Associations between dietary patterns and cardiovascular disease risk in Canadian adults: a comparison of partial least squares, reduced rank regression and the simplified dietary pattern technique

ObjectivesWe aimed to compare two data reduction techniques, partial least squares (PLS) and reduced rank regression (RRR), in identifying dietary patterns associated with a high cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk in Canadian adults, and to construct PLS- and RRR-based simplified dietary patterns as well as evaluating associations between derived patterns and CVD risk. ApproachData were collected from 24-hour dietary recalls of adult respondents in two cycles of the nationally representative Canadian Community Health Survey (CCHS)-Nutrition: CCHS 2004 linked to health administrative databases (n = 12,313) and CCHS 2015 (n = 14,020). Using 39 food groups, PLS and RRR were applied for the identification of an energy-dense (ED), high-saturated-fat (HSF) and low-fiber-density (LFD) dietary pattern. Associations of derived dietary patterns with lifestyle characteristics and CVD incidence and mortality were examined using weighted multivariate regression and weighted multivariable-adjusted Cox-proportional hazard models, respectively. Random and systematic measurement errors were adjusted for in all statistical analyses. ResultsPLS and RRR identified highly similar ED, HSF, LFD dietary patterns with common high positive loadings for fast food, carbonated drinks, salty snacks and solid fats, and high negative loadings for fruit, dark green vegetables, red and orange vegetables, other vegetables, whole grains, legumes and soy (≥|0.17|). Food groups with the highest loadings were summed to form simplified pattern scores. Although the dietary patterns were not significantly associated with CVD risk, they were positively associated with 402 kcal/d higher energy intake (P-trends <0.05) and higher obesity risk [PLS (OR: 2.09; 95% CI: 1.62, 2.7) and RRR (OR: 1.76; 95% CI: 1.44, 2.17)] (P-trends <0.0001) in the fourth quartiles as compared to the first. ConclusionPLS and RRR were shown to be equally effective for derivation of a high-CVD-risk dietary pattern among Canadian adults. This research highlights the importance of leveraging linked data to inform public health nutrition policies. Further research is warranted on the role of major dietary components in cardiovascular health.

Validity of Emerging Plant-Based Dietary Patterns and Their Association With Cardiovascular Disease – Findings From the Canadian Community Health Survey-Nutrition

Objectives

Despite the growing interest in plant-based dietary patterns, no previous studies have evaluated the performance of plant-based dietary indices in a general population. The main objectives of this research were to evaluate the construct validity of plant-based dietary indices and to explore associations between adherence to these indices and risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD).

Methods

Repeated 24-hour dietary recalls were obtained from the nationally representative sample of Canadians (≥18 y of age) in the Canadian Community Health Survey-Nutrition, cycle 2004 linked to vital statistics (n = 12,323) and cycle 2015 (n = 14,026). Scores on the revised Plant-based Dietary Index (PDI), Eat-Lancet Reference Diet (ERD) and latest version of Dietary Guidelines for Americans Adherence Index (DGAI 2020) were computed on the basis of population distribution and government-defined thresholds. Associations between diet quality and lifestyle characteristics were tested using weighted multivariate analyses, whereas associations between the dietary index scores and CVD outcomes were examined using weighted multivariable-adjusted Cox proportional-hazards models.

Results

Estimated mean revised PDI, ERD and DGAI scores were 37 ± 0.3 out of 90, 9 ± 0.03 out of 14, and 9 ± 0.04 out of 19, respectively. Construct validity was confirmed for revised PDI and DGAI 2020 indices as participants in the highest (healthiest) quartile, compared to those in the lowest (least healthy), were more likely to be female, older, non-smoker and post-secondary educated (p-trend &lt; 0.0001). No significant associations were found between the index scores and CVD risk, although higher adherence to plant-based dietary patterns was associated with higher intakes of beneficial nutrients and lower risk of obesity.

Conclusions

PDI and DGAI 2020 provided valid measures of plant-based eating among Canadians, while validity of ERD was not confirmed. Further research is needed on developing country-specific plant-based dietary indices with better discrimination power to clarify the effect of plant-based eating on CVD risk.

Funding Sources

Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) and Banting Foundation Discovery Award.

Acute effect of oat β-glucan on the bioavailability of orange juice flavanones

The impact of β-glucan on the bioavailability of orange juice (OJ) flavanones was investigated in a randomised controlled trial. Volunteers consumed 500 mL of OJ without or with either 3 g (OB-3) or 6 g (OB-6) of β-glucan. Urine samples, collected 12 h before and over a 0-24 h period post-supplementation, were analysed by high-performance liquid chromatography-high resolution mass spectrometry. The overall 0-24 h urinary excretion of the 17 flavanone metabolites identified and quantified in urine after OJ ingestion corresponded to 29.7 µmol, and 25.0 and 9.3 µmol, respectively, after OB-3 and OB-6 intake. This corresponds to 9.3, 7.9, and 2.9% recoveries of the 318 µmol of the ingested flavanones. The acute ingestion of OJ with 6 g, but not 3 g of β-glucan led to a significant reduction (p < 0.05) in the excretion of flavanone metabolites compared with consumption of OJ alone.

Characterisation of Trichodorus similis (Nematoda: Trichodoridae) associated with potato from the Czech Republic

Trichodorus similis associated with potato in the Czech Republic was described and illustrated. This study provides additional information on morphometrical and morphological characters of T. similis and integrates morphological and genetic data obtained by species-specific polymerase chain reaction and sequencing (ITS1 and D2-D3 expansion segments of 28S rDNA). The knowledge on morphological variability and genetic diversity is extended, and a rapid and accurate molecular diagnostics was successfully applied.

Experimental cadmium poisoning in sheep

Pathomorphological investigations of internal organs were made in sheep given sublethal doses of cadmium. Early histological damages in kidneys were established by renal biopsy in some experimental animals. The main histological changes were characterized by granular degeneration in proximal tubules and glomerular endothelial proliferation in kidneys, granular degeneration in hepatocytes, pericapillary oedema and activation of capillary endothelium and Kupffer cells in liver, oedematous and degenerative changes in cerebrum and in the region of Purkinje cells of cerebellum, hyperplasia and proliferation of alveolar epithelium and perivascular or peribronchial mononuclear cell infiltration in lung, and degenerative changes in the medulla and zona glomerulosa of adrenal glands.