity to consider non-pharmacological interventions (nutrition and physical activity) as effective adjunctive strategies in the management of lung cancer.

Deteriorated Dietary Patterns with Regards to Health and Environmental Sustainability among Hungarian Roma Are Not Differentiated from Those of the General Population

Nutritional epidemiology studies on Roma people are scarce and, to date, their nutrient-based dietary patterns with regards to both healthy and sustainable dietary considerations have never been reported. We report, for the first time, adherence to healthy and sustainable dietary patterns using scoring and regression models, based on recommendations defined by the World Health Organization, in the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) study and the EAT-Lancet report, as well as dietary quality based on Dietary Inflammatory Index (DII) among the Hungarian Roma (HR) population living in North East Hungary, with Hungarian general (HG) adults as reference. Data were obtained from a complex, comparative health survey involving dietary assessment, structured questionnaire-based interview, physical and laboratory examinations on 359 HG and 344 HR subjects in Northeast Hungary. Poisson regressions were fit to models that included DASH, EAT, DII and Healthy Diet Indicator as dependent variables to assess the influence of ethnicity on healthy and sustainable nutrient-based patterns. Adjusted models controlled for all relevant covariates using the residual method indicated poor dietary quality with regards to the selected dietary patterns. These associations were not ethnicity-sensitive, except for DII, where Roma ethnicity was linked to a decrease of DII score (β = −0.455, 95%CI: −0.720; −0.191, p < 0.05). Currently, HR dietary patterns appear to be relatively unhealthy and unsustainable, rendering them vulnerable to elevated risk of ill-health. Nevertheless, their dietary patterns did not strongly differ from HG, which may contribute to Hungarians being one of the most obese and malnourished nations in Europe. Further prospective research on the potential public and environmental health effects of these findings is warranted.

Nutrition as a Key Modifiable Factor for Periodontitis and Main Chronic Diseases

Nutrition is recognized as an essential component in the prevention of a number of chronic diseases, including periodontal disease. Based on these considerations, a better understanding is required regarding how the diet, and more particularly the intake of macronutrients and micronutrients, could impact the potential relationship between nutrition and periodontal diseases, periodontal diseases and chronic diseases, nutrition and chronic diseases. To overcome this complexity, an up-to-date literature review on the nutriments related to periodontal and chronic diseases was performed. High-sugar, high-saturated fat, low-polyols, low-fiber and low-polyunsaturated-fat intake causes an increased risk of periodontal diseases. This pattern of nutrients is classically found in the Western diet, which is considered as an ‘unhealthy’ diet that causes cardiovascular diseases, diabetes and cancers. Conversely, low-sugar, high-fiber and high-omega-6-to-omega-3 fatty acid ratio intake reduces the risk of periodontal diseases. The Mediterranean, DASH, vegetarian and Okinawa diets that correspond to these nutritional intakes are considered as ‘healthy’ diets, reducing this risk of cardiovascular diseases, diabetes and cancers. The role of micronutrients, such as vitamin D, E, K and magnesium, remains unclear, while others, such as vitamin A, B, C, calcium, zinc and polyphenols have been shown to prevent PDs. Some evidence suggests that probiotics and prebiotics could promote periodontal health. Periodontal and chronic diseases share, with a time delay, nutrition as a risk factor. Thus, any change in periodontal health should be considered as a warning signal to control the dietary quality of patients and thus reduce the risk of developing chronic diseases later on.

Association of dietary approaches to stop hypertension eating style and risk of sarcopenia

The association between habitual intake of the “dietary approaches to stop hypertension” (DASH) eating plan and sarcopenia has received limited attention. The present study aimed to investigate the association between adherence to DASH dietary pattern and sarcopenia and its components including muscle mass, muscle strength, and muscle performance among community-dwelling older adults population. This population-based cross-sectional study was performed in 2011 among 300 older people (150 men and 150 women) aged ≥ 55 years, who were selected using cluster random sampling method. Dietary intake of study participants were examined by the use of a Block-format 117-item food frequency questionnaire (FFQ). The DASH score was constructed based on eight main foods and nutrients emphasized or minimized in the DASH diet. All components of sarcopenia was measured using standard protocols and sarcopenia was defined based on both former and new European Working Group on Sarcopenia in Older People (EWGSOP) guidelines. Mean age and BMI of study participants were 66.7 ± 7.7 years and 27.3 ± 4.2 kg/m², respectively. Totally, 31 individuals meet the criteria of EWGSOP2-sarcopenia. We found no significant association between adherence to the DASH diet and EWGSOP2-sarcopenia either before (OR 1.08; 95% CI 0.45–2.54) or after adjustment for potential confounders (OR 1.04; 95% CI 0.39–2.75). The same findings were obtained in the gender-stratified analyses (men: OR 2.29; 95% CI 0.39–13.29 and women: 0.75; 95% CI 0.23–2.45). In conclusion, we found that adherence to the DASH-style diet was not significantly associated with odds of sarcopenia. Future prospective studies are required to confirm these findings.

Effects of the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) on Pregnancy/Neonatal Outcomes and Maternal Glycemic Control: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis of Randomized Clinical Trials

BACKGROUND & OBJECTIVE

No systematic review to date has appraised the impact of the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) eating plan on maternal glycemic control and pregnancy outcomes. Thus, we conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized clinical trials (RCTs) to ascertain whether the DASH diet in pregnant women ameliorates their glycemic control and neonatal outcomes when compared to standard diets.

METHODS

We performed a comprehensive systematic review and meta-analysis of RCTs on PubMed/MEDLINE, Web of Science, SCOPUS, and Embase from the inception until October 2019.

RESULTS

Six studies met the eligibility criteria and were included in the quantitative meta-analysis. The pregnant women had cardiometabolic disorders such as gestational diabetes, obesity, and hypertension. The meta-analysis suggested a significant effect of DASH diet on fasting plasma levels of glucose (WMD = -6.239 mg/dl; 95% CI: -11.915, -0.563, p = 0.031), but not for the homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance (WMD = -1.038; 95% CI: -2.704, 0.627, p = 0.22). Following the DASH diet during pregnancy decreased the risk of gestational preeclampsia (RR = 0.667; 95% CI: 0.451, 0.987, p = 0.043), macrosomia (birth weight >4000 g) (RR = 0.294; 95% CI: 0.120, 0.721, p = 0.043), and large for gestational age (RR = 0.452; 95% CI: 0.211, 0.969, p = 0.041). Consuming DASH diet during pregnancy neither increased nor decreased the risk of cesarean section, polyhydramnios, preterm birth (<37 weeks), and small for gestational age. The mean newborn head circumference (cm) (WMD = -0.807; 95% CI: -1.283, -0.331, p = 0.001) and ponderal index (kg/m³) (RR = -0.396; 95% CI: -0.441, -0.350, p = 0.000) in the group receiving the DASH diet were lower than in the control group.

CONCLUSION

The adherence of pregnant women with cardiometabolic disorders to DASH eating pattern has a significant effect on decreasing fasting plasma glucose levels, ponderal index, incidence of preeclampsia, fetal macrosomia, large for gestational age, and newborn head circumference.

How to protect both health and food system sustainability? A holistic 'global health'-based approach via the 3V rule proposal

OBJECTIVE

To define a generic diet to protect human health and food system sustainability based on three dimensions: animal:plant ratio, degree of food processing and food diversity.

DESIGN/SETTING

The percentages of maximum animal and ultra-processed energy content were evaluated from scientific papers (Web of Science database) and reports from international scientific institutions. Then, a weekly French standard diet, including these percentages and food diversity (≥42 different foods), was designed to calculate adequacy to nutritional needs.

RESULTS

Based on traditional and scientifically based healthy diets, and on foresight scenarios for sustainable diets at horizon 2050, a median daily animal energy content intake of 15 % was found to be protective towards both human health and environment. Based on epidemiological studies associating ultra-processed energy consumption with increased overweight/obesity risk, a precautionary threshold of approximately 15 % ultra-processed energy content was observed. The French diet allows addressing all nutritional needs and other nutritional indicators such as maximum salt and simple sugar consumption, α-linolenic acid:linoleic acid ratio and essential amino acids. This diet was named the '3V rule' for Végétal (plant), Vrai (real) and Varié (varied, if possible organic, local and seasonal). This generic diet can be adapted according to regional traditions and environmental characteristics. Excluding only one dimension of it would threaten both health and food system sustainability.

CONCLUSIONS

Tending towards a 3V-based diet, while respecting local constraints, should allow preserving human health, environment (greenhouse gas emissions, pollution, deforestation, etc.), small farmers, animal welfare and biodiversity, culinary traditions and socioeconomics (including an alleviation of public health cost).

Defining diet quality: a synthesis of dietary quality metrics and their validity for the double burden of malnutrition

Achieving most of the UN Sustainable Development Goals requires a strong focus on addressing the double burden of malnutrition, which includes both diet-related maternal and child health (MCH) and non-communicable diseases (NCDs). Although, the most optimal dietary metric for assessing malnutrition remains unclear. Our aim was to review available global dietary quality metrics (hereafter referred to as dietary metrics) and evidence for their validity to assess MCH and NCD outcomes, both separately and together. A systematic search of PubMed was done to identify meta-analyses or narrative reviews evaluating validity of diet metrics in relation to nutrient adequacy or health outcomes. We identified seven dietary metrics aiming to address MCH and 12 for NCDs, no dietary metrics addressed both together. Four NCD dietary metrics (Mediterranean Diet Score, Alternative Healthy Eating Index, Healthy Eating Index, and Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension) had convincing evidence of protective associations with specific NCD outcomes, mainly mortality, cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, and total cancer. The remaining NCD dietary metrics and all MCH dietary metrics were not convincingly validated against MCH or NCD health outcomes. None of the dietary metrics had been validated against both MCH and NCD outcomes. These findings highlight major gaps in assessing and addressing diet to achieve global targets and effective policy action.

Dietary Diversity and Prostate Cancer in a Spanish Adult Population: CAPLIFE Study

Dietary diversity (DD) is a key component of a high-quality diet, providing the adequate nutrient requirements. However, the role of DD on prostate cancer (PCa) is still uncertain. The aim of this study was to evaluate the relationship between DD, adequate nutrient intake and PCa, according to the aggressiveness of the tumor. The CAPLIFE (CAP: prostate cancer; LIFE: lifestyles) study is a population-based case-control study including a total of 402 incident PCa cases and 302 controls. The DD score (DDS), adjusted by total energy intake, was collected through a validated food frequency questionnaire. Nutrient adequacy was defined according to European Dietary Recommendation Intake for men. The aggressiveness of PCa was determined according to the International Society of Urology Pathology classification. The association between DDS, nutrient intake and PCa was assessed by logistic regression models with adjustment for potential confounding factors. DDS was similar for PCa cases and controls, independent of PCa aggressiveness. According to each food group DDS, the protein group showed the highest mean score in all the subgroups analyzed. However, no differences were observed for each of the DDS components. The DDS, the variety of the group's food intake, and the adequate nutrient intake, were not associated with PCa.

Adherence to the dietary approaches to stop hypertension (DASH) diet in relation to all-cause and cause-specific mortality: a systematic review and dose-response meta-analysis of prospective cohort studies

Background

Although previous investigations have proposed an association between Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH)-style diet and lower mortality from chronic diseases, the exposure-response relationship is not clear. The present systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to explore the linear and non-linear dose-response association between adherence to the DASH diet and all-cause and cause-specific mortality.

Methods

Database search was performed in PubMed, Scopus, and EMBASE for prospective cohort studies investigating the association between adherence to the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) diet and risk of mortality. Summary hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) were estimated with the use of a random-effects model for the linear and nonlinear relationships. The two-stage hierarchical regression model was applied to test the potential non-linear dose-response associations.

Results

The inclusion criteria were met by 17 studies (13 publications). The scores reported for adherence to the DASH diet in different studies were converted to a conventional scoring method in which the adherence score might range between 8 to 40. The linear analysis revealed that summary HRs were 0.95 (95% CI: 0.94–0.96, I² = 91.6%, n = 14) for all-cause, 0.96 (95% CI: 0.95–0.98, I² = 82.4%, n = 12) for CVD, 0.97 (95% CI: 0.96–0.98, I² = 0.00%, n = 2) for stroke, and 0.97 (95% CI: 0.95–0.98, I² = 63.7%, n = 12) for cancer mortality per each 5-point increment of adherence to the DASH diet. There was also evidence of non-linear associations between the DASH diet and all-cause and cause-specific mortality as the associations became even more evident when the adherence scores were more than 20 points (P < 0.005).

Conclusion

Even the modest adherence to the DASH diet is associated with a lower risk of all-cause and cause-specific mortality. The higher adherence to the diet also strengthens the risk-reducing association.

Registration

This review was registered in the international prospective register of systematic reviews (PROSPERO) database (registration ID: CRD42018086500).

Mediating-Moderating Effect of Allostatic Load on the Association between Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension Diet and All-Cause and Cause-Specific Mortality: 2001-2010 National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys

This secondary analysis of survey data examined mediating-moderating effects of allostatic load score (calculated using the Rodriquez method) on the association between nutrient-based Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) diet score (Mellen Index) and the all-cause and cause-specific mortality risks among 11,630 adults ≥ 30 years of age from the 2001-2010 National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys with no history of cardiovascular disease or cancer at baseline, and who were followed-up for ~9.35 years. Multivariable models were adjusted for demographic, socioeconomic, lifestyle, and health characteristics. All-cause, cardiovascular disease, and cancer-specific mortality rates were estimated at 6.5%, 1.1%, and 1.9%, respectively. The median DASH total score was 3.0 (range: 1-8) (with 78.3% scoring < 4.5), whereas the median allostatic load score was 3 (range: 0-9). The DASH diet, fiber, and magnesium were negatively correlated with allostatic load, whereas allostatic load predicted higher all-cause mortality, irrespective of the DASH diet. Whereas protein was protective, potassium increased all-cause mortality risk, irrespective of allostatic load. Potassium was protective against cardiovascular disease-specific mortality but was a risk factor for cancer-specific mortality. Although no moderating effects were observed, mediation by the allostatic load on cardiovascular disease-specific mortality was observed for DASH total score and selected component scores. Direct (but not indirect) effects of DASH through the allostatic load were observed for all-cause mortality, and no direct or indirect effects were observed for cancer-specific mortality. From a public health standpoint, the allostatic load may be a surrogate for the preventive effects of the DASH diet and its components on cardiovascular disease-specific mortality risk.