scholarly journals Dietary Patterns, Genetic Predisposition, and Cognitive Function in the UK Biobank

2021 ◽  
Vol 5 (Supplement_2) ◽  
pp. 1090-1090
Author(s):  
Christina-Alexandra Schulz ◽  
Leonie Weinhold ◽  
Matthias Schmid ◽  
Ute Nöthlings ◽  
Marcus M Nöthen
Keyword(s):  
Cognitive Function ◽  
Neurodegenerative Disease ◽  
Genetic Predisposition ◽  
Dietary Patterns ◽  
Fluid Intelligence ◽  
Processed Meat ◽  
Uk Biobank ◽  
Genetic Disposition ◽  
The Uk ◽  
Diet Score

Abstract Objectives Elucidating the role of dietary intake in cognitive function, and neurodegenerative disease development is important for prevention. The Mediterranean diet has shown to be beneficial for cognitive function and prevention of neurodegenerative disease. Yet, evidence for other dietary patterns are inconclusive. Since heritability of cognitive functions is substantial, a beneficial diet might mitigate genetic disposition. Therefore, we investigate if dietary patterns are associated with general cognitive function, considering individual genetic disposition. This research has been conducted using the UK Biobank Resource. Methods At baseline, participants reported the frequency of consumption of main foods via a dietary touchscreen questionnaire and filled in a verbal-numerical reasoning (VNR) test, which measures fluid intelligence. A diet score including 7 components: vegetables, fruit, fish, processed meat, unprocessed meat, whole grain, and refined grain was constructed. Participants were categorized into a low (0–1), intermediate (2–5), and high (6–7) diet score. A polygenic score (PGS), previously associated in GWAS with general cognitive function, was constructed. Participants were categorized into low (Quintile 1), intermediate (Q 2–4), and high (Q 5) PGS group. Linear regression was used to test whether the diet score associates with fluid intelligence, and to test if genetic predisposition modifies the association. Results The mean diet score of the 104,898 participants (46% male, mean age 57.1 (SD 8.0) years) was 3.9 (SD 1.4) points. In the VNR-test on average 6.1 (SD 2.1) questions were answered correctly. After multivariate adjustment a positive association between fluid intelligence and the PGS (P < 0.001), but no association between fluid intelligence and the diet score (P = 0.703) was observed. When stratified according to PGS groups, similar results were observed for the association between fluid intelligence and the diet score. Conclusions No evidence was found that the investigated diet score was associated with fluid intelligence. As previously reported, genetic disposition was strongly associated with cognitive performance. Funding Sources This work was partly supported by Diet–Body–Brain (DietBB), the Competence Cluster in Nutrition Research funded by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (FKZ: 01EA1410A).

Diet and Risk of Incident Lung Cancer: A Large Prospective Cohort Study in UK Biobank

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xiaoxia Wei ◽  
Chen Zhu ◽  
Mengmeng Ji ◽  
Jingyi Fan ◽  
Junxing Xie ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Lung Cancer ◽  
Dietary Fiber ◽  
Dietary Patterns ◽  
Lower Risk ◽  
Red Meat ◽  
Processed Meat ◽  
Uk Biobank ◽  
High Intake ◽  
Breakfast Cereals ◽  
The Uk

ABSTRACT Background Epidemiological evidence remains conflicting regarding diet and risk of lung cancer. Objectives We sought to systematically investigate whether dietary factors are associated with the risk of incident lung cancer in the UK Biobank. Methods A total of 416,588 participants (54% women) from the UK Biobank were included in the present study. Based on baseline data from FFQs, 3 main dietary patterns were identified by using principal component analysis. Cox proportional hazards models were used to investigate the association of individual food groups and dietary patterns with lung cancer risk. Results During a median follow-up of 7.13 y, 1782 incident lung cancer cases were documented. The association analysis showed high intake of red meat and processed meat was associated with an increased risk of lung cancer (HRper 50 g/d: 1.36; 95% CI: 1.13, 1.65 for red meat; HRper 25 g/d: 1.30; 95% CI: 1.10, 1.53 for processed meat). However, the consumption of fruits (HRper 100 g/d: 0.90; 95% CI: 0.84, 0.95), vegetables (HRper 100 g/d: 0.89; 95% CI: 0.81, 0.99), breakfast cereals (HRper 50 g/d: 0.81; 95% CI: 0.74, 0.89), and dietary fiber (HRper 5 g/d: 0.76; 95% CI: 0.69, 0.84) was inversely associated with the risk of lung cancer. For the dietary pattern analysis [quartile (Q) comparison], high adherence to the Prudent pattern (HRQ4 compared with Q1: 0.84; 95% CI: 0.73, 0.96) was associated with a lower risk of lung cancer, whereas the Western pattern (HRQ4 compared with Q1: 1.27; 95% CI: 1.11, 1.46) was associated with a higher risk of lung cancer. Conclusions Our study indicated that a diet characterized by high intake of fruits, vegetables, breakfast cereals, and dietary fiber, as well as low intake of red meat and processed meat, was associated with a lower risk of lung cancer.

scholarly journals Identifying healthy individuals with Alzheimer neuroimaging phenotypes in the UK Biobank

2022 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tiago Azevedo ◽  
Richard A.I. Bethlehem ◽  
David J. Whiteside ◽  
Nol Swaddiwudhipong ◽  
James B. Rowe ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Alzheimer’S Disease ◽  
Alzheimer's Disease ◽  
Neurodegenerative Disease ◽  
Fluid Intelligence ◽  
Structural Mri ◽  
Critical Issue ◽  
Healthy Population ◽  
Uk Biobank ◽  
Sporadic Disease ◽  
The Uk

Identifying prediagnostic neurodegenerative disease is a critical issue in neurodegenerative disease research, and Alzheimer's disease (AD) in particular, to identify populations suitable for preventive and early disease modifying trials. Evidence from genetic studies suggest the neurodegeneration of Alzheimer's disease measured by brain atrophy starts many years before diagnosis, but it is unclear whether these changes can be detected in sporadic disease. To address this challenge we train a Bayesian machine learning neural network model to generate a neuroimaging phenotype and AD-score representing the probability of AD using structural MRI data in the Alzheimer's Disease Neuroimaging Cohort (cut-off 0.5, AUC 0.92, PPV 0.90, NPV 0.93). We go on to validate the model in an independent real world dataset of the National Alzheimer's Coordinating Centre (AUC 0.74, PPV 0.65, NPV 0.80), and demonstrate correlation of the AD-score with cognitive scores in those with an AD-score above 0.5. We then apply the model to a healthy population in the UK Biobank study to identify a cohort at risk for Alzheimer's disease. This cohort have a cognitive profile in keeping with Alzheimer's disease, with strong evidence for poorer fluid intelligence, and with some evidence of poorer performance on tests of numeric memory, reaction time, working memory and prospective memory. We found some evidence in the AD-score positive cohort for modifiable risk factors of hypertension and smoking. This approach demonstrates the feasibility of using AI methods to identify a potentially prediagnostic population at high risk for developing sporadic Alzheimer's disease.

scholarly journals Dietary Behaviors and Incident COVID-19 in the UK Biobank

Nutrients ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (6) ◽  
pp. 2114
Author(s):  
Thanh-Huyen T. Vu ◽  
Kelsey J. Rydland ◽  
Chad J. Achenbach ◽  
Linda Van Horn ◽  
Marilyn C. Cornelis
Keyword(s):  
Dietary Behaviors ◽  
Processed Meat ◽  
Uk Biobank ◽  
Processed Meats ◽  
Additional Tool ◽  
Oily Fish ◽  
Case Rate ◽  
Specific Association ◽  
Socio Demographic Factors ◽  
The Uk

Background: Nutritional status influences immunity but its specific association with susceptibility to COVID-19 remains unclear. We examined the association of specific dietary data and incident COVID-19 in the UK Biobank (UKB). Methods: We considered UKB participants in England with self-reported baseline (2006–2010) data and linked them to Public Health England COVID-19 test results—performed on samples from combined nose/throat swabs, using real time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR)—between March and November 2020. Baseline diet factors included breastfed as baby and specific consumption of coffee, tea, oily fish, processed meat, red meat, fruit, and vegetables. Individual COVID-19 exposure was estimated using the UK’s average monthly positive case rate per specific geo-populations. Logistic regression estimated the odds of COVID-19 positivity by diet status adjusting for baseline socio-demographic factors, medical history, and other lifestyle factors. Another model was further adjusted for COVID-19 exposure. Results: Eligible UKB participants (n = 37,988) were 40 to 70 years of age at baseline; 17% tested positive for COVID-19 by SAR-CoV-2 PCR. After multivariable adjustment, the odds (95% CI) of COVID-19 positivity was 0.90 (0.83, 0.96) when consuming 2–3 cups of coffee/day (vs. <1 cup/day), 0.88 (0.80, 0.98) when consuming vegetables in the third quartile of servings/day (vs. lowest quartile), 1.14 (1.01, 1.29) when consuming fourth quartile servings of processed meats (vs. lowest quartile), and 0.91 (0.85, 0.98) when having been breastfed (vs not breastfed). Associations were attenuated when further adjusted for COVID-19 exposure, but patterns of associations remained. Conclusions: In the UK Biobank, consumption of coffee, vegetables, and being breastfed as a baby were favorably associated with incident COVID-19; intake of processed meat was adversely associated. Although these findings warrant independent confirmation, adherence to certain dietary behaviors may be an additional tool to existing COVID-19 protection guidelines to limit the spread of this virus.

scholarly journals Diet and general cognitive ability in the UK Biobank dataset

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Piril Hepsomali ◽  
John A. Groeger
Keyword(s):  
Cognitive Ability ◽  
Dietary Patterns ◽  
Red Meat ◽  
Milk Intake ◽  
Special Focus ◽  
General Cognitive Ability ◽  
Food Groups ◽  
Uk Biobank ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
The Uk

AbstractAccumulating evidence suggests that dietary interventions might have potential to be used as a strategy to protect against age-related cognitive decline and neurodegeneration, as there are associations between some nutrients, food groups, dietary patterns, and some domains of cognition. In this study, we aimed to conduct the largest investigation of diet and cognition to date, through systematically examining the UK Biobank (UKB) data to find out whether dietary quality and food groups play a role on general cognitive ability. This cross-sectional population-based study involved 48,749 participants. UKB data on food frequency questionnaire and cognitive function were used. Also, healthy diet, partial fibre intake, and milk intake scores were calculated. Adjusted models included age, sex, and BMI. We observed associations between better general cognitive ability and higher intakes of fish, and unprocessed red meat; and moderate intakes of fibre, and milk. Surprisingly, we found that diet quality, vegetable intake, high and low fibre and milk intake were inversely associated with general cognitive ability. Our results suggest that fish and unprocessed red meat and/or nutrients that are found in fish and unprocessed red meat might be beneficial for general cognitive ability. However, results should be interpreted in caution as the same food groups may affect other domains of cognition or mental health differently. These discrepancies in the current state of evidence invites further research to examine domain-specific effects of dietary patterns/food groups on a wide range of cognitive and affective outcomes with a special focus on potential covariates that may have an impact on diet and cognition relationship.

scholarly journals Caffeinated Coffee and Tea Consumption, Genetic Variation and Cognitive Function in the UK Biobank

2020 ◽  
Vol 150 (8) ◽  
pp. 2164-2174
Author(s):  
Marilyn C Cornelis ◽  
Sandra Weintraub ◽  
Martha Clare Morris
Keyword(s):  
Genetic Variation ◽  
Cognitive Function ◽  
Poor Performance ◽  
Sociodemographic Factors ◽  
Caffeine Intake ◽  
Tea Consumption ◽  
Uk Biobank ◽  
Trail Making ◽  
Caffeine Metabolism ◽  
The Uk

ABSTRACT Background Coffee and tea are the major contributors of caffeine in the diet. Evidence points to the premise that caffeine may benefit cognition. Objective We examined the associations of habitual regular coffee or tea and caffeine intake with cognitive function whilst additionally accounting for genetic variation in caffeine metabolism. Methods We included white participants aged 37–73 y from the UK Biobank who provided biological samples and completed touchscreen questionnaires regarding sociodemographic factors, medical history, lifestyle, and diet. Habitual caffeine-containing coffee and tea intake was self-reported in cups/day and used to estimate caffeine intake. Between 97,369 and 445,786 participants with data also completed ≥1 of 7 self-administered cognitive functioning tests using a touchscreen system (2006–2010) or on home computers (2014). Multivariable regressions were used to examine the association between coffee, tea, or caffeine intake and cognition test scores. We also tested interactions between coffee, tea, or caffeine intake and a genetic-based caffeine-metabolism score (CMS) on cognitive function. Results After multivariable adjustment, reaction time, Pairs Matching, Trail Making test B, and symbol digit substitution, performance significantly decreased with consumption of 1 or more cups of coffee (all tests P-trend &lt; 0.0001). Tea consumption was associated with poor performance on all tests (P-trend &lt; 0.0001). No statistically significant CMS × tea, CMS × coffee, or CMS × caffeine interactions were observed. Conclusions Our findings, based on the participants of the UK Biobank, provide little support for habitual consumption of regular coffee or tea and caffeine in improving cognitive function. On the contrary, we observed decrements in performance with intakes of these beverages which may be a result of confounding. Whether habitual caffeine intake affects cognitive function therefore remains to be tested.

scholarly journals Expanding cancer predisposition genes with ultra-rare cancer-exclusive human variations

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Roni Rasnic ◽  
Nathan Linial ◽  
Michal Linial
Keyword(s):  
Genetic Predisposition ◽  
Rare Variants ◽  
Genetic Alterations ◽  
Cancer Predisposition ◽  
Rare Cancer ◽  
Uk Biobank ◽  
Independent Evidence ◽  
High Penetrance ◽  
Predisposition Genes ◽  
The Uk

AbstractIt is estimated that up to 10% of cancer incidents are attributed to inherited genetic alterations. Despite extensive research, there are still gaps in our understanding of genetic predisposition to cancer. It was theorized that ultra-rare variants partially account for the missing heritable component. We harness the UK BioBank dataset of ∼500,000 individuals, 14% of which were diagnosed with cancer, to detect ultra-rare, possibly high-penetrance cancer predisposition variants. We report on 115 cancer-exclusive ultra-rare variations (CUVs) and nominate 26 variants with additional independent evidence as cancer predisposition variants. We conclude that population cohorts are valuable source for expanding the collection of novel cancer predisposition genes.

scholarly journals Genetic predisposition to increased serum calcium, bone mineral density, and fracture risk in individuals with normal calcium levels: mendelian randomisation study

BMJ ◽  
2019 ◽  
pp. l4410 ◽  
Author(s):  
Agustin Cerani ◽  
Sirui Zhou ◽  
Vincenzo Forgetta ◽  
John A Morris ◽  
Katerina Trajanoska ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Bone Mineral Density ◽  
Bone Mineral ◽  
Serum Calcium ◽  
Genetic Predisposition ◽  
Calcium Supplementation ◽  
Meta Analysis ◽  
Mendelian Randomisation ◽  
Uk Biobank ◽  
Mineral Density ◽  
The Uk

Abstract Objective To determine if genetically increased serum calcium levels are associated with improved bone mineral density and a reduction in osteoporotic fractures. Design Mendelian randomisation study. Setting Cohorts used included: the UK Biobank cohort, providing genotypic and estimated bone mineral density data; 25 cohorts from UK, USA, Europe, and China, providing genotypic and fracture data; and 17 cohorts from Europe, providing genotypic and serum calcium data (summary level statistics). Participants A genome-wide association meta-analysis of serum calcium levels in up to 61 079 individuals was used to identify genetic determinants of serum calcium levels. The UK Biobank study was used to assess the association of genetic predisposition to increased serum calcium with estimated bone mineral density derived from heel ultrasound in 426 824 individuals who had, on average, calcium levels in the normal range. A fracture genome-wide association meta-analysis comprising 24 cohorts and the UK Biobank including a total of 76 549 cases and 470 164 controls, who, on average, also had calcium levels in the normal range was then performed. Results A standard deviation increase in genetically derived serum calcium (0.13 mmol/L or 0.51 mg/dL) was not associated with increased estimated bone mineral density (0.003 g/cm 2 , 95% confidence interval −0.059 to 0.066; P=0.92) or a reduced risk of fractures (odds ratio 1.01, 95% confidence interval 0.89 to 1.15; P=0.85) in inverse-variance weighted mendelian randomisation analyses. Sensitivity analyses did not provide evidence of pleiotropic effects. Conclusions Genetic predisposition to increased serum calcium levels in individuals with normal calcium levels is not associated with an increase in estimated bone mineral density and does not provide clinically relevant protection against fracture. Whether such predisposition mimics the effect of short term calcium supplementation is not known. Given that the same genetically derived increase in serum calcium is associated with an increased risk of coronary artery disease, widespread calcium supplementation in the general population could provide more risk than benefit.

scholarly journals Dietary patterns are associated with cognitive function in the REasons for Geographic And Racial Differences in Stroke (REGARDS) cohort

2016 ◽  
Vol 5 ◽  
Author(s):  
Keith E. Pearson ◽  
Virginia G. Wadley ◽  
Leslie A. McClure ◽  
James M. Shikany ◽  
Fred W. Unverzagt ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Cognitive Impairment ◽  
Cognitive Function ◽  
Racial Differences ◽  
Dietary Patterns ◽  
Principal Component ◽  
Word List ◽  
Cognitive Status ◽  
Processed Meat ◽  
Domain Specific ◽  
Status Score

AbstractIdentifying factors that contribute to the preservation of cognitive function is imperative to maintaining quality of life in advanced years. Of modifiable risk factors, diet quality has emerged as a promising candidate to make an impact on cognition. The objective of this study was to evaluate associations between empirically derived dietary patterns and cognitive function. This study included 18 080 black and white participants aged 45 years and older from the REasons for Geographic And Racial Differences in Stroke (REGARDS) cohort. Principal component analysis on data from the Block98 FFQ yielded five dietary patterns: convenience, plant-based, sweets/fats, Southern, and alcohol/salads. Incident cognitive impairment was defined as shifting from intact cognitive status (score >4) at first assessment to impaired cognitive status (score ≤4) at latest assessment, measured by the Six-Item Screener. Learning, memory and executive function were evaluated with the Word List Learning, Word List Delayed Recall, and animal fluency assessments. In fully adjusted models, greater consumption of the alcohol/salads pattern was associated with lower odds of incident cognitive impairment (highest quintile (Q5)v. lowest quintile (Q1): OR 0·68; 95 % CI 0·56, 0·84;Pfor trend 0·0005). Greater consumption of the alcohol/salads pattern was associated with higher scores on all domain-specific assessments and greater consumption of the plant-based pattern was associated with higher scores in learning and memory. Greater consumption of the Southern pattern was associated with lower scores on each domain-specific assessment (allP < 0·05). In conclusion, dietary patterns including plant-based foods and alcohol intake were associated with higher cognitive scores, and a pattern including fried food and processed meat typical of a Southern diet was associated with lower scores.

scholarly journals Diet, Sleep, and Mental Health: Insights from the UK Biobank Study

Nutrients ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (8) ◽  
pp. 2573
Author(s):  
Piril Hepsomali ◽  
John A. Groeger
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Mental Health Disorders ◽  
Dietary Guidelines ◽  
Healthy Diet ◽  
Milk Intake ◽  
Processed Meat ◽  
Uk Biobank ◽  
Health Disorders ◽  
Mental Health Symptomatology ◽  
The Uk

Diet has long been the focus of attention as a leading risk factor for non-communicable diseases. As such, a better understanding of it is crucial to establish priorities for dietary guidelines and to inform, design, and implement strategies for preventing, helping manage, and stopping the progression of sleep and mental health-related symptoms/disorders. The aim of the current study is to conduct the largest investigation of diet, sleep, and mental health to date by utilizing the UK Biobank (UKB) dataset to identify the associations between diet and (i) sleep quality/health, and (ii) mental health symptomatology. This cross-sectional population-based study involved 502,494 middle-aged adults. UKB food frequency, sleep, and psychological factors and mental health questionnaires at baseline were used. Scores were also calculated for healthy diet, healthy sleep, mental health symptomatology, partial fibre intake, and milk intake. We observed positive associations with healthy diet and sleep and mental health, especially benefits of high intakes of vegetable, fruit, fish, water, and fibre. However, processed meat and milk intake were adversely associated with sleep and mental health. These findings make clear that there are health and wellbeing benefits and drawbacks of different diets, but do not, at this stage, demonstrate the clear causal relationships, which would support dietary interventions that might play a role in the treatment and also self-management of sleep and mental health disorders/symptoms. Further research is required to understand mechanisms of actions of which diet acts on to modulate sleep and mental health, while taking comorbidity of sleep and mental health disorders/symptoms into consideration.

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