Dietary patterns and serum gamma-glutamyl transferase in Japanese men and women

Association between Dietary Patterns and Metabolic Syndrome Risk Factors: A Cross-Sectional Study of Christian Orthodox Church Fasters and Non-Fasters in Greece

It is well known that the Mediterranean diet contributes to healthy living, prevention of non-communicable diseases, and longevity. A cross-sectional study was conducted with participants from Greece who follow the Mediterranean diet and were further divided into two categories: (i) Christian Orthodox Church (COC) religious fasters and (ii) non-fasters. Four-hundred individuals underwent anthropometric measurements, whereas information regarding dietary intake was collected via three 24 h diet recalls and a monthly food frequency questionnaire. Principal component analysis was performed to derive dietary patterns, whereas associations between dietary patterns and metabolic syndrome (MetS) risk factors were investigated with the general linear model. Non-fasters (n = 200) were found to consume significantly more beef, chicken, turkey, sausage, broth, fried potatoes, ketchup, and mustard, while consuming less seafood, snails, soya, tarama salads, fresh fruits, margarine, olives, and decaf coffee. Two distinct dietary patterns were identified in fasters: (i) the "Mixed Diet" and (ii) the "Plant-based/Fasting Diet" pattern. Moreover, three patterns were identified in non-fasters, and were identified as follows: (i) the "Western Diet", (ii) the "Mixed Diet", and (iii) the "Mediterranean-like Diet" pattern. No significant association was observed between dietary patterns and the prevalence of MetS in our population. Further epidemiological studies should evaluate the links between dietary patterns and MetS prevalence within the adult Greek population.

Ramen Consumption and Gut Microbiota Diversity in Japanese Women: Cross-Sectional Data from the NEXIS Cohort Study

A cross-sectional study involving 224 healthy Japanese adult females explored the relationship between ramen intake, gut microbiota diversity, and blood biochemistry. Using a stepwise regression model, ramen intake was inversely associated with gut microbiome alpha diversity after adjusting for related factors, including diets, Age, BMI, and stool habits (β = -0.018; r = -0.15 for Shannon index). The intake group of ramen was inversely associated with dietary nutrients and dietary fiber compared with the no-intake group of ramen. Sugar intake, Dorea as a short-chain fatty acid (SCFA)-producing gut microbiota, and γ-glutamyl transferase as a liver function marker were directly associated with ramen intake after adjustment for related factors including diets, gut microbiota, and blood chemistry using a stepwise logistic regression model, whereas Dorea is inconsistently less abundant in the ramen group. In conclusion, the increased ramen was associated with decreased gut bacterial diversity accompanying a perturbation of Dorea through the dietary nutrients, gut microbiota, and blood chemistry, while the methodological limitations existed in a cross-sectional study. People with frequent ramen eating habits need to take measures to consume various nutrients to maintain and improve their health, and dietary management can be applied to the dietary feature in ramen consumption.

Dietary antioxidants and liver enzymes in Rafsanjan, a Region in Southeast Iran

Oxidative stress has been considered the main contributor to liver injury. Dietary antioxidants would be expected to improve liver function. The hepatoprotective effects of antioxidants are controversial. In the present study, the associations of some dietary antioxidants and the levels of serum liver enzymes were examined. This cross-sectional study was conducted using the Rafsanjan Cohort Study (RCS) data as a population-based prospective cohort which is a part of the Prospective Epidemiological Research Studies in IrAN (PERSIAN). A total of 9942 participants aged 35-70 years old were included in this study. Among this population, 4631 (46.59%) were male, and 5311 (53.42%) were female. Dietary intakes were collected by a validated food frequency questionnaire (FFQ) with 128 items. Aspartate transaminase (AST), Alanine transaminase (ALT), γ-glutamyl transferase (GGT), and Alkaline phosphatase (ALP) were measured by a biotecnica analyzer. Dichotomous logistics regression models were used to investigate the association between the elevated liver enzymes and intake of dietary antioxidants using crude and adjusted models. In the adjusted model, in subjects with higher consumption of Se, Vit A, Vit E, β-carotene, α-carotene, and β-cryptoxanthin, the odds ratios of elevated ALP were decreased compared to the reference group (ORs 0.79 (0.64-0.96), 0.80 (0.66-0.98), 0.73 (0.60-0.89), 0.79 (0.64-0.96), 0.78 (0.64-0.95), 0.80 (0.66-0.98), and 0.79 (0.64-0.98), respectively). Subjects with higher consumption of Se, Vit A, Vit E, and provitamin A carotenoids (β-carotene, α-carotene, β-cryptoxanthin) showed decreased odds of elevated ALP. These findings support the hypothesis that Se, Vit A, Vit E, and provitamin A carotenoids may be associated with improvements in ALP and act as suppressors against the development of liver injury.

Development of a Japanese Healthy Diet Index: The Fukushima Health Management Survey 2011

A novel healthy diet index for dietary quality can be used to assess food intake. After the Great East Japan Earthquake in 2011, the Fukushima Health Management Survey collected dietary data using a short-form food frequency questionnaire (FFQ). The current study included eligible participants (n = 64,909) aged 16-84 years who answered the FFQ in 2011. The year- and sex-specific dietary patterns were determined via principal component analysis. Based on the typical Japanese, juice/dairy, and meat patterns, healthy diet index (HDI) scores were assigned for food items, resulting in Spearman's correlation coefficients of 0.730, -0.227, and -0.257, respectively. The mean (standard deviation) of the HDI scores (range: 1-18) were 9.89 (2.68) in men and 9.96 (2.58) in women. Older individuals, women, nonsmokers, those in good health and with regular physical exercise, and those who did not transfer residences had a high HDI score. In the confirmatory analysis, the adjusted odds ratio (95% confidence interval) of the highest vs. the lowest quartiles of HDI scores was 0.87 (0.80, 0.94) for overweight, 0.89 (0.81, 0.97) for large waist circumference, and 0.73 (0.66, 0.80) for dyslipidemia. The HDI score obtained using the FFQ can be applied to evaluate dietary profiles.

Eating Habits in Patients with Familial Hypercholesterolemia from North-Eastern Romania

(1) Background: Familial hypercholesterolemia (FH) is a genetic autosomal dominant disorder characterized by elevated levels of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL) that develops deposits of lipids in the arterial wall. Since it is underdiagnosed and undertreated, the disease has a high risk of premature cardiovascular disease and death. Patients are not always aware of the changes they should make in their diet. Thus, our study aimed to evaluate through a food frequency questionnaire their eating habits. (2) Methods: We included 70 patients with FH and 20 subjects in a control group that were evaluated through a physical examination and blood tests. They also completed a food frequency questionnaire. (3) Results: Throughout our study, we observed several aspects: regardless of age, patients with FH had higher carbohydrate intakes compared to the control group; from the same group, a positive correlation was observed between salami intake and the levels of glucose and glycated hemoglobin. Moreover, the sour cream preference was associated with higher liver function tests. In the control group, we observed a higher intake of pasta and fast food and fewer fruit portions. (4) Conclusions: As far as we know, this is the first study from Romania that evaluated the eating habits of patients diagnosed with FH. Our study reveals that, although patients with FH avoid junk food, they still have a high intake of carbohydrates when compared to the control group. Further research is needed in order to get a comprehensive nutritional evaluation of these patients.

Cross-sectional association between gamma-glutamyl transferase and hyperuricaemia: the China Multi-Ethinic Cohort (CMEC) study

OBJECTIVES

Several studies have demonstrated the association between gamma-glutamyl transferase (GGT) and hyperuricaemia, but little is known about such relation in less-developed ethnic minority regions.

DESIGN

We cross-sectionally analysed data from the China Multi-Ethnic Cohort (Yunnan region).

SETTING

Cross-sectional study.

PARTICIPANTS

22 020 participants aged 30-79 years from Han ethnicity, Yi ethnicity and Bai ethnicity.

OUTCOMES

The serum level of uric acid, GGT and other metabolic parameters were tested. Weight, height and blood pressure were measured. Smoking, drinking, ethnicity, education and medical history were obtained from questionnaires.

RESULTS

In the crude model, compared with the lowest quintile, the second, third, fourth and fifth quintiles of serum GGT exhibited a positive association with hyperuricaemia risk (OR=1.69, 2.90, 4.34 and 7.70, 95% CI=1.42 to 2.01, 2.47 to 3.42, 3.71 to 5.09 and 6.60 to 8.98, respectively, p-trend<0.0001). In fully adjusted model, compared with the lowest quintile, the second, third, fourth and fifth quintiles of serum GGT also exhibited a positive association with hyperuricaemia risk (OR=1.26, 1.68, 2.02 and 3.02, 95% CI=1.04 to 1.51, 1.40 to 2.00, 1.69 to 2.42 and 2.51 to 3.64, respectively, p-trend<0.0001). Logistic regression model was conducted separately in ethnic groups. Compared with first quintile, the highest GGT level were related to higher risk of hyperuricaemia in three ethnic groups (OR (95% CI): 2.89 (2.26 to 3.68), 2.81 (1.93 to 4.11) and 3.04 (1.91 to 4.84) for Han, Yi and Bai ethnicity, respectively, p-trend <0.0001). The relationship between GGT and hyperuricaemia was also observed in different age groups or gender groups.

CONCLUSIONS

High serum GGT level was related to a higher risk of hyperuricaemia in less-developed ethnic minority regions in China.

Serum Gamma Glutamyl transferase is a predictor of recurrence after R0 hepatectomy for patients with colorectal cancer liver metastases

Objectives:

Gamma glutamyl-transpeptidase (GGT) has been shown as a prognostic marker in many cancers. The aim of this study was to explore whether serum GGT could predict tumor recurrence in patients with liver-confined colorectal cancer liver metastases (CRCLM) undergoing R0 resection.

Methods:

We reviewed patients who had underwent liver surgery for CRCLM. Patients with liver-only metastases that underwent R0 resection were included. Pre-operative serum GGT were classified into either high or low using a cut-off value of 33 U/L for female and 51 U/L for male. Relapse-free survival (RFS) was compared in relation to GGT and other clinicopathological factors.

Results:

Of the 350 patients included, 108 (30.9%) had a high serum GGT. Patients with metachronous liver metastases, number of metastases ⩾2, size of the largest metastasis ⩾3 cm, or a history of neoadjuvant chemotherapy had a higher GGT level (p = 0.001, 0.027, 0.001, and 0.002, respectively). In survival analyses, patients with a high GGT had a shorter RFS than those with a low GGT, with a median RFS of 11.8 versus 30.3 months (p < 0.001). RFS was also associated with the number of metastases, size of the largest metastasis and the delivery of neoadjuvant chemotherapy. In multivariate analysis, GGT remained an independent prognostic factor of RFS.

Conclusions:

Our study demonstrates that the serum GGT level before liver surgery is an adverse prognostic factor of RFS for patients with liver-confined CRCLM.

Cross-Sectional Study on the Association between Dietary Non-Enzymatic Antioxidant Capacity and Serum Liver Enzymes: The Furukawa Nutrition and Health Study

We examined the association of dietary non-enzymatic antioxidant capacity (NEAC) in overall diet, and separately from foods and beverages, with serum liver enzymes in a Japanese working population. This cross-sectional study was conducted among 1791 employees aged 18–69 years, who underwent a comprehensive health checkup in 2012–2013. A brief validated self-administered diet-history questionnaire was used for dietary assessment, and dietary NEAC intake was determined from databases of NEAC values, obtained using ferric reducing-antioxidant power (FRAP) and oxygen radical absorbance capacity (ORAC) assays. The dietary NEAC intake was calculated by multiplying the estimated NEAC values by the amounts consumed and summing the resulting values. A multiple-regression analysis was performed to explore the association between dietary NEAC intake and the serum levels of liver enzymes (aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), and gamma-glutamyltransferase (GGT)), after adjustment for confounding factors. No significant associations were found between overall dietary NEAC intake and AST (FRAP, p for trend = 0.97; ORAC, p = 0.72), ALT (FRAP, p = 0.73; ORAC, p = 0.92), and GGT (FRAP, p = 0.96; ORAC, p = 0.19) levels. Food-derived, but not beverage-derived, NEAC intake was inversely associated with serum GGT levels (FRAP, p for trend = 0.001; ORAC, p = 0.02), particularly among older participants and those with high serum ferritin concentrations. The results imply that overall dietary NEAC intake is not associated with liver dysfunction, and that the NEAC values from foods may be inversely associated with serum GGT levels.

Association between empirically derived dietary patterns and liver function tests in adults: Shahedieh cohort study

OBJECTIVES

Limited data exist on the association between dietary patterns (DPs) and enzymes mainly produced by the liver. This study aimed to examine the relationship between empirically derived DPs and serum alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase, alkaline phosphatase, and gamma glutamyl transferase (GGT) levels in addition to the alanine/aspartate aminotransferase ratio.

METHODS

This cross-sectional study was conducted on adults in the baseline phase of the Shahedieh cohort study in Yazd, Iran. Blood samples were taken from participants in a fasted state to provide data on dietary intake and other variables. Major DPs were derived using a principal component analysis.

RESULTS

In total, 4973 participants (age 46.33 ± 9.08 y) were included in the study. Three DPs were derived: Traditional diet (high in vegetables, fruits, tomatoes, dairy, dried fruits, fruit juice, yogurt, olive and olive oil, sweet desserts, and high-fat dairy products), western diet (high in pizza, refined grains, soft drinks, high-fat dairy products, processed meats, mayonnaise, and snack foods), and hydrogenated fat and sugar diet (high in hydrogenated fat, potatoes, sugars, and legumes). After adjustment for all confounders, the western DP had a significant linear association with serum GGT (P < 0.001). This diet was also associated with higher odds for developing abnormal levels of serum GGT (P_trend < 0.001). Although the other DPs had some linear associations with enzymes levels, they were not associated with the likelihood for developing abnormally high liver enzymes levels.

CONCLUSIONS

A higher consumption of a western DP might adversely affect serum GGT levels. Prospective studies are recommended to confirm our results.

Dietary pattern changes in Fukushima residents after the Great East Japan Earthquake: the Fukushima Health Management Survey 2011-2013

OBJECTIVE

Dietary patterns more closely resemble actual eating behaviours because multiple food groups, not a single food group or nutrient, are considered. The present study aimed to identify and assess changes of dietary patterns in Fukushima residents.

DESIGN

Dietary data were collected using a short-form FFQ in annual Fukushima Health Management Survey between 2011 and 2013 after the Great East Japan Earthquake. Year- and sex-specific dietary patterns were determined by the principal component analysis.

SETTING

Evacuation and nonevacuation zones in Fukushima, Japan.

PARTICIPANTS

Eligible participants aged ≥16 years answered the FFQ (n 67 358 in 2011, n 48 377 in 2012 and n 40 742 in 2013).

RESULTS

Three identified dietary patterns were assessed similarly in men and women and among years: typical, juice and meat. In total participants, the Spearman's correlation coefficients between two survey years were 0·70-0·74 for the typical, 0·58-0·66 for the juice and 0·50-0·54 for the meat pattern scores. Adjusted for sociodemographic factors, evacuees had lower typical pattern scores, higher juice pattern scores and the same meat pattern scores compared with non-evacuees. The means of typical pattern scores in evacuees and it of juice pattern scores in non-evacuees continued declining over years. Similar profiles of dietary patterns and trends of pattern scores were observed in participants (n 22 805) who had provided three dietary assessments.

CONCLUSIONS

Changes of dietary patterns have been observed between 2011 and 2013. Careful investigation of those with low intake of typical pattern foods and promotion of them, particularly in evacuees, are needed.

Glucose- and Lipid-Related Biomarkers Are Affected in Healthy Obese or Hyperglycemic Adults Consuming a Whole-Grain Pasta Enriched in Prebiotics and Probiotics: A 12-Week Randomized Controlled Trial

BACKGROUND

Synbiotic foods, which combine the action of prebiotics and probiotics along the gastrointestinal tract, can affect inflammatory and glucose-related markers.

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this study was to investigate the effects on inflammatory and glycemia-related markers of a whole-grain pasta containing barley β-glucans and Bacillus coagulans BC30, 6086 in healthy overweight or obese volunteers.

METHODS

A single-blind, parallel, randomized, placebo-controlled dietary intervention study was carried out. Forty-one healthy sedentary overweight (body mass index [BMI] 25-29.9 kg/m2) and obese (BMI ≥30) volunteers, aged 30-65 y and low consumers of fruit and vegetables, ate 1 serving/d of whole-grain control (CTR) or innovative (INN) pasta for 12 wk and maintained their habitual diets. Biological samples were collected at baseline and every 4 wk for primary (plasma high-sensitivity C-reactive protein [hs-CRP] and fasting plasma lipid profile) and secondary outcomes (glycemia-related markers, blood pressure, fecal microbiota composition, and body weight). Between (CTR compared with INN) and within (among weeks) group differences were tested for the whole population and for subgroups stratified by baseline values of BMI (≥30) and glycemia (≥100 mg/dL).

RESULTS

INN or CTR pasta consumption had no effect on primary and secondary outcomes over time, except for a significant increase in plasma γ-glutamyltransferase (GGT) after 12 wk of CTR pasta consumption. Comparisons between intervention groups revealed differences only at 12 wk: plasma GGT was higher in the CTR group; plasma hs-CRP, plasma LDL/HDL cholesterol ratio, and Bifidobacterium spp. were lower in the INN subgroup of obese volunteers; plasma resistin was lower and Faecalibacterium prausnitzii abundance was higher in the INN subgroup of hyperglycemic volunteers.

CONCLUSIONS

A daily serving of a synbiotic whole-grain pasta had limited effects on primary and secondary outcomes in the entire group of volunteers but affected glycemia- and lipid-related markers and resistin in a subgroup of healthy obese or hyperglycemic volunteers. This trial was registered at clinicaltrials.gov as NCT02236533.

Association between age at onset of independent walking and objectively measured sedentary behavior is mediated by moderate-to-vigorous physical activity in primary school children

Objective

Age at onset of walking has been shown as an early predictor of physical activity in infants and children. However, little is known about whether age at onset of walking may predict sedentary behavior (SB). The aim of the present study was to examine the association between the timing of onset of walking and objectively measured SB, and whether this association is mediated by moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) in children.

Methods

The subjects were 388 elementary school children aged 6–12 years. Current weight and height data were collected. Birth weight and the age in months the child first walked independently were reported based on the parents’ recall. Children’s SB and physical activity were objectively measured using a triaxial accelerometer (Active style Pro HJA-350IT, OMRON). The following summary outcome variables were derived from accelerometer data: Time (min/day) spent in SB (≤1.5 metabolic equivalents [METs]) and MVPA (≥3.0 METs).

Results

The mean ± SD time (min/day) spent in sedentary was 376 ± 62 and MVPA was 67.6 ± 20.8. Multiple linear regression analyses revealed that a later age at independent walking was associated with increased time spent in SB (β = 0.15, P < 0.001) and decreased time spent in MVPA (β = -0. 18, P < 0.001) after adjusting for gender, birth weight, current age, body weight, schools, and time spent wearing the accelerometer. When MVPA was introduced as a covariate in the model predicting SB, the association between the age at independent walking and time spent in SB was completely attenuated (β = 0.04, P = 0.215), while MVPA was significantly associated with SB (β = -0.61, P < 0.001).

Conclusions

Our results indicate that infants who walked at a later age spent more time in SB in childhood, and this association is mediated by MVPA. Appropriate interventions which focus on increasing MVPA and thereby reducing SB may be beneficial in infants who demonstrate a later age at onset of independent walking.

Associations between Dietary Patterns, ADRβ2 Gln27Glu and ADRβ3 Trp64Arg with Regard to Serum Triglyceride Levels: J-MICC Study

Interactions between dietary patterns and 2 β-adrenergic receptor (ADRβ) gene polymorphisms (ADRβ2 Gln27Glu and ADRβ3 Trp64Arg) were examined with regard to the effects on serum triglyceride levels. The cross-sectional study comprised 1720 men and women (aged 35–69 years) enrolled in the Japan Multi-Institutional Collaborative Cohort (J-MICC) Study. Genotyping was conducted using a multiplex polymerase chain reaction-based invader assay. We used 46 items from a validated short food frequency questionnaire and examined major dietary patterns by factor analysis. We identified four dietary patterns: healthy, Western, seafood and bread patterns. There was no significant association between any dietary pattern and serum triglyceride levels. After a separate genotype-based analysis, significant interactions between ADRβ3 Trp64Arg genotype and the bread pattern (p for interaction = 0.01) were associated with serum triglyceride levels; specifically, after adjusting for confounding factors, Arg allele carriers with the bread pattern had lower serum triglycerides (p for trend = 0.01). However, the Trp/Trp homozygous subjects with the bread pattern showed no association with serum triglycerides (p for trend = 0.55). Interactions between other dietary patterns and ADRβ polymorphisms were not significant for serum triglyceride levels. Our findings suggest that ADRβ3 polymorphism modifies the effects of the bread pattern on triglyceride levels.

Bioavailability of paracetamol with/without caffeine in Egyptian patients with hepatitis C virus

PURPOSE

This study investigates the involvement of liver dysfunction in the modulation of paracetamol pharmacokinetic profile in genotype-4 HCV patients treated with either paracetamol alone (Para) or in combination with caffeine (Para-Caf).

METHODS

Twenty healthy volunteers and 20 Child-Pugh B HCV patients, each divided into two equal subgroups, were examined, whose liver/kidney functions were correlated with their main clinical manifestation. After an overnight fasting, healthy and hepatic subjects received either a single dose of Para (1000 mg paracetamol) or Para-Caf (1000 mg paracetamol/130 mg caffeine). Two milliliters of saliva samples were collected prior to and at different time-intervals after drug administration and analyzed using HPLC.

RESULTS

There was a noticeable increase in the mean concentration time profile of salivary paracetamol concentrations in hepatic patients, with concomitant decrease in paracetamol clearance (CLT), along with induction in the primary pharmacokinetic (PK) parameters, C max, AUC(0-8 h) and AUC(0-∞) (by about 95, 82, and 64 %, respectively, after treatment with Para, and 98, 96, and 101 %, respectively, after treatment with Para-Caf), when compared with the corresponding parameters in healthy subjects. Additionally, the healthy subjects treated with Para-Caf exhibited bioinequivalent increase in C max, K a, and t 1/2 with decrease in T max when compared with the healthy individuals treated with Para alone. A similar pattern was recorded in hepatic patients after addition of caffeine to paracetamol, with even augmented significant increase in K a and t 1/2 (by 100 and 32 %, respectively).

CONCLUSIONS

Liver dysfunction modified the PK of paracetamol expressed as earlier effective paracetamol concentration, with obvious decrease in its clearance. Caffeine induced faster absorption (evidenced by shorter T max and higher K a) and prolonged t 1/2 of paracetamol, the effects that were more profound in hepatic patients. Further studies are needed to evaluate the influence of liver damage on paracetamol pharmacokinetics whenever repeated dosing is applied, to avoid possible drug accumulation.