Association between meat, fish, and fatty acid intake and incidence of acute myeloid leukemia and myelodysplastic syndrome: the Japan Public Health Center-based Prospective Study

BACKGROUND

The association between meat, fish, or fatty acid intake and acute myeloid leukemia (AML) and myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) has been investigated in a few studies, and the results were inconsistent. In addition, most studies are mainly based on the United States and European countries, in which the dietary patterns differ from that in Asia. Therefore, the risk of AML/MDS from meat, fish, or fatty acid intake in Asia requires further exploration. The aim of this study was to investigate the association between AML/MDS incidence and meat, fish, or fatty acid intake using the Japan Public Health Center-based prospective study.

METHODS

The present study included 93,366 participants who were eligible for analysis and followed up from the 5-year survey date until December 2012. We estimated the impact of their intake on AML/MDS incidence using a Cox proportional hazards model.

RESULTS

The study participants were followed up for 1,345,002 person-years. During the follow-up period, we identified 67 AML and 49 MDS cases. An increased intake of processed red meat was significantly associated with the incidence of AML/MDS, with a hazard ratio of 1.63 (95% confidence interval, 1.03-2.57) for the highest versus lowest tertile and a Ptrend of 0.04. Meanwhile, the intake of other foods and fatty acids was not associated with AML/MDS.

CONCLUSION

In this Japanese population, processed red meat was associated with an increased incidence of AML/MDS.

Relative to processed red meat, alternative protein sources are associated with a lower risk of hypertension and diabetes in a prospective cohort of French women

Many dietary guidelines recommend restricting the consumption of processed red meat (PRM) in favour of healthier foods such as fish, to reduce the risk of chronic conditions such as hypertension and diabetes. The objective of this study was to estimate the potential effect of replacing PRM for fatty fish, lean fish, red meat, eggs, pulses, or vegetables, on the risk of incident hypertension and diabetes. This was a prospective study of women in the E3N cohort study. Cases of diabetes and hypertension were based on self-report, specific questionnaires, and drug reimbursements. In the main analysis, information on regular dietary intake was assessed with a single food history questionaire, and food substitutions were modelled using cox proportional hazard models. 95 % confidence intervals were generated via bootstrapping. 71 081 women free of diabetes and 45 771 women free of hypertension were followed for an average of 18·7 and 18·3 years, respectively. 2681 incident cases of diabetes and 12 327 incident cases of hypertension were identified. Relative to PRM, fatty fish was associated with a 15 % lower risk of diabetes (HR = 0·85, 95 CI (0·73, 0·97)) and hypertension (HR = 0 85 (0·79, 0·91)). Between 3 and 10 % lower risk of hypertension or diabetes was also observed when comparing PRM with vegetables, unprocessed red meat or pulses. Relative to PRM, alternative protein sources such as fatty fish, unprocessed red meat, vegetables or pulses was associated with a lower risk of hypertension and diabetes.

Associations between red meat, processed red meat and total red and processed red meat consumption, nutritional adequacy and markers of health and cardio-metabolic diseases in British adults: a cross-sectional analysis using data from UK National Diet and Nutrition Survey

PURPOSE

To determine the association between red meat (RM), processed red meat (PRM) and total red and processed red meat (TRPRM) consumption on nutritional adequacy and markers of health and cardio-metabolic diseases in British adults.

METHODS

In this cross-sectional study of adults (19-64 y) from the National Diet and Nutrition Survey (NDNS) (n = 1758), RM and PRM consumption were assessed from 4 day estimated food diaries. Anthropometric measures, blood pressure (BP), pulse pressure (PP), plasma glucose, HbA1c, C-reactive protein, TAG, TC, LDL-C and HDL-C from the NDNS were used.

RESULTS

43% of adults (men 57% and women 31%) consumed more than the 70 g/d TRPRM guidelines. Fewer adults in the highest tertile of TRPRM intake were below lower reference nutrient intakes (LRNIs), particularly for zinc and iron, respectively. In model 3 (controlled for age, energy intake, socioeconomic classification, number of daily cigarettes, BMI, dietary factors), higher RM consumption was associated with being significantly taller (model 3: P-ANCOVA = 0.006; P-T3/T1 = 0.0004) in men and lower diastolic BP (model 3: P-ANCOVA = 0.004; P-T3/T2 = 0.002) in women. Higher PRM in men was associated with significantly higher plasma ferritin concentration (model 3: P-ANCOVA = 0.0001; P-T2/T1 = 0.0001), being taller (P-ANCOVA = 0.019; P-T1/T2 = 0.047, T1/T3 = 0.044), increased body weight (model 3: P-ANCOVA = 0.001; P-T1/T3 = 0.0001), BMI (model 3: P-ANCOVA = 0.007; P-T1/T3 = 0.006) and smaller hip circumference (model 3: P-ANCOVA = 0.006; P-T3/T1 = 0.024; P-T2/T1 = 0.013) and in women significantly higher TC (model 3: P-ANCOVA = 0.020; P-T3/T2 = 0.016), LDL-C (P-ANCOVA = 0.030; P-T3/T2 = 0.025), HbA1c (model 3: P-ANCOVA = 0.0001; P-T2/T1 = 0.001; P-T3/T2 = 0.001) and higher PP (model 3: P-ANCOVA = 0.022; P-T3/T1 = 0.021). Higher PRM consumption was associated with significantly higher BMI and hip circumference in men, and higher TC, LDL-C, HbA1c and PP in women, which was not observed for RM consumption.

Synthesis and in vitro characterization of the genotoxic, mutagenic and cell-transforming potential of nitrosylated heme

Data from epidemiological studies suggest that consumption of red and processed meat is a factor contributing to colorectal carcinogenesis. Red meat contains high amounts of heme, which in turn can be converted to its nitrosylated form, NO-heme, when adding nitrite-containing curing salt to meat. NO-heme might contribute to colorectal cancer formation by causing gene mutations and could thereby be responsible for the association of (processed) red meat consumption with intestinal cancer. Up to now, neither in vitro nor in vivo studies characterizing the mutagenic and cell transforming potential of NO-heme have been published due to the fact that the pure compound is not readily available. Therefore, in the present study, an already existing synthesis protocol was modified to yield, for the first time, purified NO-heme. Thereafter, newly synthesized NO-heme was chemically characterized and used in various in vitro approaches at dietary concentrations to determine whether it can lead to DNA damage and malignant cell transformation. While NO-heme led to a significant dose-dependent increase in the number of DNA strand breaks in the comet assay and was mutagenic in the HPRT assay, this compound tested negative in the Ames test and failed to induce malignant cell transformation in the BALB/c 3T3 cell transformation assay. Interestingly, the non-nitrosylated heme control showed similar effects, but was additionally able to induce malignant transformation in BALB/c 3T3 murine fibroblasts. Taken together, these results suggest that it is the heme molecule rather than the NO moiety which is involved in driving red meat-associated carcinogenesis.

Red meat and processed red meat consumption behaviour of healthcare professionals: do they participate in the World Health Organization's view of red meat carcasses and red meat carcinogens?

OBJECTIVE

This study investigated the consumption behaviours of healthcare professionals in relation to red meat and processed red meat products.

DESIGN

This study included a questionnaire conducted through face-to-face interviews with 149 health professionals. The purpose of the questionnaire was to determine the extent to which health professionals agreed with the WHO classification of red meat and processed red meat on their list of carcinogenic products.

SETTING

This research was carried out in İzmir, which is Turkey's third largest city. The survey was conducted in 2016 by holding face to face interviews with forty-three specialist doctors, sixteen doctors, twelve dentists, sixty-four nurses and fourteen pharmacists.

SUBJECTS

Nationally representative sample of healthcare professionals in Turkey.

RESULTS

People educated in healthcare are especially cautious about the consumption of processed red meat products. The results of the research revealed the importance of processing and cooking patterns in red meat consumption preferences.

CONCLUSIONS

The consequences of the research, in terms of breaking down prejudices and overcoming the anxieties of those with health concerns who do not consume red meat, are important. In fact, the results show that healthcare professionals consume red meat, but they are more careful in their consumption of processed red meat products. This result is in line with the WHO report.

Effects of processed red meat consumption on the risk of type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular diseases among Korean adults: the Korean Genome and Epidemiology Study

PURPOSE

Few studies have evaluated the effects of processed red meat (PRM) consumption on chronic disease risk, especially among low average PRM consumption populations. This study examined association between PRM intake and type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and cardiovascular disease (CVD) incidences in Korea.

METHODS

Participants (n = 10,030; aged 40-69 years) were recruited from the Ansan-Ansung cohort study, a subset of Korean Genome Epidemiology Study. Validated 103-item semi-quantitative food frequency questionnaire was used to assess dietary information, at baseline (2001-2002) and at second follow-up (2005-2006). T2DM and CVD incidences were identified using biennial questionnaire-based interview during a 10-year follow-up period. Cox proportional hazards regression analysis was used to calculate multivariable-adjusted hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs).

RESULTS

Over the 10-year follow-up period, 668 and 493 incident cases of T2DM (62,130 person-years) and CVD (63,150 person-years), respectively, were documented. In crude models, comparing the highest and lowest levels of PRM intake, no significant association occurred with incident T2DM [HR, 95% CI (0.94, 0.76-1.17)], while significant association occurred with incident CVD (0.67, 0.51-0.88). However, in adjusted models, this association was no longer significant, showing HRs (95% CI) of PRM intake for T2DM and CVD of 1.07 (0.85-1.35) and 1.14 (0.85-1.55), respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

PRM intake did not affect T2DM and CVD incidences among Korean middle-aged adults, although extremely low average consumption of PRM may explain the finding. Therefore, limiting PRM intake may not be a top priority for the prevention of chronic diseases in Korean population.

Carcinogenicity of consumption of red meat and processed meat: A review of scientific news since the IARC decision. Food Chem Toxicol. 2017;105:256-261. [PMID: 28450127 DOI: 10.1016/j.fct.2017.04.028]

In October 2015, the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) issued a press release on the results of the evaluation of the carcinogenicity of red and processed meat. Based on the accumulated scientific literature, the consumption of red meat was classified as "probably carcinogenic to humans" and processed meat as "carcinogenic to humans". Given the importance of this topic, this review was aimed at revising the current state-of-the-art on the carcinogenicity of red and processed meat, some time after the IARC decision. Some new epidemiological studies and new reviews clearly supporting the IARC decision have been published during these months. However, a number of gaps still exist. It is basic to establish the mechanisms leading to the increased risk of colorectal cancer (CRC) and other cancers arising from red and processed meat consumption. Another important pending issue is to establish the role of known/suspected carcinogens contained in uncooked or unprocessed meats, as well as the influence of cooking. Finally, it would be highly recommended to conduct new epidemiological studies to elucidate whether the consumption of white meat, such as pork and/or poultry, are -positively or inversely-associated with an increased risk of CRC and other types of cancer.