Risk of developing lung cancer in relation to exposure to fumes from Chinese-style cooking.
(17/814)
In an evaluation of the association between exposure to indoor air pollution from Chinese-style cooking and the risk of lung cancer, epidemiologic and experimental studies were reviewed. The 9 case-referent studies that were identified showed consistent positive associations between the risk of lung cancer and a variety of indices of exposure to indoor air pollution arising from Chinese-style cooking. Three experimental studies showed that volatile emissions from oils heated in woks are mutagenic in several in vitro short-term test systems. Several toxic agents, including some accepted or suspected carcinogens, have been detected in the emissions of the heated cooking oils. While experimental data support the epidemiologic data, it may be premature to conclude that the association is causal. However, simple precautions can be taken to reduce the risk in the event that exposure to indoor air pollution arising from Chinese-style cooking is indeed a cause of lung cancer. (+info)
Dietary fat and protein in relation to risk of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma among women.
(18/814)
BACKGROUND: Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma occurs more frequently in individuals with suppressed immune status, and some types of dietary fat and protein have been associated with decreased immune responses. In this study, we examined the intake of specific types of dietary fat and protein in relation to the risk of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. METHODS: We documented 199 incident cases of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma in a cohort of 88 410 women, who were enrolled in the Nurses' Health Study and were aged 34-60 years in 1980, during 14 years of follow-up. Relative risks of the disease and 95% confidence intervals (95% CIs) were calculated. All P values are two-sided and were considered to be statistically significant for P<.05. RESULTS: Intake of saturated fat was associated with an increase in risk that was not statistically significant; the multivariate relative risk for the highest versus the lowest quintiles of intake was 1.4 (95% CI = 0.7-3.0; P for trend =.42). Intake of beef, pork, or lamb as a main dish was associated with a statistically significantly increased risk of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma; the multivariate relative risk for consumption of these meats at least once per day as compared with less than once per week was 2.2 (95% CI = 1.1-4.4; P for trend =.002). Higher intake of trans unsaturated fat was also statistically significantly associated with an increased risk of the disease; the multivariate relative risk for the highest versus the lowest quintiles was 2.4 (95% CI = 1.3-4.6; P for trend =.01). Higher intake of red meat cooked by broiling or barbecuing-but not by roasting, pan-frying, or boiling or stewing-was associated with an increase in risk that was not statistically significant. CONCLUSIONS: Greater dietary intake of certain meats and fats was associated with a higher risk of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. These relationships and their potential mechanisms deserve further examination. (+info)
Amount and fate of egg protein escaping assimilation in the small intestine of humans.
(19/814)
Studies attempting to evaluate protein assimilation in humans have hitherto relied on either ileostomy subjects or intubation techniques. The availability of stable isotope-labeled protein allowed us to determine the amount and fate of dietary protein escaping digestion and absorption in the small intestine of healthy volunteers using noninvasive tracer techniques. Ten healthy volunteers were studied once after ingestion of a cooked test meal, consisting of 25 g of (13)C-, (15)N-, and (2)H-labeled egg protein, and once after ingestion of the same but raw meal. Amounts of 5.73% and 35.10% (P < 0.005) of cooked and raw test meal, respectively, escaped digestion and absorption in the small intestine. A significantly higher percentage of the malabsorbed raw egg protein was recovered in urine as fermentation metabolites. These results 1) confirm that substantial amounts of even easily digestible proteins may escape assimilation in healthy volunteers and 2) further support the hypothesis that the metabolic fate of protein in the colon is affected by the amount of protein made available. (+info)
Respiratory symptoms in older people and use of domestic gas appliances.
(20/814)
BACKGROUND: Studies in children and young women have indicated an increased risk of respiratory illness in association with the use of domestic gas appliances, possibly caused by oxides of nitrogen generated when gas is burned. It is not known whether risks are similarly increased in older subjects. METHODS: A questionnaire about respiratory symptoms in the past year and potential risk factors for respiratory disease was mailed to 6000 men and women aged 65 years and older who were selected at random from the lists of general practices in North Bristol, UK. Associations between symptoms and the use of gas appliances were examined by logistic regression with adjustment for age, sex, social class, and smoking habits. RESULTS: Questionnaires were completed by 4792 (80%) of those mailed. The most common symptoms were exercise induced breathlessness, wheeze, or chest tightness (51%); wheeze (27%); morning phlegm (20%); and daytime breathlessness at rest (19%). In an analysis that included all subjects only weak associations were found with use of gas appliances, odds ratios all being 1.2 or less. The risks associated with use of a gas hob tended to be higher in women, with odds ratios of 1.36 (95% CI 1.01 to 1.83) for wheeze and 1.33 (95% CI 0.56 to 3.17) for morning chest tightness, but were lower than had been reported previously in younger women. CONCLUSION: The absence of stronger associations cannot readily be explained by bias or confounding. Gas cookers and fires are unlikely to be an important cause of respiratory illness in the elderly. If they do cause such illness, the largest risks are likely to be in women who use gas hobs. (+info)
The effect of gas cooking on bronchial hyperresponsiveness and the role of immunoglobulin E.
(21/814)
Some studies have shown an association between gas cooking and respiratory symptoms. This study investigated whether gas cooking affects bronchial responsiveness and whether particular subjects are more sensitive to this effect. Multiple linear regression analysis was performed with the dose-response slope (Percentage fall in forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1) divided by total dose of methacholine given) as the dependent variable in 1,921 subjects from a random sample of the Dutch population, aged 20-70 yrs. Whether the association was different according to sex, age, total immunoglobulin (Ig)E, specific IgE to inhalant allergens or smoking habits was tested by including interaction terms into the regression model. Subjects who used gas for cooking had a higher prevalence of bronchial hyperresponsiveness (provocative dose causing a 20% fall in FEV1 (PD20) < or = 2 mg) than those who used electricity (21% versus 14%) and this was dependent on the presence of atopy. Especially subjects with total IgE levels in the highest quartile had a significantly higher dose-response slope when using gas for cooking. This was independent of the presence of specific IgE to inhalant allergens. These results show increased bronchial responsiveness with gas cooking, which was only found in subjects with high total immunoglobulin E levels. This suggests that atopic subjects are sensitive to adverse effects of gas cooking on respiratory health. (+info)
Heterocyclic amine content of cooked meat and risk of prostate cancer.
(22/814)
BACKGROUND: Some epidemiologic studies have described positive associations between prostate cancer risk and meat consumption, but underlying mechanisms have not been identified. Heterocyclic amines are mutagens formed during the cooking of meat. Well-done meat has been associated with increased risks of colorectal and breast cancers in humans. This study examined associations between prostate cancer risk and 1) estimated daily intake of heterocyclic amines from cooked meat and 2) level of cooked-meat doneness. METHODS: A population-based, case-control study involving 317 case patients with prostate cancer and 480 age-matched control subjects was carried out in Auckland, New Zealand. Levels of meat doneness and daily intake of heterocyclic amines were determined from self-reported dietary data and experimentally measured heterocyclic amine levels in locally sourced meat samples cooked under controlled conditions to varying degrees of doneness. RESULTS: The heterocyclic amines found in the highest concentrations in meat samples were 2-amino-1,6-dimethylfuro[3,2-e]imidazo[4,5-b]pyridine (IFP) and 2-amino-1-methyl-6-phenylimidazo [4,5-b]pyridine (PhIP) from well-done chicken and pork and very well-done beefsteak. Meat doneness was weakly and inconsistently associated with prostate cancer risk for individual types of meat, but increased risk was observed for well-done beefsteak (relative risk = 1.68; 95% confidence interval = 1.02-2.77; two-sided P for trend =.03). A weak positive gradient of increased risk was associated with estimated daily exposure to IFP but not with the other major heterocyclic amines. CONCLUSIONS: Meat doneness and estimated intake of heterocyclic amines from cooked meat were not clearly associated with prostate cancer risk. (+info)
Dietary factors in relation to rheumatoid arthritis: a role for olive oil and cooked vegetables?
(23/814)
BACKGROUND: Although several studies showed that risk of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is inversely associated with consumption of n-3 fatty acids, the one study showing that olive oil may have a protective role has not yet been confirmed. OBJECTIVE: We examined the relation between dietary factors and risk of RA in persons from southern Greece. DESIGN: We studied 145 RA patients and 188 control subjects who provided information on demographic and socioeconomic variables, prior medical and family history, and present disease status. Subjects responded to an interviewer-administered, validated, food-frequency questionnaire that assessed the consumption of >100 food items. We calculated chi-square statistics for linear trend and odds ratios (ORs) for the development of RA in relation to the consumption of olive oil, fish, vegetables, and a series of food groups classified in quartiles. RESULTS: Risk of developing RA was inversely and significantly associated only with cooked vegetables (OR: 0.39) and olive oil (OR: 0.39) by univariate analysis. A significant trend was observed with increasing olive oil (chi-square: 4.28; P = 0.03) and cooked vegetable (chi-square: 10. 48; P = 0.001) consumption. Multiple logistic regression analysis models confirmed the independent and inverse association between olive oil or cooked vegetable consumption and risk of RA (OR: 0.38 and 0.24, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: Consumption of both cooked vegetables and olive oil was inversely and independently associated with risk of RA in this population. Further research is needed to elucidate the underlying mechanisms of this finding, which may include the antioxidant properties or the high n-9 fatty acid content of the olive oil. (+info)
Chronic consumption of raw but not boiled Welsh onion juice inhibits rat platelet function.
(24/814)
Welsh onion has been consumed for prevention of cardiovascular disorders. To study if it has antithrombotic effects, 9-wk-old male Sprague-Dawley rats were studied. Some rats were fed raw or boiled Welsh onion juice (2 g. kg(-1). d(-1)) for 4 wk, and the remaining acted as the control. Before and after feeding, their systolic blood pressure was measured by a tail-cuff method. Two days after the treatment period, tail bleeding time, platelet function (including platelet aggregation and adhesion), plasma levels of prostaglandins, and platelet cyclic nucleotide levels were determined. In comparison to the control, raw Welsh onion juice consumption significantly (1) lowered resting systolic blood pressure; (2) prolonged the bleeding time; (3) diminished platelet adhesion on a fibrinogen-coated surface, ADP-evoked platelet aggregation and ADP-stimulated thromboxane release; (4) elevated the concentration of cyclic AMP, but not cyclic GMP, in platelets; (5) increased the plasma level of 6-keto-prostaglandin F(1alpha), the stable prostacyclin metabolite, but not the plasma nitrite level. On the contrary, boiled Welsh onion juice consumption was totally ineffective. In conclusion, consuming raw Welsh onion juice, but not boiled juice, has blood pressure lowering and antithrombotic effects in rats. These effects may be mediated by PGI(2)-cAMP pathway. (+info)