scholarly journals Plasma alkylresorcinol concentrations, biomarkers of whole-grain wheat and rye intake, in the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC) cohort

2014 ◽  
Vol 111 (10) ◽  
pp. 1881-1890 ◽  
Author(s):  
Cecilie Kyrø ◽  
Anja Olsen ◽  
H. B(as). Bueno-de-Mesquita ◽  
Guri Skeie ◽  
Steffen Loft ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Measurement Errors ◽  
Geometric Mean ◽  
Plasma Concentrations ◽  
European Countries ◽  
Whole Grain ◽  
Dietary Biomarkers ◽  
Mediterranean Countries ◽  
The Mediterranean ◽  
Dietary Intake Assessment ◽  
Prospective Investigation

Whole-grain intake has been reported to be associated with a lower risk of several lifestyle-related diseases such as type 2 diabetes, CVD and some types of cancers. As measurement errors in self-reported whole-grain intake assessments can be substantial, dietary biomarkers are relevant to be used as complementary tools for dietary intake assessment. Alkylresorcinols (AR) are phenolic lipids found almost exclusively in whole-grain wheat and rye products among the commonly consumed foods and are considered as valid biomarkers of the intake of these products. In the present study, we analysed the plasma concentrations of five AR homologues in 2845 participants from ten European countries from a nested case–control study in the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition. High concentrations of plasma total AR were found in participants from Scandinavia and Central Europe and lower concentrations in those from the Mediterranean countries. The geometric mean plasma total AR concentrations were between 35 and 41 nmol/l in samples drawn from fasting participants in the Central European and Scandinavian countries and below 23 nmol/l in those of participants from the Mediterranean countries. The whole-grain source (wheat or rye) could be determined using the ratio of two of the homologues. The main source was wheat in Greece, Italy, the Netherlands and the UK, whereas rye was also consumed in considerable amounts in Germany, Denmark and Sweden. The present study demonstrates a considerable variation in the plasma concentrations of total AR and concentrations of AR homologues across ten European countries, reflecting both quantitative and qualitative differences in the intake of whole-grain wheat and rye.

scholarly journals Trends in drinking patterns among adult population in 15 European countries, 1950 to 2000: a review

2001 ◽  
Vol 18 (1_suppl) ◽  
pp. 31-53 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jussi Simpura ◽  
Thomas Karlsson
Keyword(s):  
Alcohol Consumption ◽  
Population Distribution ◽  
Adult Population ◽  
Age Distribution ◽  
European Countries ◽  
Drinking Patterns ◽  
Northern European ◽  
Mediterranean Countries ◽  
Natural Time ◽  
The Mediterranean

Jussi Simpura & Thomas Karlsson: Trends in drinking patterns among adult population in 15 European countries, 1950 to 2000: a review Under the auspices of the European Comparative Alcohol Study (ECAS), data was compiled on trends in drinking patterns from 15 European countries (EU member countries, Luxembourg excluded, and Norway) from 1950 to 2000. This review is based on existing survey data on adult population. It turned out that (a) only a few countries (Finland, the Netherlands, Norway, and Sweden) have data on drinking patterns in the 1950s and 1960s, but (b) an increasing number of countries have drinking habit surveys from the 1970s and 1980s onwards (Austria, Denmark, Germany, Spain, United Kingdom) and (c) in the 1990s, almost all EU member countries have conducted surveys with data on drinking patterns (France, Greece, Italy, and Portugal, while Belgium remains the only country with very little data available). The data is, however, too scarce to say anything very certain about trends and the possible homogenisation of drinking patterns. Six indicators were studied in more detail. Abstinence rates fell in the 1960s in the traditionally abstinent Northern European countries, and later among women in the Mediterranean countries. Women's share of drinking also increased in the Northern European countries in the 1970s, but not necessarily elsewhere. With decreasing alcohol consumption in the Mediterranean countries, this means that per capita alcohol consumption among women may well have decreased, too. With a few exceptions, 30 to 50-year-olds were the age group with the highest alcohol consumption. The age distribution showed no general trends. Data on the shape of the population distribution of alcohol consumption was scarce, except for a few countries where the shape did not suggest any systematic changes. Also, data on binge drinking (high intake per single occasion) was mostly scarce, and again, the findings from the few countries with sufficient data showed remarkable stability. Remarkably slow changes were also evident in specific drinking contexts. There may be some signs of slow homogenisation of drinking patterns between the 15 European countries, but the differences are still notable. The main conclusion is that changes in drinking patterns are slow, even amidst rapidly changing living conditions. The natural time scale for such changes is not a few years or even a decade, but a generation.

scholarly journals Combining biomarker and self-reported dietary intake data: A review of the state of the art and an exposition of concepts

2019 ◽  
Vol 29 (2) ◽  
pp. 617-635 ◽  
Author(s):  
Isobel Claire Gormley ◽  
Yuxin Bai ◽  
Lorraine Brennan
Keyword(s):  
Measurement Error ◽  
Dietary Intake ◽  
Measurement Errors ◽  
State Of The Art ◽  
Calibration Method ◽  
Simulation Studies ◽  
Dietary Biomarkers ◽  
Dietary Intake Assessment ◽  
Reported Data ◽  
Further Development

Classical approaches to assessing dietary intake are associated with measurement error. In an effort to address inherent measurement error in dietary self-reported data there is increased interest in the use of dietary biomarkers as objective measures of intake. Furthermore, there is a growing consensus of the need to combine dietary biomarker data with self-reported data. A review of state of the art techniques employed when combining biomarker and self-reported data is conducted. Two predominant methods, the calibration method and the method of triads, emerge as relevant techniques used when combining biomarker and self-reported data to account for measurement errors in dietary intake assessment. Both methods crucially assume measurement error independence. To expose and understand the performance of these methods in a range of realistic settings, their underpinning statistical concepts are unified and delineated, and thorough simulation studies are conducted. Results show that violation of the methods' assumptions negatively impacts resulting inference but that this impact is mitigated when the variation of the biomarker around the true intake is small. Thus there is much scope for the further development of biomarkers and models in tandem to achieve the ultimate goal of accurately assessing dietary intake.

scholarly journals Association between educational level and vegetable use in nine European countries

2009 ◽  
Vol 12 (11) ◽  
pp. 2174-2182 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ritva Prättälä ◽  
Samu Hakala ◽  
Albert-Jan R Roskam ◽  
Eva Roos ◽  
Uwe Helmert ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Educational Level ◽  
Vegetable Consumption ◽  
Economic Status ◽  
Positive Association ◽  
European Countries ◽  
Independent Effect ◽  
Cultural Tradition ◽  
Baltic Countries ◽  
Mediterranean Countries ◽  
The Mediterranean

AbstractObjectiveThe relationship of socio-economic status and vegetable consumption is examined in nine European countries. The aim is to analyse whether the pattern of socio-economic variation with regard to vegetable consumption is similar in all studied countries with high v. low vegetable availability and affordability, and whether education has an independent effect on vegetable consumption once the effects of other socio-economic factors have been taken into account.DesignThe data for the study were obtained from national surveys conducted in Finland, Denmark, Germany, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, France, Italy and Spain, in 1998 or later. These surveys included data on the frequency of use of vegetables. Food Balance Sheets indicated that the availability of vegetables was best in the Mediterranean countries. The prices of vegetables were lowest in the Mediterranean countries and Germany.ResultsEducational level was positively associated with vegetable consumption in the Nordic and Baltic countries. In the Mediterranean countries, education was not directly associated with the use of vegetables but, after adjusting for place of residence and occupation, it was found that those with a lower educational level consumed vegetables slightly more often. Manual workers consumed vegetables less often than non-manual workers, but otherwise there was no systematic association with occupation.ConclusionsThe Mediterranean countries did not show a positive association between educational level and vegetable consumption. The positive association found in the Northern European countries is linked to the lower availability and affordability of vegetables there and their everyday cooking habits with no long-standing cultural tradition of using vegetables.

Estimations of unrecorded alcohol consumption levels and trends in 14 European countries

2001 ◽  
Vol 18 (1_suppl) ◽  
pp. 54-70 ◽  
Author(s):  
Håkan Leifman
Keyword(s):  
Alcohol Consumption ◽  
General Population ◽  
Population Survey ◽  
European Countries ◽  
Total Consumption ◽  
General Population Survey ◽  
Mediterranean Countries ◽  
The Mediterranean ◽  
The Uk ◽  
Over Time

Håkan Leifman: Estimations of unrecorded alcohol consumption levels and trends in 14 European countries Aims: To map the extent of unrecorded alcohol consumption in the countries within the EU, including point estimates of the quantity of unrecorded consumption and the development over time. Data and method: The countries under investigation are 13 EU countries (Greece and Luxembourg excluded) and Norway. The study makes use of data collected earlier – mainly survey data – and of a recently completed general population survey directed to random samples of the general population aged 18–64 in six EU member states. An indirect method was used to assess the development of unrecorded consumption over time in each country by estimating the discrepancy between the observed development of alcohol-related mortality and the development that would be expected from changes in recorded consumption only. Findings: The unrecorded consumption is highest in the northern European countries, and has increased from about 1 litre in the 1980s to 2 litres per adult in the second half of the 1990s. The UK, too, shows clear signs of increased unrecorded alcohol consumption as of the mid-1980s. In the remaining countries, the changes in unrecorded alcohol appear to have been more modest over time. The quantities of unrecorded consumption in the Mediterranean countries in the 1990s are roughly estimated at 1 litre pure alcohol per adult and show no signs of increases over time. The general population survey indicated low quantities of personal imports of alcohol in Southern Europe (France and Italy) – one decilitre in France, less than half a decilitre in Italy – compared to about 1 litre or more in Finland, Sweden and the UK. Conclusions: The downward trend in recorded consumption in the Mediterranean countries for the past 20–30 years is most likely a real decrease in alcohol consumption: the large drop in recorded alcohol consumption in these countries has not been accompanied by increases in unrecorded consumption. When the total consumption (recorded plus unrecorded) is taken into account, and not just the recorded alcohol, the higher unrecorded consumption in the “low-consuming” countries would appear slightly to narrow down the differences between the countries. However, despite differences in unrecorded alcohol, the relative position between the countries in their total consumption in the mid-1990s remains to a large extent unchanged.

scholarly journals Timing of eating across ten European countries – results from the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC) calibration study

2018 ◽  
Vol 22 (2) ◽  
pp. 324-335 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ena Huseinovic ◽  
Anna Winkvist ◽  
Heinz Freisling ◽  
Nadia Slimani ◽  
Heiner Boeing ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Physical Activity ◽  
Energy Intake ◽  
European Countries ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Northern European ◽  
Mediterranean Countries ◽  
Calibration Study ◽  
Sectional Analysis ◽  
Intake Ratio ◽  
Prospective Investigation

AbstractObjectiveTo examine timing of eating across ten European countries.DesignCross-sectional analysis of the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC) calibration study using standardized 24 h diet recalls collected during 1995–2000. Eleven predefined food consumption occasions were assessed during the recall interview. We present time of consumption of meals and snacks as well as the later:earlier energy intake ratio, with earlier and later intakes defined as 06.00–14.00 and 15.00–24.00 hours, respectively. Type III tests were used to examine associations of sociodemographic, lifestyle and health variables with timing of energy intake.SettingTen Western European countries.SubjectsIn total, 22 985 women and 13 035 men aged 35–74 years (n 36 020).ResultsA south–north gradient was observed for timing of eating, with later consumption of meals and snacks in Mediterranean countries compared with Central and Northern European countries. However, the energy load was reversed, with the later:earlier energy intake ratio ranging from 0·68 (France) to 1·39 (Norway) among women, and from 0·71 (Greece) to 1·35 (the Netherlands) among men. Among women, country, age, education, marital status, smoking, day of recall and season were all independently associated with timing of energy intake (all P<0·05). Among men, the corresponding variables were country, age, education, smoking, physical activity, BMI and day of recall (all P<0·05).ConclusionsWe found pronounced differences in timing of eating across Europe, with later meal timetables but greater energy load earlier during the day in Mediterranean countries compared with Central and Northern European countries.

scholarly journals Meal patterns across ten European countries – results from the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC) calibration study

2016 ◽  
Vol 19 (15) ◽  
pp. 2769-2780 ◽  
Author(s):  
E Huseinovic ◽  
A Winkvist ◽  
N Slimani ◽  
MK Park ◽  
H Freisling ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Energy Intake ◽  
European Countries ◽  
Northern Europe ◽  
Daily Energy Intake ◽  
Meal Patterns ◽  
Northern European ◽  
Mediterranean Countries ◽  
Daily Energy ◽  
Calibration Study ◽  
Prospective Investigation

AbstractObjectiveTo characterize meal patterns across ten European countries participating in the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC) calibration study.DesignCross-sectional study utilizing dietary data collected through a standardized 24 h diet recall during 1995–2000. Eleven predefined intake occasions across a 24 h period were assessed during the interview. In the present descriptive report, meal patterns were analysed in terms of daily number of intake occasions, the proportion reporting each intake occasion and the energy contributions from each intake occasion.SettingTwenty-seven centres across ten European countries.SubjectsWomen (64 %) and men (36 %) aged 35–74 years (n 36 020).ResultsPronounced differences in meal patterns emerged both across centres within the same country and across different countries, with a trend for fewer intake occasions per day in Mediterranean countries compared with central and northern Europe. Differences were also found for daily energy intake provided by lunch, with 38–43 % for women and 41–45 % for men within Mediterranean countries compared with 16–27 % for women and 20–26 % for men in central and northern European countries. Likewise, a south–north gradient was found for daily energy intake from snacks, with 13–20 % (women) and 10–17 % (men) in Mediterranean countries compared with 24–34 % (women) and 23–35 % (men) in central/northern Europe.ConclusionsWe found distinct differences in meal patterns with marked diversity for intake frequency and lunch and snack consumption between Mediterranean and central/northern European countries. Monitoring of meal patterns across various cultures and populations could provide critical context to the research efforts to characterize relationships between dietary intake and health.

scholarly journals Olive oil intake and breast cancer risk in the Mediterranean countries of the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition study

2012 ◽  
Vol 131 (10) ◽  
pp. 2465-2469 ◽  
Author(s):  
Genevieve Buckland ◽  
Noemie Travier ◽  
Antonio Agudo ◽  
Ana Fonseca-Nunes ◽  
Carmen Navarro ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Breast Cancer ◽  
Breast Cancer Risk ◽  
Cancer Risk ◽  
Olive Oil ◽  
Mediterranean Countries ◽  
Nutrition Study ◽  
The Mediterranean ◽  
Prospective Investigation

Country differences in patient characteristics and treatment in schizophrenia: data from a physician-based survey in Europe

2011 ◽  
Vol 26 (S1) ◽  
pp. 17-28 ◽  
Author(s):  
G. Papageorgiou ◽  
F. Cañas ◽  
M. Zink ◽  
A. Rossi
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Health Care ◽  
Mental Health Care ◽  
Severe Disease ◽  
European Countries ◽  
Antipsychotic Treatment ◽  
Caregiver Support ◽  
Mediterranean Countries ◽  
Country Differences ◽  
The Mediterranean

AbstractSchizophrenia is a frequent psychiatric disorder whose prevalence appears to be relatively stable across different patient groups. However, attitudes to care and resources devoted to mental health care may differ between countries. The objective of this analysis was to compare sociodemographic and psychopathological features of patients, antipsychotic treatment and frequency of hospitalisation between four European countries (Germany, Greece, Italy and Spain) collected as part of a large survey of the characteristics of patients with schizophrenia. The survey was conducted by structured interview of 744 randomly-selected psychiatrists in four European countries who recruited 3996 patients. Information on 39 variables was collected. A number of between-country differences were observed which tended to distinguish Germany on the one hand, from the Mediterranean countries, and Greece in particular, on the other. While demographic features and clinical features were essentially similar, more patients in Germany were considered to have severe disease by their psychiatrist (59.0% versus 35.9% in Greece) and to be hospitalised (49.3% versus 15.0%). 46.7% of German patients were living alone compared to less than 20% in the Mediterranean countries and 50.2% were living with their family (versus over70% elsewhere). Smoking and addictive behaviours were more frequently reported for patients in Spain. With regard to empirically derived patient subgroups, Subgroup 2, corresponding to well-integrated and autonomous patients with mild to moderate disease severity was most highly represented in Greece (23.6% of patients compared to less than 10% elsewhere) elsewhere, Subgroup 6 (poorly-integrated patients with moderately severe disease who require caregiver support) was under-represented in Germany (4.5% versus over 17% elsewhere). Patterns of treatment were essentially similar, although quetiapine was more frequently prescribed and paliperidone less frequently prescribed in Germany than elsewhere. Reasons for treatment choice were comparable between countries, primarily related to good tolerability and control of positive symptoms. The differences observed may be attributed to differences in mental health care resource provision, socio-cultural or educational differences or to resource issues.

scholarly journals Soya intake and plasma concentrations of daidzein and genistein: validity of dietary assessment among eighty British women (Oxford arm of the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition)

2001 ◽  
Vol 86 (3) ◽  
pp. 415-421 ◽  
Author(s):  
Pai K. Verkasalo ◽  
Paul N. Appleby ◽  
Naomi E. Allen ◽  
Gwyneth Davey ◽  
Herman Adlercreutz ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Geometric Mean ◽  
Dietary Assessment ◽  
Plasma Concentrations ◽  
Correlation Coefficients ◽  
Epidemiological Studies ◽  
Dietary Intakes ◽  
Food Diary ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Soya Milk ◽  
Prospective Investigation

Soya products contain high levels of the isoflavones genistein and daidzein, and their glucosides, and may lower the risk of cardiovascular disease, osteoporosis and cancer. The present cross-sectional study investigated plasma concentrations of daidzein and genistein and their correlations with dietary soya consumption in four groups of twenty premenopausal British women. The women were selected from the Oxford arm of the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition using data from food-frequency questionnaires (FFQ) to guarantee a wide variation in soya consumption, and to investigate the utility of the question related to soya milk consumption compared with the utility of the question related to other soya foods. Dietary intakes of isoflavones were additionally assessed by 7 d food diaries. Plasma concentrations of daidzein and genistein were measured by time-resolved fluoroimmunoassay. Geometric mean plasma concentrations (nmol/l) were for the four groups, which were based on increasing soya intake, 4·9, 8·4, 39·2 and 132 for daidzein and 14·3, 16·5, 119 and 378 for genistein. The Spearman correlation coefficients for plasma isoflavone concentrations with estimated dietary intakes were between 0·66 and 0·80 for the diary-based estimates and between 0·24 and 0·74 for the FFQ-based estimates. The correlations for soya milk intakes were clearly higher than the correlations for intakes of other soya foods. We conclude that both the food diary and the FFQ estimate dietary soya isoflavone intakes sufficiently well to use them in epidemiological studies, and that plasma concentrations of daidzein and genistein in Western women who consumed soya products as a part of their regular diet were close to those in Asian populations.

scholarly journals Patterns of alcohol consumption in 10 European countries participating in the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC) project

2002 ◽  
Vol 5 (6b) ◽  
pp. 1287-1296 ◽  
Author(s):  
S Sieri ◽  
A Agudo ◽  
E Kesse ◽  
K Klipstein-Grobusch ◽  
B San-José ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Alcohol Consumption ◽  
Alcohol Intake ◽  
European Countries ◽  
Alcoholic Beverages ◽  
Drinking Patterns ◽  
Dietary Recall ◽  
Drinking Habits ◽  
Mediterranean Countries ◽  
Total Alcohol ◽  
Prospective Investigation

Abstractbjective:The aim of this study was to compare the quantities of alcohol and types of alcoholic beverages consumed, and the timing of consumption, in centres participating in the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC). These centres, in 10 European countries, are characterised by widely differing drinking habits and frequencies of alcohol-related diseases.Methods:We collected a single standardised 24-hour dietary recall per subject from a random sample of the EPIC cohort (36 900 persons initially and 35 955 after exclusion of subjects under 35 and over 74 years of age). This provided detailed information on the distribution of alcohol consumption during the day in relation to main meals, and was used to determine weekly consumption patterns. The crude and adjusted (by age, day of week and season) means of total ethanol consumption and consumption according to type of beverage were stratified by centre and sex.Results:Sex was a strong determinant of drinking patterns in all 10 countries. The highest total alcohol consumption was observed in the Spanish centres (San Sebastian, 41.4 g day−1) for men and in Danish centres (Copenhagen, 20.9 g day−1) for women. The lowest total alcohol intake was in the Swedish centres (Umeå, 10.2 g day−1) in men and in Greek women (3.4 g day−1). Among men, the main contributor to total alcohol intake was wine in Mediterranean countries and beer in the Dutch, German, Swedish and Danish centres. In most centres, the main source of alcohol for women was wine except for Murcia (Spain), where it was beer. Alcohol consumption, particularly by women, increased markedly during the weekend in nearly all centres. The German, Dutch, UK (general population) and Danish centres were characterised by the highest percentages of alcohol consumption outside mealtimes.Conclusions:The large variation in drinking patterns among the EPIC centres provides an opportunity to better understand the relationship between alcohol and alcohol-related diseases.

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