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Tea polyphenols, such as green tea polyphenols, have been extensively studied as agents that ameliorate cardiovascular disease and blood pressure in vitro and in animal studies.

Previous cohort studies on the association between animal offal intake and depressive symptoms are limited, especially in Asian populations.

Atherosclerosis has become a leading public health problem. Previous studies suggest that enhanced muscle strength and muscle-derived cytokines (myokines) are linked with atherosclerosis. However, no previous prospective study has examined the relationship between grip strength (GS) and carotid atherosclerosis (CAS) in middle-aged and older adults. We therefore designed a cohort study to investigate the association between GS and the incidence of CAS in a population aged 45 years and over.The cohort study (n = 1258; follow-up range: 1-6 years, median: 4.0 years, age range: 45-85 years) was performed from 2013 to 2019 in Tianjin, China. CAS was measured using a carotid artery B-mode ultrasound system and defined by increased carotid intima-media thickness and plaques. GS was measured using a handheld digital dynamometer. Adjusted Cox proportional hazards regression models were used to assess the association between quartiles of GS and CAS.The incidence of CAS was 122 cases per 1000 person-years. In the final multivariable models, the adjusted hazard ratios (HRs) [95 % confidence interval (CI)] for CAS across quartiles of weight-adjusted GS (Q1-Q4) were as follows: 1.00 (reference), 0.82 (0.63, 1.06), 0.92 (0.71, 1.19), 0.69 (0.52, 0.91) and the HRs (95 % CI) across quartiles of GS (Q1-Q4) were as follows: 1.00 (reference), 1.06 (0.83, 1.36), 0.78 (0.59, 1.02), 0.76 (0.58, 0.995). For one unit and one standard deviation (SD) increase in weight-adjusted GS, the adjusted HRs (95 % CI) of CAS were 0.16 (0.05, 0.52) and 0.82 (0.72, 0.93), respectively. For one unit and one SD increase in GS, the adjusted HRs (95 % CI) of CAS were 0.98 (0.96, 0.995), and 0.47 (0.26, 0.83), respectively.Higher GS was associated with a lower incidence of carotid atherosclerosis in middle-aged and older adults. Further studies are required to clarify the causality.

Individual food items and nutrients are associated with the development of nephrolithiasis.

Emerging evidence suggests that animal protein foods may increase the risk of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). We therefore examined the NAFLD risk reduction related to substituting plant protein foods for animal protein foods.The cohort in North China included 14,541 participants from the Tianjin Chronic Low-Grade Systemic Inflammation and Health (TCLSIH) study, and the cohort in South China included 1297 participants from the Guangzhou Nutrition and Health Study (GNHS). Dietary intake was assessed using validated food frequency questionnaires. NAFLD was ascertained by abdominal ultrasound. The Cox model was used to fit the substitution analysis.In the TCLSIH cohort, when replacing one type of animal protein food (eggs, processed meat, unprocessed red meat, poultry, and fish) with an equivalent serving of plant protein foods (nuts, legumes, and whole grains), the replacement of animal protein foods with whole grains showed the strongest benefit; substituting one serving per day of whole grains for an equal amount of eggs (hazard ratio [HR] = 0.89; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.79, 1.00), processed meat (HR = 0.76; 95% CI: 0.64, 0.91), unprocessed red meat (HR = 0.90; 95% CI: 0.81, 1.00), poultry (HR = 0.81; 95% CI: 0.72, 0.92), or fish (HR = 0.87; 95% CI: 0.78, 0.97) was associated with a lower risk of NAFLD. In both the TCLSIH and GNHS cohorts, replacing poultry with fish, nuts, legumes, or whole grains was associated with a lower risk of NAFLD. When different numbers of protein foods were simultaneously replaced, the risk reduction of NAFLD was stronger.Our findings suggest that replacing animal protein foods with plant protein foods is related to a significant reduction in NAFLD risk.

The prospective studies on the effect of particular type of tea consumption, especially green tea, on depressive symptoms are limited.The aim of this study is to investigate the prospective association between green tea consumption and depressive symptoms in a large general adult population.This prospective cohort study investigated 7524 participants aged 25 to 90 years from May 2013 to December 2018 and they were free of cardiovascular disease, cancer, and depressive symptoms at baseline. Green tea consumption was obtained through a validated food frequency questionnaire. Depressive symptoms were assessed by using the Self-Rating Depressive Scale (SDS). The association between green tea consumption and depressive symptoms was analyzed by Cox proportional hazards regression models.A total of 1064 first incident cases of depressive symptoms (SDS ≥45) occurred during 14,661 person-years of follow-up (median follow-up of 2.0 years). In the crude model, the hazard ratios (95% confidence intervals) were 1.00 (reference), 0.95 (0.81, 1.12), 0.97 (0.83, 1.14) and 0.95 (0.79, 1.14), respectively. After adjusting for demographic characteristics, lifestyle factors, and dietary intake, the multivariable adjusted hazard ratios (95% confidence intervals) were 1.00 (reference), 0.88 (0.74, 1.05), 0.84 (0.69, 1.02) and 0.78 (0.63, 0.97), respectively.The prospective study suggests that frequent green tea consumption is associated with a decreased risk of depressive symptoms in the general Chinese population.

Prospective cohort studies linking organ meat consumption and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) are limited, especially in Asian populations. This study aimed to prospectively investigate the association between organ meat consumption and risk of NAFLD in a general Chinese adult population. This prospective cohort study included a total of 15 568 adults who were free of liver disease, CVD and cancer at baseline. Dietary information was collected at baseline using a validated FFQ. NAFLD was diagnosed by abdominal ultrasound after excluding other causes related to chronic liver disease. Cox proportional regression models were used to assess the association between organ meat consumption and risk of NAFLD. During a median of 4·2 years of follow-up, we identified 3604 incident NAFLD cases. After adjusting for demographic characteristics, lifestyle factors, vegetable, fruit, soft drink, seafood and red meat consumption, the multivariable hazard ratios (95 % CI) for incident NAFLD across consumption of organ meat were 1·00 (reference) for almost never, 1·04 (0·94, 1·15) for tertile 1, 1·08 (0·99, 1·19) for tertile 2 and 1·11 (1·01, 1·22) for tertile 3, respectively (Pfor trend < 0·05). Such association did not differ substantially in the sensitivity analysis. Our study indicates that organ meat consumption was related to a modestly higher risk of NAFLD among Chinese adults. Further investigations are needed to confirm this finding.

Diet is an important factor that can exacerbate or ameliorate chronic inflammation, which has been implicated in the pathogenesis of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). However, no prospective study has yet investigated the relation between the inflammatory potential of diet and NAFLD. The aim of this study was to investigate the association between the inflammatory potential of the diet and the risk of NAFLD.The study included 12,877 participants aged over 18 years (mean [standard deviation]: 39.4 [11.5] years). Dietary intake was assessed at baseline through food frequency questionnaires. Using white blood cell count as the inflammatory marker, we newly created a dietary inflammatory potential score by reduced rank regression and stepwise linear regression. NAFLD was identified by abdominal ultrasound during yearly health checkups. Cox proportional hazards regression models were used to estimate the association between the dietary inflammatory potential score and the risk of NAFLD.During a median follow-up period of 4.2 years, 2744 first incident cases of NAFLD occurred. After adjustment for potential confounders, the multivariable hazards ratios (95% confidence intervals) for NAFLD across increasing quartiles of the dietary inflammatory potential score were 1.00 (reference), 1.01 (0.90, 1.13), 1.15 (1.03, 1.29), and 1.26 (1.13, 1.41), with P for trend0.0001. This positive association appeared greater in men than in women (P for interaction = 0.02).Our results indicate that a dietary pattern with high inflammatory potential is associated with a higher risk of NAFLD. Such findings provide the support that inflammation may be a potential mechanism linking diet to the risk of NAFLD.

Background: Soy foods contain high levels of soy protein or isoflavones, which can stimulate muscle protein synthesis and increase antioxidant capacity, and thus ameliorate muscle strength decline. However, data from epidemiological studies investigating the association of habitual soy food consumption with muscle strength decline among general Chinese adults are limited. Methods: This study included 29,525 participants (mean age: 41.6 years; 16,933 (53.8%) males). Soy food consumption was evaluated using a validated 100-item food frequency questionnaire. Handgrip strength (HGS) was assessed with a hand dynamometer. Analysis of covariance were performed to assess the multivariable-adjusted least square means (LSM) and 95% confidence interval (CI) for HGS. Results: The multiple adjusted LSM (95% CI) of HGS across soy food consumption were 35.5 (34.2, 37.1) kg for

Ultra-processed foods make up more than 50% of daily energy consumed in Western countries and are rapidly increasing in China. However, little is known about the association between ultra-processed food intake and muscle strength, a predictor for physical disability in senior years. We aimed to investigate the association of ultra-processed food intake with longitudinal changes in grip strength among middle-aged and older Chinese adults. This prospective cohort study included a total of 5409 adults aged 40 years and over (61.3% men). Ultra-processed food intake was obtained by means of a validated food frequency questionnaire and classified according to the NOVA classification system. Grip strength was measured annually using a handheld digital dynamometer. Multivariable linear regression models were used to examine the association between ultra-processed food intake and annualized change in grip strength and weight-adjusted grip strength. In the fully adjusted models, annualized changes in grip strength and weight-adjusted grip strength per 10% increment in the proportion of ultra-processed foods in the diet were − 0.3708 kg (95% confidence interval − 0.5687, − 0.1730; P 0.05). Our data indicate that higher ultra-processed food intake was associated with faster grip strength decline in middle-aged and older Chinese adults.

Summary Background and aims Prospective cohort studies linking dietary patterns and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) are limited, especially in Asian populations. This study aimed to prospectively investigate the association between dietary patterns and risk of NAFLD in a general Chinese adult population. Methods This study included a total of 17,360 participants free from NAFLD at baseline. Dietary patterns at baseline were identified with factor analysis based on responses to a validated 100-item food frequency questionnaire. NAFLD was diagnosed by abdominal ultrasound after excluding other causes related to chronic liver disease. Cox proportional regression models were used to assess the association between dietary patterns and risk of NAFLD. Results During a median follow-up of 4.2 years, 4034 NAFLD cases were documented. Three main dietary patterns were extracted: sugar rich dietary pattern, vegetable rich dietary pattern, and animal food dietary pattern. After adjusting for age, sex, body mass index, smoking, alcohol, education, occupation, income, physical activity, total energy intake, personal and family history of disease, depressive symptoms, dietary supplement use, inflammation markers, and each other dietary pattern score, comparing the highest with the lowest quartiles of dietary pattern scores, the multivariable hazard ratios (95% confidence interval) of NAFLD were 1.11 (1.01, 1.23) for sugar rich dietary pattern, 0.96 (0.86, 1.07) for vegetable rich dietary pattern, and 1.22 (1.10, 1.36) for animal food dietary pattern. Further adjustment for waist circumference instead of body mass index provided similar results. Conclusion Dietary patterns rich in animal foods or sugar were associated with a higher risk of NAFLD among Chinese adults, whereas a vegetable rich dietary pattern was not associated.

Background Both absolute (kg) and relative (kg per kg of body weight) handgrip strength (HGS) have been used as indicators of HGS. Multiple studies have explored HGS associations with type 2 diabetes (T2DM); however, prognostic values were inconsistent. We aimed to examine the associations between both absolute and relative HGS and incident T2DM. Methods A total of 12,957 participants aged 40 years and older (mean age 51.0 years, 58.4% men) were followed and enrolled in the Tianjin Chronic Low-grade Systemic Inflammation and Health (TCLSIH) Cohort Study. Cox proportional hazards regression models were used to examine the association of HGS with incident T2DM. Other prospective studies on HGS and risk of T2DM were identified by searching several electronic databases up to November 31, 2021. Meta-analysis was performed by combining the results from the TCLSIH study and previous prospective cohort studies. Results From the TCLSIH Cohort study, after adjustment, relative HGS was inversely associated with T2DM (hazard ratio per 0.1 higher relative HGS 0.667, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.616, 0.722). However, no significant association between absolute HGS and incident T2DM was found. The meta-analyses showed that per 5 kg higher HGS was associated with a 5% (95% CI 2%, 8%) lower risk of T2DM and each 0.1 higher relative HGS was associated with a 22% (95% CI 14%, 29%) lower risk of T2DM. Conclusion The results from our cohort study and meta-analysis suggest that relative HGS was better than absolute HGS in predicting incident T2DM. Adiposity was an important factor that mediates the association between HGS and T2DM.

Two large prospective cohorts from China and the UK have firstly demonstrated that habitual onion consumption was associated with a lower risk of depressive symptoms in the general population.

BACKGROUND Although preserved egg is a traditional Chinese delicacy widely consumed in China and Southeast Asian countries, whether habitual preserved egg consumption is associated with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) remains unknown. OBJECTIVES This study aimed to examine the association between preserved egg consumption and risk of NAFLD in a cohort of Chinese adults. METHODS This prospective cohort study included 15,883 participants aged 19-88 y (58% women) from the TCLSIH (Tianjin Chronic Low-grade Systemic Inflammation and Health) cohort study who were free of liver diseases, cancer, and cardiovascular disease at baseline. Preserved egg consumption was assessed using an FFQ at baseline. NAFLD was diagnosed by transabdominal sonography during an annual health examination. Multivariable Cox proportional hazards regression models were used to calculate HRs and 95% CIs across categories of preserved egg consumption. RESULTS During 56,002 person-years of follow-up, 3683 first incident cases of NAFLD were recorded. After adjustment for sociodemographic characteristics, lifestyle risk factors, total energy intake, egg intake, and eating patterns, the multivariable HRs (95% CIs) of incident NAFLD according to categories of preserved egg consumption were 1.00 (reference) for never, 1.05 (0.98, 1.14) for

The independent role of muscular strength in the prevention of chronic disease is increasingly being recognized. However, no cohort study has assessed the relationship between handgrip strength and the incidence of hypertension among the middle-aged and older population. The aim of this prospective cohort study was to investigate whether handgrip strength is related to incident hypertension among people aged 40 years and over.This prospective cohort study (n = 8,480) was performed between 2013 and 2019 as part of the Tianjin Chronic Low-grade Systemic Inflammation and Health (TCLSIH) Cohort Study, Tianjin, China.Participants without baseline hypertension were followed up for ~6 years (median 4.0 years). Hypertension was defined according to the JNC7 criteria. Handgrip strength was measured using a hydraulic handheld dynamometer. Adjusted Cox proportional hazards regression models were used to assess the relationships between weight-adjusted handgrip strength and the risk of incident hypertension.The incidence rate of hypertension per 1000 person-years was 70. The fully adjusted hazards ratios (95% confidence interval) of the incidence of hypertension for increasing quartiles of weight-adjusted handgrip strength were: 1.00(reference), 0.84 (0.75-0.95), 0.78 (0.69-0.88), and 0.66 (0.58-0.75) (P for trend0.0001). Moreover, the adjusted hazards ratio (95% confidence interval) of incident hypertension for per unit increase in weight-adjusted handgrip strength was 0.17 (0.10-0.27) (P0.0001). Similar results were observed in males and females.The present cohort study is the first to find that high weight-adjusted handgrip strength, but not absolute handgrip strength, is significantly and independently related to low risk of incident hypertension among the middle-aged and older population.

It has been suggested that added sugar intake is associated with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). However, previous studies only focused on sugar-sweetened beverages; the evidence for associations with total added sugars and their sources is scarce. This study aimed to examine the associations of total added sugars, their physical forms (liquid vs. solid), and food sources with risk of NAFLD among adults in Tianjin, China. We used data from 15,538 participants, free of NAFLD, other liver diseases, cardiovascular disease, cancer, or diabetes at baseline (2013-2018 years). Added sugar intake was estimated from a validated 100-item food frequency questionnaire. NAFLD was diagnosed by ultrasonography after exclusion of other causes of liver diseases. Multivariable Cox proportional hazards models were fitted to calculate hazards ratios (HRs) and corresponding 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for NAFLD risk with added sugar intake. During a median follow-up of 4.2 years, 3,476 incident NAFLD cases were documented. After adjusting for age, sex, body mass index and its change from baseline to follow-up, lifestyle factors, personal and family medical history, and overall diet quality, the multivariable HRs (95% CIs) of NAFLD risk were 1.18 (1.06, 1.32) for total added sugars, 1.20 (1.08, 1.33) for liquid added sugars, and 0.96 (0.86, 1.07) for solid added sugars when comparing the highest quartiles of intake with the lowest quartiles of intake. In this prospective cohort of Chinese adults, higher intakes of total added sugars and liquid added sugars, but not solid added sugars, were associated with a higher risk of NAFLD.

Introduction: Mounting evidence has demonstrated that skeletal muscle and visceral adiposity play crucial roles in glucose metabolism. The purpose of this study was to investigate whether the appendicular skeletal muscle mass index (ASMI) to trunk fat mass (TFM) ratio (ASMI/TFM) is a more specific and identifiable factor for type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) in older adults than conventional anthropometric measures. Methods: This cross-sectional study included 1,370 older adults from the Tianjin Chronic Low-Grade Systemic Inflammation and Health (TCLSIH) cohort. ASMI and TFM were measured by using a bioelectrical impedance analyzer, and T2DM was defined with the criteria of the American Diabetes Association. Odds ratios (ORs) were evaluated using multivariable logistic analysis. Results: The prevalence of T2DM is 20.0% in this study. The multivariable-adjusted ORs (95% confidence interval) of T2DM for increasing categories of ASMI/TFM, BMI, and waist circumference (WC) were 1.00 (reference), 0.70 (0.49, 1.02), 0.61 (0.42, 0.89), and 0.45 (0.30, 0.67; p for trend p for trend = 0.10); and 1.00 (reference) and 1.78 (1.19, 2.74; p < 0.01), respectively. Conclusions: Higher ASMI/TFM was associated with a lower prevalence of T2DM in this study of older adults. The T2DM predictive value of ASMI/TFM may be stronger than BMI and WC in this population.

Results of in vitro and in vivo studies showed that green leafy vegetables (GLV) could attenuate liver steatosis. However, little is known regarding the association between GLV intake and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) in human. We examined the association of GLV intake with NAFLD in a large-scale adult population.This cross-sectional study investigated 26,891 adults in China who participated in health examinations from 2013 to 2017. Newly diagnosed NAFLD was detected by liver ultrasonography. Dietary intake was assessed by using a validated and standardized food frequency questionnaire. Multivariable logistic regression models were used to estimate odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) across categories of GLV intake. After adjustment for sociodemographic characteristics, lifestyle factors, and other dietary intakes, the OR (95% CI) for comparing the highest vs. lowest GLV intake categories (≥7 times/week vs. almost never) was 0.72 (0.59, 0.90) (P 0.0001). In addition, a linear inverse association was demonstrated between GLV intake and NAFLD in women (P for trend = 0.04), but ORs for any intake category did not reach significance. Stratified analyses suggested a potential effect modification by obesity status; the ORs (95% CIs) for comparing the highest vs. lowest GLV intake categories was 0.72 (0.54, 0.97) in normal/overweight individuals and 1.04 (0.65, 1.65) in obese individuals (P-interaction 0.0001).This large population-based study shows that high GLV intake is inversely associated with NAFLD, particularly in women and non-obese participants.

Fish contain many important nutrients and are primarily known for high n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (n-3 PUFA) content. Studies have shown that supplementation of fish oil-derived n-3 PUFA improves muscle mass and strength. Here, we hypothesized that fish consumption might improve muscle strength. To test this hypothesis, we performed this cross-sectional study (n = 29,084) in Tianjin, China. The frequency of fish consumption was assessed using a valid self-administered food frequency questionnaire. Handgrip strength (HGS) was used as the indicator of muscle strength, and was measured using a handheld digital dynamometer. Analysis of covariance was used to examine the relationship between fish consumption and HGS. In men, after adjusted potential confounding factors, the least square means (95% confidence intervals) of HGS across saltwater fish consumption categories were 41.5 (41.1, 43.7) kg for1 time/week, 44.6 (43.2, 45.8) kg for 1 time/week, and 44.7 (43.3, 46.1) kg for ≥2 to 3 times/week (P for trend0.001). In men, the least square means (95% confidence intervals) of HGS across the ascending quartiles of dietary n-3 PUFA intake were 43.6 (43.2, 44.4) kg, 43.7 (43.2, 44.6) kg, 44.4 (43.0, 45.8) kg, and 44.6 (43.1, 46.0) kg (P for trend0.01). The results showed that saltwater fish consumption was positively related to HGS in men, but not in women, suggesting that saltwater fish contain nutrients that may be used to improve HGS.

BACKGROUND Wholegrains contribute a range of beneficial nutrients, such as dietary fiber and several minerals and vitamins, that are beneficial to depressive symptoms. However, there are a few studies aimed at exploring whether a wholegrain diet is related to depressive symptoms. We conducted this study to investigate the relationship between wholegrains consumption and depressive symptoms. METHODS This cross-sectional study included a total of 24,776 (mean age: 39.9 years, age range: 18.1-91.3 years; males, 54.1%) inhabitants living in Tianjin, China. Wholegrains consumption was assessed using a valid self-administered food frequency questionnaire. Depressive symptoms were evaluated using the Chinese version of Zung Self-Rating Depression Scale (SDS) and the cutoff point was set at 45. Multiple logistic regression analysis was used to estimate the relationship between wholegrains consumption and depressive symptoms. RESULTS The prevalence of depressive symptoms was 19.1% and 22.4% in males and females, respectively. After adjustments for potential confounding factors, the odds ratios (95% confidence intervals) of depressive symptoms across wholegrains consumption were 0.77 (0.65-0.91) for

Thyroid hormones (THs) play an important role in both serum uric acid (SUA) excretion and purine nucleotide metabolism. Past research mainly focused on the relationships between thyroid dysfunction and hyperuricemia. Although most subjects at risk for hyperuricemia are euthyroid, few studies have investigated the predictive values of THs on incident hyperuricemia in euthyroid adults. This study aimed to examine how free triiodothyronine, thyroxine, and thyroid-stimulating hormone are related to incident hyperuricemia in euthyroid subjects.Participants without baseline hyperuricemia were recruited from Tianjin Chronic Low-grade Systemic Inflammation and Health Cohort Study and followed up for ∼6 years. Thyroid function was determined by chemiluminescence immunoassay methods. Hyperuricemia was defined as SUA ≥416.5 μmol/L for males and ≥357.0 μmol/L for females. Thyroid function and SUA were assessed yearly during follow-up. Adjusted Cox proportional hazards regression models were used to assess the relationship between thyroid function and hyperuricemia.The incidence rates of hyperuricemia were 109 and 50 per 1000 person-years in males and females, respectively. In males, compared with the lowest quartile, the multivariable-adjusted hazards ratios for hyperuricemia in the highest quartiles of triiodothyronine, thyroxine, and thyroid-stimulating hormone were 0.57 (0.50-0.66), 0.63 (0.54-0.73), and 1.03 (0.90-1.19) (P for trend.0001,.0001, and .51), respectively. However, no statistically significant correlations between thyroid function and incident hyperuricemia in females were found.This cohort study is the first to demonstrate that higher THs are related to lower risk of incident hyperuricemia in a male population with euthyroid status.

Seaweeds have numerous biologically active ingredients, such as polysaccharides, polyphenols and carotenoids, that are beneficial to human health. Although these benefits might be related to the synthesis, secretion or reabsorption of uric acid, no studies have explored the relationship between seaweeds consumption and hyperuricaemia (HUA) in the general population. The aim of this study was to investigate whether seaweeds consumption is related to HUA in a large-scale adult population. A cross-sectional study was conducted with 32 365 adults (17 328 men and 15 037 women) in Tianjin, People’s Republic of China. Frequency of seaweeds consumption was assessed by a validated self-administered FFQ. HUA was defined as serum uric acid levels >420 μmol/L in men and >350 μmol/L in women. The association between seaweeds consumption and HUA was assessed by multiple logistic regression analysis. Restricted cubic spline functions were used for non-linearity tests. The prevalence of HUA in men and women was 21·17 % and 5·93 %, respectively. After adjustments for potential confounding factors, the OR (95 % CI) for HUA across seaweed consumption (g/1000 kcal per d) were 1·00 (reference) for level 1, 0·91 (95 % CI 0·81, 1·02) for level 2; 0·90 (95 % CI 0·81, 1·01) for level 3; 0·86 (95 % CI 0·78, 0·97) for level 4 in men and 0·90 (95 % CI 0·73, 1·10) for level 2; 0·82 (95 % CI 0·67, 1·00) for level 3; 0·84 (95 % CI 0·68, 1·03) for level 4 in women, respectively. A negative correlation between seaweeds consumption and HUA in males but not in females was observed. Further studies are needed to explore the causal relationship.

Thyroid hormones, including free triiodothyronine (FT3), free thyroxine (FT4), have well-recognized effects on the cardiovascular system. However, the evidence is lacking regarding the relationship between repeated FT3, FT4, and thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) measurements and incident hypertension. The aim of this cohort study was to examine how longitudinal trends of serum FT3, FT4, and TSH levels are related to the development of hypertension in a euthyroid population. A prospective study (n = 5926) was performed in Tianjin, China. Participants without a history of hypertension were followed up for ~4 years (median: 3 years). Hypertension was defined according to the criteria of JNC7. FT3, FT4, and TSH were determined by chemiluminescence immunoassay methods. FT3, FT4, TSH, and blood pressure were assessed yearly during follow-up. Adjusted Cox proportional hazards regression models were used to assess the relationships between baseline, means, and annual changes in FT3, FT4, TSH, and hypertension. The incidence rate of hypertension per 1000 person-years was 73. Compared with the lowest quartile, the multivariable-adjusted hazards ratios (95% confidence interval) for hypertension in the highest quartiles of changes in FT3, FT4, and TSH were 1.51 (1.23-1.84), 2.04 (1.67-2.48), and 1.20 (0.99-1.45), respectively. Similar relationships were observed between the means of FT3, FT4, TSH, and hypertension. However, we found no correlations between baseline FT3, FT4, TSH, and incident hypertension. The present study is the first to demonstrate that the annual changes and means, but not baseline FT3 and FT4 values are independently related to the risk of incident hypertension in the euthyroid general population.

Background Previous studies suggest that muscle-derived cytokines (myokines) are linked with brain function. Although muscle strength measured by handgrip strength is a prognostic indicator of functional decline, epidemiological studies directly examining the association between grip strength and mental health remain scarce. The aim of this study is to clarify the association between grip strength and depressive symptoms in the general adult population. Methods This is a cross-sectional study of 24,109 Chinese adults (41. 5 ± 11.9 years; 46.0% females). Grip strength was measured by dynamometer and the greatest force was normalized to body weight (NGS, kg/kg). Depressive symptoms were assessed using the Self-Rating Depression Scale (SDS). Models of logistic regression were conducted to assess the association between NGS and depressive symptoms, with adjustment for established confounding factors. Results Of the 24,109 participants, the prevalence of depressive symptoms (SDS ≥45) was 16.8% (males 15.7%, females 18.0%). After adjusting for multiple confounding factors, the odds ratios and 95% confidence interval for depressive symptoms in the quartiles of NGS were 1.00, 0.96 (0.84–1.10), 0.91 (0.79–1.05), and 0.91 (0.78–1.07) (P = 0.03) in males; 1.00, 0.92 (0.80–1.06), 0.90 (0.77–1.04), and 0.80 (0.69–0.94) (P = 0.0002) in females, respectively. Limitations This cross-sectional study cannot determine causality. Conclusions Grip strength was inversely associated with depressive symptoms, with stronger association observed among females than males. Further prospective studies or randomized trials are required to clarify these findings.

BACKGROUND Animal studies have shown that soy protein and isoflavones can increase antioxidant capacity and improve insulin resistance, and thus ameliorate nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). However, only limited epidemiological studies have examined the association of soy food intake with NAFLD. OBJECTIVES We investigated the association between soy food intake and NAFLD in a Chinese cohort. METHODS A total of 24,622 participants aged 20-90 y were included in the study. Diet information was collected using a validated 100-item FFQ. NAFLD was defined as having fatty liver diagnosed by ultrasonography and excluding men and women who consumed >210 g alcohol/wk and >140 g/wk, respectively. Logistic regression analysis was used to assess the association of soy food intake with NAFLD. RESULTS After adjustment for potential confounders, and taking those with

Research evidence supports a positive link between sugar-containing soft beverages and hyperuricemia. However, data thus far are mostly from Caucasian populations. And in sugar-containing soft beverages overall, sugar-containing carbonated beverages are purchased most often. Therefore, we investigated whether the high consumption of sugar-containing carbonated beverages was associated with the prevalence of hyperuricemia among adults in China.A cross-sectional study was conducted with 25,507 adults (13,013 men and 12,494 women) in Tianjin, China. Sugar-containing carbonated beverages intake was assessed by a validated semi-quantitative food frequency questionnaire. Hyperuricemia was defined as serum uric acid levels ≥7.0 mg/dL in men and ≥ 6 mg/dL in women. The association between carbonated beverages consumption and hyperuricemia was assessed by multiple logistic regression analysis. The prevalence of hyperuricemia in men and women was 23.4% and 8.2%, respectively. After adjustments for potential confounding factors, the odds ratios (95% confidence interval) for hyperuricemia across sugar-containing carbonated beverages consumption were 1.00 (reference) for almost never, 1.18 (1.05, 1.32) for1-3 cups/week, 1.49 (1.25, 1.77) for ≥4 cups/week in men (P for trend 0.005) and 1.11 (0.91, 1.34) for1-3 cups/week (P for trend = 0.27), 1.70 (1.23, 2.31) for ≥4 cups/week in women (P for trend0.001), respectively.This cross-sectional survey demonstrated that increased consumption of sugar-containing carbonated beverages is associated with hyperuricemia among adults in China. Restricted sugar-containing carbonated beverages intake might be beneficial to the prevention of hyperuricemia in the general population.

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is the hepatic manifestation of the metabolic syndrome. Recent evidence has suggested the protective effects of honey consumption against the metabolic syndrome, but the association between honey intake and NAFLD is still unclear. We investigated how the consumption frequency of honey was associated with NAFLD in the general population. This was a cross-sectional study of 21 979 adults aged 20–90 years. NAFLD was diagnosed based on the ultrasound-diagnosed fatty liver without significant alcohol intake and other liver diseases. Diet information, including consumption frequency of honey, was assessed by a validated 100-item FFQ. OR with 95 % CI were calculated by the binary logistic regression model, adjusting for confounding factors identified by the directed acyclic graph. Overall, 6513 adults (29·6 %) had NAFLD. Compared with participants consuming ≤1 time/week of honey, the multivariable OR of NAFLD were 0·86 (95 % CI 0·77, 0·97) for 2–6 times/week and 1·10 (95 % CI 0·95, 1·27) for ≥1 times/d (Pfor trend = 0·90). The results were generally similar in subgroups of BMI at a cut-point of 24·0 kg/m2 (Pfor interaction = 0·10). In this large-scale study, consuming honey 2–6 times/week was inversely associated with NAFLD, whereas consuming honey ≥1 times/d had no association with NAFLD. These results need replication in other large-scale prospective studies.

Thyroid hormones (THs) have multiple effects on lipid synthesis, mobilization, and degradation, suggesting that THs may affect the development of dyslipidemia. However, prospective studies on the association between serum THs levels and incident dyslipidemia in euthyroid subjects are limited. Therefore, we conducted a cohort study (~5-year follow-up period, median: 3.0 years) to explore whether THs can affect incident dyslipidemia in a general euthyroid population aged 18 years old and over. Dyslipidemia is characterized by elevated total cholesterol (TC), triglyceride (TG), or low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), or reduced high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C). Serum free triiodothyronine (FT3), free thyroxine (FT4), and thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) were determined by chemiluminescence immunoassay. Multivariable Cox proportional hazards regression models were used to assess the association between baseline FT3, FT4, TSH, and the risk of various dyslipidemias. During follow-up period, the incidence of elevated TC, TG, LDL-C, and reduced HDL-C was 29.3%, 20.7%, 24.8%, and 19.5%, respectively. After adjustment for multiple confounders, we found that per unit increase in FT3 concentrations were associated with decreased incidence of elevated TC and LDL-C, and the hazard ratios (95% confidence interval) were 0.87 (0.79–0.97) (P