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Background/Objectives: The role of long-term alcohol consumption for the risk of developing ulcerative colitis (UC) and Crohn's disease (CD) is unclear. For the first time, to prospectively assess the role of pre-disease alcohol consumption on the risk of developing UC or CD. Subjects/Methods: Nested within the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC-IBD), incident UC and CD cases and matched controls where included. At recruitment, participants completed validated food frequency and lifestyle questionnaires. Alcohol consumption was classified as either: non-use, former, light ([[less-than or slanted equal to]0.5 and 1 drink per week), below the recommended limits (BRL) ([[less-than or slanted equal to]1 and 2 drinks per day), moderate ([[less-than or slanted equal to]2.5 and 5 drinks per day), or heavy use (>2.5 and >5 drinks per day) for women and men, respectively; and was expressed as consumption at enrolment and during lifetime. Conditional logistic regression was applied adjusting for smoking and education, taking light users as the reference. Results: Out of 262 451 participants in six countries, 198 UC incident cases/792 controls and 84 CD cases/336 controls were included. At enrolment, 8%/27%/32%/23%/11% UC cases and 7%/29%/40%/19%/5% CD cases were: non-users, light, BRL, moderate and heavy users, respectively. The corresponding figures for lifetime non-use, former, light, BRL, moderate and heavy use were: 3%/5%/23%/44%/19%/6% and 5%/2%/25%/44%/23%/1% for UC and CD cases, respectively. There were no associations between any categories of alcohol consumption and risk of UC or CD in the unadjusted and adjusted odds ratios. Conclusion: There was no evidence of associations between alcohol use and the odds of developing either UC or CD., Author(s): M M Bergmann [sup.1] , V Hernandez [sup.1] [sup.2] , W Bernigau [sup.1] , H Boeing [sup.1] , S S M Chan [sup.3] [sup.4] , R Luben [sup.5] , [...]

Objectives: To describe the intake of vitamins thiamine (B1), riboflavin (B2), B6 (pyridoxine), B12 (cobalamine) and C (ascorbic acid) and their food sources among 27 centres in 10 countries participating in the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC) study. Methods: Between 1995 and 2000, 36 034 persons aged between 35 and 74 years were administered a standardized 24-h dietary recall using a computerized interview software programme (EPIC-SOFT). Intakes of the four B vitamins and vitamin C were estimated using the standardized EPIC Nutrient Database (ENDB). Mean intakes were adjusted for age and weighted by season and day of recall. Results: Intake of B vitamins did not vary considerably between centres, except in the UK health-conscious cohort, in which substantially higher intakes of thiamine and lower intakes of vitamin B12 were reported compared with other centres. Overall, meat was the most important contributor to the B vitamins in all centres except in the UK health-conscious group. Vitamin C showed a clear geographical gradient, with higher intakes in the southern centres as compared with the northern ones; this was more pronounced in men than in women. Vegetables and fruits were major contributors to vitamin C in all centres, but juices and potatoes were also important sources in the northern centres. Conclusions: This study showed no major differences across centres in the mean intakes of B vitamins (thiamine, riboflavin, B6, B12), whereas a tendency towards a north-south gradient was observed for vitamin C. doi: 10.1038/ejcn.2009.78 Keywords: water-soluble vitamins; 24-h dietary recall; standardization; ENDB; EPIC; Europe, Introduction The B vitamins, together with vitamin C, constitute the water-soluble group of vitamins. Classic syndromes caused by a deficiency of water-soluble vitamins, such as scurvy (vitamin C) and beriberi [...]

Background/objectives: Adequate mineral intake is important for the maintenance of bone health, cellular function and general metabolism, and possibly in the aetiology of cancer and other chronic diseases. This study aimed at investigating variation in intakes of selected minerals across 10 European countries participating in the EPIC (European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition) study. Methods: Nutrient intakes for 36 034 subjects, aged between 35 and 74 years, in 27 centres were obtained using standardized 24-h dietary recall software (EPIC-SOFT). Mean intakes of calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, iron and potassium were calculated by centre and weighted by season and day of the week and were also stratified by age group. The contribution of food groups to total nutrient intake was calculated. Results: There was clear geographical variability in intakes, with differences ranging from 35% for magnesium to 90% for iron in men and 36% for potassium to 75% for calcium in women, and a twofold difference in sources of haem iron (meat and fish). There was a geographical gradient in iron intake, with higher intakes in Southern than in Northern Europe and also around a twofold north-south gradient in the contribution of fruits and vegetables to potassium intake. Compared with reference intakes, the majority of age groups and centres had intakes above the recommended levels. Dairy foods and products contributed the most to calcium and phosphorus intake in almost all centres. Cereals and cereal products contributed the most to magnesium and iron intakes, except in Greece and Germany. Conclusions: Intakes of minerals vary substantially throughout Europe, with some geographical variability in their food sources. doi: 10.1038/ejcn.2009.77 Keywords: calcium; phosphorus; magnesium; iron; potassium; EPIC, Introduction Minerals are essential nutrients, and adequate intakes are important not only for the maintenance of bone health but also for cellular function and general metabolism. Aspects of mineral metabolism [...]

Correction to: European Journal of Clinical Nutrition advance online publication 25 January 2017; doi:10.1038/ejcn.2016.271 Since the publication of this article, the authors have noticed an error in author affiliation 1. The correct affiliation is: Department of Epidemiology, German Institute of Human Nutrition, Potsdam, Germany., Author(s): M M Bergmann, V Hernandez, W Bernigau, H Boeing, S S M Chan, R Luben, K-T Khaw, F van Schaik, B Oldenburg, B Bueno-de-Mesquita, K Overvad, D Palli, G [...]