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Purpose: The European 'Healthy Lifestyle in Europe by Nutrition in Adolescence' (HELENA) project evaluated two different approaches to harmonize the matching procedures between 24-h recall data and food composition databases. In the first approach, the 24-h recall data were linked to the local/national food composition databases using standardized procedures, while in the second approach, the 24-h recall data were linked to the German BLS database which includes a larger food list. The aim of this paper was to compare the intakes of energy and eight nutrient components calculated via both approaches. Methods: Two non-consecutive 24-h recalls were performed in 1268 adolescents. Energy, carbohydrates, proteins, fat, fiber, water, alcohol, calcium and vitamin C were calculated via the two approaches at individual level. Paired samples t test and Pearson's correlations were used to compare the mean intakes of energy and the eight mentioned nutrients and to investigate the possible associations between the two approaches. Results: Small but significant differences were found between the intakes of energy and the eight food components when comparing both approaches. Very strong and strong correlations (0.70-0.95) were found between both methods for all nutrients. Conclusion: The dietary intakes obtained via the two different linking procedures are highly correlated for energy and the eight nutrients under study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The consumption of foods rich in dietary fiber and polyunsaturated fatty acids such as nuts can contribute to a healthy diet. Therefore, the formation of fermentation end-products which might exert chemopreventive effects regarding colon cancer was investigated after an in vitro simulated digestion and fermentation of nuts using human fecal microbiota. Methods: Fermentation supernatants (FS) and pellets (FP) were obtained after an in vitro fermentation of hazelnuts, almonds, macadamia, pistachios and walnuts. Short-chain fatty acids (SCFA) and bile acids (BA) in FS as well as fatty acids in FP were analyzed via gas chromatography. Malondialdehyde (MDA) levels in FS were determined photometrically. Results: Fermentation of nuts resulted in 1.9- to 2.8-fold higher concentrations of SCFA compared to the control and a shift of molar ratios toward butyrate production. In vitro fermentation resulted in the formation of vaccenic acid (C18:1 t11, 32.1 ± 3.2 % FAME; fatty acid methyl ester) and conjugated linoleic acid ( c9, t11 CLA, 2.4 ± 0.7 % FAME) exclusively in fermented walnut samples. Concentrations of secondary BA deoxycholic-/iso-deoxycholic acid (6.8-24.1-fold/4.9-10.9-fold, respectively) and levels of MDA (1.3-fold) were significantly reduced in fermented nut samples compared to the control. Conclusion: This is the first study that demonstrates the ability of the human fecal microbiota to convert polyunsaturated fatty acids from walnuts to c9, t11 CLA as a potential chemopreventive metabolite. In addition, the production of butyrate and reduction in potential carcinogens such as secondary BA and lipid peroxidation products might contribute to the protective effects of nuts regarding colon cancer development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Indirect effects of a high-protein maternal diet are not well understood. In this study, we analyzed short-term and sustainable effects of a prenatal versus early postnatal maternal high-protein diet on growth and hepatic gene expression in mouse offspring. Methods: Dams were exposed to an isoenergetic high-protein (HP, 40 % w/w) diet during pregnancy or lactation. Growth and hepatic expression profiles of male offspring were evaluated directly after weaning and 150 days after birth. Offspring from two dietary groups, high-protein diet during pregnancy and control diet during lactation (HPC), and control diet during pregnancy and high-protein diet during lactation (CHP), were compared with offspring (CC) from control-fed dams. Results: Maternal CHP treatment was associated with sustained offspring growth retardation, but decreased numbers of affected hepatic genes in adults compared to weanlings. In contrast, offspring of the HPC group did not show persistent effects on growth parameters, but the number of affected hepatic genes was even increased at adult age. In both dietary groups, however, only a small subset of genes was affected in weanlings as well as in adults. Conclusions: We conclude that (1) prenatal and early postnatal maternal HP diet caused persistent, but (2) different effects and partially complementary trends on growth characteristics and on the hepatic transcriptome and associated pathways and that (3) only a small number of genes and associated upstream regulators might be involved in passing early diet-induced imprints to adulthood. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Preliminary iodine concentration (UIC) measurements in spot urines of the representative German adult study DEGS indicated a severe worsening of iodine status compared to previous results in German children (KiGGS study). Therefore, we aimed to evaluate adult iodine status in detail and to investigate the impact of hydration status on UIC. Methods: UIC and creatinine concentrations were measured in 6978 spot urines from the German nationwide DEGS study (2008-2011). Twenty-four-hour iodine excretions (24-h UIE) were estimated by relating iodine/creatinine ratios to age- and sex-specific 24-h creatinine reference values. Urine osmolality was measured in two subsamples of spot urines ( n = 100 each) to determine the impact of hydration status on UIC. Results: In DEGS, median UIC was 69 µg/L in men and 54 µg/L in women, lying clearly below the WHO cutoff for iodine sufficiency (100 µg/L). Estimated median 24-h UIE was 113 µg/day, accompanied by 32 % of DEGS adults, lying below the estimated average requirement (EAR) for iodine. Comparative analysis with the KiGGS data (>14,000 spot urines of children; median UIC 117 µg/L) revealed a comparable percentage

Purpose: To describe age and time trends of energy and macronutrient intake during infancy and toddlerhood and to set a special focus on dietary practices with respect to milk, complementary food, and family food intake. Methods: Three-day dietary records ( n = 2241) collected at 3, 6, 9, 12, 18, 24, and 36 months (480 subjects) between 2004 and 2013 from the ongoing open cohort DONALD (Dortmund Nutritional and Anthropometric Longitudinally Designed) study were evaluated using repeated-measures regression analyses for trend analysis. Results: Significant age trends were found for macronutrients with a decrease in fat intake (% of energy intake, %E) and an increase in carbohydrates (%E) and protein (%E). Exclusive and partial breastfeeding rates at 3 and 6 months did not differ between 2004 and 2008 and 2009 and 2013 ( p > 0.05). Macronutrient pattern was virtually stable over time, whereas food group intake (% of total food intake excluding beverages, % TFI) changed significantly during the study period. Breast/bottle milk (% TFI) intake increased over time in the toddler subgroup, whereas family food (% TFI) decreased. Conclusions: Our data demonstrate a period of stagnation in the last 10 years with respect to breastfeeding duration in infancy. Further breastfeeding promotion in Germany is needed to continue the favourable progress of the previous decades. In toddlerhood, breast/bottle milk remains a substantial part of the diet and has increased during the last 10 years. Parents should be encouraged to implement healthy eating habits during early toddlerhood and to facilitate their child's participation in appropriate family meals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Coffee consumption has been reported to decrease oxidative damage in peripheral white blood cells (WBC). However, effects on the level of spontaneous DNA strand breaks, a well established marker of health risk, have not been specifically reported yet. We analyzed the impact of consuming a dark roast coffee blend on the level of spontaneous DNA strand breaks. Methods: Healthy men ( n = 84) were randomized to consume daily for 4 weeks either 750 ml of fresh coffee brew or 750 ml of water, subsequent to a run in washout phase of 4 weeks. The study coffee was a blend providing high amounts of both caffeoylquinic acids (10.18 ± 0.33 mg/g) and the roast product N-methylpyridinium (1.10 ± 0.05 mg/g). Before and after the coffee/water consumption phase, spontaneous strand breaks were determined by comet assay. Results: At baseline, both groups exhibited a similar level of spontaneous DNA strand breaks. In the intervention phase, spontaneous DNA strand breaks slightly increased in the control (water only) group whereas they significantly decreased in the coffee group, leading to a 27 % difference within both arms ( p = 0.0002). Food frequency questionnaires indicated no differences in the overall diet between groups, and mean body weight during the intervention phases remained stable. The consumption of the study coffee substantially lowered the level of spontaneous DNA strand breaks in WBC. Conclusion: We conclude that regular coffee consumption contributes to DNA integrity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Suboptimal vitamin B status might affect cognitive performance in early childhood. We tested the hypothesis that short-term supplementation with folic acid and selected B vitamins improves cognitive function in healthy children in a population with relatively low folate status. Methods: We screened 1,002 kindergarten children for suboptimal folate status by assessing the total urinary para-aminobenzoylglutamate excretion. Two hundred and fifty low ranking subjects were recruited into a double blind, randomized, controlled trial to receive daily a sachet containing 220 μg folic acid, 1.1 mg vitamin B, 0.73 mg B, 1.2 μg B and 130 mg calcium, or calcium only for 3 months. Primary outcomes were changes in verbal IQ, short-term memory and processing speed between baseline and study end. Secondary outcomes were urinary markers of folate and vitamin B status, acetyl- para-aminobenzoylglutamate and methylmalonic acid, respectively, and, in a subgroup of 120 participants, blood folate and plasma homocysteine. Results: Pre- and post-intervention cognitive measurements were completed by 115 children in the intervention and 122 in the control group. Compared to control, median blood folate increased by about 50 % ( P for difference, P < 0.0001). Homocysteine decreased by 1.1 μmol/L compared to baseline, no change was seen in the control group ( P for difference P < 0.0001) and acetyl- para-aminobenzoylglutamate was 4 nmol/mmol higher compared to control at the end of the intervention ( P < 0.0001). We found no relevant differences between the groups for the cognitive measures. Conclusion: Short-term improvement of folate and homocysteine status in healthy children does not appear to affect cognitive performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]