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In 2019, the EAT–LancetCommission on healthy diets from sustainable food systems proposed a Planetary Health Diet that seeks to optimise both chronic disease prevention as well as global environmental health. In this study, we aimed to examine the association between a dietary index based on the Planetary Health Diet and risk of cardiovascular disease.

The American Society for Nutrition’s (ASN) Committee on Advocacy and Science Policy (CASP) organized a workshop, “Building a National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) for the Future,” held during NUTRITION 2023, which took place in Boston, MA in July 2023. CASP had already identified an urgent need for increased support and modernization to ensure that a secure future for NHANES is achievable. The survey faces challenges associated with data collection, stagnant funding, and a need for more granular data for subpopulations and groups at risk. The workshop provided an overview of NHANES, including the nutrition component, and the many other uses for the survey’s data, which extend beyond nutrition. Speakers highlighted NHANES’s current and emerging challenges, as well as possible solutions to address these challenges, especially with regard to response rates of underrepresented groups, linkage of survey data to other resources, incorporation of new survey methodologies, and emerging data needs. The workshop also included a “Town Hall” component to gather additional feedback on NHANES’ challenges and proposed solutions from audience members. The workshop provided many possible action items that ASN will explore and use to inform effective continued advocacy in support of NHANES and to find possible opportunities for ASN and others to partner with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention National Center for Health Statistics to strengthen this vital survey and maintain its robust and relevant data moving forward.

Whether physical activity could mitigate the adverse impacts of sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs) or artificially sweetened beverages (ASBs) on incident cardiovascular disease (CVD) remains uncertain.

IMPORTANCE: Few modifiable risk factors for post–COVID-19 condition (PCC) have been identified. OBJECTIVE: To investigate the association between healthy lifestyle factors prior to SARS-CoV-2 infection and risk of PCC. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS: In this prospective cohort study, 32 249 women in the Nurses’ Health Study II cohort reported preinfection lifestyle habits in 2015 and 2017. Healthy lifestyle factors included healthy body mass index (BMI, 18.5-24.9; calculated as weight in kilograms divided by height in meters squared), never smoking, at least 150 minutes per week of moderate to vigorous physical activity, moderate alcohol intake (5 to 15 g/d), high diet quality (upper 40% of Alternate Healthy Eating Index–2010 score), and adequate sleep (7 to 9 h/d). MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES: SARS-CoV-2 infection (confirmed by test) and PCC (at least 4 weeks of symptoms) were self-reported on 7 periodic surveys administered from April 2020 to November 2021. Among participants with SARS-CoV-2 infection, the relative risk (RR) of PCC in association with the number of healthy lifestyle factors (0 to 6) was estimated using Poisson regression and adjusting for demographic factors and comorbidities. RESULTS: A total of 1981 women with a positive SARS-CoV-2 test over 19 months of follow-up were documented. Among those participants, mean age was 64.7 years (SD, 4.6; range, 55-75); 97.4% (n = 1929) were White; and 42.8% (n = 848) were active health care workers. Among these, 871 (44.0%) developed PCC. Healthy lifestyle was associated with lower risk of PCC in a dose-dependent manner. Compared with women without any healthy lifestyle factors, those with 5 to 6 had 49% lower risk (RR, 0.51; 95% CI, 0.33-0.78) of PCC. In a model mutually adjusted for all lifestyle factors, BMI and sleep were independently associated with risk of PCC (BMI, 18.5-24.9 vs others, RR, 0.85; 95% CI, 0.73-1.00, P = .046; sleep, 7-9 h/d vs others, RR, 0.83; 95% CI, 0.72-0.95, P = .008). If these associations were causal, 36.0% of PCC cases would have been prevented if all participants had 5 to 6 healthy lifestyle factors (population attributable risk percentage, 36.0%; 95% CI, 14.1%-52.7%). Results were comparable when PCC was defined as symptoms of at least 2-month duration or having ongoing symptoms at the time of PCC assessment. CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE: In this prospective cohort study, pre-infection healthy lifestyle was associated with a substantially lower risk of PCC. Future research should investigate whether lifestyle interventions may reduce risk of developing PCC or mitigate symptoms among individuals with PCC or possibly other postinfection syndromes.

IMPORTANCE: The current Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommend multiple healthy eating patterns. However, few studies have examined the associations of adherence to different dietary patterns with long-term risk of total and cause-specific mortality. OBJECTIVE: To examine the associations of dietary scores for 4 healthy eating patterns with risk of total and cause-specific mortality. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS: This prospective cohort study included initially healthy women from the Nurses’ Health Study (NHS; 1984-2020) and men from the Health Professionals Follow-up Study (HPFS; 1986-2020). EXPOSURES: Healthy Eating Index 2015 (HEI-2015), Alternate Mediterranean Diet (AMED) score, Healthful Plant-based Diet Index (HPDI), and Alternate Healthy Eating Index (AHEI). MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES: The main outcomes were total and cause-specific mortality overall and stratified by race and ethnicity and other potential risk factors. RESULTS: The final study sample included 75 230 women from the NHS (mean [SD] baseline age, 50.2 [7.2] years) and 44 085 men from the HPFS (mean [SD] baseline age, 53.3 [9.6] years). During a total of 3 559 056 person-years of follow-up, 31 263 women and 22 900 men died. When comparing the highest with the lowest quintiles, the pooled multivariable-adjusted HRs of total mortality were 0.81 (95% CI, 0.79-0.84) for HEI-2015, 0.82 (95% CI, 0.79-0.84) for AMED score, 0.86 (95% CI, 0.83-0.89) for HPDI, and 0.80 (95% CI, 0.77-0.82) for AHEI (P < .001 for trend for all). All dietary scores were significantly inversely associated with death from cardiovascular disease, cancer, and respiratory disease. The AMED score and AHEI were inversely associated with mortality from neurodegenerative disease. The inverse associations between these scores and risk of mortality were consistent in different racial and ethnic groups, including Hispanic, non-Hispanic Black, and non-Hispanic White individuals. CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE: In this cohort study of 2 large prospective cohorts with up to 36 years of follow-up, greater adherence to various healthy eating patterns was consistently associated with lower risk of total and cause-specific mortality. These findings support the recommendations of Dietary Guidelines for Americans that multiple healthy eating patterns can be adapted to individual food traditions and preferences.

ObjectivePoor metabolic health and unhealthy lifestyle factors have been associated with risk and severity of COVID-19, but data for diet are lacking. We aimed to investigate the association of diet quality with risk and severity of COVID-19 and its interaction with socioeconomic deprivation.DesignWe used data from 592 571 participants of the smartphone-based COVID-19 Symptom Study. Diet information was collected for the prepandemic period using a short food frequency questionnaire, and diet quality was assessed using a healthful Plant-Based Diet Score, which emphasises healthy plant foods such as fruits or vegetables. Multivariable Cox models were fitted to calculate HRs and 95% CIs for COVID-19 risk and severity defined using a validated symptom-based algorithm or hospitalisation with oxygen support, respectively.ResultsOver 3 886 274 person-months of follow-up, 31 815 COVID-19 cases were documented. Compared with individuals in the lowest quartile of the diet score, high diet quality was associated with lower risk of COVID-19 (HR 0.91; 95% CI 0.88 to 0.94) and severe COVID-19 (HR 0.59; 95% CI 0.47 to 0.74). The joint association of low diet quality and increased deprivation on COVID-19 risk was higher than the sum of the risk associated with each factor alone (Pinteraction=0.005). The corresponding absolute excess rate per 10 000 person/months for lowest vs highest quartile of diet score was 22.5 (95% CI 18.8 to 26.3) among persons living in areas with low deprivation and 40.8 (95% CI 31.7 to 49.8) among persons living in areas with high deprivation.ConclusionsA diet characterised by healthy plant-based foods was associated with lower risk and severity of COVID-19. This association may be particularly evident among individuals living in areas with higher socioeconomic deprivation.

IMPORTANCE: Cardiometabolic disease is responsible for decreased longevity and poorer cardiovascular outcomes in the modern era. Metabolite profiling provides a specific measure of global metabolic function to examine specific metabolic mechanisms and pathways of cardiometabolic disease beyond its clinical definitions. OBJECTIVES: To define a molecular basis for cardiometabolic stress and assess its association with cardiovascular prognosis. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS: A prospective observational cohort study was conducted in a population-based setting across 2 geographically distinct centers (Boston Puerto Rican Health Study [BPRHS], an ongoing study of individuals enrolled between June 1, 2004, and October 31, 2009; and Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities [ARIC] study, whose participants were originally sampled between November 24, 1986, and February 10, 1990, and followed up through December 31, 2017). Participants in the BPRHS were 668 Puerto Rican individuals with metabolite profiling living in Massachusetts, and participants in the ARIC study were 2152 individuals with metabolite profiling and long-term follow-up for mortality and cardiovascular outcomes. Statistical analysis was performed from October 1, 2018, to March 13, 2020. EXPOSURE: The primary exposure was metabolite profiles across both cohorts. MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES: Outcomes included associations with multisystem cardiometabolic stress and all-cause mortality and incident coronary heart disease (in the ARIC study). RESULTS: Participants in the BPRHS (N = 668; 491 women; mean [SD] age, 57.0 [7.4] years; mean [SD] body mass index [calculated as weight in kilograms divided by height in meters squared], 32.0 [6.5]) had higher prevalent cardiometabolic risk relative to those in the ARIC study (N = 2152; 599 African American individuals; 1213 women; mean [SD] age, 54.3 [5.7] years; mean [SD] body mass index, 28.0 [5.5]). Multisystem cardiometabolic stress was defined for 668 Puerto Rican individuals in the BPRHS as a multidimensional composite of hypothalamic-adrenal axis activity, sympathetic activation, blood pressure, proatherogenic dyslipidemia, insulin resistance, visceral adiposity, and inflammation. A total of 260 metabolites associated with cardiometabolic stress were identified in the BPRHS, involving known and novel pathways of cardiometabolic disease (eg, amino acid metabolism, oxidative stress, and inflammation). A parsimonious metabolite-based score associated with cardiometabolic stress in the BPRHS was subsequently created; this score was applied to shared metabolites in the ARIC study, demonstrating significant associations with coronary heart disease and all-cause mortality after multivariable adjustment at a 30-year horizon (per SD increase in metabolomic score: hazard ratio, 1.14; 95% CI, 1.00-1.31; P = .045 for coronary heart disease; and hazard ratio, 1.15; 95% CI, 1.07-1.24; P < .001 for all-cause mortality). CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE: Metabolites associated with cardiometabolic stress identified known and novel pathways of cardiometabolic disease in high-risk, community-based cohorts and were associated with coronary heart disease and survival at a 30-year time horizon. These results underscore the shared molecular pathophysiology of metabolic dysfunction, cardiovascular disease, and longevity and suggest pathways for modification to improve prognosis across all linked conditions.

IMPORTANCE: The 2015-2020 Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommend multiple healthy eating patterns. However, few studies have examined the associations of adherence to different dietary patterns with long-term risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD). OBJECTIVE: To examine the associations of dietary scores for 4 healthy eating patterns with risk of incident CVD. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS: Prospective cohort study of initially healthy women from the Nurses’ Health Study (NHS) (1984-2016) and the NHS II (1991-2017) and men from the Health Professionals Follow-up Study (HPFS) (1986-2012). The dates of analysis were July 25 to December 4, 2019. EXPOSURES: Healthy Eating Index–2015 (HEI-2015), Alternate Mediterranean Diet Score (AMED), Healthful Plant-Based Diet Index (HPDI), and Alternate Healthy Eating Index (AHEI). MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES: Cardiovascular disease events, including fatal and nonfatal coronary heart disease (CHD) and stroke. RESULTS: The final study sample included 74 930 women in the NHS (mean [SD] baseline age, 50.2 [7.2] years), 90 864 women in the NHS II (mean [SD] baseline age, 36.1 [4.7] years), and 43 339 men in the HPFS (mean [SD] baseline age, 53.2 [9.6] years). During a total of 5 257 190 person-years of follow-up, 23 366 incident CVD cases were documented (18 092 CHD and 5687 stroke) (some individuals were diagnosed as having both CHD and stroke). Comparing the highest with the lowest quintiles, the pooled multivariable-adjusted hazard ratios (HRs) of CVD were 0.83 (95% CI, 0.79-0.86) for the HEI-2015, 0.83 (95% CI, 0.79-0.86) for the AMED, 0.86 (95% CI, 0.82-0.89) for the HPDI, and 0.79 (95% CI, 0.75-0.82) for the AHEI (P for trend <.001 for all). In addition, a 25-percentile higher dietary score was associated with 10% to 20% lower risk of CVD (pooled HR, 0.80 [95% CI, 0.77-0.83] for the HEI-2015; 0.90 [95% CI, 0.87-0.92] for the AMED; 0.86 [95% CI, 0.82-0.89] for the HPDI; and 0.81 [95% CI, 0.78-0.84] for the AHEI). These dietary scores were statistically significantly associated with lower risk of both CHD and stroke. In analyses stratified by race/ethnicity and other potential risk factors for CVD, the inverse associations between these scores and risk of CVD were consistent in most subgroups. CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE: In 3 large prospective cohorts with up to 32 years of follow-up, greater adherence to various healthy eating patterns was consistently associated with lower risk of CVD. These findings support the recommendations of the 2015-2020 Dietary Guidelines for Americans that multiple healthy eating patterns can be adapted to individual food traditions and preferences.

Healthy plant-based diets have been associated with lower risk of type 2 diabetes (T2D). Metabolomics can be leveraged to identify potential pathways through which diet influences disease risk.

IMPORTANCE: Accumulating epidemiologic evidence has suggested favorable associations between plant-based dietary patterns and risk of type 2 diabetes, although there is a lack of a quantitative summary of evidence substantiating this important association. OBJECTIVE: To quantitatively synthesize available prospective observational evidence on the association between plant-based dietary patterns and risk of type 2 diabetes. DATA SOURCES: A systematic search of PubMed and MEDLINE, Embase, Web of Science, and reference lists through February 15, 2019, was conducted. Data analysis was conducted between December 2018 and February 2019. STUDY SELECTION: All prospective observational studies that examined the association between adherence to plant-based dietary patterns and incidence of type 2 diabetes among adults 18 years or older were identified. DATA EXTRACTION AND SYNTHESIS: Meta-analysis of Observational Studies in Epidemiology guidelines for data abstraction and reporting were followed, and a National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute assessment tool was used to evaluate study quality. Two authors independently conducted full-text assessments and data abstraction. Meta-analysis was conducted using the random-effects method to calculate the overall relative risk (RR) and 95% CI. MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES: Level of adherence to a plant-based diet and incidence of type 2 diabetes. RESULTS: A total of 9 studies were identified, totaling 307 099 participants with 23 544 cases of incident type 2 diabetes. A significant inverse association was observed between higher adherence to a plant-based dietary pattern and risk of type 2 diabetes (RR, 0.77; 95% CI, 0.71-0.84) in comparison with poorer adherence, with modest heterogeneity across studies (I2 = 44.5%; P = .07 for heterogeneity). Similar findings were obtained when using the fixed-effects model (RR, 0.80; 95% CI, 0.75-0.84). Consistent associations were observed across predefined subgroups. This association was strengthened when healthy plant-based foods, such as fruits, vegetables, whole grains, legumes, and nuts, were included in the definition of plant-based patterns (RR, 0.70; 95% CI, 0.62-0.79). Most studies were deemed to have good quality in terms of dietary assessment, disease outcomes, and statistical adjustment for confounding factors. Using restricted cubic splines, a significant inverse linear dose-response association was identified between plant-based dietary indices and risk of type 2 diabetes. CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE: Plant-based dietary patterns, especially when they are enriched with healthful plant-based foods, may be beneficial for the primary prevention of type 2 diabetes.

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Background:High-quality carbohydrate sources, such as whole grains, have been associated with a lower risk of type 2 diabetes (T2D), whereas low-quality carbohydrate sources, such as refined grains and added sugar, have been associated with a higher T2D risk. However, few studies have considered how replacing dietary carbohydrate with other macronutrients may influence T2D risk.Objective:We examined whether isocaloric substitution of high- or low-quality carbohydrate for fat, protein, and their subtypes is associated with T2D risk.Methods:We included 75,430 women from the Nurses' Health Study (1984-2016), 85,630 women from the Nurses' Health Study II (1991-2017), and 40,261 men from the Health Professionals Follow-Up Study (1986-2016) who were free of T2D, CVD, and cancer at baseline. Dietary data were collected every 2-4 years using a validated, semi-quantitative food frequency questionnaire. High-quality carbohydrate was defined as carbohydrate from whole grains, fruits, vegetables, and legumes. Low-quality carbohydrate was defined as carbohydrate from refined grains, added sugars, and potatoes. We used Cox proportional hazards regression with time-varying covariates to model the substitution of 5% of energy intake from high- and low-quality carbohydrate for isocaloric amounts of fat, protein, and their subtypes [polyunsaturated fat (PUFA), animal and plant monounsaturated fat (MUFA), saturated fat, trans fat, and animal and plant protein]. Cohort-specific estimates were combined using inverse variance-weighted fixed effects meta-analyses.Results:During 4,859,845 years of follow-up, we documented 20,141 incident T2D cases. In multivariable-adjusted meta-analyses, isocaloric substitution of high-quality carbohydrate for total fat [HR (95% CI) 0.94 (0.93, 0.96)], total MUFA [0.95 (0.91, 0.98)], MUFA from animal sources [0.92 (0.88, 0.95)], total protein [0.91 (0.89, 0.94)], or animal protein [0.94 (0.91, 0.97] was associated with a lower T2D risk. On the other hand, the substitution of low-quality carbohydrate for plant MUFA [1.06 (1.02-1.10)] or plant protein [1.06 (1.02-1.11)] was associated with a higher risk of T2D. When we restricted high-quality carbohydrate sources to whole grains, the results were similar or stronger. Additionally, substitution of whole grain carbohydrate for saturated fat [0.87 (0.84, 0.91)], trans fat [0.87 (0.83, 0.92)], PUFA [0.88 (0.84, 0.92)], plant MUFA [0.92 (0.87, 0.96)], or plant protein [0.91 (0.86, 0.97)] was associated with lower T2D risk.Conclusions:The effect of carbohydrate substitution on T2D risk depends not only on the nutrient being substituted but also on the quality of the carbohydrate. Substitution of high-quality carbohydrate, especially carbohydrate from whole grains (i.e. whole wheat bread, oatmeal), for fat or protein, especially animal sources (i.e. beef, poultry), may lower T2D risk.

Background:Consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs) or artificially sweetened beverages (ASBs) and physical activity are independently associated with type 2 diabetes (T2D) risk; however, it is unknown whether there is an interaction of SSB/ASB intake and physical activity on risk of T2D.Methods:We examined the independent and joint associations between habitual SSB/ASB intake and physical activity with incident T2D risk among 196,101 women and men from the Nurses’ Health Study (NHS, 1980-2016), NHSII (1991-2017), and Health Professional’s Follow-up Study (HPFS, 1986-2016), who were free from chronic diseases at baseline. Cox proportional hazards regressions were used to estimate hazard ratios and 95% confidence intervals (HR; CI), adjusting for demographic and lifestyle T2D risk factors.Results:There were 20,430 incident T2D cases over follow-up of 36, 26, and 30 years in NHS, NHSII, and HPFS, respectively. In multivariable-adjusted models, we confirmed that participants with higher SSBs, ASBs and lower physical activity were independently at higher T2D risk, compared to lower intakes and higher activity levels. In joint analyses for these exposures, participants who did not meet physical activity guidelines and consumed gt 2 servings/day of SSBs had a significantly higher risk of T2D than those who met physical activity guidelines and never/rarely consumed SSBs (1.51; 1.43, 1.60); we observed similar findings for ASBs: 1.29; 1.23, 1.36). Among participants who met physical activity guidelines, those who consumed gt 2 servings/day of SSBs had a HR of 1.23 (1.16, 1.30); the HR for ASBs was 1.07 (1.02, 1.13). Consistent results were observed for women and men.Conclusions:Long-term habitual intake of SSBs or ASBs combined with lower physical activity was associated with higher risk of T2D in three large prospective cohort studies. These findings suggest that even when individuals are physically active, higher consumption of SSBs is associated with a higher risk of T2D. Our results support recommendations and policies to limit the intake of SSB and increase physical activity levels.

Sexual and gender minorities have a higher risk for health and nutrition-related disparities across the life course compared to the heterosexual or cisgender population. Experiences of stigmatization and discrimination are associated with diminished mental health quality and psychological distress, which are risk factors for developing various eating disorders. Other nutrition disparities include increased risk for food insecurity, body dissatisfaction, and weight complications, such as those experienced by the transgender population in association with gender-affirming hormone therapies. Despite the need for tailored nutrition recommendations that address the unique needs of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer/questioning (LGBTQ+) community, there are currently no such guidelines in North America. The purpose of this review is to summarize major LGBTQ+ nutrition disparities and highlight the need for tailored recommendations. We examine the evidence on mental health and social disparities in this group, including vulnerabilities to disordered eating, food insecurity, and healthcare provider discrimination. Importantly, we identify a scarcity of literature on dietary concerns and nutrition care guidelines for LGBTQ+ groups, including studies that address intersectionality and differences among specific gender and sexual orientations. These gaps underline the urgency of prioritizing nutrition for LGBTQ+ health needs and for developing tailored public health nutrition recommendations for this underserved population. Our review suggests that future LGBTQ+ health and nutrition research agendas should include personalized and precision nutrition, social determinants of health, diet quality, body image, and healthcare provider cultural competency and responsiveness. Moreover, the current evidence on LGBTQ+ nutrition and health will be strengthened when research studies (including clinical trials) with robust methodologies amplify inclusion and representation of this community to elucidate health and nutrition disparities in sexual and gender minorities.

Supplemental Digital Content is available in the text.

Supplemental Digital Content is available in the text.

C-reactive protein and fibrinogen are established atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease risk factors. These acute-phase proteins and the proinflammatory cytokines tumor necrosis factor , interleukin-6, and interleukin-1 may be elevated in obesity and with menopause. The purpose of this multicenter study was to identify whether centrally located fat and/or overall adiposity were related to these inflammatory markers in healthy postmenopausal women.

Introduction:The 2015-2020 Dietary Guidelines for Americans (DGAs) recommend three major healthy dietary patterns: the Healthy US-Style Eating Pattern, the Healthy Mediterranean-Style Eating Pattern, and the Healthy Vegetarian Eating Pattern, for all Americans with diverse cultural and personal food traditions. However, few studies have systematically examined the potential differences in associations of adherence to these recommended dietary patterns with long-term risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD).Hypothesis:We hypothesized that all three DGA-recommended dietary patterns were associated with lower risk of CVD, coronary heart disease (CHD), and stroke.Method:We evaluated data on 74 661 women in the Nurses’ Health Study (NHS), 90 864 women in NHS II, and 41 837 men in the Health Professionals Follow-Up Study (HPFS), who had repeated dietary data and had no history of type 2 diabetes, CVD, or cancer at baseline. Using the food and nutrient components, we calculated the Healthy Eating Index (HEI)-2015, Alternate Mediterranean Diet score (AMED), Healthful Plant-based Diet Index (HPDI), to measure adherence to the Healthy US-Style Eating Pattern, Healthy Mediterranean-Style Eating Pattern, and Healthy Vegetarian Eating Pattern, respectively. Multivariable Cox proportional-hazards regression was used to assess the associations of healthy eating index with CVD risk.Results:We documented 9 262 incident CVD cases (6 628 CHD and 2 701 stroke) during 1 976 026 person years of follow-up in the NHS, 1 916 CVD cases (1 267 CHD and 660 stroke) during 2 173 162 person years of follow-up in NHS II, and 10 203 CVD cases (8 750 CHD and 1 775 stroke) during 873 053 person years of follow-up in HPFS. When comparing the highest to the lowest quintiles, the pooled HRs (95% CIs) of CVD were 0.80 (0.77 to 0.84) for HEI-2015, 0.83 (0.79 to 0.87) for AMED, and 0.85 (0.81 to 0.89) for HPDI (all P for trend <0.001). In addition, a 25-percentile increase in healthy eating scores was associated with 10% to 22% lower risk of CVD (pooled HR: HEI-2015, 0.78 [0.75 to 0.82]; AMED, 0.90 [0.88 to 0.92]; HPDI, 0.84 [0.81 to 0.88]). For CHD, the pooled HRs (95% CIs) per 20-percentile increase were 0.76 (0.73 to 0.80) for HEI-2015, 0.90 (0.87 to 0.92) for AMED, and 0.83 (0.79 to 0.87) for HPDI. For stroke, the pooled HRs (95% CIs) per 20-percentile increase were 0.86 (0.78 to 0.94) for HEI-2015, 0.90 (0.85 to 0.95) for AMED, and 0.90 (0.83 to 0.98) for HPDI. The inverse associations between healthy eating index and CVD risk persisted in analyses stratified by potential risk factors.Conclusions:In three large prospective cohorts with up to 32 years of follow-up, higher adherence to various healthy eating patterns was associated with lower risk of CVD, CHD, and stroke. Our findings support the DGA recommendations for multiple healthy eating patterns.

Introduction:Animal protein sources, especially red and processed meat, have been associated with adverse health outcomes. Epidemiological evidence on the isocaloric substitution of plant for animal protein on mortality risk remains limited.Hypothesis:We hypothesized that substituting plant protein for carbohydrates and animal protein would be associated with lower mortality.Method:We included a nationally representative sample of 37 233 US adults ≥20 years with 24-h dietary recall data from eight National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) cycles (1999-2014). Mortality from all causes, heart disease, and cancer were identified through National Death Index linkage (until December 31, 2015). We used Cox proportional hazards regression to estimate the association between plant and animal protein intake and mortality after adjustment for potential confounding factors.Results:During 297 768 person-years of follow-up, 4 866 total deaths occurred, including 849 deaths from heart disease and 1 068 deaths from cancer. After multivariable adjustment, higher intake of total animal protein was not associated with total mortality. Plant protein was associated with lower total mortality; when comparing the lowest with highest quintiles of plant protein intake, the multivariable adjusted HR (95% CIs) of total mortality was 0.73 (0.61, 0.88); Pfor trend <0.001. The HRs (95% CIs) comparing extreme quintiles were 0.71 (0.48, 1.05) for heart disease mortality, and 0.74 (0.53, 1.04) for cancer mortality. When isocalorically replacing 5% of energy from total animal protein with plant protein, the multivariable HRs were 0.49 (0.32, 0.74) for total mortality, 0.51 (0.28, 0.95) for heart disease mortality, and 0.53 (0.28, 1.00) for cancer mortality. For different food sources of animal protein, isocaloric substitution of 2% of energy from plant protein for protein in unprocessed red meat (0.74, 95% CI: 0.63, 0.87), processed meat (0.68, 95% CI: 0.53, 0.89), total dairy (0.74, 95% CI: 0.58, 0.94), and 1% of energy from plant protein for seafood (0.86, 95% CI: 0.79, 0.93) was each associated with a lower risk of total mortality.Conclusions:Higher plant protein intake was associated with lower total mortality. Isocalorically replacing animal protein with plant protein was associated with lower total mortality.

Introduction:Puerto Rican adults living on the US mainland tend to have poor quality diets and adverse cardiometabolic risk. Plasma metabolomic signatures reflect dietary intakes and variability in metabolic response to diet.Hypothesis:A plasma metabolomic signature reflecting adherence to the American Heart Association (AHA) dietary guidelines will be associated with cardiometabolic risk.Methods:We used LC/MS to measure plasma metabolites (>700) among Boston Puerto Rican Health Study participants, aged 45-75 years, without (n=252) and with (n=254) type 2 diabetes (T2D). We calculated a modified version of a previously validated AHA diet score (AHA-DS), which included variety and amounts of fruits/vegetables, whole grains, fish, saturated fat, transfat, sodium, and added sugars. We used elastic net regression to identify a metabolomic signature that associated with higher adherence to the AHA-DS among those without T2D (training set) and replicated the associations among those with T2D (testing set). A metabolomic score was calculated as the weighted sum of the diet associated metabolites. We used general linear models to determine the cross-sectional associations between the AHA-DS, metabolomic score, and cardiometabolic risk factors.Results:A diet-associated metabolomic signature with 58 metabolites, primarily lipids and amino acids, was identified. This metabolomic score correlated moderately with the AHA-DS among those with and without T2D (r=0.42-0.46, P<5.7x10-12). In all participants (n=506), the metabolomic score, but not the AHA-DS, was significantly associated with higher HDL-C and LDL-C concentrations, and lower waist circumference (P<0.004; Table 1). No associations were observed for triglyceride concentrations, glycemia measures, or blood pressure.Conclusions:In individuals of Puerto Rican descent, we identified a metabolomic signature that reflected adherence and metabolic response to the AHA dietary guidelines and that associated with cardiometabolic risk factors.

ObjectiveTo evaluate the association between egg intake and cardiovascular disease risk among women and men in the United States, and to conduct a meta-analysis of prospective cohort studies.DesignProspective cohort study, and a systematic review and meta-analysis of prospective cohort studies.SettingNurses’ Health Study (NHS, 1980-2012), NHS II (1991-2013), Health Professionals’ Follow-Up Study (HPFS, 1986-2012).ParticipantsCohort analyses included 83 349 women from NHS, 90 214 women from NHS II, and 42 055 men from HPFS who were free of cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, and cancer at baseline.Main outcome measuresIncident cardiovascular disease, which included non-fatal myocardial infarction, fatal coronary heart disease, and stroke.ResultsOver up to 32 years of follow-up (>5.54 million person years), 14 806 participants with incident cardiovascular disease were identified in the three cohorts. Participants with a higher egg intake had a higher body mass index, were less likely to be treated with statins, and consumed more red meats. Most people consumed between one and less than five eggs per week. In the pooled multivariable analysis, consumption of at least one egg per day was not associated with incident cardiovascular disease risk after adjustment for updated lifestyle and dietary factors associated with egg intake (hazard ratio for at least one egg per day vless than one egg per month 0.93, 95% confidence interval 0.82 to 1.05). In the updated meta-analysis of prospective cohort studies (33 risk estimates, 1 720 108 participants, 139 195 cardiovascular disease events), an increase of one egg per day was not associated with cardiovascular disease risk (pooled relative risk 0.98, 95% confidence interval 0.93 to 1.03, I2=62.3%). Results were similar for coronary heart disease (21 risk estimates, 1 411 261 participants, 59 713 coronary heart disease events; 0.96, 0.91 to 1.03, I2=38.2%), and stroke (22 risk estimates, 1 059 315 participants, 53 617 stroke events; 0.99, 0.91 to 1.07, I2=71.5%). In analyses stratified by geographical location (P for interaction=0.07), no association was found between egg consumption and cardiovascular disease risk among US cohorts (1.01, 0.96 to 1.06, I2=30.8%) or European cohorts (1.05, 0.92 to 1.19, I2=64.7%), but an inverse association was seen in Asian cohorts (0.92, 0.85 to 0.99, I2=44.8%).ConclusionsResults from the three cohorts and from the updated meta-analysis show that moderate egg consumption (up to one egg per day) is not associated with cardiovascular disease risk overall, and is associated with potentially lower cardiovascular disease risk in Asian populations.Systematic review registrationPROSPERO CRD42019129650.

Introduction:Puerto Ricans are the second largest Hispanic sub group and have high rates of type 2 diabetes (T2D). Yet, there is limited understanding of the molecular pathways that contribute to cardiometabolic risk in this high risk group.Hypothesis:We hypothesized that circulating branched chain (BCAA) and aromatic amino acids (AA), which are related to T2D risk in non-Hispanic whites, would be associated with a higher likelihood of T2D and with adverse cardiometabolic biomarkers among older Puerto Ricans.Methods:We developed a case-control study within the Boston Puerto Rican Health Study (BPRHS) with 275 prevalent T2D cases and 275 age, sex matched controls. We used LC/MS to measure baseline plasma BCAAs (leucine, isoleucine, and valine) and AAs (phenylalanine and tyrosine) within a metabolomic analysis. We used conditional logistic regression to model the likelihood of T2D for each standard deviation (SD) increase in metabolites. Among controls, free of T2D, we examined cross-sectional and prospective (2 year) associations between metabolites and measures of glycemia, dyslipidemia, and inflammation.Results:After multivariable adjustment, the likelihood of prevalent T2D for each SD increase in metabolites was 1.82 (1.41-2.36) for isoleucine, 2.03 (1.55-2.66) for leucine, and 1.66 (1.29-2.13) for valine. No associations were seen for AA and T2D. We replicated these findings among women in the Women?s Health Initiative. In the BPRHS, cross-sectionally and prospectively, higher concentrations of BCAA and tyrosine were associated with adverse glycemia measures (Table 1). Cross-sectionally, higher BCAAs were associated with an adverse lipid profile.Conclusions:Higher baseline BCAAs were associated with higher T2D in older Puerto Ricans. Among those without T2D, higher BCAAs and tyrosine were associated with adverse glycemia and dyslipidemia markers. Future research should examine dietary and lifestyle correlates of these metabolites.

Introduction:Plant-based diets are recommended for the prevention of type 2 diabetes (T2D) and cardiovascular disease (CVD). South Asians primarily consume a plant-based diet but also have a disproportionately high risk of cardiometabolic disease. Because not all plant foods are beneficial to health, we previously developed a healthy plant-based diet index (hPDI) to reflect consumption of high quality plant foods. To create the hPDI, we assigned healthy plant foods (whole grains, fruits, vegetables, herbs/spices, nuts, legumes, tea/coffee) positive scores, while less healthy plant foods (juices, sugar sweetened beverages, refined grains, deep fried snacks/pickles, potatoes, coconut, and sweets) and animal foods received reverse scores. We examined cross-sectional and prospective associations between the hPDI and cardiometabolic risk markers (dyslipidemia, glycemia, inflammation, body composition, subclinical atherosclerosis, and incident T2D) among South Asians in the US. We hypothesized that those with higher scores on the hPDI will have a better cardiometabolic risk profile.Methods:We included 891 South Asians (mean age=55 y, 53% male) who completed the baseline visit in MASALA with reliable food frequency questionnaire data. The prospective analysis included 735 South Asians who completed exam 2 (~5 y after baseline). We used multivariable general linear or logistic regression to examine cross-sectional and prospective associations between hPDI and cardiometabolic risk adjusting for age, sex, education, income, medication use, calories, BMI, and various lifestyle, dietary, and cultural factors. In prospective analyses, we adjusted for the baseline value of the corresponding outcome variable.Results:At baseline, the hPDI was inversely associated with HOMA-IR and HbA1C [% decrease ± SE for every 5 unit higher hPDI: HOMA-IR=-2.76 ± 1.39, HbA1c = -0.37 ± 0.14]. There were no associations with beta-cell function, fasting and 2-h glucose, triglycerides, HDL-C, C-reactive protein, adiponectin, or subclinical atherosclerosis. A higher score on the hPDI (β ± SE for 5 unit increase) was associated with lower LDL-C (-1.50 ± 0.66 mg/dL), BMI (-0.20 ± 0.09 kg/m2), weight (-0.54 ± 0.25 kg), visceral fat (-1.92 ± 0.94 cm2), a lower likelihood of fatty liver (OR=0.78, 95% CI: 0.65-0.93), and obesity (OR=0.91, 95% CI: 0.82-1.00). Prospectively, we found no associations between hPDI and measures of glycemia (glucose, HbA1C) and dyslipidemia (triglycerides, HDL-C, and LDL-C). The hPDI was inversely, but non-significantly, associated with a lower risk of incident T2D [RR (95% CI) per 5 unit hPDI =0.87 (0.71-1.08), n=45 cases].Conclusions:A higher intake of healthful plant-based foods was associated with a favorable cardiometabolic risk profile. Continued follow-up of the MASALA cohort will determine if the hPDI is associated with lower incident T2D and CVD events.

Introduction:Plant-based diets have been associated with health benefits, including lower risk of type 2 diabetes (T2D) and coronary heart disease (CHD). However, the association between plant-based diets and mortality remains unclear as previous studies did not take into account the quality of plant-based foods. To overcome this limitation, we recently developed three plant-based diet indices—an overall plant-based diet index (PDI), a healthful plant-based diet index (hPDI), and an unhealthful plant-based diet index (uPDI, emphasizing processed carbohydrates and fats)—and reported that hPDI and uPDI were differentially associated with T2D and CHD. In this study, we investigate associations between long-term changes in plant-based diet indices and subsequent total and cause-specific mortality in the Nurses’ Health Study (NHS) and the Health Professionals Follow-Up Study (HPFS).Hypothesis:We hypothesized that improved plant-based diet quality is associated with lower total and cardiovascular disease (CVD) mortality.Method:We included 47,983 women, aged 63±7y (mean±SD) in the NHS and 25,737 men, aged 63±9y in the HPFS who had no history of CVD or cancer on or before 1998 (baseline). We used multivariable Cox proportional-hazards regression to assess the association between 12-y pre-baseline changes (1986-1998) in three plant-based diet indices and subsequent total and cause-specific mortality (1998-2014). We adjusted for age, race, initial corresponding plant-based diet index score, BMI, family history of diabetes, myocardial infarction, or cancer, history of hypertension, hypercholesterolemia, or T2D, medications, postmenopausal status and postmenopausal hormone use in women, initial and 12-y pre-baseline changes in weight and other lifestyle-related factors.Results:Compared with those participants whose diets remained relatively stable during the pre-baseline 12-year period, among participants with the greatest increase in plant-based diet indices, the pooled hazard ratio (95% confidence interval [CI]) for total mortality was 0.92 (95% CI, 0.87 to 0.97) for PDI, 0.90 (95% CI, 0.86 to 0.95) for hPDI, and 1.11 (95% CI, 1.05 to 1.16) for uPDI. For CVD-specific mortality, a 10-point increase in hPDI was associated with a 10% lower risk (95% CI, 5 to 15), while a 10-point increase in uPDI was associated with a 6% higher risk (95% CI, 0 to 12). We found no evidence for changes in plant-based diet indices and subsequent risk of cancer mortality.Conclusions:Improved plant-based diet quality over a 12-year period was associated with a lower risk of total and CVD mortality, whereas increased consumption of an unhealthful plant-based diet was associated with a higher risk of total and CVD mortality.

ObjectivesTo prospectively evaluate the joint association of duration of rotating night shift work and lifestyle factors with risk of type 2 diabetes risk, and to quantitatively decompose this joint association to rotating night shift work only, to lifestyle only, and to their interaction.DesignProspective cohort study.SettingNurses’ Health Study (1988-2012) and Nurses’ Health Study II (1991-2013).Participants143 410 women without type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, or cancer at baseline.ExposuresRotating night shift work was defined as at least three night shifts per month in addition to day and evening shifts in that month. Unhealthy lifestyles included current smoking, physical activity levels below 30 minutes per day at moderate to vigorous intensity, diet in the bottom three fifths of the Alternate Healthy Eating Index score, and body mass index of 25 or above.Main outcome measuresIncident cases of type 2 diabetes were identified through self report and validated by a supplementary questionnaire.ResultsDuring 22-24 years of follow-up, 10 915 cases of incident type 2 diabetes occurred. The multivariable adjusted hazard ratios for type 2 diabetes were 1.31 (95% confidence interval 1.19 to 1.44) per five year increment of duration of rotating night shift work and 2.30 (1.88 to 2.83) per unhealthy lifestyle factor (ever smoking, low diet quality, low physical activity, and overweight or obesity). For the joint association of per five year increment rotating night shift work and per unhealthy lifestyle factor with type 2 diabetes, the hazard ratio was 2.83 (2.15 to 3.73) with a significant additive interaction (P for interaction <0.001). The proportions of the joint association were 17.1% (14.0% to 20.8%) for rotating night shift work alone, 71.2% (66.9% to 75.8%) for unhealthy lifestyle alone, and 11.3% (7.3% to 17.3%) for their additive interaction.ConclusionsAmong female nurses, both rotating night shift work and unhealthy lifestyle were associated with a higher risk of type 2 diabetes. The excess risk of rotating night shift work combined with unhealthy lifestyle was higher than the addition of risk associated with each individual factor. These findings suggest that most cases of type 2 diabetes could be prevented by adhering to a healthy lifestyle, and the benefits could be greater in rotating night shift workers.

ObjectivesTo examine the prospective associations between consumption of sugar sweetened beverages, artificially sweetened beverages, and fruit juice with type 2 diabetes before and after adjustment for adiposity, and to estimate the population attributable fraction for type 2 diabetes from consumption of sugar sweetened beverages in the United States and United Kingdom.DesignSystematic review and meta-analysis.Data sources and eligibilityPubMed, Embase, Ovid, and Web of Knowledge for prospective studies of adults without diabetes, published until February 2014. The population attributable fraction was estimated in national surveys in the USA, 2009-10 (n=4729 representing 189.1 million adults without diabetes) and the UK, 2008-12 (n=1932 representing 44.7 million).Synthesis methodsRandom effects meta-analysis and survey analysis for population attributable fraction associated with consumption of sugar sweetened beverages.ResultsPrespecified information was extracted from 17 cohorts (38 253 cases/10 126 754 person years). Higher consumption of sugar sweetened beverages was associated with a greater incidence of type 2 diabetes, by 18% per one serving/day (95% confidence interval 9% to 28%, I2for heterogeneity=89%) and 13% (6% to 21%, I2=79%) before and after adjustment for adiposity; for artificially sweetened beverages, 25% (18% to 33%, I2=70%) and 8% (2% to 15%, I2=64%); and for fruit juice, 5% (−1% to 11%, I2=58%) and 7% (1% to 14%, I2=51%). Potential sources of heterogeneity or bias were not evident for sugar sweetened beverages. For artificially sweetened beverages, publication bias and residual confounding were indicated. For fruit juice the finding was non-significant in studies ascertaining type 2 diabetes objectively (P for heterogeneity=0.008). Under specified assumptions for population attributable fraction, of 20.9 million events of type 2 diabetes predicted to occur over 10 years in the USA (absolute event rate 11.0%), 1.8 million would be attributable to consumption of sugar sweetened beverages (population attributable fraction 8.7%, 95% confidence interval 3.9% to 12.9%); and of 2.6 million events in the UK (absolute event rate 5.8%), 79 000 would be attributable to consumption of sugar sweetened beverages (population attributable fraction 3.6%, 1.7% to 5.6%).ConclusionsHabitual consumption of sugar sweetened beverages was associated with a greater incidence of type 2 diabetes, independently of adiposity. Although artificially sweetened beverages and fruit juice also showd positive associations with incidence of type 2 diabetes, the findings were likely to involve bias. None the less, both artificially sweetened beverages and fruit juice were unlikely to be healthy alternatives to sugar sweetened beverages for the prevention of type 2 diabetes. Under assumption of causality, consumption of sugar sweetened beverages over years may be related to a substantial number of cases of new onset diabetes.