Prostate Cancer Incidence is Correlated to Total Meat Intake– a Cross-National Ecologic Analysis of 172 Countries

Ambient ultraviolet radiation as a cardioprotective factor: A global and regional analysis

Background

Ambient ultraviolet radiation (UVR) has been found to have a greater cardioprotective effect than previously believed. This study aimed to quantitatively measure the role of UVR in protecting against the progression of cardiovascular disease (CVD) in general on a global and regional scale.

Methods

Population-level data on UVR, CVD incidence, aging, economic affluence, CVD genetic background (indexed with the Biological State Index, Ibs), obesity prevalence, and urbanization were collected and analysed. The correlation between UVR and CVD was examined using bivariate correlations, partial correlation, and stepwise multiple linear regression. Countries were grouped to investigate regional correlations between UVR and CVD, and Fisher's r-to-z transformation was used to compare correlation coefficients.

Results

UVR showed a significant inverse correlation with CVD incidence rates in bivariate correlation analyses globally (r = - 0.775 and r = - 0.760, p < 0.001), as well as within high-income (r = -0.704, p < 0.001) and low- and middle-income countries (LMIC) (r = -0.851, p < 0.001). These correlations remained significant even after controlling for confounding variables (r = -0.689 to -0.812, p < 0.001). In stepwise regression models, UVR was found to be the most significant predictor of CVD incidence. The inverse correlation between UVR and CVD was stronger in LMICs compared to high-income countries (z = -1.96, p < 0.050).

Conclusions

Low ambient UVR may be a significant risk factor for the progression of CVD worldwide. The protective effect of UVR appears to be stronger in LMICs than in high-income countries, suggesting a greater impact of UVR on CVD prevention in these regions. These findings emphasize the need for further research into the mechanisms underlying the cardioprotective effects of UVR and the development of public health strategies to mitigate CVD risk associated with low UVR exposure.

Healthy Lifestyle and Cancer Risk: Modifiable Risk Factors to Prevent Cancer

Cancer has become a serious problem worldwide, as it represents the main cause of death, and its incidence has increased over the years. A potential strategy to counter the growing spread of various forms of cancer is the adoption of prevention strategies, in particular, the use of healthy lifestyles, such as maintaining a healthy weight, following a healthy diet; being physically active; avoiding smoking, alcohol consumption, and sun exposure; and vitamin D supplementation. These modifiable risk factors are associated with this disease, contributing to its development, progression, and severity. This review evaluates the relationship between potentially modifiable risk factors and overall cancer development, specifically breast, colorectal, and prostate cancer, and highlights updated recommendations on cancer prevention. The results of numerous clinical and epidemiological studies clearly show the influence of lifestyles on the development and prevention of cancer. An incorrect diet, composed mainly of saturated fats and processed products, resulting in increased body weight, combined with physical inactivity, alcohol consumption, and smoking, has induced an increase in the incidence of all three types of cancer under study. Given the importance of adopting correct and healthy lifestyles to prevent cancer, global institutions should develop strategies and environments that encourage individuals to adopt healthy and regular behaviors.

Nursing workforce plays a significant role in reducing COVID-19 deaths worldwide: A cross-sectional analysis of data from 178 countries

Worldwide, the role of nursing workforce in reducing COVID-19 case fatality ratio (CFR) is analyzed with scatter plots, Pearson's r and nonparametric, partial correlation and multiple linear regression models. The potential confounders, median age, health expenditure, physician density, and urbanization were incorporated for calculating the independent role of nursing workforce in protecting against COVID-19 CFR. The study findings suggested that (1) the nursing workforce inversely and significantly correlates with COVID-19 CFR; (2) this relationship remained independent of the confounding effects of each individual confounder or their combination; (3) Nursing workforce was the only variable identified as a significant contributor for reducing COVID-19 CFR, when it was incorporated into stepwise regression model with health expenditure, median age, physician density, and urbanization for analyzing their individual predicting effects on COVID-19 CFR. A strong message for the health authorities is that, although in shortage, nursing workforce showed their significant role in reducing COVID-19 deaths worldwide. This study highlights that the role of nursing workforce should be incorporated into population health research.

A lack of nurse autonomy impacts population health when compared to physician care: an ecological study

This study highlights that the contribution of nursing is secondary to physicians in overall population health (indexed with life expectancy at birth, e₍₀₎). Scatter plots, bivariate correlation and partial correlation models were performed to analyse the correlations between e₍₀₎ and physician healthcare and nursing healthcare respectively. Affluence, urbanization and obesity were incorporated as the potential confounders. The Fisher's r-to-z transformation was conducted for comparing the correlations. Multiple linear regression analyses were implemented for modelling that physicians' contributions to e₍₀₎ explain nurses'. Nursing healthcare correlated to e₍₀₎ significantly less strongly than physician healthcare in simple regressions. Nursing healthcare was in weak or negligible correlation to e₍₀₎ when physician healthcare was controlled individually or together with the three confounders. Physician healthcare remains significantly correlational to e₍₀₎ when nursing healthcare alone was controlled or when the three confounders were controlled. Linear regression revealed that nursing healthcare was a significant predictor for e₍₀₎ when physician healthcare was "not added" for modelling, but this predicting role became negligible when physician healthcare was "added". Our study findings suggested that nurses still work under the direction of physicians due to lack of autonomy. Without correction, health services will continue to transmit the invisibility of nursing healthcare from one generation of nurses to another.

Although in shortage, nursing workforce is still a significant contributor to life expectancy at birth

OBJECTIVES

Previous studies have not fully reported the strength and independency of the correlation of nursing workforce to life expectancy. This study advances that nursing workforce is a major independent contributor to life expectancy at birth (LEB) globally and regionally.

DESIGN

A cross-sectional study was conducted at population level.

SAMPLE

Ecological data were extracted from the United Nations agencies for 215 populations. Each population is considered a research subject.

MEASUREMENTS

The correlation between nursing workforce and LEB was analyzed with scatter plots, bivariate correlation, partial correlation, and multiple linear regression analyses, Analysis of Variance post hoc and independent T-test. Economic affluence, urban lifestyle and obesity were included as the potential confounders in this study.

INTERVENTION

Not applicable RESULTS: Nursing workforce correlated to LEB and this relationship remained regardless of the competition of economic affluence, urbanization, and obesity. Second to economic affluence, nursing workforce showed the greatest influence on LEB. In total, 64.50% of LEB was explained in this study. Nursing workforce was a determinant of regional variations of LEB.

CONCLUSIONS

Nursing workforce may be a significant contributor to LEB globally and regionally. This contribution was independent of the potential confounding effects of economic affluence, urbanization, and obesity.

Number of lifetime menses increases breast cancer occurrence in postmenopausal women at high familial risk

It is increasingly thought that part of human susceptibility to cancer is the result of evolutionary mismatches: our ancestors evolved cancer suppression mechanisms in a world largely different from our modern environments. In that context, it has been shown in cohorts from general Western populations that reproductive traits modulate breast cancer risk. Overall, the more menses women experience, the more at risk they are to develop postmenopausal breast cancer. This points towards an evolutionary mismatch but brings the question whether the reproductive pattern also modulates the breast cancer risk in menopausal women at high familial risk. We thus studied the influence of menses on breast cancer risk in a case–control study of 90 postmenopausal women (including BRCA1/2 and non BRCA1/2) nested within a cohort at high familial risk. We tested the association of the lifetime number of menses and the number of menses before first full-term pregnancy with postmenopausal breast cancer risk using Cox survival models. We showed that the total lifetime number of menses was significantly associated with postmenopausal breast cancer risk and associated with a quicker onset of breast cancer after menopause. Those results align with similar studies lead in general cohorts and suggest that the reproductive pattern modulates the familial risk of developing breast cancer after menopause. Altogether, those results impact how we envision breast cancer prevention and call for more research on how ecological and genetic factors shape breast cancer risk.

Healthcare services relaxing natural selection may contribute to increase of dementia incidence

Ageing and genetic traits can only explain the increasing dementia incidence partially. Advanced healthcare services allow dementia patients to survive natural selection and pass their genes onto the next generation. Country-specific estimates of dementia incidence rates (all ages and 15-49 years old), Biological State Index expressing reduced natural selection (Is), ageing indexed by life expectancy e(65), GDP PPP and urbanization were obtained for analysing the global and regional correlations between reduced natural selection and dementia incidence with SPSS v. 27. Worldwide, Is significantly, but inversely, correlates with dementia incidence rates for both all ages and 15-49 years old in bivariate correlations. These relationships remain inversely correlated regardless of the competing contributing effects from ageing, GDP and urbanization in partial correlation model. Results of multiple linear regression (enter) have shown that Is is the significant predictor of dementia incidence among all ages and 15-49 years old. Subsequently, Is was selected as the variable having the greatest influence on dementia incidence in stepwise multiple linear regression. The Is correlated with dementia incidence more strongly in developed population groupings. Worldwide, reduced natural selection may be yet another significant contributor to dementia incidence with special regard to developed populations.

Large household reduces dementia mortality: A cross-sectional data analysis of 183 populations

BACKGROUND

Large households/families may create more happiness and offer more comprehensive healthcare among the members. We correlated household size to dementia mortality rate at population level for analysing its protecting role against dementia mortality.

METHODS

This is a retrospective cross-sectional study. Dementia specific mortality rates of the 183 member states of World Health Organization were calculated and matched with the respective country data on household size, Gross Domestic Product (GDP), urban population and ageing. Scatter plots were produced to explore and visualize the correlations between household size and dementia mortality rates. Pearson's and nonparametric correlations were used to evaluate the strength and direction of the associations between household size and all other variables. Partial correlation of Pearson's approach was used to identify that household size protects against dementia regardless of the competing effects from ageing, GDP and urbanization. Multiple regression was used to identify significant predictors of dementia mortality.

RESULTS

Household size was in a negative and moderately strong correlation (r = -0.6034, p < 0.001) with dementia mortality. This relationship was confirmed in both Pearson r (r = - 0.524, p<0.001) and nonparametric (rho  =  -0.579, p < 0.001) analyses. When we controlled for the contribution of ageing, socio-economic status and urban lifestyle in partial correlation analysis, large household was still in inverse and significant correlation to dementia mortality (r = -0.331, p <0.001). This suggested that, statistically, large household protect against dementia mortality regardless of the contributing effects of ageing, socio-economic status and urban lifestyle. Stepwise multiple regression analysis selected large household as the variable having the greatest contribution to dementia mortality with R2 = 0.263 while ageing was placed second increasing R2 to 0.259. GDP and urbanization were removed as having no statistically significant influence on dementia mortality.

CONCLUSIONS

While acknowledging ageing, urban lifestyle and greater GDP associated with dementia mortality, this study suggested that, at population level, household size was another risk factor for dementia mortality. As part of dementia prevention, healthcare practitioners should encourage people to increase their positive interactions with persons from their neighbourhood or other fields where large household/family size is hard to achieve.

Total Meat Intake is Associated with Life Expectancy: A Cross-Sectional Data Analysis of 175 Contemporary Populations

Background

The association between a plant-based diet (vegetarianism) and extended life span is increasingly criticised since it may be based on the lack of representative data and insufficient removal of confounders such as lifestyles.

Aim

We examined the association between meat intake and life expectancy at a population level based on ecological data published by the United Nations agencies.

Methods

Population-specific data were obtained from 175 countries/territories. Scatter plots, bivariate, partial correlation and linear regression models were used with SPSS 25 to explore and compare the correlations between newborn life expectancy (e₍₀₎), life expectancy at 5 years of life (e₍₅₎) and intakes of meat, and carbohydrate crops, respectively. The established risk factors to life expectancy – caloric intake, urbanization, obesity and education levels – were included as the potential confounders.

Results

Worldwide, bivariate correlation analyses revealed that meat intake is positively correlated with life expectancies. This relationship remained significant when influences of caloric intake, urbanization, obesity, education and carbohydrate crops were statistically controlled. Stepwise linear regression selected meat intake, not carbohydrate crops, as one of the significant predictors of life expectancy. In contrast, carbohydrate crops showed weak and negative correlation with life expectancy.

Conclusion

If meat intake is not incorporated into nutrition science for predicting human life expectancy, results could prove inaccurate.

Dietary Factors and Prostate Cancer Development, Progression, and Reduction

Due to the constantly increasing number of cases, prostate cancer has become one of the most important health problems of modern societies. This review presents the current knowledge regarding the role of nutrients and foodstuff consumption in the etiology and development of prostate malignancies, including the potential mechanisms of action. The results of several in vivo and in vitro laboratory experiments as well as those reported by the clinical and epidemiological research studies carried out around the world were analyzed. The outcomes of these studies clearly show the influence of both nutrients and food products on the etiology and prevention of prostate cancer. Consumption of certain nutrients (saturated and trans fatty acids) and food products (e.g., processed meat products) leads to the disruption of prostate hormonal regulation, induction of oxidative stress and inflammation, and alteration of growth factor signaling and lipid metabolism, which all contribute to prostate carcinogenesis. On the other hand, a high consumption of vegetables, fruits, fish, and whole grain products exerts protective and/or therapeutic effects. Special bioactive functions are assigned to compounds such as flavonoids, stilbenes, and lycopene. Since the influence of nutrients and dietary pattern is a modifiable risk factor in the development and prevention of prostate cancer, awareness of the beneficial and harmful effects of individual food ingredients is of great importance in the global strategy against prostate cancer.

The influence of behavioural and socioeconomic factors on the community injury rates of adolescents assessed by the south Korean emergency medical services: an ecological approach

Background

Aim of this study is to determine if peer group risk behaviors and neighbourhood socioeconomic status (SES) would ecologically affect injury incidence according to place and gender among adolescents (aged 13–15) in South Korea.

Methods

Three variables from the Korea Youth Risk Behavior Survey (2014) were used to represent peer group risk behaviours; current alcohol consumption (cAlc), the experience of violence or bullying (VicVB), and having undergone education for injury prevention (Edu-IP). The Korea Census Data (2010) was used for neighborhood SES; the degree of urbanization, the proportion of high educational attainment, and the proportion of low residential environment. The nationwide and regional Incidence-Rates of Injury assessed by EMS (IRI-EMS) were calculated according to age and gender based on the number of injuries from EMS record (2014). A linear regression model was used to examine associations.

Results

The nationwide total and inside-school IRI-EMS were 623.8 and 139.3 per 100,000 population, respectively. The range of the regional IRI-EMS showed a maximum of about 4 times the difference from 345 to 1281 per 100,000 population depending on the region. The low residential environment had a significant effect on the increase of total IRI-EMS (β = 7.5, 95% CI 0.78–14.21). In the case of boys, the IRI-EMS inside-school was increased as the percentage of VicVB was higher (β = 17.0, 95% CI 1.09–32.91). In the case of girls, the IRI-EMS outside-school was increased in rural compared to urban location (β = 211.3, 95% CI 19.12–403.57).

Conclusion

The incidence rate of outside-school was higher than that of inside-school, and incidence rate of boys was higher than that of girls. Peer group risk behaviors were significant only in the injury of boys. Among the SES factors, rural area was a significant factor in girls, especially outside-school injury. Moreover, the rate of households not in an apartment was significant in all outside-school injury and outside-school injury of boys.

Our study suggests that among native South Korean adolescents, neighbourhood SES and peer group risk behavior have different effects depending on the injury context such as place of occurrence or gender.