Red and Processed Meat and Mortality in a Low Meat Intake Population

Associations of low-to-moderate consumption of red and processed meat with mortality would add to the evidence of possible adverse effects of these common foods. This study aims to investigate the association of red and processed meat intake with mortality. The Adventist Health Study-2 (AHS-2) is a prospective cohort study of ~96,000 Seventh-day Adventist men and women recruited in the US and Canada between 2002 and 2007. The final analytic sample after exclusions was 72,149. Cox proportional hazards regression was used and hazard ratios (HR) and confidence intervals (CI) were obtained. Diet was assessed by a validated quantitative food frequency questionnaire (FFQ), calibrated using six 24-h dietary recalls. Mortality outcome data were obtained from the National Death Index. During a mean follow-up of 11.8 years, there were 7961 total deaths, of which 2598 were Cardiovascular diseases (CVD) deaths and 1873 were cancer deaths. Unprocessed red meat was associated with risk of all-cause mortality (HR: 1.18; 95% CI: 1.07–1.31) and CVD mortality (HR: 1.26; 95% CI: 1.05–1.50). Processed meat alone was not significantly associated with risk of mortality. The combined intake of red and processed meat was associated with all-cause mortality (HR: 1.23; 95% CI: 1.11–1.36) and CVD mortality (HR: 1.34; 95% CI: 1.12–1.60). These findings suggest moderately higher risks of all-cause and CVD mortality associated with red and processed meat in a low meat intake population.

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Towards refining WCRF/AICR cancer prevention recommendations for red and processed meat intake: Insights from Alberta’s Tomorrow Project cohort

British Journal Of Nutrition ◽

10.1017/s0007114521001240 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 1-38

Author(s):

Ala Al Rajabi ◽

Geraldine Lo Siou ◽

Alianu K. Akawung ◽

Kathryn L McDonald ◽

Tiffany R. Price ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Cancer Prevention ◽

Proportional Hazards ◽

Red Meat ◽

Cox Proportional Hazards ◽

Processed Meat ◽

Carcinogenic Effect ◽

Meat Intake ◽

Increased Risk ◽

Red Meats ◽

Red And Processed Meat

ABSTRACT Current cancer prevention recommendations advise limiting red meat intake to <500g/week and avoiding consumption of processed meat, but do not differentiate the source of processed meat. We examined the associations of processed meat derived from red vs. non-red meats with cancer risk in a prospective cohort of 26,218 adults who reported dietary intake using the Canadian Diet History Questionnaire. Incidence of cancer was obtained through data linkage with Alberta Cancer Registry with median (IQR) follow-up of 13.3 (5.1) years. Multivariable Cox proportional hazards regression models were adjusted for covariates and stratified by age and gender. The median (IQR) consumption (g/week) of red meat, processed meat from red meat and processed meat from non-red meat were 267.9 (269.9), 53.6 (83.3), and 11.9 (31.8), respectively. High intakes (4th Quartile) of processed meat from red meat was associated with increased risk of gastro-intestinal cancer Adjusted Hazard Ratio (AHR) (95% CI): 1.68 (1.09 – 2.57) and colorectal cancers AHR (95% CI): 1.90 (1.12 – 3.22), respectively in women. No statistically significant associations were observed for intakes of red meat or processed meat from non-red meat. Results suggests that the carcinogenic effect associated with processed meat intake may be limited to processed meat derived from red meats. The findings provide preliminary evidence toward refining cancer prevention recommendations for red and processed meat intake.

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Abstract MP49: Sugar Sweetened and Artificially Sweetened Beverages and risk of Mortality in US adults

Circulation ◽

10.1161/circ.129.suppl_1.mp49 ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 129 (suppl_1) ◽

Author(s):

Vasanti S Malik ◽

An Pan ◽

Lawrence de Koning ◽

Eva Schernhammer ◽

Walter C Willett ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Proportional Hazards ◽

Total Mortality ◽

Cox Proportional Hazards ◽

Health Study ◽

Sweetened Beverages ◽

Risk Of Mortality ◽

Regular Consumption ◽

Increased Risk ◽

Artificially Sweetened Beverages ◽

Cvd Mortality

Background: Sugar sweetened beverages (SSBs) are the single largest source of calories and added sugars in the US diet and regular consumption has been associated with weight gain and risk of chronic diseases. Artificially sweetened beverages (ASBs) are often suggested as alternatives to SSB but little is known about their long-term health effects. Whether consumption of SSBs or ASBs is associated with risk of mortality is unknown. Methods: We prospectively followed 38,602 men from the Health Professional’s Follow-up study (1986-2010) and 82,592 women from the Nurses’ Health study (1980-2010) who were free from cardiovascular disease (CVD) and cancer at baseline. Diet was assessed using validated food frequency questionnaires every 4 years and Cox Proportional Hazards regression was used to estimate hazard ratios (HR) and 95% confidence intervals (95% CI). Results: We documented 27,691 deaths (6,631 CVD and 10,447 cancer deaths) during 3.14 million person-years. After adjusting for major dietary and lifestyle risk factors, and BMI, baseline diabetes, hypertension and hypercholesterolemia, consumption of SSBs was associated with an increased risk of total mortality, which was mainly driven by CVD mortality among individuals consuming at least 2 servings per day; pooled HRs (95% CIs) across categories (<1/month, 1-4/month, 2-6/week, 1-<2/day and ≥2/day) were 1.00, 0.95 (0.91, 0.98), 0.96 (0.93, 0.99), 1.02 (0.96, 1.08), and 1.18 (1.04, 1.33), respectively (P-trend= 0.0001) for total mortality, and 1.00, 0.97 (0.90, 1.02), 0.96 (0.90, 1.02), 1.04 (0.93, 1.16) and 1.28 (1.09, 1.51), respectively (P-trend=0.007) for CVD mortality. In contrast, ASBs were not associated with mortality; pooled HR’s (95% CIs) across categories (<1/month, 1-4/month, 2-6/week, 1-<2/day and ≥2/day) were 1.00, 0.92 (0.89, 0.95), 0.91 (0.86, 0.97), 0.91 (0.86, 0.95) and 0.99 (0.85, 1.15), respectively (P-trend=0.50) for total mortality and 1.00, 0.86 (0.80, 0.92), 0.87 (0.81, 0.94), 0.96 (0.88, 1.06) and 0.96 (0.74, 1.25), respectively (P-trend=0.99) for CVD mortality. No associations were observed with cancer mortality for either SSBs or ASBs in multi-variable adjusted models. Conclusion: Regular consumption of SSBs is associated with an increased risk of total and CVD mortality, providing additional support for recommendations and policies to limit intake of these beverages.

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Meat intake and risk of hepatocellular carcinoma in two large US prospective cohorts of women and men

International Journal of Epidemiology ◽

10.1093/ije/dyz146 ◽

2019 ◽

Cited By ~ 5

Author(s):

Yanan Ma ◽

Wanshui Yang ◽

Tricia Li ◽

Yue Liu ◽

Tracey G Simon ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Hepatocellular Carcinoma ◽

Proportional Hazards ◽

Red Meat ◽

Cox Proportional Hazards ◽

Fish Intake ◽

Health Study ◽

Meat Intake ◽

Red Meats ◽

Processed Red Meat

Abstract Background Epidemiological evidence on the associations between meat intake and risk of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) was limited and inconsistent. Methods We prospectively examined the association between consumption of meats and meat mutagens with HCC risk using data from the Nurses’ Health Study and the Health Professionals Follow-up Study. Cox proportional-hazards regression models were used to calculate hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) after adjusting for known liver-cancer risk factors. Results During up to 32 years of follow-up, we documented 163 incident HCC cases. The HRs of HCC for the highest vs the lowest tertile intake levels were 1.84 (95% CI: 1.16–2.92, Ptrend = 0.04) for processed red meats and 0.61 (95% CI: 0.40–0.91, Ptrend = 0.02) for total white meats. There was a null association between unprocessed red meats and HCC risk (HR = 1.06, 95% CI: 0.68–1.63, Ptrend = 0.85). We found both poultry (HR = 0.60, 95% CI: 0.40–0.90, Ptrend = 0.01) and fish (HR = 0.70, 95% CI: 0.47–1.05, Ptrend = 0.10) were inversely associated with HCC risk. The HR for HCC risk was 0.79 (95% CI: 0.61–1.02) when 1 standard deviation of processed red meats was substituted with an equivalent amount of poultry or fish intake. We also found a suggestive positive association of intake of meat-derived mutagenicity or heterocyclic amines with risk of HCC. Conclusions Processed red meat intake might be associated with higher, whereas poultry or possibly fish intake might be associated with lower, risk of HCC. Replacing processed red meat with poultry or fish might be associated with reduced HCC risk.

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Prospective study of restless legs syndrome and total and cardiovascular mortality among women

Neurology ◽

10.1212/wnl.0000000000004814 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 90 (2) ◽

pp. e135-e141 ◽

Cited By ~ 18

Author(s):

Yinge Li ◽

Yanping Li ◽

John W. Winkelman ◽

Arthur S. Walters ◽

Jiali Han ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Restless Legs Syndrome ◽

Proportional Hazards ◽

Proportional Hazards Model ◽

Total Mortality ◽

Cox Proportional Hazards ◽

Cox Proportional Hazards Model ◽

Health Study ◽

Restless Legs ◽

Specific Mortality ◽

Cvd Mortality

ObjectiveWe prospectively examined whether women with physician-diagnosed restless legs syndrome (RLS) had a higher risk of total and cardiovascular disease (CVD) mortality relative to those without RLS.MethodsThe current study included 57,417 women (mean age 67 years) from the Nurses' Health Study without cancer, renal failure, and CVD at baseline (2002). Main outcomes were total and CVD mortality. We used the Cox proportional hazards model to calculate hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for all-cause and CVD-specific mortality based on RLS status, adjusting for age, presence of major chronic diseases, and other potential confounders.ResultsWe documented 6,448 deaths during 10 years of follow-up. We did not observe a significant association between presence of physician-diagnosed RLS and high risk of total mortality (adjusted HR 1.15, 95% CI 0.98–1.34). When cause-specific mortality was studied, participants with RLS had a significantly higher risk of CVD mortality (adjusted HR 1.43, 95% CI 1.02–2.00) relative to those without RLS after adjustment for potential confounders. Longer duration of RLS diagnosis was significantly associated with a higher risk of CVD mortality (p for trend = 0.04). Excluding participants with common RLS comorbidities strengthened the association between RLS and total (adjusted HR 1.43, 95% CI 1.03–1.97) and CVD mortality (adjusted HR 2.27, 95% CI 1.21–4.28). However, we did not find a significant association between RLS and mortality due to cancer and other causes.ConclusionsWomen with RLS had a higher CVD mortality rate, which may not be fully explained by common co-occurring disorders of RLS.

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Changes in Plant-Based Diet Quality and Total and Cause-Specific Mortality

Circulation ◽

10.1161/circulationaha.119.041014 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 140 (12) ◽

pp. 979-991 ◽

Cited By ~ 11

Author(s):

Megu Y. Baden ◽

Gang Liu ◽

Ambika Satija ◽

Yanping Li ◽

Qi Sun ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Diet Quality ◽

Lower Risk ◽

Proportional Hazards ◽

Total Mortality ◽

Cox Proportional Hazards ◽

Environmental Benefits ◽

Health Study ◽

Specific Mortality ◽

Cvd Mortality

Background: Plant-based diets have been associated with lower risk of type 2 diabetes mellitus and cardiovascular disease (CVD) and are recommended for both health and environmental benefits. However, the association between changes in plant-based diet quality and mortality remains unclear. Methods: We investigated the associations between 12-year changes (from 1986 to 1998) in plant-based diet quality assessed by 3 plant-based diet indices (score range, 18–90)—an overall plant-based diet index (PDI), a healthful PDI, and an unhealthful PDI—and subsequent total and cause-specific mortality (1998–2014). Participants were 49 407 women in the Nurses’ Health Study (NHS) and 25 907 men in the Health Professionals Follow-Up Study (HPFS) who were free from CVD and cancer in 1998. Multivariable-adjusted Cox proportional-hazards models were used to estimate hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% CIs. Results: We documented 10 686 deaths including 2046 CVD deaths and 3091 cancer deaths in the NHS over 725 316 person-years of follow-up and 6490 deaths including 1872 CVD deaths and 1772 cancer deaths in the HPFS over 371 322 person-years of follow-up. Compared with participants whose indices remained stable, among those with the greatest increases in diet scores (highest quintile), the pooled multivariable-adjusted HRs for total mortality were 0.95 (95% CI, 0.90–1.00) for PDI, 0.90 (95% CI, 0.85–0.95) for healthful PDI, and 1.12 (95% CI, 1.07–1.18) for unhealthful PDI. Among participants with the greatest decrease (lowest quintile), the multivariable-adjusted HRs were 1.09 (95% CI, 1.04–1.15) for PDI, 1.10 (95% CI, 1.05–1.15) for healthful PDI, and 0.93 (95% CI, 0.88–0.98) for unhealthful PDI. For CVD mortality, the risk associated with a 10-point increase in each PDI was 7% lower (95% CI, 1–12%) for PDI, 9% lower (95% CI, 4–14%) for healthful PDI, and 8% higher (95% CI, 2–14%) for unhealthful PDI. There were no consistent associations between changes in plant-based diet indices and cancer mortality. Conclusions: Improving plant-based diet quality over a 12-year period was associated with a lower risk of total and CVD mortality, whereas increased consumption of an unhealthful plant-based diet was associated with a higher risk of total and CVD mortality.

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Physical activity and risk of cardiovascular events and all-cause mortality among kidney transplant recipients

Nephrology Dialysis Transplantation ◽

10.1093/ndt/gfaa038 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 35 (8) ◽

pp. 1436-1443

Author(s):

Augustine W Kang ◽

Andrew G Bostom ◽

Hongseok Kim ◽

Charles B Eaton ◽

Reginald Gohh ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Physical Activity ◽

Kidney Transplant ◽

Proportional Hazards ◽

Controlled Trial ◽

Cox Proportional Hazards ◽

Transplant Recipients ◽

Kidney Transplant Recipients ◽

Cvd Risk ◽

All Cause Mortality ◽

Cvd Mortality

Abstract Background Insufficient physical activity (PA) may increase the risk of all-cause mortality and cardiovascular disease (CVD) morbidity and mortality among kidney transplant recipients (KTRs), but limited research is available. We examine the relationship between PA and the development of CVD events, CVD death and all-cause mortality among KTRs. Methods A total of 3050 KTRs enrolled in an international homocysteine-lowering randomized controlled trial were examined (38% female; mean age 51.8 ± 9.4 years; 75% white; 20% with prevalent CVD). PA was measured at baseline using a modified Yale Physical Activity Survey, divided into tertiles (T1, T2 and T3) from lowest to highest PA. Kaplan–Meier survival curves were used to graph the risk of events; Cox proportional hazards regression models examined the association of baseline PA levels with CVD events (e.g. stroke, myocardial infarction), CVD mortality and all-cause mortality over time. Results Participants were followed up to 2500 days (mean 3.7 ± 1.6 years). The cohort experienced 426 CVD events and 357 deaths. Fully adjusted models revealed that, compared to the lowest tertile of PA, the highest tertile experienced a significantly lower risk of CVD events {hazard ratio [HR] 0.76 [95% confidence interval (CI) 0.59–0.98]}, CVD mortality [HR 0.58 (95% CI 0.35–0.96)] and all-cause mortality [HR 0.76 (95% CI 0.59–0.98)]. Results were similar in unadjusted models. Conclusions PA was associated with a reduced risk of CVD events and all-cause mortality among KTRs. These observed associations in a large, international sample, even when controlling for traditional CVD risk factors, indicate the potential importance of PA in reducing CVD and death among KTRs.

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Pre- and Postdiagnosis Physical Activity, Television Viewing, and Mortality Among Patients With Colorectal Cancer in the National Institutes of Health–AARP Diet and Health Study

Journal of Clinical Oncology ◽

10.1200/jco.2014.58.1355 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 33 (2) ◽

pp. 180-188 ◽

Cited By ~ 76

Author(s):

Hannah Arem ◽

Ruth M. Pfeiffer ◽

Eric A. Engels ◽

Catherine M. Alfano ◽

Albert Hollenbeck ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Physical Activity ◽

Colorectal Cancer ◽

Mortality Risk ◽

Proportional Hazards ◽

Leisure Time Physical Activity ◽

Cox Proportional Hazards ◽

Health Study ◽

All Cause Mortality ◽

Independent Effects ◽

Tv Watching

Purpose Physical inactivity has been associated with higher mortality risk among survivors of colorectal cancer (CRC), but the independent effects of pre- versus postdiagnosis activity are unclear, and the association between watching television (TV) and mortality in survivors of CRC is previously undefined. Methods We analyzed the associations between prediagnosis (n = 3,797) and postdiagnosis (n = 1,759) leisure time physical activity (LTPA) and TV watching and overall and disease-specific mortality among patients with CRC. We used Cox proportional hazards regression to estimate hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% CIs, adjusting for known mortality risk factors. Results Comparing survivors of CRC reporting more than 7 hours per week (h/wk) of prediagnosis LTPA with those reporting no LTPA, we found a 20% lower risk of all-cause mortality (HR, 0.80; 95% CI, 0.68 to 0.95; P for trend = .021). Postdiagnosis LTPA of ≥ 7 h/wk, compared with none, was associated with a 31% lower all-cause mortality risk (HR, 0.69; 95% CI, 0.49 to 0.98; P for trend = .006), independent of prediagnosis activity. Compared with 0 to 2 TV hours per day (h/d) before diagnosis, those reporting ≥ 5 h/d of TV before diagnosis had a 22% increased all-cause mortality risk (HR, 1.22; 95% CI, 1.06 to 1.41; P trend = .002), and more postdiagnosis TV watching was associated with a nonsignificant 25% increase in all-cause mortality risk (HR, 1.25; 95% CI, 0.93 to 1.67; P for trend = .126). Conclusion LTPA was inversely associated with all-cause mortality, whereas more TV watching was associated with increased mortality risk. For both LTPA and TV watching, postdiagnosis measures independently explained the association with mortality. Clinicians should promote both minimizing TV time and increasing physical activity for longevity among survivors of CRC, regardless of previous behaviors.

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Association of dairy intake with all-cause, cancer, and cardiovascular disease mortality in Japanese adults: a 25-year population-based cohort

European Journal of Nutrition ◽

10.1007/s00394-021-02734-6 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Yukai Lu ◽

Yumi Sugawara ◽

Sanae Matsuyama ◽

Akira Fukao ◽

Ichiro Tsuji

Keyword(s):

Cardiovascular Disease ◽

Proportional Hazards ◽

Population Based ◽

Cox Proportional Hazards ◽

Dairy Intake ◽

Japanese Adults ◽

All Cause Mortality ◽

History Of ◽

Using Data ◽

Cvd Mortality

Abstract Purpose The association between dairy intake and mortality remains uncertain, and evidence for the Japanese population is scarce. We aimed to investigate the association between dairy intake and all-cause, cancer, and cardiovascular disease (CVD) mortality in Japanese adults. Methods A total of 34,161 participants (16,565 men and 17,596 women) aged 40–64 years without a history of cancer, myocardial infarction, or stroke at baseline were included in the analysis, using data from the Miyagi Cohort Study initiated in 1990. Milk, yogurt, and cheese intake were obtained using a validated food frequency questionnaire. Total dairy intake was calculated as the sum of milk, yogurt, and cheese intake and then categorized by quartile. The outcomes were all-cause, cancer, and CVD mortality. Cox proportional hazards regression models were used to estimate multivariable hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for mortality risks. Results During 750,016 person-years of follow-up, the total number of deaths was 6498, including 2552 deaths due to cancer and 1693 deaths due to CVD. There was no association between total dairy intake and all-cause, cancer, and CVD mortality for both men and women. We also examined the associations between subgroup dairy products and mortality. For milk and yogurt intake, our results suggest null associations. However, cheese intake was modestly associated with lower all-cause mortality in women; compared with non-consumers, the multivariable HRs (95%CIs) were 0.89 (0.81–0.98) for 1–2 times/month, 0.88 (0.78–1.00) for 1–2 times/week, and 0.89 (0.74–1.07) for 3 times/week or almost daily (p trend = 0.016). Conclusion Dairy intake was not associated with mortality in Japanese adults, except for limited evidence showing a modest association between cheese intake and a lower all-cause mortality risk in women.

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Co-Existence of Diabetes Mellitus And Pre-Existing Cardiovascular Disease, Diabetes Mellitus, And Pre-Existing Cardiovascular Disease And Mortality in Peritoneal Dialysis Patients

10.21203/rs.3.rs-35743/v1 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Xiaojiang Zhan ◽

Yueqiang Wen ◽

Qian Zhou ◽

Xiaoran Feng ◽

FenFen Peng ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Diabetes Mellitus ◽

Cardiovascular Disease ◽

Peritoneal Dialysis ◽

Proportional Hazards ◽

Multinomial Logistic Regression ◽

Cox Proportional Hazards ◽

Control Group ◽

All Cause Mortality ◽

Study Population ◽

Cvd Mortality

Abstract Background: Little is known over the effect of co-existence of diabetes mellitus (DM) and pre-existing cardiovascular disease (CVD), DM, and pre-existing CVD on mortality among continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD) patients.Methods: A retrospective study, with 2939 incident Chinese CAPD patients from five facilities between January 1, 2005 and December 31, 2018, was conducted. The primary and secondary outcomes were all-cause and CVD mortality. The association between these interesting comorbidities and mortality was evaluated using the Cox proportional hazards regression.Results: Over a median of 35.1 months of follow-up, 519 (17.7%) patients died, with 258 (8.8%) CVD mortality. Hypertension was independently associated with co-existence of DM and pre-existing CVD using multinomial logistic regression (odd ratio 13.72, 95% CI 6.14 to 30.63). After adjusting for confounding factors, DM plus CVD, DM, and pre-existing CVD groups had a higher risk of all-cause mortality (HR 2.85, 95% CI 2.18 to 3.72; HR 1.89, 95% CI 1.50 to 2.38; and HR 1.43, 95% CI 1.07 to 1.92) and CVD mortality (HR 2.79, 95% CI 1.91 to 4.08; HR 1.88, 95% CI 1.35 to 2.61; and HR 1.82, 95% CI 1.23 to 2.68), respectively, compared to the control group. Compared with those pre-existing CVD patients, DM patients had 1.44 (95%CI 1.04 to 1.98)-time and 1.11 (95%CI 0.72 to 1.71) risk of all-cause and CVD mortality, respectively. There was no significant interaction between DM and CVD on all-cause and CVD mortality (β=0.203, P=0.292; β=0.281, P=0.123) in the study population. Conclusions: CAPD patients with co-existence of DM and pre-existing CVD at baseline are at highest risk of all-cause and CVD mortality, followed sequentially by DM patients and pre-existing CVD patients, with hypertension as a powerful predictor for co-existence of DM and pre-existing CVD. DM patients have a higher risk of all-cause mortality and similar risk of CVD mortality compared with pre-existing CVD patients.

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Abstract 3484: Dietary Patterns And The Risk Of Mortality From All-causes, Cardiovascular Disease, And Cancer In Women

Circulation ◽

10.1161/circ.116.suppl_16.ii_789 ◽

2007 ◽

Vol 116 (suppl_16) ◽

Author(s):

Christin Heidemann ◽

Matthias B Schulze ◽

Oscar H Franco ◽

Rob M van Dam ◽

Christos S Mantzoros ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Cardiovascular Mortality ◽

Dietary Patterns ◽

Cancer Mortality ◽

Cox Proportional Hazards ◽

Health Study ◽

Processed Meat ◽

All Cause Mortality ◽

Specific Mortality ◽

The Impact

Background: Few studies have investigated the impact of dietary patterns that reflect existing eating habits on the risk of all-cause or cause-specific mortality. Objective: To prospectively examine the relation between major dietary patterns and the risk of all-cause and cause-specific mortality among women of the Nurses’ Health Study. Methods: The participants included 72,113 women aged 35 to 55 years without a history of cancer, myocardial infarction, angina, coronary artery surgery, stroke, or diabetes at baseline. Dietary patterns were derived by factor analysis using information from five repeated, validated food frequency questionnaires that were administrated at baseline and every 2 to 4 years during the follow-up period (1984–2002). Cox proportional hazards regression was used to adjust for covariates including age, cigarette smoking, physical activity, body mass index, and further suspected risk factors. Results: Two major dietary patterns were identified. High prudent pattern scores represented high intakes of vegetables, fruit, legumes, fish, poultry, and whole grains, whereas high western pattern scores represented high intakes of red meat, processed meat, refined grains, french fries, condiments, and sweets and desserts. During 18 years of follow-up (633,516 person-years), we ascertained 6,011 deaths, including 3,139 cancer deaths and 1,154 cardiovascular deaths. After adjustment for potential confounders, the prudent diet was inversely associated with all-cause mortality (relative risk [RR] = 0.83 for highest versus lowest quintile, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.76 – 0.90, p for trend < 0.0001) and cardiovascular mortality (RR = 0.72, 95% CI = 0.60 – 0.87, p for trend = 0.0007), but not with cancer mortality (RR = 0.99, 95% CI = 0.88 –1.11, p for trend = 0.87). The western pattern was directly associated with all-cause mortality (RR = 1.21, 95% CI = 1.11–1.32, p for trend < 0.0001), cardiovascular mortality (RR = 1.22, 95% CI = 1.00 –1.48, p for trend = 0.01), and cancer mortality (RR = 1.15, 95% CI = 1.02–1.29, p for trend = 0.004). Conclusions: These data provide evidence that a high prudent pattern score and a low western pattern score may reduce the risk of total and cause-specific mortality.

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