scholarly journals Black Tea Flavonoids: A Focus on Thearubigins and their Potential Roles in Diet & Health

2020 ◽  
Vol 6 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Bond JT ◽  
Derbyshire JE
Keyword(s):  
Health Outcomes ◽  
Observational Studies ◽  
Black Tea ◽  
Laboratory Studies ◽  
Mechanistic Studies ◽  
Potential Health ◽  
Anticancer Properties ◽  
Growing Body ◽  
The Uk ◽  
Specific Health

The potential health benefits of black tea are well documented but the specific roles of thearubigins are less widely published. We undertook a review to identify human observational studies and laboratory studies investigating inter-relationships between thearubigin intakes and health. Twenty-two publications were identified-five observational studies and 17 laboratory/mechanistic studies. Evidence from observational studies demonstrates that black tea is a major dietary provider of thearubigins, with reported intakes of 327 mg/d in the UK, a nation of tea drinkers but lower in Europe (156 mg/d). A growing body of evidence (from laboratory/cell studies) signifies that thearubigins could have potential health roles, including antioxidant, antimutagenic and anticancer properties, along with the ability to reduce inflammation and improve gastrointestinal motility. Well-designed human trials are now needed to further investigate thearubigin intakes from dietary sources in relation to specific health outcomes.

An intervention for depressive symptoms using a commercial game in a mental health impatient setting. (Preprint)

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Pablo Rodrigo Guzman Cortez ◽  
Matias Marzocchi ◽  
Neus Freixa Fontanals ◽  
Mercedes Balcells-Olivero
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Depressive Symptoms ◽  
Health Outcomes ◽  
Serious Games ◽  
Rating Scale ◽  
Depressive Symptomatology ◽  
Pilot Test ◽  
Potential Health ◽  
Depressive Episodes ◽  
Hamilton Rating Scale

BACKGROUND Computerized mental health interventions have shown evidence of their potential benefit for mental health outcomes in young users. All of the studied interventions available in the review and scientific literature can be classified as "serious games". Serious games are computerized interventions designed from the start with the objective of improving specific desired health outcomes. Moreover, there are reports of users experiencing subjective benefits in mental health after playing specific commercial games. These were games not intentionally made with a therapeutic objective in the design process. An example is the videogame "Journey", first released for the Playstation 3 console in 2012 which won "Game of the Year" in the 2013 D.I.C.E awards. The creator of the game describes the game as a short, 2-3-hour narrative experience in which the player goes through the "Hero's Journey" following a classic 3-part structure. There were more than 100 testimonials from players describing how the game helped them cope with psychological or personal issues. Some of them explicitly described recovering from depressive episodes through playing the game. OBJECTIVE To conduct a pilot test of the efficacy of the videogame Journey in reducing depressive symptoms in an acute impatient setting METHODS Depressive symptomatology was measured before and after the intervention using the Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression (HRSD) The intervention was conducted in an isolated room using a Playstation 3 console with the videogame "Journey" developed by Thatgamecompany. No internet access was allowed. The game was played over the course of 4 30-45 min sessions in a two week period. RESULTS The initial score in the Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression (HRSD) was 30, indicating a very severe depression. After the intervention the HRSD score was 10, showing a mild depression. CONCLUSIONS The Videogame Journey, a commercial game first available for the Playstation 3 console in 2012, was not created as a serious game with potential health benefits. Our pilot test is the first case report of a commercial game showing a potential effect in reducing depressive symptoms, which is consistent with the previous informal reports of users online.

scholarly journals The impact of sitting time and physical activity on mental health during COVID-19 lockdown

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Matthew Pears ◽  
Susanna Kola-Palmer ◽  
Liane Beretta De Azevedo
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Physical Activity ◽  
Health Outcomes ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Depression Score ◽  
Sitting Time ◽  
Multiple Stepwise Regression Analysis ◽  
Previous Diagnosis ◽  
The Uk ◽  
The Impact

Abstract Objective The primary aim of this study was to investigate the association between physical activity (PA) and sitting time on adults’ mental health (i.e., depression, anxiety and wellbeing) and the influence of mediators and confounders. Methods An online survey was disseminated in the UK between May and June 2020. A total of 284 participants (33.5 ± 12.4 years) self-reported their PA, sitting time and mental health through validated questionnaires. Results Multiple stepwise regression analysis revealed that being of younger age, female, on a lower income, with one or more comorbid health conditions, with a previous diagnosis of mood disorder and increased sitting time independently correlated with higher depression scores (F (13,219) = 12.31, p < 0.001), and explained 42% of the variance. Similar results were found for wellbeing where socio-demographic, health outcomes and sitting time influenced the subjective wellbeing (F (14,218) = 5.77, p < 0.001, 27% variance), although only socio-demographic and health outcomes contributed to the variation in anxiety score (F (13,219) = 7.84, p < 0.001, 32% variance). PA did not explain variation when sitting time was taken into account in any of the models. Combined analysis revealed that participants with lower sedentary time (< 8 h) and with both low or moderate and high PA presented a significantly lower depression score [low PA: (B = −2.7, 95% CI −4.88, −0.52); moderate and high PA (B = −2.7, −4.88, −0.52)]. Conclusion Sitting time was strongly associated with adverse mental health during COVID-19 lockdown and should be considered in future public health recommendations.

scholarly journals Dietary nitrate and population health: a narrative review of the translational potential of existing laboratory studies

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Oliver M. Shannon ◽  
Chris Easton ◽  
Anthony I. Shepherd ◽  
Mario Siervo ◽  
Stephen J. Bailey ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Population Health ◽  
Leafy Vegetables ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Research Approach ◽  
Valuable Insight ◽  
Main Body ◽  
Laboratory Studies ◽  
Potential Health ◽  
Health Promoting

Abstract Background Dietary inorganic nitrate (NO3−) is a polyatomic ion, which is present in large quantities in green leafy vegetables and beetroot, and has attracted considerable attention in recent years as a potential health-promoting dietary compound. Numerous small, well-controlled laboratory studies have reported beneficial health effects of inorganic NO3− consumption on blood pressure, endothelial function, cerebrovascular blood flow, cognitive function, and exercise performance. Translating the findings from small laboratory studies into ‘real-world’ applications requires careful consideration. Main body This article provides a brief overview of the existing empirical evidence basis for the purported health-promoting effects of dietary NO3− consumption. Key areas for future research are then proposed to evaluate whether promising findings observed in small animal and human laboratory studies can effectively translate into clinically relevant improvements in population health. These proposals include: 1) conducting large-scale, longer duration trials with hard clinical endpoints (e.g. cardiovascular disease incidence); 2) exploring the feasibility and acceptability of different strategies to facilitate a prolonged increase in dietary NO3− intake; 3) exploitation of existing cohort studies to explore associations between NO3− intake and health outcomes, a research approach allowing larger samples sizes and longer duration follow up than is feasible in randomised controlled trials; 4) identifying factors which might account for individual differences in the response to inorganic NO3− (e.g. sex, genetics, habitual diet) and could assist with targeted/personalised nutritional interventions; 5) exploring the influence of oral health and medication on the therapeutic potential of NO3− supplementation; and 6) examining potential risk of adverse events with long term high- NO3− diets. Conclusion The salutary effects of dietary NO3− are well established in small, well-controlled laboratory studies. Much less is known about the feasibility and efficacy of long-term dietary NO3− enrichment for promoting health, and the factors which might explain the variable responsiveness to dietary NO3− supplementation between individuals. Future research focussing on the translation of laboratory data will provide valuable insight into the potential applications of dietary NO3− supplementation to improve population health.

scholarly journals A Simple And Effective Approach For Analyzing Multivariate Longitudinal Health Outcomes In Observational Studies

2014 ◽  
Vol 17 (3) ◽  
pp. A167
Author(s):  
E. Kuhn ◽  
R. Spielmann ◽  
L. Ochs ◽  
W.Y. Koh ◽  
C. Tu
Keyword(s):  
Health Outcomes ◽  
Observational Studies

scholarly journals Coffee Consumption and Cardiovascular Diseases: A Mendelian Randomization Study

Nutrients ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (7) ◽  
pp. 2218
Author(s):  
Shuai Yuan ◽  
Paul Carter ◽  
Amy M. Mason ◽  
Stephen Burgess ◽  
Susanna C. Larsson
Keyword(s):  
Cardiovascular Disease ◽  
Cardiovascular Diseases ◽  
Intracerebral Hemorrhage ◽  
Genetic Variants ◽  
Odds Ratio ◽  
Observational Studies ◽  
Mendelian Randomization ◽  
Coffee Consumption ◽  
Uk Biobank ◽  
The Uk

Coffee consumption has been linked to a lower risk of cardiovascular disease in observational studies, but whether the associations are causal is not known. We conducted a Mendelian randomization investigation to assess the potential causal role of coffee consumption in cardiovascular disease. Twelve independent genetic variants were used to proxy coffee consumption. Summary-level data for the relations between the 12 genetic variants and cardiovascular diseases were taken from the UK Biobank with up to 35,979 cases and the FinnGen consortium with up to 17,325 cases. Genetic predisposition to higher coffee consumption was not associated with any of the 15 studied cardiovascular outcomes in univariable MR analysis. The odds ratio per 50% increase in genetically predicted coffee consumption ranged from 0.97 (95% confidence interval (CI), 0.63, 1.50) for intracerebral hemorrhage to 1.26 (95% CI, 1.00, 1.58) for deep vein thrombosis in the UK Biobank and from 0.86 (95% CI, 0.50, 1.49) for subarachnoid hemorrhage to 1.34 (95% CI, 0.81, 2.22) for intracerebral hemorrhage in FinnGen. The null findings remained in multivariable Mendelian randomization analyses adjusted for genetically predicted body mass index and smoking initiation, except for a suggestive positive association for intracerebral hemorrhage (odds ratio 1.91; 95% CI, 1.03, 3.54) in FinnGen. This Mendelian randomization study showed limited evidence that coffee consumption affects the risk of developing cardiovascular disease, suggesting that previous observational studies may have been confounded.

Blood Pressure, Hypertension and The Risk of Aortic Dissection Incidence and Mortality: results from the Japan-Specific Health Checkups Study, the UK Biobank Study and a Meta-analysis of Cohort Studies

Circulation ◽  
2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Makoto Hibino ◽  
Yoichiro Otaki ◽  
Elsa Kobeissi ◽  
Han Pan ◽  
Hiromi Hibino ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Blood Pressure ◽  
Aortic Dissection ◽  
Dose Response ◽  
Meta Analysis ◽  
Response Relationship ◽  
Uk Biobank ◽  
Dose Response Relationship ◽  
Fractional Polynomial ◽  
The Uk ◽  
Specific Health

Background: Hypertension or elevated blood pressure (BP) is an important risk factor for aortic dissection (AD); however, few prospective studies concerning this topic have been published. We investigated the association between hypertension/elevated BP and AD in two cohorts and conducted a meta-analysis of published prospective studies, including these two studies. Methods: We analyzed data from the Japan Specific Health Checkups (J-SHC) Study and UK Biobank, which prospectively followed 534,378 and 502,424 participants, respectively. Multivariable Cox regression was used to estimate hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (95% CIs) for the association of hypertension/elevated BP with AD incidence in the UK Biobank and AD mortality in the J-SHC Study. In the meta-analysis, summary relative risks (RRs) were calculated using random effects models. A potential nonlinear dose-response relationship between BP and AD was tested using fractional polynomial models, and the best-fitting second-order fractional polynomial regression model was determined. Results: In the J-SHC Study and UK Biobank, there were 84 and 182 ADs during 4- and 9-year follow-up, and the adjusted HRs of AD were 3.57 (95% CI, 2.17-6.11) and 2.68 (95% CI: 1.78-4.04) in hypertensive individuals, 1.33 (95% CI: 1.05-1.68) and 1.27 (95% CI: 1.11-1.48) per 20-mmHg increase in systolic BP (SBP), and 1.67 (95% CI: 1.40-2.00) and 1.66 (95% CI: 1.46-1.89) per 10-mmHg increase in diastolic BP (DBP), respectively. In the meta-analysis, the summary RRs were 3.07 (95% CI 2.15-4.38, I2=76.7%, n=7 studies, 2,818 ADs, 4,563,501 participants) for hypertension and 1.39 (95% CI: 1.16-1.66, I2=47.7%, n=3) and 1.79 (95% CI: 1.51-2.12, I2=57.0%, n=3) per 20-mmHg increase in SBP and per 10-mmHg in DBP, respectively. The AD risk showed a strong, positive dose-response relationship with SBP and even more so with DBP. The risk of AD in the nonlinear dose-response analysis was significant at SBP >132 mmHg and DBP >75 mmHg. Conclusions: Hypertension and elevated SBP and DBP are associated with a high risk of AD. The risk of AD was positively dose-dependent, even within the normal BP range. These findings provide further evidence for the optimization of BP to prevent AD.

The Dietary Inflammatory Index and Human Health: An Umbrella Review of Meta-Analyses of Observational Studies

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Wolfgang Marx ◽  
Nicola Veronese ◽  
Jaimon T Kelly ◽  
Lee Smith ◽  
Meghan Hockey ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Chronic Disease ◽  
Health Outcomes ◽  
Observational Studies ◽  
Dietary Inflammatory Index ◽  
Credibility Assessment ◽  
Umbrella Review ◽  
Inflammatory Index ◽  
Increased Risk ◽  
Meta Analyses ◽  
Study Designs

ABSTRACT Numerous observational studies have investigated the role of the Dietary Inflammatory Index (DII®) in chronic disease risk. The aims of this umbrella review and integrated meta-analyses were to systematically synthesize the observational evidence reporting on the associations between the DII and health outcomes based on meta-analyses, and to assess the quality and strength of the evidence for each associated outcome. This umbrella review with integrated meta-analyses investigated the association between the DII and a range of health outcomes based on meta-analyses of observational data. A credibility assessment was conducted for each outcome using the following criteria: statistical heterogeneity, 95% prediction intervals, evidence for small-study effect and/or excess significance bias, as well as effect sizes and P values using calculated random effects meta-analyses. In total, 15 meta-analyses reporting on 38 chronic disease-related outcomes were included, incorporating a total population of 4,360,111 subjects. Outcomes (n = 38) were examined through various study designs including case-control (n = 8), cross-sectional (n = 5), prospective (n = 5), and combination (n = 20) study designs. Adherence to a pro-inflammatory dietary pattern had a significant positive association with 27 (71%) of the included health outcomes (P value &lt; 0.05). Using the credibility assessment, Class I (Convincing) evidence was identified for myocardial infarction only, Class II (Highly suggestive) evidence was identified for increased risk of all-cause mortality, overall risk of incident cancer, and risk of incident site-specific cancers (colorectal, pancreatic, respiratory, and oral cancers) with increasing (more pro-inflammatory) DII score. Most outcomes (n = 31) presented Class III (Suggestive) or lower evidence (Weak or No association). Pro-inflammatory dietary patterns were nominally associated with an increased risk of many chronic disease outcomes. However, the strength of evidence for most outcomes was limited. Further prospective studies are required to improve the precision of the effect size.

Changing Work and Work-Related Travel and the Impact of Covid-19

2021 ◽  
Vol 47 (3) ◽  
pp. 336-354
Author(s):  
Kiron Chatterjee ◽  
Fiona Crawford
Keyword(s):  
Health Outcomes ◽  
Digital Age ◽  
Data Series ◽  
Work Related ◽  
Policy Interventions ◽  
Working Practices ◽  
Key Features ◽  
The Uk ◽  
Almost All ◽  
The Impact

The nature of work was undergoing dramatic change before the pandemic as the digital age continued to transform all sectors of society. In this paper we describe pre-pandemic trends in types of work, the workforce and working arrangements in the UK. We show how these changes were having gradual yet significant impacts on commuting and other work-related travel which were apparent in national travel data series. Key features of these impacts were increasing diversification and flexibility in work travel. We bring together findings on how working practices and travel have been altered by the pandemic and report expectations and opinions on its longer-term legacies. The pandemic has accelerated pre-pandemic trends and led to a shift in how work is performed for almost all sectors of the economy – but grasping the opportunity for this to contribute to deep carbon reductions from transport and to improve equity and health outcomes will require carefully directed policy interventions.

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