Nonlinear Associations Between Cumulative Dietary Risk Factors and Cardiovascular Diseases, Cancer, and All-Cause Mortality: A Prospective Cohort Study From UK Biobank

Cardiovascular health metrics defined by Life's Essential 8 scores and subsequent macrovascular and microvascular complications in individuals with type 2 diabetes: A prospective cohort study

AIM

To investigate the association between cardiovascular health metrics defined by Life's Essential 8 (LE8) scores and vascular complications among individuals with type 2 diabetes (T2D).

MATERIALS AND METHODS

This prospective study included 11 033 participants with T2D, all devoid of macrovascular diseases (including cardiovascular and peripheral artery disease) and microvascular complications (e.g. diabetic retinopathy, neuropathy and nephropathy) at baseline from the UK Biobank. The LE8 score comprised eight metrics: smoking, body mass index, physical activity, non-high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, blood pressure, glycated haemoglobin, diet and sleep duration. Cox proportional hazards models were established to assess the associations of LE8 scores with incident macrovascular and microvascular complications.

RESULTS

During a median follow-up of 12.1 years, we identified 1975 cases of incident macrovascular diseases and 1797 cases of incident microvascular complications. After adjusting for potential confounders, each 10-point increase in the LE8 score was associated with an 18% lower risk of macrovascular diseases and a 15% lower risk of microvascular complications. Comparing individuals in the highest and lowest quartiles of LE8 scores revealed hazard ratios of 0.55 (95% confidence interval 0.47-0.62) for incident macrovascular diseases, and 0.61 (95% confidence interval 0.53-0.70) for incident microvascular complications. This association remained robust across a series of sensitivity analyses and nearly all subgroups.

CONCLUSION

Higher LE8 scores were associated with a lower risk of incident macrovascular and microvascular complications among individuals with T2D. These findings underscore the significance of adopting fundamental strategies to maintain optimal cardiovascular health and curtail the risk of developing diabetic vascular complications.

Association between sarcopenia-related markers and cholelithiasis: A prospective and Mendelian randomization study

Cholelithiasis is a common digestive disease that drives a myriad of adverse complications. The correlation between sarcopenia and various digestive disorders has been extensively researched, whereas its association with cholelithiasis remains unreported. We aimed to investigate the association through prospective and Mendelian randomization (MR) analyses and establish a quantitative score reflecting the impact of sarcopenia-related markers on cholelithiasis. The prospective study involved 448 627 participants from the UK Biobank. Cox proportional hazard models were employed to investigate the correlation between sarcopenia-related markers and cholelithiasis. To quantitatively assess cholelithiasis risk, the SARCHO score was derived from a multivariable Cox model. Bidirectional two-sample MR analysis was conducted to validate the causal association. A total of 16 738 individuals developed cholelithiasis during a median follow-up of 12 years. Hazard ratios (HRs) of cholelithiasis decreased stepwise over skeletal muscle index tertiles (highest tertile: reference; middle tertile: 1.23, p < .001; lowest tertile: 1.33, p < .001). The tertiles of grip strength showed a similar pattern. Individuals with slow walking pace had a higher risk of cholelithiasis compared to those with normal walking pace (HR 1.23; p < .001). Our SARCHO score better quantifies the risk of cholelithiasis. MR analysis showed a causal relationship between muscle mass and cholelithiasis (OR 0.81; p < .001). No causal effect of cholelithiasis on lean mass was observed. Prospective and MR analyses have consistently demonstrated an increased risk of cholelithiasis in individuals with decreased muscle mass. Additionally, SARCHO score further quantified the cholelithiasis occurrence risk. These findings provide compelling evidence for muscle strengthening in preventing cholelithiasis.

Association of change in cardiovascular health based on life's essential 8 with incident cardiovascular disease

Objective

To evaluate whether and to what extent changes in cardiovascular health (CVH) based on life's essential 8 (LE8) are associated with incident cardiovascular disease (CVD).

Methods

A total of 7,194 participants were derived from UK Biobank. CVH was evaluated using a modified version of LE8. Participants were classified into three groups according to their LE8 score: high CVH (LE8 score≥80), moderate CVH (50≤LE8 score<80), and low CVH (LE8 score<50). Changes in CVH between 2006/2010 and 2012/2013 were analyzed.

Results

During a median of 10.3 years of follow-up, CVD was observed in 597 participants. Compared to the consistent moderate group, the moderate to low group was associated with about 128 % increased risk of CVD (Hazard ratio [HR]: 2.28; 95 % confidence interval [CI]: 1.61, 3.23), and the relevant HR (95 % CI) was 2.19 (1.46, 3.29) for the consistent low group; no statistically significant results were observed in the other groups. Moreover, no statistically significant exposure-response association between absolute change in LE8 score and incident CVD was documented (Poverall=0.15).

Conclusion

Change in CVH based on LE8 was associated with the risk of CVD; however, the relationship varied widely in different CVH change patterns.

Association of triglyceride glucose index and triglyceride glucose-body mass index with sudden cardiac arrest in the general population

BACKGROUND

Insulin resistance (IR) significantly contributes to cardiovascular disease (CVD) development. Triglyceride glucose (TyG) index and triglyceride glucose-body mass index (TyG-BMI) are recognised as convenient proxies for IR. However, their relationship with sudden cardiac arrest (SCA) remains unclear.

METHODS

This prospective cohort analysis included 355,242 UK Biobank participants with available TyG index and TyG-BMI data and no history of CVD. Cox proportional risk models assessed the association between the TyG index, TyG-BMI and SCA risk. Additionally, Accelerated Failure Time (AFT) models were employed to investigate the timing of SCA onset. The impact of dynamic increases in TyG index and TyG-BMI levels on SCA risk was examined using restricted cubic spline.

RESULTS

Over a median follow-up period of 165.4 months (interquartile range 156.5-174 months), 1,622 cases of SCA were recorded. Multivariate Cox regression analysis revealed a 9% increase in SCA risk per standard deviation increase in TyG index (adjusted hazard ratio (aHR) = 1.09, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.04-1.15) and an 14% increase per standard deviation increase in TyG-BMI (aHR 1.14, 95% CI 1.09-1.2). AFT models indicated earlier median times to SCA occurrence with increasing quintiles of TyG index and TyG-BMI compared to the lowest quintile (P for trend < 0.05). SCA risk was linearly (P = 0.54) and non-linearly (P = 0.007) correlated with gradual increases in TyG index and TyG-BMI levels, respectively. Sex-stratified analyses showed stronger associations in women.

CONCLUSIONS

Higher TyG index and TyG-BMI levels are associated with an increased SCA risk and earlier onset, particularly in women.

Sleep Patterns and Traditional Cardiovascular Health Metrics: Joint Impact on Major Adverse Cardiovascular Events in a Prospective Cohort Study

BACKGROUND

This study examines the association between traditional cardiovascular health (CVH) metrics and major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) incidence in individuals with diverse sleep patterns.

METHODS AND RESULTS

We analyzed data from 208 621 participants initially free of cardiovascular disease (CVD) in the UK Biobank study. Sleep patterns were assessed using scores for chronotype, duration, insomnia, snoring, and daytime dozing. Traditional CVH scores were derived from the Life's Simple 7 metrics. Cox proportional hazards multivariate regression assessed associations between distinct combinations of CVH and sleep scores and MACE, including nonfatal myocardial infarction, nonfatal stroke, and CVD mortality. Over a mean follow-up of 12.73 years, 9253 participants experienced incident MACE. Individuals with both a healthy sleep pattern and ideal CVH levels had the lowest MACE risk compared with those with a poor sleep pattern and poor CVH levels (hazard ratio, 0.306 [95% CI, 0.257-0.365]; P<0.001). Elevated CVH scores were associated with a reduced risk of MACE across different sleep patterns. Similar trends were observed for individual MACE components, heart failure, and all-cause mortality. These findings remained robust in sensitivity analyses and across various subgroups.

CONCLUSIONS

In individuals without known CVD, maintaining a favorable sleep pattern and achieving optimal CVH levels, as measured by traditional metrics, were associated with the lowest MACE risk. Enhanced CVH significantly reduced CVD risk, even in individuals with a poor sleep pattern. These results emphasize the importance of considering multiple dimensions of sleep health alongside CVH to mitigate CVD risk.

REGISTRATION

URL: https://www.ukbiobank.ac.uk; Unique identifier: 91090.

Association of Cardiovascular Health with the Incidence of Venous Thromboembolism: A Prospective Study of 275,149 Participants from the UK Biobank

BACKGROUND

 The Life's Essential 8 (LE8) score, recently proposed by the American Heart Association, represents a new paradigm for evaluating cardiovascular health (CVH). We aimed to explore the association between CVH, estimated using LE8, and venous thromboembolism (VTE) incidence.

METHODS

 A total of 275,149 participants were recruited from the UK Biobank and divided into high (LE8 score ≥ 80), moderate (LE8 score < 80 but ≥ 50), and low (LE8 score < 50) CVH groups. Restricted cubic spline analysis, the Kaplan-Meier method, and the Cox proportional hazards model were used to explore the association between CVH and VTE. The genetic predisposition to VTE was assessed with a polygenic risk score. Sensitivity analyses were performed to validate the results.

RESULTS

 During a median follow-up of 12.56 years, VTE developed in 506 (4.09%), 6,069 (2.78%), and 720 (1.66%) participants with low, moderate, and high CVH levels, respectively. Compared with the low CVH group, participants in the moderate and high CVH groups had a 23% (hazard ratio [HR]: 0.77; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.71-0.85) and 41% (HR: 0.59; 95% CI: 0.52-0.66) lower risk of VTE, respectively, after adjusting for demographic characteristics, medical history, socioeconomic status, and genetic predisposition. This association remained robust in multiple sensitivity analyses. Higher CVH levels led to a more pronounced reduction in the risk of VTE in females and could appreciably offset the genetic risk of VTE.

CONCLUSION

 Higher CVH levels were significantly associated with a lower incidence of VTE, encouraging efforts to increase LE8 scores in individuals.

Adherence to dietary recommendations by socioeconomic status in the United Kingdom biobank cohort study

Introduction

Understanding how socioeconomic markers interact could inform future policies aimed at increasing adherence to a healthy diet.

Methods

This cross-sectional study included 437,860 participants from the UK Biobank. Dietary intake was self-reported. Were used as measures socioeconomic education level, income and Townsend deprivation index. A healthy diet score was defined using current dietary recommendations for nine food items and one point was assigned for meeting the recommendation for each. Good adherence to a healthy diet was defined as the top 75th percentile, while poor adherence was defined as the lowest 25th percentile. Poisson regression was used to investigate adherence to dietary recommendations.

Results

There were significant trends whereby diet scores tended to be less healthy as deprivation markers increased. The diet score trends were greater for education compared to area deprivation and income. Compared to participants with the highest level of education, those with the lowest education were found to be 48% less likely to adhere to a healthy diet (95% Confidence Interval [CI]: 0.60-0.64). Additionally, participants with the lowest income level were 33% less likely to maintain a healthy diet (95% CI: 0.73-0.81), and those in the most deprived areas were 13% less likely (95% CI: 0.84-0.91).

Discussion/conclussion

Among the three measured proxies of socioeconomic status - education, income, and area deprivation - low education emerged as the strongest factor associated with lower adherence to a healthy diet.

Adherence to the EAT-Lancet reference diet is associated with a reduced risk of incident cancer and all-cause mortality in UK adults

Food systems have been identified as significant contributors to the global environmental emergency. However, there is no universally agreed-upon definition of what constitutes a planetary healthy, sustainable diet. In our study, we investigated the association between the EAT-Lancet reference diet, a diet within the planetary boundaries, and incident cancer, incident major cardiovascular events, and all-cause mortality. Higher adherence to the EAT-Lancet reference diet was associated with lower incident cancer risk (hazard ratio [HR]continuous: 0.99; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.98-0.99]) and lower all-cause mortality (HR continuous: 0.98; 95% CI: 0.98-0.99), while mostly null associations were detected for major cardiovascular event risk (HR continuous: 1.00; 95% CI: 0.98-1.01). Stratified analyses using potentially modifiable risk factors led to similar results. Our findings, in conjunction with the existing literature, support that adoption of the EAT-Lancet reference diet could have a benefit for the prevention of non-communicable diseases.

Association between a lifestyle score and all-cause mortality: a prospective analysis of the Chilean National Health Survey 2009-2010

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the association between a lifestyle score and all-cause mortality in the Chilean population.

DESIGN

Prospective study.

SETTINGS

The score was based on seven modifiable behaviours: salt intake, fruit and vegetable intake, alcohol consumption, sleep duration, smoking, physical activity and sedentary behaviours. 1-point was assigned for each healthy recommendation. Points were summed to create an unweighted score from 0 (less healthy) to 7 (healthiest). According to their score, participants were then classified into: less healthy (0-2 points), moderately healthy (3-4 points) and the healthiest (5-7 points). Associations between the categories of lifestyle score and all-cause mortality were investigated using Cox proportional hazard models adjusted for confounders. Nonlinear associations were also investigated.

PARTICIPANTS

2706 participants from the Chilean National Health Survey 2009-2010.

RESULTS

After a median follow-up of 10·9 years, 286 (10·6 %) participants died. In the maximally adjusted model, and compared with the healthiest participants, those less healthy had 2·55 (95 % CI 1·75, 3·71) times higher mortality risk due to any cause. Similar trends were identified for the moderately healthy group. Moreover, there was a significant trend towards increasing the mortality risk when increasing unhealthy behaviours (hazard ratio model 3: 1·61 (95 % CI 1·34, 1·94)). There was no evidence of nonlinearity between the lifestyle score and all-cause mortality.

CONCLUSION

Individuals in the less healthy lifestyle category had higher mortality risk than the healthiest group. Therefore, public health strategies should be implemented to promote adherence to a healthy lifestyle across the Chilean population.

"Life's Essential 8" Cardiovascular Health and Dementia Risk, Cognition, and Neuroimaging Markers of Brain Health

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate associations of Life's Essential 8 (LE8) score, the recently updated metric for promoting cardiovascular health (CVH), with the risk of incident dementia and its subtypes, cognition, and neuroimaging outcomes and to determine whether these associations differ among apolipoprotein E (APOE)-ε4 genotypes.

DESIGN

Prospective cohort study.

SETTING AND PARTICIPANTS

A total of 316,669 participants [mean (SD) age, 56.3 (8.1) years] without prior cardiovascular disease or dementia from the UK Biobank study at baseline survey (2006-2010) were enrolled.

METHODS

A modified version of the LE8 score was created (range: 0-100) and categorized into poor (0-49), intermediate (50-79), and optimal (80-100) CVH. Cox proportional hazard and multivariable linear regression models were used.

RESULTS

During a median 12.6 years of follow-up, 4238 all-cause dementia cases including 1797 Alzheimer's disease and 939 vascular dementia (VaD) occurred. Individuals with optimal CVH had 44% (95% CI, 0.48-0.64) lower incident all-cause dementia risk and 71% (95% CI, 0.22-0.38) lower VaD risk compared with those who had poor CVH. A 10-point increment in LE8 was associated with higher fluid intelligence scores (β, 0.088; 95% CI, 0.073-0.102) and numeric memory scores (β, 0.054; 95% CI, 0.043-0.065), and was also associated with lower white matter hyperintensity volume (β, -0.673; 95% CI, -0.751 to -0.596), larger total brain volume (β, 77.93; 95% CI, 62.03-93.84), and hippocampal volume (β, 0.197; 95% CI, 0.106-0.288). In addition, the association between LE8 profiles and dementia diagnosis differed by APOE genotype (all P for interaction ≤ .001), and was more evident among APOE-ε4 noncarriers.

CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS

Individuals with a higher LE8 score experienced fewer dementia events (driven especially by incident VaD) and were associated with better neurocognitive brain health profiles. CVH optimization may be beneficial to the maintenance of brain health.

Dose-Response Associations of Dietary Inflammatory Potential With Health Outcomes: A Prospective Cohort Study of 198,265 UK Biobank Participants

To investigate the dose-response associations of dietary inflammatory potential with all-cause mortality and incident cardiovascular disease (CVD) and cancer.

METHODS

This was a prospective cohort study of 198,265 UK Biobank participants who completed at least 1 dietary assessment. A web based 24 hours recall questionnaire was used to derive the energy-adjusted dietary inflammatory index (E-DII). All-cause mortality and incident CVD and cancer ascertained from linked records.

RESULTS

After adjusting for socio-demographic and lifestyle factors, there were J-shaped associations of E-DII with all-cause mortality and CVD, and a relatively linear association with cancer. When E-DII was <0, E-DII was not associated with any of the outcomes. When E-DII was ≥0, the linear associations were strongest in all-cause mortality (HR 1.09, 95% CI, 1.05-1.13), followed by CVD (HR 1.06, 95% CI, 1.03-1.09), and cancer (HR 1.03, 95%,CI, 1.01-1.05).

CONCLUSION

Dietary inflammatory potential was associated with mortality and CVD primarily when the diet is proinflammatory.

The burden of cardiovascular disease attributable to dietary risk factors in the provinces of China, 2002-2018: a nationwide population-based study

Background

The burden of cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) is on the rise in China, yet a comprehensive and systematic understanding of the temporal trends and distribution of CVD burden attributable to dietary factors across the provinces remains elusive. This study endeavors to provide a comprehensive depiction of the burden of CVDs attributable to dietary risk factors across China's geographical regions from 2002 to 2018.

Methods

Data from the China National Nutrition Surveys, the China Chronic Disease and Risk Factor Surveillance, the Hypertension Survey, and the Chinese Centre for Disease Control and Prevention cause-of-death reporting system were used to estimate the intake of dietary factor, the number of deaths, and disability-adjusted life years (DALYs), mortality rate, for ischemic heart disease (IHD), ischemic stroke (IS), hemorrhage and other stroke (HOS) attributable to dietary factors at national and provincial levels in China from 2002 to 2018. Using a comparative risk assessment approach, we estimated the proportion of CVDs burden attributable to suboptimal intake of seven dietary factors, both individually and collectively, among Chinese citizens aged 20 years or older.

Finding

The mean consumption of whole grains, soybeans, nuts, vegetables, fruits, red meat, and sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs) exhibited an upward trend from 2002 to 2018. However, with the exception of red meat and SSBs, the average intake remained below the levels recommended levels outlined in the Chinese national dietary guidelines. Inadequate fruit, whole grain, and vegetables intake were the leading dietary risk factors for IHD, IS and HOS in China, while nuts, soybean and SSB were only associated with IHD mortality. From 2002 to 2018, the number of deaths and mortality rate for CVDs attributable to suboptimal diet among Chinese males were greater than that of females. With increasing age, the diet-related mortality rate for CVDs increased substantially. In 2018, the nationwide mortality rate attributable to diet was found to be 77.9 (95% UI, 77.5-78.1) per 100,000 population for IHD, 34.1 (95% UI, 33.8-34.2) for IS, and 32.8 (95% UI, 32.4-32.8) for HOS. Suboptimal diet was responsible for 16.0 million (95% UI, 13.8-18.4) DALYs and 1137.1 (95% UI, 980.4-1312.3) DALYs per 100,000 population for stroke, and 13.9 million (95% UI, 11.8-16.3) DALYs and 990.2 (95% UI, 841.2-1158.6) DALYs for IHD. Across the provinces of China, in 2018, the highest age-standardized mortality rates of all diet-related deaths were observed in Shandong (92.8 [95% UI, 89.9-93.3]) for IHD, Heilongjiang (38.1 [95% UI, 36.2-38.8]) for IS, and Tibet (68.3 [95% UI, 65.0-70.1]) for HOS. The highest diet related DALYs were observed in Henan (1.4 million [95% UI, 1.2-1.6] for IS, and 1.3 million [95% UI, 1.1-1.5] for IHD).

Interpretation

This study provides a comprehensive picture of the geographic variation and temporal trends of the burden of CVDs attributable to dietary risk factors at the national and provincial levels from 2002 to 2018 in China, highlighting the need for geographically targeted intervention strategies to improve the quality of diet and reduce the diet-related burden of CVDs.

Funding

National Key Research and Development Program of China (2018YFC1315303), National Natural Science Foundation of China (82103966).

C-reactive protein partially mediates the inverse association between coffee consumption and risk of type 2 diabetes: The UK Biobank and the Rotterdam study cohorts

BACKGROUND

Coffee is among the most consumed beverages worldwide. Coffee consumption has been associated with lower risk of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2D), but underlying mechanisms are not well understood. We aimed to study the role of classic and novel-T2D biomarkers with anti- or pro-inflammatory activity in the association between habitual coffee intake and T2D risk. Furthermore, we studied differences by coffee types and smoking status in this association.

METHODS

Using two large population-based cohorts, the UK-Biobank (UKB; n = 145,368) and the Rotterdam Study (RS; n = 7111), we investigated associations of habitual coffee consumption with incident T2D and repeated measures of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR), using Cox proportional hazards and mixed effect models, respectively. Additionally, we studied associations between coffee and subclinical inflammation biomarkers including C-reactive protein (CRP) and IL-13, and adipokines, such as adiponectin and leptin, using linear regression models. Next, we performed formal causal mediation analyses to investigate the role of coffee-associated biomarkers in the association of coffee with T2D. Finally, we evaluated effect modification by coffee type and smoking. All models were adjusted for sociodemographic, lifestyle and health-related factors.

RESULTS

During a median follow-up of 13.9 (RS) and 7.4 (UKB) years, 843 and 2290 incident T2D cases occurred, respectively. A 1 cup/day increase in coffee consumption was associated with 4% lower T2D risk (RS, HR = 0.96 [95%CI 0.92; 0.99], p = 0.045; UKB, HR = 0.96 [0.94; 0.98], p < 0.001), with lower HOMA-IR (RS, log-transformed β = -0.017 [-0.024;-0.010], p < 0.001), and with lower CRP (RS, log-transformed β = -0.014 [-0.022;-0.005], p = 0.002; UKB, β = -0.011 [-0.012;-0.009], p < 0.001). We also observed associations of higher coffee consumption with higher serum adiponectin and IL-13 concentrations, and with lower leptin concentrations. Coffee-related CRP levels partially mediated the inverse association of coffee intake with T2D incidence (average mediation effect RS β = 0.105 (0.014; 0.240), p = 0.016; UKB β = 6.484 (4.265; 9.339), p < 0.001), with a proportion mediated by CRP from 3.7% [-0.012%; 24.4%] (RS) to 9.8% [5,7%; 25.8%] (UKB). No mediation effect was observed for the other biomarkers. Coffee-T2D and coffee-CRP associations were generally stronger among consumers of ground (filtered or espresso) coffee and among never and former smokers.

CONCLUSIONS

Lower subclinical inflammation may partially mediate the beneficial association between coffee consumption and lower T2D risk. Consumers of ground coffee and non-smokers may benefit the most. KEYWORDS (MESH TERMS): coffee consumptions; diabetes mellitus, type 2; inflammation; adipokines; biomarkers; mediation analysis; follow-up studies.

Associations between an inflammatory diet index and severe non-alcoholic fatty liver disease: a prospective study of 171,544 UK Biobank participants

BACKGROUND

Although non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is linked to inflammation, whether an inflammatory diet increases the risk of NAFLD is unclear. This study aimed to examine the association between the Energy-adjusted Diet Inflammatory Index (E-DII) score and severe NAFLD using UK Biobank.

METHODS

This prospective cohort study included 171,544 UK Biobank participants. The E-DII score was computed using 18 food parameters. Associations between the E-DII and incident severe NAFLD (defined as hospital admission or death) were first investigated by E-DII categories (very/moderately anti-inflammatory [E-DII <  - 1], neutral [E-DII - 1 to 1] and very/moderately pro-inflammatory [E-DII > 1]) using Cox proportional hazard models. Nonlinear associations were investigated using penalised cubic splines fitted into the Cox proportional hazard models. Analyses were adjusted for sociodemographic, lifestyle and health-related factors.

RESULTS

Over a median follow-up of 10.2 years, 1489 participants developed severe NAFLD. After adjusting for confounders, individuals in the very/moderately pro-inflammatory category had a higher risk (HR: 1.19 [95% CI: 1.03 to 1.38]) of incident severe NAFLD compared with those in the very/moderately anti-inflammatory category. There was some evidence of nonlinearity between the E-DII score and severe NAFLD.

CONCLUSIONS

Pro-inflammatory diets were associated with a higher risk of severe NAFLD independent of confounders such as the components of the metabolic syndrome. Considering there is no recommended treatment for the disease, our findings suggest a potential means to lower the risk of NAFLD.

An Opportunity for Prevention: Associations Between the Life's Essential 8 Score and Cardiovascular Incidence Using Prospective Data from UK Biobank

To investigate the association between the Life's Essential 8 (LE8) score and the incidence of four cardiovascular outcomes (ischemic heart disease, myocardial infarction, stroke, and heart failure [HF]) - separately and as a composite outcome of major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) - in UK Biobank. 250,825 participants were included in this prospective study. Smoking, non-HDL cholesterol, blood pressure, body mass index, HbA1c, physical activity, diet, and sleep were used to create a modified version of the LE8 score. Associations between the score (both as a continuous score and as quartiles) and outcomes were investigated using adjusted Cox proportional hazard models. The potential impact fractions of two scenarios were also calculated. Over a median follow-up of 10.4 years, there were 25,068 MACE. Compared to individuals in the highest quartile of the score (healthiest), those in the lowest quartile (least healthy) had 2.07 (95% CI: 1.99; 2.16) higher risk for MACE. The highest relative risk gradient of the individual outcomes was observed for HF (HR_{lowest quartile}: 2.67 [95% CI: 2.42; 2.94]). The magnitude of association was stronger in participants below 50 years, women, and ethnic minorities. A targeted intervention that increased, by 10-points, the score among individuals in the lowest quartile could have prevented 9.2% of MACE. Individuals with a lower LE8 score experienced more MACE, driven especially by incident HF. Our scenarios suggested that relevant interventions targeted towards those in the lowest quartile may have a greater impact than interventions producing small equal changes across all quartiles.

Do all vegetarians have a lower cardiovascular risk? A prospective study

BACKGROUND

Vegetarian diets are heterogeneous and their health benefits may vary. This study aimed to compare the cardiovascular risk among vegetarian diets that meet existing health guidelines, those that do not, and diets that include red meat.

METHODS

391,124 participants (55.5% women) from the UK Biobank prospective population-based study were included. Using data from a food frequency questionnaire, participants were categorised into lacto-vegetarian or meat-eaters. Then, both groups were dichotomised into a healthier and less healthy group using an unweighted score based on current UK guidelines. Ischaemic heart disease (IHD) and myocardial infarction (MI) incidence - both separately and as a composite of major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) - were the outcomes included. Associations between types of diets and health outcomes were investigated using Cox proportional hazard models adjusted for confounder factors.

RESULTS

After a median follow-up of 10.4 years, there were 40,048 MACE. When the analyses were adjusted for prevalent morbidity and lifestyle factors, people who followed healthier vegetarian and meat-eater diets had 18% (95% CI: 0.73 to 0.92) and 5% (95% CI: 0.93 to 0.97) lower risk of MACE than less healthy meat-eaters. Similar patterns were identified for the individual outcomes, with the strongest association observed for MI. The cardiovaculasr risk among less healthy vegetarians and less healthy meat-eaters were not significnatly different.

CONCLUSIONS

Vegetarian diets are heterogeneous and the cardiovascular risk varied accordingly. Future studies should consider the overall dietary patterns of vegetarians rather than just based on meat consumption. Guidelines advocating a plant-based diet need to stress the importance of overall diet quality in addition to the reduction of meat.

Long-term exposure to ambient air pollution is a risk factor for trajectory of cardiometabolic multimorbidity: A prospective study in the UK Biobank

BACKGROUND

Although air pollution has been frequently linked to a range of cardiometabolic diseases, its association with the onset, progression, and prognosis of cardiometabolic multimorbidity (CMM) has never been studied.

METHODS

We conducted this prospective analysis based on the UK Biobank cohort. CMM was defined as the coexistence of at least two cardiometabolic diseases, including type 2 diabetes, ischemic heart disease and stroke. Multi-state model was used to analyze the association between air pollution and the trajectory of CMM.

FINDINGS

410,494 middle- and old-age participants were included. During a median follow-up of 12.0 years, 56,877 participants developed first cardiometabolic disease (FCMD), 8616 developed CMM, and 22,423 died. The risks of transitions from baseline to FCMD, from FCMD to CMM, and transitions from baseline and FCMD to all-cause mortality increased by 3% (2%, 5%), 3% (1%, 6%), 5% (2%, 7%) and 2% (-1%, 6%), respectively, per interquartile range increase of fine particulate matter. The corresponding increases were 3% (2%, 5%), 6% (3%, 9%), 4% (2%, 7%) and 6% (2%, 10%), respectively, for nitrogen dioxide. Older participants, males, and individuals with excessive alcohol drinking and lower economic levels were more likely to experience these risks.

INTERPRETATION

Air pollution exposures could play important roles in almost all transition phases of CMM development. Our results highlight clean air as an upstream approach to mitigate both initiation and progression of CMM, especially in vulnerable populations.

FUNDING

Shanghai Municipal Science and Technology Commission (21TQ015); The National Natural Science Foundation of China (92143301 and 92043301).

Associations of muscle mass and grip strength with severe NAFLD: A prospective study of 333,295 UK Biobank participants

BACKGROUND & AIMS

Cross-sectional studies have reported that lower muscle mass and strength are risk factors for non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). However, the evidence from prospective studies is limited. This study examined both the strength and pattern of the associations between these 2 physical capability markers and severe NAFLD using data from the UK Biobank study.

METHODS

A total of 333,295 participants were included in this prospective study. Grip strength was measured using a Jamar J00105 hydraulic hand dynamometer, and the Janssen equation was used to estimate skeletal muscle mass by bioelectrical impedance. Muscle mass was adjusted for body weight and all exposures were sex-standardised. Associations of muscle mass and strength with severe NAFLD (defined as hospital admission or death) were first investigated by tertile of each exposure using Cox proportional hazard models. Non-linear associations were investigated using penalised cubic splines fitted in the Cox proportional hazard models.

RESULTS

After a median follow-up of 10 years (IQR 9.3 to 10.7 years), 3,311 individuals had severe NAFLD (3,277 hospitalisations and 34 deaths). Compared with the lowest tertile of muscle mass, the risk of severe NAFLD was lower in the middle (hazard ratio 0.76; 95% CI 0.70-0.83) and the highest tertile (hazard ratio 0.46; 95% CI 0.40-0.52). Tertiles of grip strength showed a similar pattern. Non-linearity was only identified for muscle mass (p <0.001). Being on the lower tertile of grip strength and muscle mass accounted for 17.7% and 33.1% of severe NAFLD cases, respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

Lower muscle mass and grip strength were associated with higher risk of developing severe NAFLD. Interventions to improve physical capability may be protective, but this needs to be investigated in appropriately designed trials.

LAY SUMMARY

Lower muscle mass - both quantity and quality - were associated with a higher risk of severe non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. Therefore, improving muscle mass might be a protective factor against this increasing public health problem.

Dose-response association between device-measured physical activity and incident dementia: a prospective study from UK Biobank

BACKGROUND

Previous cohort studies have investigated the relationship between self-reported physical activity (PA) and dementia. Evidence from objective device-measured PA data is lacking. This study aimed to explore the association of device-measured PA with the risk of dementia incidence and common subtypes (Alzheimer's disease [AD] and vascular dementia) using the UK Biobank study.

METHODS

84,854 participants (55.8% women), invited to participate in the device-measured PA between 2013 and 2015, were included in this prospective cohort study. Wrist accelerometers were used to measure light, moderate, vigorous, moderate-to-vigorous PA (MVPA) and total PA intensity and duration (MET/min/week). Incident dementia (fatal and non-fatal) was extracted from hospital episodes records for incidence and death register for mortality. Incidence follow-up was carried out until the end of March 2021in England and Scotland and the end of March 2018 in Wales. Mortality data were available until February 2021. Nonlinear associations were first investigated using penalised cubic splines fitted in the Cox proportional hazard models. In addition, using MVPA, five categories were created. Associations of these categories with the outcomes were investigated using Cox proportional hazard models. Analyses were adjusted for sociodemographic, lifestyle and health-related factors.

RESULTS

After a median follow-up of 6.3 years, 678 individuals were diagnosed with dementia. Evidence of nonlinearity was observed for all PA modes and all-cause dementia. For categories of MVPA, there was a significant trend towards a low risk of overall dementia when higher levels of MVPA were achieved (HRtrend 0.66 [95% CI 0.62 to 0.70]. The lowest risk was identified in individuals who performed more than 1200 MET/min/week, those who had 84% (95% CI 0.12 to 0.21) lower risk of incident dementia compared to those who performed < 300 MET/min/week.

CONCLUSIONS

Participants with higher PA levels had a lower risk of incident dementia than those less active, independently of sociodemographic, lifestyle factors and comorbidity. Considering that the majority of previous studies have reported this association using self-reported data, our findings highlight the strong inverse association between PA objectively measured and incident dementia.