scholarly journals Comprehensive genomic analysis of dietary habits in UK Biobank identifies hundreds of genetic loci and establishes causal relationships between educational attainment and healthy eating

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Joanne B. Cole ◽  
Jose C. Florez ◽  
Joel N. Hirschhorn

AbstractUnhealthy dietary habits are leading risk factors for life-altering diseases and mortality. Large-scale biobanks now enable genetic analysis of traits with modest heritability, such as diet. We performed genomewide association on 85 single food intake and 85 principal component-derived dietary patterns from food frequency questionnaires in UK Biobank. We identified 814 associated loci, including olfactory receptor associations with fruit and tea intake; 136 associations were only identified using dietary patterns. Mendelian randomization suggests a Western vs. prudent dietary pattern is causally influenced by factors correlated with education but is not strongly causal for coronary artery disease or type 2 diabetes.

2020 ◽  
Vol 41 (Supplement_2) ◽  
Author(s):  
A Said ◽  
Y.J Van De Vegte ◽  
N Verweij ◽  
P Van Der Harst

Abstract Background Caffeine is the most widely consumed psychostimulant and is associated with lower risk of coronary artery disease (CAD) and type 2 diabetes (T2D). However, whether these associations are causal remains unknown. Objectives This study aimed to identify genetic variants associated with caffeine intake, and to investigate possible causal links between genetically determined caffeine intake and CAD or T2D. Additionally, we aimed to replicate previous observational findings between caffeine intake and CAD or T2D. Methods Genome wide associated studies (GWAS) were performed on caffeine intake from coffee, tea or both in 407,072 UK Biobank participants. Identified variants were used in a two-sample Mendelian randomization (MR) approach to investigate evidence for causal links between caffeine intake and CAD in CARDIoGRAMplusC4D (60,801 cases; 123,504 controls) or T2D in DIAGRAM (26,676 cases; 132,532 controls). Observational associations were tested within UK Biobank using Cox regression analyses. Results Moderate observational caffeine intakes from coffee or tea were associated with lower risks of CAD or T2D compared to no or high intake, with the lowest risks at intakes of 120–180 mg/day from coffee for CAD (HR=0.77 [95% CI: 0.73–0.82; P<1e-16]), and 300–360 mg/day for T2D (HR=0.76 [95% CI: 0.67–0.86]; P=1.57e-5). GWAS identified 51 novel genetic loci associated with caffeine intake, enriched for central nervous system genes. In contrast to observational analyses, MR analyses in CARDIoGRAMplusC4D and DIAGRAM yielded no evidence for causal links between caffeine intake and the development of CAD or T2D. Conclusions MR analyses indicate caffeine intake might not protect against CAD or T2D, despite protective associations in observational analyses. Manhattan_plot_CaffeineIntake Funding Acknowledgement Type of funding source: None


Nutrients ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (10) ◽  
pp. 3495
Author(s):  
Maria Kafyra ◽  
Ioanna P. Kalafati ◽  
Efthymia A. Katsareli ◽  
Sophia Lambrinou ◽  
Iraklis Varlamis ◽  
...  

Background: Dietary and lifestyle habits constitute a significant contributing factor in the formation of anthropometric and biochemical characteristics of overweight and obese populations. The iMPROVE study recruited overweight and obese Greek adults and investigated the effect of gene–diet interactions on weight management when adhering to a six-month, randomized nutritional trial including two hypocaloric diets of different macronutrient content. The present paper displays the design of the intervention and the baseline findings of the participants’ dietary habits and their baseline anthropometric and biochemical characteristics. Methods: Baseline available data for 202 participants were analyzed and patterns were extracted via principal component analysis (PCA) on 69-item Food-Frequency Questionnaires (FFQ). Relationships with indices at baseline were investigated by multivariate linear regressions. A Lifestyle Index of five variables was further constructed. Results: PCA provided 5 dietary patterns. The “Mixed” pattern displayed positive associations with logBMI and logVisceral fat, whereas the “Traditional, vegetarian-alike” pattern was nominally, negatively associated with body and visceral fat, but positively associated with HDL levels. The Lifestyle Index displayed protective effects in the formation of logBMI and logGlucose levels. Conclusions: Dietary patterns and a Lifestyle Index in overweight and obese, Greek adults highlighted associations between diet, lifestyle, and anthropometric and biochemical indices.


2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Daniela Zanetti ◽  
Helene Bergman ◽  
Stephen Burgess ◽  
Themistocles L. Assimes ◽  
Vivek Bhalla ◽  
...  

AbstractBackgroundUrinary biomarkers are associated with hypertension and cardiovascular disease (CVD), but the nature of these associations is incompletely understood.MethodsWe performed multivariable-adjusted regression models to assess associations of urinary sodium-potassium ratio (UNa/UK), and urinary albumin adjusted for creatinine (UAlb/UCr) with cardiovascular risk factors, CVD and type 2 diabetes (T2D) in 478,311 participants of the UK Biobank. Further, we studied above associations separately in men and women, and assessed the causal relationships of these kidney biomarkers with cardiovascular outcomes using the two-sample Mendelian randomization (MR) approach.ResultsIn observational analyses, UNa/UK showed significant inverse associations with atrial fibrillation (AF), coronary artery disease (CAD), ischemic stroke, lipid-lowering medication and T2D. In contrast, UAlb/UCr showed significant positive associations with AF, CAD, heart failure, hemorrhagic stroke, lipid-lowering medication and T2D. We found a positive association between UNa/UK and albumin with blood pressure (BP), as well as with adiposity-related measures. Generally, we detected consistent directionality in sex-stratified analyses, with some evidence for sex differences in the associations of urinary biomarkers with T2D and obesity. After correcting for potential horizontal pleiotropy, we found evidence of causal associations of UNa/UK and albumin with systolic BP (betaSBP≥2.63; betaDBP≥0.85 SD increase in systolic BP per SD change UNa/UK and UAlb/UCr; P≤0.038), and of albumin with T2D (odds ratio=1.33 per SD change in albumin, P=0.023).ConclusionOur Mendelian randomization analyses mirror and extend findings from randomized interventional trials which have established sodium intake as a risk factor for hypertension. In addition, we detect a feed-back causal loop between albumin and hypertension, and our finding of a bidirectional causal association between albumin and T2D reflects the well-known nephropathy in T2D.


2021 ◽  
Vol 6 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Shuai Yuan ◽  
Edward L. Giovannucci ◽  
Susanna C. Larsson

AbstractWe conducted a Mendelian randomization study to determine the potential causal associations of gallstone disease, diabetes, serum calcium, triglyceride levels, smoking and alcohol consumption with acute and chronic pancreatitis. Genetic variants associated with the exposures at p < 5 × 10−8 were selected from corresponding genome-wide association studies. Summary-level data for pancreatitis were obtained from the FinnGen consortium and UK Biobank. Univariable and multivariable Mendelian randomization analyses were performed and results from FinnGen and UK Biobank were combined using the fixed-effects meta-analysis method. Genetic predisposition to gallstone disease, type 2 diabetes and smoking initiation was associated with an increased risk of acute pancreatitis. The combined odds ratios (ORs) were 1.74 (95% confidence interval (CI), 1.57, 1.93) for gallstone disease, 1.14 (95% CI, 1.06, 1.21) for type 2 diabetes and 1.56 (95% CI, 1.32, 1.83) for smoking initiation. The association for type 2 diabetes attenuated after adjustment for gallstone disease. Genetic predisposition to gallstone disease and smoking initiation as well as higher genetically predicted serum calcium and triglyceride levels were associated with an increased risk of chronic pancreatitis. The combined ORs of chronic pancreatitis were 1.27 (95% CI, 1.08, 1.50) for gallstone disease, 1.86 (95% CI, 1.43, 2.43) for smoking initiation, 2.20 (95% CI, 1.30, 3.72) for calcium and 1.47 (95% CI, 1.23, 1.76) for triglycerides. This study provides evidence in support that gallstone disease, type 2 diabetes, smoking and elevated calcium and triglyceride levels are causally associated with the risk of acute or chronic pancreatitis.


2020 ◽  
Vol 29 (19) ◽  
pp. 3327-3337
Author(s):  
Christopher S Thom ◽  
Zhuoran Ding ◽  
Michael G Levin ◽  
Scott M Damrauer ◽  
Kyung Min Lee ◽  
...  

Abstract Clinical observations have linked tobacco smoking with increased type 2 diabetes risk. Mendelian randomization analysis has recently suggested smoking may be a causal risk factor for type 2 diabetes. However, this association could be mediated by additional risk factors correlated with smoking behavior, which have not been investigated. We hypothesized that body mass index (BMI) could help to explain the association between smoking and diabetes risk. First, we confirmed that genetic determinants of smoking initiation increased risk for type 2 diabetes (OR 1.21, 95% CI: 1.15–1.27, P = 1 × 10−12) and coronary artery disease (CAD; OR 1.21, 95% CI: 1.16–1.26, P = 2 × 10−20). Additionally, 2-fold increased smoking risk was positively associated with increased BMI (~0.8 kg/m2, 95% CI: 0.54–0.98 kg/m2, P = 1.8 × 10−11). Multivariable Mendelian randomization analyses showed that BMI accounted for nearly all the risk smoking exerted on type 2 diabetes (OR 1.06, 95% CI: 1.01–1.11, P = 0.03). In contrast, the independent effect of smoking on increased CAD risk persisted (OR 1.12, 95% CI: 1.08–1.17, P = 3 × 10−8). Causal mediation analyses agreed with these estimates. Furthermore, analysis using individual-level data from the Million Veteran Program independently replicated the association of smoking behavior with CAD (OR 1.24, 95% CI: 1.12–1.37, P = 2 × 10−5), but not type 2 diabetes (OR 0.98, 95% CI: 0.89–1.08, P = 0.69), after controlling for BMI. Our findings support a model whereby genetic determinants of smoking increase type 2 diabetes risk indirectly through their relationship with obesity. Smokers should be advised to stop smoking to limit type 2 diabetes and CAD risk. Therapeutic efforts should consider pathophysiology relating smoking and obesity.


Nutrients ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (9) ◽  
pp. 2536
Author(s):  
Julio Plaza-Díaz ◽  
Esther Molina-Montes ◽  
María José Soto-Méndez ◽  
Casandra Madrigal ◽  
Ángela Hernández-Ruiz ◽  
...  

Dietary patterns (DPs) are known to be tied to lifestyle behaviors. Understanding DPs and their relationships with lifestyle factors can help to prevent children from engaging in unhealthy dietary practices. We aimed to describe DPs in Spanish children aged 1 to <10 years and to examine their associations with sociodemographic and lifestyle variables. The consumption of toddler and young children milk formulas, enriched and fortified milk within the Spanish pediatric population is increasing, and there is a lack of evidence whether the consumption of this type of milk is causing an impact on nutrient intakes and if they are helping to reach the nutrient recommendations. Within the Nutritional Study in the Spanish Pediatric Population (EsNuPI), we considered two study cohorts and three different age groups in three year-intervals in each of them. The study cohort included 740 children in a representative sample of the urban non-vegan Spanish population and 772 children in a convenience cohort of adapted milk consumers (AMS) (including follow-on formula, toddler’s milk, growing up milk, and fortified and enriched milks) who provided information about sociodemographics, lifestyle, and dietary habits; a food frequency questionnaire was used for the latter. Principal component analysis was performed to identify DPs from 18 food groups. Food groups and sociodemographic/lifestyle variables were combined through a hierarchical cluster algorithm. Three DPs predominated in every age group and study sample: a palatable energy-dense food dietary pattern, and two Mediterranean-like DPs. However, children from the AMS showed a predominant dietary pattern markedly related to the Mediterranean diet, with high consumption of cereals, fruits and vegetables, as well as milk and dairy products. The age of children and certain lifestyle factors, namely level of physical activity, parental education, and household income, correlated closely with the dietary clusters. Thus, the findings provide insight into designing lifestyle interventions that could reverse the appearance of unhealthy DPs in the Spanish child population.


2019 ◽  
pp. 155982761987192
Author(s):  
Maryam S. Hamidi ◽  
Tait D. Shanafelt ◽  
Andrea Hausel ◽  
Bryan D. Bohman ◽  
Rachel Roberts ◽  
...  

There is increasing evidence that diet can mitigate fatigue. The objective of this study was to assess the associations between dietary habits and sleep-related impairment (SRI) in a cohort of community physicians. In this cross-sectional study, we analyzed data from 245 physicians who had completed a wellness survey in March 2016 (98% response rate). Three dietary patterns were derived using principal component analysis: plant based, high protein, and high saturated fat and sugar. In the adjusted analysis, every SD increase in the plant-based dietary pattern score was associated with a 0.71-point decrease ( β = −0.72; SE = 0.32; P = .027; 95% CI = −1.35 to −0.08) in the SRI score, and every SD increase in the high saturated fat and sugar dietary pattern score was associated with a 0.77-point increase ( β = 0.77; SE = 0.32; P = .015; 95% CI = 0.15 to 1.39) in the SRI score. There were no associations between high protein diets and SRI scores. Physicians adhering to diets that are high in plant-based foods and low in saturated fat and added sugars had less SRI. Physicians currently face significant barriers to maintaining a healthy diet. This study highlights the potential role of workplace nutrition on SRI and work performance of physicians.


2015 ◽  
Vol 115 (1) ◽  
pp. 95-104 ◽  
Author(s):  
Erika Ax ◽  
Eva Warensjö Lemming ◽  
Wulf Becker ◽  
Agneta Andersson ◽  
Anna Karin Lindroos ◽  
...  

AbstractDietary patterns derived by statistical procedures is a way to identify overall dietary habits in specific populations. The aim of this study was to identify and characterise dietary patterns in Swedish adults using data from the national dietary survey Riksmaten adults 2010–11 (952 women, 788 men). Principal component analyses were used and two patterns were identified in both sexes: a healthy pattern loading positively on vegetables, fruits, fish and seafood, and vegetable oils, and negatively on refined bread and fast food, and a Swedish traditional pattern loading positively on potatoes, meat and processed meat, full-fat milk products, sweet bakery products, sweet condiments and margarine. In addition, a light-meal pattern was identified in women with positive loadings on fibre-rich bread, cheese, rice, pasta and food grain dishes, substitute products for meat and dairy products, candies and tea. The healthy pattern was positively correlated to dietary fibre (r0·51–0·58) andn-3 (r0·25–0·31) (allP<0·0001), and had a higher nutrient density of folate, vitamin D and Se. The Swedish traditional and the light-meal pattern were positively correlated to added sugar (r0·20–0·25) and the Swedish traditional also to SFA (r0·13–0·21) (allP<0·0001); both patterns were in general negatively correlated to micronutrients. Dietary pattern scores were associated with, for example, age, physical activity, education and income. In conclusion, we identified three major dietary patterns among Swedish adults. The patterns can be further used for examining the association between whole diet and health outcomes.


2021 ◽  
Vol 16 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Haijie Liu ◽  
Yan Zhang ◽  
Yang Hu ◽  
Haihua Zhang ◽  
Tao Wang ◽  
...  

Abstract Objective Until now, observational studies have explored the impact of vitamin C intake on Alzheimer’s disease (AD) risk, however, reported ambiguous findings. To develop effective therapies or prevention, the causal link between vitamin C levels and AD should be established. Methods Here, we selected 11 plasma vitamin C genetic variants from a large-scale plasma vitamin C GWAS dataset (N = 52,018) as the potential instrumental variables. We extracted their corresponding summary statistics from large-scale IGAP clinically diagnosed AD GWAS dataset (N = 63,926) and UK Biobank AD proxy phenotype GWAS dataset (N = 314,278), as well as two UK Biobank subgroups including the maternal AD group (27,696 cases of maternal AD and 260,980 controls) and paternal AD group (14,338 cases of paternal AD and 245,941 controls). We then performed a Mendelian randomization (MR) study to evaluate the causal association between plasma vitamin C levels and the risk of AD and AD proxy phenotype. Meanwhile, we further verified these findings using a large-scale cognitive performance GWAS dataset (N = 257,841). Results In IGAP, we found no significant causal association between plasma vitamin C levels and the risk of AD. In UK Biobank, we found that per 1 SD increase in plasma vitamin C levels (about 20.2 μmol/l) was significantly associated with the reduced risk of AD proxy phenotype (OR = 0.93, 95% CI 0.88–0.98, P = 7.00E−03). A subgroup MR analysis in UK Biobank indicated that per 1 SD increase in plasma vitamin C levels could significantly reduce the risk of AD proxy phenotype in the maternal AD group (OR = 0.89, 95% CI 0.84–0.94, P = 7.29E−05), but not in the paternal AD group (OR = 1.02, 95% CI 0.92–1.12, P = 7.59E−01). The leave-one-out permutation further showed that the SLC23A1 rs33972313 variant largely changed the precision of the overall MR estimates in all these four GWAS datasets. Meanwhile, we did not observe any significant causal effect of plasma vitamin C levels on the cognitive performance. Conclusion We demonstrated that there may be no causal association between plasma vitamin C levels and the risk of AD in people of European descent. The insistent findings in clinically diagnosed AD and AD proxy phenotype may be caused by the phenotypic heterogeneity.


2021 ◽  
Vol 2021 ◽  
pp. 1-10
Author(s):  
Teresa Louro ◽  
Carla Simões ◽  
Wilmara Lima ◽  
Laura Carreira ◽  
Paula Midori Castelo ◽  
...  

Saliva research has gained interest due to its potential as a source of biomarkers. One of the factors inducing changes in saliva, in the short term, is food intake, and evidence exist about changes in salivary proteome induced by some food components. Since this topic of research is in its early stages, it was hypothesized that saliva protein composition could be associated with different levels of adherence to dietary patterns that contain higher amounts of plant products. The aim of the present study was to test this hypothesis, in adults, by comparing salivary protein electrophoretic profiles of individuals with different diet characteristics, particularly dietary patterns (DP) that exhibit different proportions of animal and plant-based products. Dietary habits were assessed in 122 adults (61 from each sex, with ages ranging from 20 to 59 years) using Food Frequency Questionnaires. To identify the dietary patterns, a principal component analysis was used. Individual’s non-stimulated saliva was evaluated for flow rate, pH, protein concentration, α-amylase activity, and electrophoretic protein profiles. Seven dietary patterns (DP) were identified. Salivary amylase enzymatic activity was positively associated with animal-based and starchy foods DP, and with plant-based fatty foods without wine DP. At the same time, protein bands containing amylase and type S cystatins were positively associated with the cheese/yoghurt and wine DP. Our results support the association of salivary proteomics and different dietary patterns and highlight the need of considering food consumption habits in studies using saliva, since this is a factor associated with variations in the composition of this fluid.


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