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Vitamin C is essential for collagen formation and normal bone development. We evaluated associations of total, supplemental, and dietary vitamin C intake with bone mineral density (BMD) at the hip [femoral neck, trochanter], spine, and radial shaft and 4-y BMD change in elderly participants from the Framingham Osteoporosis Study. Energy-adjusted vitamin C intakes were estimated from the Willett FFQ in 1988-89. Mean BMD and 4-y BMD change was estimated, for men and women, by tertile/category of vitamin C intake, adjusting for covariates. We tested for interaction with smoking, calcium, and vitamin E intake. Among 334 men and 540 women, the mean age was 75 y and mean vitamin D intake was 8.25 [micro]g/d (women) and 8.05 [micro]g/d (men). We observed negative associations between total and supplemental vitamin C intake and trochanter-BMD among current male smokers (P-trend = 0.01). Among male nonsmokers, total vitamin C intake was positively associated with femoral neck BMD (P-trend = 0.04). Higher total vitamin C intake was associated with less femoral neck and trochanter-BMD loss in men with low calcium (all P-trend < 0.03) or vitamin E intakes (all P-trend = 0.03). Higher dietary vitamin C intake tended to be associated with lower femoral neck-BMD loss (P-trend = 0.09). These associations were attenuated but retained borderline significance (P-trend < 0.1) after adjusting for potassium intake (a marker of fruit and vegetable intake), suggesting that vitamin C effects may not be separated from other protective factors in fruit and vegetables. Null associations were observed among women. These results suggest a possible protective role of vitamin C for bone health in older men.

Objective: Low B-vitamin status and high levels of serum homocysteine are found in depressed inpatients, but results of population-based studies of this association are inconclusive. We investigated whether a low dietary intake of [B.sub.6-9-12] vitamins and high levels of serum homocysteine are associated with depressive symptoms in elderly men. Methods: The study sample included a total of 332 men aged 70-90 years who were free from cardiovascular diseases and diabetes at baseline in 1990. Depressive symptoms were measured with the Zung Self-rating Depression Scale at baseline in 1990 and dietary factors with the crosscheck dietary history method in 1985 and 1990. Serum levels of homocysteine were obtained in 1985. Multiple linear and logistic regression analyses were performed. Results: Dietary intake of folate (-1.19, 95% CI -2.03; -0.36) and vitamin [B.sub.6] (-2.09, 95% CI -2.92; -1.26) per standard deviation increase was associated with lower levels of serum homocysteine, while vitamin [B.sub.12] was not associated with serum homocysteine. Intake of folate, vitamin [B.sub.6], vitamin [B.sub.12] and levels of serum homocysteine were not related to depressive symptoms. Conclusions: Our results do not support the hypothesis that a low dietary intake of [B.sub.6-9-12] vitamins and high levels of serum homocysteine are related to depression in healthy elderly men. doi:10.1038/sj.ejcn.1602804; published online 30 May 2007 Keywords: depressive symptoms; folate; vitamin 136; vitamin 1312; homocysteine, Introduction A low status of folate, vitamin [B.sub.6], vitamin [B.sub.12] ([B.sub.6-9-12] vitamins) and high levels of serum homocysteine may be related to depression. [B.sub.6-9-12] vitamins are co-enzymes and cofactors in [...]

Objectives: To study the association between content in adipose tissue of very long-chain n-3 fatty acids, trans fatty acids, linoleic acid and [alpha]-linolenic acid and risk of a first myocardial infarction. Design and subjects: A case-control design among 100 patients and 98 population controls both men and postmenopausal women, age 45-75y. Adipose tissue fatty acids were determined by gas-liquid chromatography. Intake data were obtained through interview using a validated food frequency questionnaire. Results: Dietary intake and adipose tissue content of the fatty acids studied correlated significantly. Adipose tissue contents of eicosapentaenoic acid (20:5n-3), docosapentaenoic acid (22:5n-3) and docosahexaenoic acid (22:6n-3) were significantly lower while those of trans fatty acids, linoleic and [alpha]-linolenic acid were significantly higher in patients than in controls. Age and sex adjusted odds ratios (OR) were significantly reduced with increasing quintiles of very long-chain n-3 fatty acids, thus the OR in the fifth compared to the first quintile was 0.23 (95% CI 0.08-0.70). After further adjustment for waist-to-hip ratio, smoking, family history of CHD and content of trans fatty acids, the OR in the highest quintile was 0.17 (95% CI 0.04-0.76) and the P for trend 0.016. Age and sex adjusted OR was increased in the fifth compared to the first quintile of trans fatty acids (OR 2.81, 95% CI 1.16-6.84), linoleic acid (OR 2.10, 95% CI 0.87-5.07) and [alpha]-linolenic acid (OR 1.96, 95% CI 0.83-4.61), and P for trend was 0.002, 0.005 and 0.020, respectively. The trends remained significant after adjustment for waist-to-hip ratio, smoking, and family history of coronary heart disease. Trans fatty acids, linoleic acid and [alpha]-linolenic acid in adipose tissue were strongly correlated, indicating a common source, most likely margarine. When each of these fatty acid species were adjusted for the two others the trends were no longer significant. Conclusion: Intake of very long-chain n-3 fatty acids as reflected in adipose tissue content is inversely associated with risk of myocardial infarction. Trans fatty acids, linoleic and [alpha]-linolenic acid were intercorrelated and associated with increased risk. It is suggested that the increased risk may be connected to trans fatty acids or to some other factor associated with margarine consumption. Sponsorship: Throne Holst&apos;s Foundation for Nutrition Research, The Norwegian Association of Margarine Producers, DeNoFa Fabriker A/S, Tine Norwegian Dairies. Descriptors: Trans fatty acids; linoleic acid; [alpha]-linolenic acid; omega-3 fatty acids; coronary heart disease; biological markers, Introduction Increased plasma levels of low-density lipoprotein (LDL)-cholesterol is the dominant risk factor for coronary heart disease (CHD) and recently published secondary (The Scandinavian Simvastatin Survival Study Group, 1994) and [...]

Objective: A number of long-term population-based studies have tried to study fruit and vegetable consumption in relation to cardiovascular disease, cancer and total mortality. Few of these studies are based on randomly selected population samples. The aim of the study was to investigate the long-term effect of fruit and vegetable consumption on mortality, cardiovascular disease, cardiovascular death, cancer morbidity and cancer death among middle-aged and elderly men. Design: Prospective cohort study. Setting: General community. The Study of Men Born in 1913. Subjects: 792 men at age 54 who participated in a screening examination in 1967. Main outcome measures: A food frequency questionnaire was used to obtain information of the dietary habits in 730 of the men (92%). All men were followed up with repeated examinations until the age of 80. Results: Cardiovascular as well as total mortality was significantly lower among men with high fruit consumption in univariate analysis. There was no correlation between fruit or vegetable consumption in relation to cancer incidence, cancer death and cardiovascular disease. In multivariate survival analysis where smoking, cholesterol and hypertension were taken into account, there was a significantly lower mortality among men with a high fruit consumption during 16y follow up until the age of 70 (P=0.042), but this finding was no longer statistically significant during 26 y follow-up at the age of 80 (P = 0.051). Conclusions. Daily fruit consumption seems to have positive effect on long-term survival independently of other traditional cardiovascular risk factors like smoking, hypertension and cholesterol. Sponsorship: This study was supported by grants from the Swedish Medical Research Council (K98-274-0627617) King Gustav V and Queen Victoria&apos;s Foundation, and the Goteborg University. Descriptors: epidemiology; food frequency; fruit consumption; cardiovascular disease; mortality, Introduction A recent critical review (The Swedish Council on Technology Assessment in Health Care (SBU), 1997) of all relevant epidemiological studies published since 1989 on the association between antioxidants and [...]

Objective: To evaluate whether dietary recommendations for subjects with diabetes are met among Finnish, Dutch and Italian elderly men with diabetes, and whether the diets of diabetic and non-diabetic men differ in these three countries. Design: A dietary survey using cross-check dietary history method. A cross-sectional comparison. Setting: Thirty-year follow-up of survivors from the Finnish, Dutch and Italian cohorts of the Seven Countries Study. Subjects: 227 elderly men from Finland, 537 from The Netherlands, and 417 from Italy, of whom 8-9% had diabetes. Main results: The diets of non-diabetic men from the three countries differed markedly from each other. In all three countries diabetic men consumed less added sugar than non-diabetic men. In Italy, in addition, diabetic men consumed more fruits and berries and vegetables. The Dutch diabetic men ate relatively more cereal products, fruits and berries, milk and milk products, cheese, and meat and meat products and drank less alcoholic beverages than non-diabetic men. The diet of both diabetic and non-diabetic Finnish and Dutch men was characterized by high fat content (41% and 40% of energy, respectively). The fat content of the diet was even higher for diabetic than non-diabetic men in Finland and The Netherlands, but not in Italy. The fibre content of the diet was the highest among Dutch men and diabetic men received more dietary fibre than non-diabetic men in The Netherlands and Italy, but not in Finland. The diet of diabetic and non-diabetic Finnish men differed little from each other and was characterized by high nutrient density of several vitamins and minerals. The proportion of protein of energy intake was higher among diabetic than non-diabetic Dutch and Italian men. Conclusions: The diet of the diabetic men from Finland, the Netherlands, and Italy resembled more the diet of non-diabetic men from the respective countries than the diet of diabetic men from the other countries. In the diet of Italian diabetic men, the proportions of fat, saturated fatty acids and carbohydrates were nearest the recommended levels. Sponsorship: The National Institute on Aging, Bethesda, USA, the Dutch Prevention Foundation, the Hague, The Netherlands, the Academy of Finland, and the Sandoz Gerontological Foundation. Descriptors: food consumption; nutrient intake; diabetic men; Finland; The Netherlands; Italy, Introduction Dietary recommendations for subjects with diabetes are nowadays uniform in Western countries and do not substantially differ from what is recommended for the general population (Food and Nutrition Board, [...]

A new study investigates the link between cognitive function and dietary patterns in elderly men. Results from the study of 40-59-year-old men from Italy, the Netherlands and Finland, who are enrolled in the Seven Countries Study, are inconclusive but show that a healthy diet may be associated with an enhanced cognitive function. Further research is required to provide a definitive answer.

ABSTRACT: The purpose of this study was to identify predictors of survival over five years in a sample of 377 elderly (age 55+) chronically ill men. Subjects were selected at baseline from consecutive appointments at a geriatric clinic and given extensive medical and psychosocial assessment. Five years later, subjects who could be located were interviewed by telephone. Interviews were completed with 194 (51.4%) subjects, 90 others were confirmed as deceased, 29 subjects could not be interviewed, and 64 more were not located although VA records did not show that any were deceased. The predictor variable of interest was the Nutritional Risk Index (NRI), a 16 item index which measures nutritional dimensions of health status. Other variables included functional health status |Activities of Daily Living: (ADL), Instrumental Activities of Daily Living (IADL)~, mental health status |Mini-Mental Status Exam (MMSE), morale~, health habits (smoking, alcohol use and exercise), use of health services (physician visits, emergency room (ER) visits, hospital stays), and demographic factors (age, income, marital status and living arrangements). Proportional hazard models showed that the variables with statistically significant direct effects on survival time were younger age, higher functional health status on IADL, non-smoking, moderate alcohol use and perception of adequate income. Nutritional status was indirectly associated with survival.

In their study among elderly men from Finland, Strandberg et al. (2008) found that chocolate preference, compared with preference for other candies, was associated with lower body mass index and [...]