Cohort Profile: The Cohort of Universities of Minas Gerais (CUME)

Risk and protective factors for Long COVID in Brazilian adults (CUME Study)

Background

Most people recover from COVID-19, however, between 5 to 20% have experienced new, recurring, or continuous health problems four or more weeks after being infected, a phenomenon called Long COVID, and whose reasons for its manifestation are incipient. Our objective was to analyse the risk and protective factors for Long COVID in Brazilian adults participating in the CUME Study.

Methods

The CUME Study is a prospective cohort conducted with graduates from federal universities in the State of Minas Gerais, Brazil. In this study, 390 participants who answered the baseline questionnaire in 2016 and the third follow-up questionnaire in 2022 (which contained a block of questions about occurrence of COVID-19 and Long COVID) were included. The diagnosis of Long COVID was based on self-reporting of persistence of signs and symptoms of COVID-19 between 30 days and 6 months after remission of the disease. To estimate the risk and protective factors for Long COVID, a hierarchical multivariate statistical analysis was conducted using the Poisson regression technique.

Results

Long COVID was observed in 48.9% of the participants. The following characteristics were identified as risk factors for the outcome: female sex (RR = 1.56; 95% CI = 1.22-1.99); prior diagnosis of hypertension (RR = 1.46; 95% CI = 1.19-1.80); having contracted COVID-19 in the first (RR =1.38; 95% CI = 1.07-1.79) or in the second waves (RR = 1.33; 95% CI = 1.07-1.65) of the pandemic period; and having presented three or more signs and symptoms during the acute phase of COVID-19 (RR = 2.99; 95% CI = 1.08-8.24). On the other hand, having a doctoral/postdoctoral educational level (RR = 0.69; 95% CI = 0.50-0.94) was identified as a protective factor for the outcome.

Conclusion

Health system managers and healthcare professionals should be aware of the socioeconomic profile and disease history of patients who have had COVID-19 because women, people with a prior diagnosis of hypertension, and those who manifested multiple signs and symptoms of COVID-19 during the acute phase of the disease were at greater risk of developing Long COVID.

Fatty acid intake and prevalence of depression among Brazilian graduates and postgraduates (CUME Study)

BACKGROUND

Dietary fatty acids are related to the development of several inflammatory-related diseases, which may include depression. So, the association between fatty acids, culinary oils and fat intake and depression in highly educated Brazilians was evaluated.

METHODS

Multicenter cross-sectional study using baseline data from the Cohort of Universities of Minas Gerais. The diagnosis of depression was self-reported, and the daily intake of fatty acids was assessed using a 144-item food frequency questionnaire (FFQ).

RESULTS

A total of 7157 participants (68.83 % women) with a median age of 33 years were included. The prevalence of depression was 12.60 % (N = 902). In the adjusted analyses, it was observed that individuals with the highest intake of omega-6 fatty acids (n-6) (OR: 1.36, 95 % CI 1.11-1.67) had a higher prevalence of depression. This increased n-6 intake was identified as a risk factor for depression only among male participants, while among overweight participants, higher n-6 intake was also positively associated with depression. Conversely, a higher ratio of polyunsaturated to monounsaturated and saturated fatty acids (PM/S) was also found to be positively associated with depression, but this association was observed only among non-overweight participants. No associations were found between the consumption of culinary oils or fats and depression.

LIMITATIONS

Cross-sectional design limits the assessment of causality. The use of the FFQ can make estimates more difficult.

CONCLUSION

Higher consumption of n-6, and higher PM/S ratios were associated with depression, and individual factors can interfere. The mental health care policies should include specific nutritional strategies.

30-Year High Cardiovascular Risk Incidence and its Determinants: CUME Study

OBJECTIVE

Estimate the incidence of the 30-year high cardiovascular risk and its determinants among graduates of federal universities in Minas Gerais.

METHODS

This is a prospective cohort of 2,854 adults aged 20 to 59. The incidence of the outcome was calculated using the Framingham equation and its determinants were determined through multivariate Cox regression.

RESULTS

After an average of 2.62 years, the incidence of high cardiovascular risk was 8.09 and 20.1 cases per 1,000 person-years, for females and males respectively. Being male (HR: 2.34; 95% CI: 1.58 - 3.46), employment (HR: 2.13; 95% CI: 1.13 - 3.99), high consumption of processed foods (HR: 2.44; 95% CI: 1.21 - 4.90), and being physically active (HR: 0.63; 95% CI: 0.41 - 0.98) were associated with high cardiovascular risk.

CONCLUSIONS

Among highly educated adults, being male, employment, and high consumption of processed foods are predictors of high cardiovascular risk, while being physically active acts as a protective factor.

Higher caffeine consumption is associated with insufficient sleep time in Brazilian adults (CUME study)

We aimed to evaluate the association between caffeine intake and sleep time in Brazilian adults. This cross-sectional study was conducted with 6,356 participants from the Cohort of Universities of Minas Gerais (CUME Study). Data was collected through an online self-report questionnaire. Of the total, 31.9% of the participants had insufficient sleep. Women were found to sleep less than men (64.1 vs. 35.9%; p < 0.001), as well as being more likely to consume higher doses of caffeine (55.2%, p < 0.001). Coffee (35.7%), dark chocolate (25.2%), milk chocolate (15.2%), and diet soda (11.0%) were the foods that more contributed to caffeine intake. Individuals in the highest quartile of caffeine intake (87.0 - 572.0 mg/day) had a 19% higher prevalence of insufficient sleep compared with the lowest quartile (PR: 1.19; 95%CI: 1.08 - 1.31). Future studies are needed to investigate the genetic and hormonal factors involved in the interindividual response in this population.

Association between total dietary antioxidant capacity and food groups and incidence of depression in a cohort of Brazilian graduates (CUME Project)

This study aims to evaluate the association between Dietary Total Antioxidant Capacity (dTAC) and Total Antioxidant Capacity of food groups (fgTAC) with the incidence of depression in Brazilian graduates participating in the Cohort of Universities of Minas Gerais (CUME Study). The sample consisted of 2572 participants without a medical diagnosis of depression at baseline who responded to at least one follow-up questionnaire from the CUME Project. The Ferric Reducing Antioxidant Power assay was used to determine dTAC. Incidence of depression was estimated by self-reported medical diagnosis of depression during the years of cohort follow-up. Cox regression models were used to relate dTAC and fgTAC to the incidence of depression. The mean follow-up time was 2·96 (1·00) years, and 246 cases of depression were observed (32·3/1000 person-years). The mean dTAC was 11·03 (4·84) mmol/d. We found no associations between higher dTAC and lower risk of developing depression after adjusting for possible confounders. The incidence of depression was inversely associated with fgTAC of the beans and lentils group (hazard ratio (HR): 0·61; 95 % CI 0·41, 0·90). The fgTAC of the junk food group was positively associated with higher incidence of depression after all adjustments (HR: 1·57; 95 % CI 1·08, 2·26). Our findings do not support an association between dTAC and the incidence of depression in a highly educated Brazilian population. However, associations of fgTAC show the importance of analysing the food matrix in which these antioxidants are inserted. We highlight the need for more prospective studies with different nationalities to confirm these results.

Low polyphenol intake among highly scholarity population: CUME cohort

In the absence of a recommendation for daily intake of phenolic compounds, to compare the intake of the main dietary polyphenols between populations is a really challenge. This study aimed to estimate the total dietary intake of polyphenols, classes and their food sources among Brazilian graduates and postgraduates. This was a cross-sectional study using baseline data from the Cohort of Universities of Minas Gerais (CUME project). Food consumption was assessed using a quantitative food frequency questionnaire with 144 food items. Polyphenol intake was estimated from the Phenol-Explorer and US Department of Agriculture database, and previous studies that evaluated the phenolic content of specific foods. A total of 4130 individuals of both sexes with a median age of 34 (18-86) years old were finally included. The median intake of total polyphenols adjusted for energy was 753.41 mg/day (interquartile range - IQR=461.80; p<0.001), and the most consumed classes were phenolic acids and flavonoids, with median intakes of 552.30 mg/d (IQR=429.78; p<0.001) and 154.70 mg/day (IQR=108.70; p<0.001), respectively. The main food sources of polyphenols were coffee, peanuts, beans, and fruits. A lower intake of total polyphenols and their classes was observed in a population with similar characteristics to those from developed countries. The results demonstrate the importance of disseminating nutritional information about foods, so that the consumption of natural foods is prioritized. New studies that evaluate the consumption of polyphenols and their impact on human health are recommended to establish a daily recommendation for the consumption of such compounds.

The 30-year cardiovascular risk trajectories and their independently associated factors in participants of a Brazilian cohort (CUME Study)

We aimed to analyze the different trajectories of 30-year cardiovascular risk (CVR) and its independently associated factors in participants of the CUME Study, a prospective study with alumni from federal universities of Minas Gerais State, Brazil. In this study, 1,286 participants who answered the baseline (2016) and follow-up (2018 and 2020) questionnaires were included. Trajectories of CVR, according to the Framingham score, were identified with the latent class growth modelling technique with the use of the censored normal model. Analysis of the factors independently associated with each of the trajectories was conducted with multinomial logistic regression technique. Three CVR trajectories were identified: Low-Low (68.3%), Medium-Medium (26.2%), and High-High (5.5%). Male sex, living in a stable union, and having moderate and high intakes of ultra-processed foods were positively associated with the Medium-Medium and High-High CVR trajectories. Having non-healthcare professional training and working were positively associated with the Medium-Medium CVR trajectory, whereas being physically active was negatively associated with the High-High CVR trajectory. In conclusion, more than one-third of participants had CVR trajectories in the Medium-Medium and High-High categories. Food consumption and physical activity are modifiable factors that were associated with these trajectories; thus, implementing health promotion measures could help prevent the persistence or worsen of CVR. On the other hand, sociodemographic and labor characteristics are non-modifiable factors that were associated with Medium-Medium and High-High trajectories, which could help identify people who should be monitored with more caution by health services.

Health characteristics and behaviors associated with self-reported depression among Brazilian reproductive-aged women: Data from a population-based survey (2020-2021)

This cross-sectional study aimed to evaluate the health characteristics and behaviors associated with depression in a large probabilistic sample of Brazilian reproductive-aged women. A total of 11,698 non-pregnant women aged 18-49 years old from the 26 Brazilian capitals and Federal District were interviewed by landline between 2020 and 2021. Logistic regression models were used to estimate the Odds Ratio (OR) of health characteristics and behaviors (smoking, alcohol abuse, physical activity, regular intake of fruits and vegetables, overweight, obesity and poor self-rated health) according to the presence of depression and drug treatment for depression. Medical diagnosis of depression, and other health characteristics and behaviors were self-reported. Analyses were adjusted by age, race/skin color, education, and marital status. Prevalence of self-reported depression was 13.3% and drug treatment for depression was reported by 5.3% of the total studied population. The presence of self-reported depression was associated with smoking (adjusted OR - aOR 2.15; CI95%:1.44-3.20), regular intake of fruits and vegetables (aOR 0.75; CI95%:0.59-0.95), overweight (aOR 1.38; CI95%:1.10-1.71), obesity (aOR 1.34; CI95%:1.04-1.71) and poor self-rated health (aOR 4.34; CI95%:3.04-6.21). Drug treatment for depression was associated with smoking (aOR 2.29; CI95%:1.33-3.95), overweight (aOR 1.65; CI95%:1.18-2.30) and poor self-rated health (aOR 4.20; CI95%:2.59-6.83). Self-reported depression and drug treatment for depression were associated with unfavorable health characteristics and behaviors among reproductive-aged women in Brazil.

Consumption of sweetened beverages is associated with the incidence of type 2 diabetes in Brazilian adults (CUME project)

BACKGROUND AND AIM

To evaluate the association between the energy consumption of sweetened beverages (SBs) adjusted for daily energy intake and the incidence of type 2 diabetes.

METHODS AND RESULTS

This was a prospective study with 2480 type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM)-free Cohort of Universities of Minas Gerais (CUME) participants at baseline and 2-4 years of follow-up. A longitudinal analysis was performed with generalized equation estimation to verify the effect of SB consumption, adjusted for sociodemographic and lifestyle variables, on the incidence of T2DM. The incidence of T2DM was 2.78%. The median calorie intake of daily SB consumption adjusted for energy was 47.7 kcal/day. Participants with the highest consumption of SBs (≥47.7 kcal/day) were 63% (odds ratio [OR] = 1.63; p value-0.049) more likely to acquire T2DM over time compared to the lowest consumption (<47.7 kcal/day).

CONCLUSIONS

Higher energy consumption from SBs favored a higher incidence of T2DM among CUME participants. The results reinforce the need for marketing restrictions on these foods and taxation to reduce the consumption of these beverages to prevent T2DM and other chronic noncommunicable diseases.

Effects of minimally and ultra-processed foods on blood pressure in Brazilian adults: a two-year follow up of the CUME Project

AIM

To assess the association of food consumption according to degree of processing with changes in systolic (SBP) and diastolic (DBP) blood pressure in adult participants of a Brazilian cohort.

METHODS

Longitudinal study with 2496 adult participants of the Cohort of Universities of Minas Gerais (CUME Project). Food consumption was categorized by food groups according to degree of processing following the NOVA grading system: unprocessed/minimally processed foods/culinary ingredients (U/MPF&CI), processed foods (PFs) and ultra-processed foods (UPFs). unprocessed/minimally processed foods/culinary ingredients (U/MPF&CI), processed foods (PFs) and ultra-processed foods (UPFs). Changes in SBP and DBP were categorized (decreased, maintained, increased). Independent associations between exposure and outcomes were verified using multiple generalized ordered logistic models adjusted for potential confounders.

RESULTS

After a two-year follow-up, the consumption of U/MPF&CI (% daily caloric intake) reduced the chance of increasing DBP (P for trend = 0.014), with a more evident effect among participants within the 5th quintile of this food group (odds ratio (OR) = 0.55; 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.34-0.97]. On the other hand, the consumption of UPFs (% daily caloric intake) raised the chance of increasing DBP (P for trend = 0.005) and was more evident among participants within the quintiles of higher consumption (4th quintile - OR = 1.97; 95% CI: 1.25-3.10; 5th quintile - OR = 1.79; 95% CI = 1.12-2.86). No associations were found between food consumption according to degree of processing and changes in SBP.

CONCLUSION

Higher consumption of U/MPF&CI and UPFs were independently associated to lower and greater chances of increased DBP in adult participants from CUME Project.

Total Polyphenol Intake, Polyphenol Subtypes, and Prevalence of Hypertension in the CUME Cohort

Objective:Epidemiological studies have shown associations between polyphenol consumption and reduced risk of cardiovascular diseases. This study aimed to assess the association between polyphenol intake and the prevalence of hypertension.Methods:This cross-sectional study was performed on data from the Cohort of Universities of Minas Gerais (CUME) project. Participants completed an online food frequency questionnaire, and polyphenol intake was assessed using the Phenol-Explorer database and articles. Hypertension was determined by a medical diagnosis, having a blood pressure ≥ 130 mmHg/80 mmHg, or using antihypertensive drugs. Adjusted logistic regression models were used to estimate the odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (95% CIs) for the prevalence of hypertension.Results:The prevalence of hypertension was 39.57%, and the average intake of total polyphenols was 860.79 mg/day. The highest (5^th quintile) intake of flavonoids (mean: 368.46mg/day; OR: 0.83; 95%CI 0.70; 0.97), hydroxybenzoic acids (mean: 379.38mg/day; OR: 0.77; 95%CI: 0.66;0.91), and flavonols (mean: 44.13mg/day; OR: 0.79; 95%CI: 0.67; 0.93) was inversely associated with hypertension prevalence, compared to the lowest intake (1^st quintile).Conclusions:Our findings demonstrate that the intake of flavonoids, hydroxybenzoic acids, and flavonols is associated with a lower prevalence of hypertension.

Ultra-processed food consumption and dietary, lifestyle and social determinants: a path analysis in Brazilian graduates (CUME project)

OBJECTIVE

To explore the relationship between ultra-processed foods (UPF) consumption and dietary, lifestyle and social determinants using pathway analysis in the baseline of the Cohort of Universities of Minas Gerais (CUME project).

DESIGN

Cross-sectional study, in which path analysis was used to estimate direct and indirect effects of dietary practices, sleep, time on the computer and professional status on UPF consumption.

SETTING

Data were collected in 2016, through an online questionnaire composed of sociodemographic, anthropometric, lifestyle and dietary practices questions, and a FFQ.

PARTICIPANTS

Baseline participants from the CUME Project (n 2826), adults who graduated from Universidade Federal de Viçosa or Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Brazil.

RESULTS

Being employed (P = 0·024), the time spent on the computer (P = 0·031) and the frequency of fried food intake (P < 0·001) were positively and directly associated with UPF consumption, whereas the sleep duration (P = 0·007) and the number of meals per d (P < 0·001) were negatively and directly associated with UPF consumption. Indirect effects were observed between being employed, mediated by the sleep duration (P = 0·032) and fried food intake (P = 0·005), whereas being a student is mediated by the time on the computer (P = 0·048).

CONCLUSION

The time spent on the computer, sleep duration and fried food consumption showed direct effects on UPF consumption. They also acted as mediators on the relationship between professional status and UPF consumption. Besides, the number of meals eaten each day also was directly associated with UPF consumption.

Built and social environments and overweight among Brazilian adults from medium-sized city: CUME Project

Abstract A cross-sectional study enrolled participants from the CUME project (n = 289) who lived in Viçosa, Brazil. The neighborhood unit adopted was the buffer (200 meters), considering the participant’s residence as central point. We measure the number of public and private facilities inside the buffer as well as violent criminal occurrences. Food establishments were categorized into establishments with predominant sale of natural or minimally processed foods, mixed establishments, and establishments with predominant sale of ultra-processed foods. Those who attended the face-to-face interview filled two scales of perception of the environment. Overall, 33.6% of participants reported overweight. We observed a higher concentration of individuals close to the central region of the city. Access to different establishments, food environments, and criminal occurrences differed between normal-weight and overweight individuals. The groups deferred in the perception of the location of squares, open public spaces, clubs, and soccer fields. The results indicate the association between environmental characteristics and overweight in Brazilian adults.

Online Food Frequency Questionnaire From the Cohort of Universities of Minas Gerais (CUME Project, Brazil): Construction, Validity, and Reproducibility

Background: The Food Frequency Questionnaire (FFQ) is usually used in epidemiological studies to assess food consumption. However, the FFQ must have good accuracy, requiring its validation and reproducibility for the target population. Thus, this study aimed to describe the construction of the online Food Frequency Questionnaire (oFFQ) used at the Cohort of Universities of Minas Gerais (CUME project, Brazil) and evaluate its validity and reproducibility.

Methods: The oFFQ was answered two times in 1 year (March/August 2018—March/April 2019; n = 108 participants—reproducibility), and four 24-h dietary recalls (24hRs) were applied in two seasons of the southern hemisphere [two 24hRs in autumn (March/June 2018) and two 24hRs in winter (August/September 2018); n = 146 participants—validity]. To assess the validity and reproducibility, the intraclass correlation coefficients (ICCs) were estimated.

Results: The oFFQ had 144 food items separated into eight groups (dairy products; meat and fish; cereals and legumes; fruits; vegetables; fats and oils; drinks; other foods). In assessing the validity, ICCs for energy and macronutrients were considered moderate, ranging from 0.41 (energy) to 0.59 (protein), while the ICCs for micronutrients were considered low to moderate, ranging from 0.25 (fibers) to 0.65 (vitamin B6). Regarding reproducibility assessment, ICCs for energy and all the assessed items were considered moderate to excellent, ranging from 0.60 (vegetables) to 0.91 (vitamin E and retinol).

Conclusions: The self-reported oFFQ had satisfactory validity and reproducibility. So, it can be used to analyze the association between food consumption and chronic diseases in the participants of the Cohort of Universities of Minas Gerais (CUME project—Brazil).

Dietary Selenium Intake and Type-2 Diabetes: A Cross-Sectional Population-Based Study on CUME Project

Background and Aim: Previous studies have suggested that the specific association between selenium (Se) and diabetes remains unclear. This study aimed to investigate the association between dietary Se and type-2 diabetes (T2D) in the Brazilian cohort [Cohort of Universities of Minas Gerais (CUME)]. Methods and Results: This cross-sectional study was conducted with a large sample comprising 4,106 participants of the CUME project, a concurrent open cohort restricted to a highly educated population group, composed of graduates of federal institutions of higher education located in the State of Minas Gerais, Brazil. Data on socioeconomic and dietary characteristics, as well as anthropometric measures, were collected from each subject for analysis. The sample was classified into energy-adjusted tertiles of dietary Se intake (μg/day). Differences in the continuous data were evaluated by the Kruskal-Wallis H-test (abnormal data), and the χ²-test assessed differences in qualitative data. As there was no relationship between T2D and Se intake in the bivariate analysis, multivariate analysis was not performed. The prevalence of T2D in the studied population was 2.8%. The mean age was 36 years. Regarding gender, 1,209 are males and 2,807 are females. Among females, the mean Se intake was 165.12 μg/day and the mean intake was 157.4 μg/day. Among males, it was 168.4 μg/day. Significant differences were observed across all Se intake tertiles in terms of age, gender, activity level, alcohol intake, energy intake, sugar, carbohydrates, lipids, fiber, and energy-adjusted meat intake. However, no significant differences were observed across all Se intake tertiles in terms of BMI, smoking status, and T2D. The results indicated that there was no significant association between dietary Se intake and the prevalence of T2D. Conclusion: Dietary Se intake was not associated with the prevalence of T2D, despite the high intake of this micronutrient in the sample. These results contradict studies that identified the association between Se intake and T2D, with values of Se intake much lower than those observed in this study. Thus, this relationship seems to remain controversial.

Food processing and risk of hypertension: Cohort of Universities of Minas Gerais, Brazil (CUME Project)

Objective:

To analyse the association between food consumption according to the degree of processing and incidence of hypertension in CUME project participants.

Design:

Longitudinal study in which food consumption was evaluated according to the percentage contribution of daily energetic intake (%/d) of each NOVA classification group (unprocessed/minimally processed foods and culinary preparations (U/MPF&CP); processed foods and ultra-processed foods (UPF)). Hypertension was defined according to American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association (ACC/AHA) criteria. Adjusted relative risks (RR) and their 95% confidence intervals (95 % CI) were estimated by Poisson regression models with robust variances.

Setting:

Brazil.

Participants:

1221 graduates classified as non-hypertensive at baseline and monitored for 2 years.

Results:

Daily energetic percentage from each group according to degree of processing was 64·3 (sd 12) % for U/MPF&CP; 9·9 (sd 5·8) % for processed foods and 25·8 (sd 11) % for UPF. Incidence of hypertension was high (152/1000 person-years; n 113, 193/1000 person-years in males and n 257, 138/1000 person-years in females). After adjusting for potential confounders, participants in the upper quintile of daily energetic intake of U/MPF&CP presented a reduced risk of hypertension (RR: 0·72; 95 % CI 0·52, 0·98), while those in the upper quintile of daily energetic intake of UPF presented an increased risk of the outcome (RR: 1·35; 95 % CI 1·01, 1·81).

Conclusions:

In this prospective cohort of Brazilian middle-aged adult university graduates, the highest consumptions of U/MPF&CP and UPF were associated with, respectively, reduced and increased risk of hypertension. Additional longitudinal studies are needed to confirm our results.

Dietary inflammatory index and prevalence of overweight and obesity in Brazilian graduates from the Cohort of Universities of Minas Gerais (CUME project)

OBJECTIVES

The aim of this study was to evaluate the independent association of the dietary inflammatory index (DII®) score with overweight and obesity in Brazilian participants of the Cohort of Universities of Minas Gerais (CUME project).

METHODS

This was a cross-sectional study consisting of 3,151 graduates and postgraduates (2197 women) with a mean (SD) age of 36.3 y (±9.4 y). Sociodemographic characteristics, lifestyle, and anthropometric data were assessed via online self-reported questionnaire. Additionally, a validated food frequency questionnaire with 144 food items was used to generate energy-adjusted DII (E-DII^TM) scores, which evaluated the inflammatory potential of the diet.

RESULTS

The prevalence of overweight and obesity were 28.2% and 11%, respectively. Participants in the highest E-DII quartile (most proinflammatory diet) were more likely to be smokers/former smokers; sedentary; and consumers of red and ultra-processed meats, fats and oils (excluding olive oil), bottled fruit juices and soft drinks, sugars, sweets, and higher overall caloric intake, compared with the first quartile of E-DII. Both men and women in the fourth E-DII quartile had the highest prevalence of overweight and obesity (prevalence ratio [PR], 1.35; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.14-1.59 and PR, 1.97; 95% CI, 1.20-3.22, respectively, in men; PR, 1.38; 95% CI, 1.17 to 1.65 and PR, 1.95; 95% CI, 1.31-2.90, respectively, in women).

CONCLUSION

The most proinflammatory dietary pattern was associated with a higher prevalence of overweight and obesity and other unhealthy lifestyles including being sedentary, smoking, and consuming a obesogenic diet.

Dietary Folate Intake Is Negatively Associated with Excess Body Weight in Brazilian Graduates and Postgraduates (CUME Project)

Folate, vitamin B6, and vitamin B12 intake can be important regulators for obesity development. Thus, we investigated the possible association between the intake of these vitamins and the excess body weight or obesity prevalence in the participants of the Cohort of Universities in Minas Gerais (CUME project). This study analyzed cross-sectional data of 2695 graduates and postgraduates from universities in the state of Minas Gerais (801 men, 1894 women, ages 36.2 ± 9.4). The first step consisted of collecting data online, and the second step consisted of blood collecting in the subsample living in the city of Viçosa and its region (Minas Gerais). Excess body weight and obesity prevalence were 38.1% and 10.1%, respectively. Inadequate intake of folate, B6, and B12 were 12, 6.3, and 11.1%, respectively. Beans/lentils and French bread presented the highest contribution to folate intake (23.45% and 10.01%, respectively). Those individuals in the third tertile for folate intake (≥511.12 μg/d) had a lower excess body weight [prevalence ratio (PR): 0.79, confidence interval (CI): 0.71⁻0.8] and obesity prevalence (PR: 0.60, CI: 0.45⁻0.78). These associations were maintained when the sample was categorized by sex. In addition, serum folate was positively associated with dietary folate (p for trend = 0.032) and negatively associated with serum homocysteine (p for trend = 0.003) in the subsample. Dietary folate intake was negatively associated with excess body weight and obesity in CUME participants, indicating the relevance of this vitamin dietary assessment.