Weight gain and risk of type 2 diabetes are inversely associated with a high intake of insoluble cereal fibres. Because nutrient-induced changes of ‘satiety hormones’ from the gut may play a role in this process, we evaluated the effects of purified insoluble fibres on postprandial responses of plasma peptide YY (PYY), serum ghrelin and satiety as secondary outcome measures of a study investigating effects of cereal fibres on parameters of glucose metabolism. Fourteen healthy women were studied on six occasions in a randomized, single-blind, controlled crossover design. After 24 h run-in periods and 10 h overnight fasts, subjects ingested isoenergetic and macronutrient matched portions of control white bread or fibre-enriched bread (wheat-fibre or oat-fibre) at 08.15 hours. Gut hormones and hunger scores were measured for 300 min. Basal PYY and ghrelin concentrations were not different between the test meals (P>0·15). Postprandial responses of PYY and ghrelin were blunted after the intake of wheat-fibre (total area under the curve (AUC) PYY, 177·9 (sem 8·1) (pmol/l) min; P=0·016; ghrelin 51·0 (sem 2·5) (pmol/l) min; P=0·003), but not after oat-fibre (PYY 226·7 (sem 25·7) (pmol/l) min; P>0·15; ghrelin 46·2 (sem 1·6) (pmol/l) min; P=0·127), compared to control (PYY 247·5 (sem 25·6) (pmol/l) min; ghrelin 42·5 (sem 1·3) (pmol/l) min). Postprandial hunger scores were unaffected by the different test meals (P>0·15). Thus, oat- and wheat-fibre consumption result in different postprandial responses of PYY and ghrelin, but interestingly do not differ in satiety effects.

The precision with which glycaemic responses, expressed as incremental area under the curve (AUC), can be measured may be improved by using the average of several measures of fasting blood glucose (FBG). To see if taking two fasting blood samples would increase the precision of AUC, the glycaemic responses elicited by four test meals (50 g glucose; 50 g glucose plus 10 g fat and 10 g protein; 100 g white bread; 100 g white bread plus 10 g fat and 10 g protein) were determined in thirteen overnight-fasted healthy subjects. Two fasting blood samples were taken 5 min apart (−5 min and 0 min before starting to eat) with glucose measured three times in each sample. AUC was calculated using different estimates of FBG derived from the three measures of glucose in the two fasting blood samples and each set of AUC values subjected to ANOVA. Unexpectedly, the results were more precise when AUC was calculated from mean glucose in the 0 min blood sample (FBG0) than from mean glucose in the two different fasting blood samples. The 95 % CI of the AUC calculated using FBG0 in thirteen subjects was ±29·8; to obtain the same CI using the mean of the two fasting blood samples would require fourteen subjects. These results suggest that taking two fasting blood samples does not necessarily improve, and may even reduce, the precision of AUC as a measure of glycaemic response. Further studies are needed before requiring that two fasting blood samples be taken for determining glycaemic index.

Intake of fibre has beneficial properties on gut health. Butyrate, a product of bacterial gut fermentation, is thought to contribute to positive effects by retarding growth and enhancing apoptosis of tumour cells. One mechanism is seen in its capacity to modulate histone acetylation and thereby transcriptional activity of genes. Next to butyrate, propionate and acetate are also major products of gut fermentation and together they may exert different potencies of cellular effects than butyrate alone. Since virtually nothing is known on combination effects by SCFA mixtures, here we had the aim to assess how physiological relevant concentrations and mixtures of SCFA modulate histone acetylation in human colon cells. HT29 colon cancer cells were incubated with mixtures of butyrate, acetate and propionate and with the individual compounds as controls. Histone acetylation was determined with acid-urea gel electrophoresis and immunoblotting. Acetylated histones slowly increased over 24 h and persisted up to 72 h in butyrate-treated HT29 cells. Butyrate (5–40 mm) and propionate (20–40 mm) enhanced histone acetylation significantly after 24 h incubation, whereas acetate (2·5–80 mm) was ineffective. Mixtures of these SCFA also modulated histone acetylation, mainly due to additive effects of butyrate and propionate, but not due to acetate. In conclusion, physiological concentrations of propionate together with butyrate could have more profound biological activities than generally assumed. Together, these SCFA could possibly mediate important processes related to an altered transcriptional gene activation and thus contribute to biological effects possibly related to cancer progression or prevention.

Enhancement of the redox status of cells is a cytoprotective strategy against oxidative damage. We recently showed that DHA upregulates glutathione (GSH) content via an induction of its related enzymes γ-glutamylcysteine ligase and glutathione reductase. In the present study, we investigated the effects of eight other fatty acids on the redox status and lipid peroxidation of human fibroblasts. After 48 h, only arachidonic acid and conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) enhanced GSH content through an induction of γ-glutamylcysteine ligase. CLA was more potent than arachidonic acid in inducing GSH synthesis. For all the fatty acids tested, lipoperoxidation, estimated by cell malondialdehyde measurement, did not differ from that of controls at 48 h but dramatically increased at 7 d, except for CLA. Lipoperoxidation is associated at 7 d with a high level of reactive oxygen species and with increased haemoxygenase-1 and cyclooxygenase-2 mRNA expression. As demonstrated by a tert-butylhydroperoxide cytotoxicity test, the GSH synthesis obtained with arachidonic acid is not sufficient to protect the cells, whereas this protective effect was obvious with CLA at 48 h as well as at 7 d. The present results show that CLA is the only PUFA able to induce GSH synthesis without any change in oxidative balance, whereas an upregulation of cyclooxygenase-2 by other PUFA is concomitant with an overproduction of malondialdehyde and reactive oxygen species. The particular hairpin conformation obtained for CLA by molecular modelling could account for this specific biological effect.

Recently, transgenic crops have been considered as possible donors of transgenes that could be taken up by micro-organisms under appropriate conditions. In an in vitro rumen simulation system, effects of ampicillin on microbial communities growing either on rumen contents with transgenic maize carrying a gene that confers resistance to ampicillin or its isogenic counterpart as substrates were examined continuously over 13 d. Rate of production of SCFA was measured to determine functional changes in the rumen model and single-strand conformational polymorphism was used to detect alterations in structure of the microbial community. Rumen contents treated with ampicillin displayed a marked decrease in the rate of production of SCFA and diversity of the microbial community was reduced severely. In the presence of transgenic maize, however, the patterns of change of rumen micro-organisms and their metabolic profiles were different from that of rumen fluid incorporating maize bred conventionally. Recovery of propionate production was observed both in the rumen fluid fed transgenic and conventional maize after a delay of several days but recovery occurred earlier in fermenters fed transgenic maize. Alterations in the microbial population structures resulting from the ampicillin challenge were not reversed during the experimental run although there was evidence of adaptation of the microbial communities over time in the presence of the antibiotic, showing that populations with different microbial structures could resume a pre-challenge metabolic profile following the introduction of ampicillin, irrespective of the source of the plant material in the growth medium.

The aim of the present study was to determine the influence of the dietary fatty acid profile on the lipoprotein composition in sea bream fed different vegetable oils. Six experimental diets were formulated combining fish oil with three vegetable oils (soybean, rapeseed, linseed) in order to obtain 60–80 % (w/w) fish-oil replacement. VLDL, LDL and HDL in plasma samples were obtained by sequential centrifugal flotation. The lipid class, protein content and fatty acid composition of each lipoprotein fraction were analysed. HDL was the predominant lipoprotein in sea bream plasma containing the highest proportion of protein (34 %) and phosphatidylcholine. LDL presented a high content of cholesterol, whereas triacylglycerol comprised a larger proportion of VLDL. The lipid class of the lipoprotein fractions was affected by the dietary vegetable oils. Thus, a high dietary inclusion of soyabean and linseed oil (80 %) increased the cholesterol in HDL and LDL in comparison to fish oil. Similarly, the triacylglycerol concentration of VLDL was increased in fish fed 80 % soyabean and linseed oils owing to the low n-3 highly unsaturated fatty acid content of these diets. Lipoprotein fatty acid composition easily responded to dietary fatty acid composition. VLDL was the fraction more affected by dietary fatty acid, followed by LDL and HDL. The n-3 highly unsaturated fatty acid content increased in the order VLDL less than LDL and less than HDL, regardless of dietary vegetable oils.

Effects of different inulin-type fructan fractions were studied on atherosclerotic plaque formation in male apo E-deficient mice. Thirty-two mice were randomly divided into four groups and received either a semi-purified sucrose-based diet (control group), or diets in which sucrose was replaced in part by various inulin-type fructans (10 g/100 g): long-chain inulin, oligofructose, or an oligofructose-enriched inulin for 16 weeks. The presence of atherosclerotic plaques was assessed by histomorphometry in the aortic sinus. The apo E-deficient mice fed long-chain inulin or an oligofructose-enriched inulin had about 35 % and 25 % less atherosclerotic lesion area compared with the control group, respectively. Feeding long-chain inulin significantly reduced plasma cholesterol concentrations (P<0·001), and the three inulin-type fructans reduced triacylglycerol (TAG) concentrations compared with the control group (P<0·001). Both the long-chain inulin and an oligofructose-enriched inulin significantly lowered hepatic cholesterol concentrations compared with the control diet (P<0·05). Hepatic TAG concentrations were significantly lower in all three groups fed the fructan-supplemented diets v. the control group (P<0·0001). The results of the present study suggest that inhibition of atherosclerotic plaque formation is more potent in the presence of long-chain inulin, either alone or in combination with oligofructose (an oligofructose-enriched inulin), and that this probably is related to changes in lipid metabolism.

The number of elderly people is increasing in less-developed countries. Although nutritional deficiencies and infectious diseases are generally more prevalent in resource-poor countries, the health and nutritional status of the elderly in South America in general, and in Ecuador, in particular, remains largely unstudied. The objective of the present study was to assess the nutritional, immunological and health status of elderly Ecuadorians. A cross-sectional study was conducted to evaluate a sample of elderly Ecuadorians with 24 h dietary recalls, biochemical and anthropometric measurements, delayed type hypersensitivity skin response and a health questionnaire. The 145 elders who enrolled had a mean age of 74·3 (sd 6·9) years. Of the subjects, 52 % exhibited BMI ≥25 kg/m2, whereas 9·1 % had BMI ≤20 kg/m2. Means of dietary intakes were below recommendations for most nutrients; exceptions were carbohydrate, fat, Fe and Se. Serum nutrient levels indicated that 50, 44, 43, 19 and 18 % of participants had deficiencies of Zn, Fe, vitamins B12 and D, and folate, respectively. The mean number of positive responses to seven recall antigens was 2·1 (sd 1·7) with an induration diameter of 9·9 (sd 7) mm, which are substantially lower than those reported for elders in developed countries. During the previous 6 months, 54 and 21 % of subjects reported at least one episode of respiratory infection or diarrhoea, respectively. Of these, 47 % sought care at a hospital or from a physician and 96 % from a relative or friend. In conclusion, while few elderly Ecuadorians were underweight, obesity was common. Micronutrient deficiencies were prevalent and may contribute to reduced immunological responses in this population.

This study investigated the effects of fish oil (FO) diet on plasma intercellular adhesion molecule 1 (ICAM-1) levels and leucocyte integrin expression in polymicrobial sepsis. Mice were randomly assigned to a control group and an FO group. The control group was fed a medium-fat diet containing soyabean oil, whereas in the FO group, 70 % of the soyabean oil was replaced by FO for 3 weeks. After that, sepsis was induced by caecal ligation and puncture (CLP) in the experimental groups and mice were killed at 0, 6, 12 and 24 h, respectively, after CLP. Results showed that compared with the control group, plasma ICAM-1 levels were higher in the FO group 6 h after CLP. Intra-lymphocyte interferon-γ expression in the FO group was lower, whereas IL-4 expression was higher than in the control group 12 and 24 h after CLP. The expression of leucocyte integrin was significantly higher in the FO group 12 and 24 h after CLP. The FO group had higher IL-6 levels at 12 h in the lungs, at 6 and 12 h in the kidneys, and at 6, 12 and 24 h in the intestines after CLP. The survival rate did not differ between the two groups after CLP. The present findings suggest that pretreatment with an FO diet enhances adhesion molecule and inflammatory cytokine expressions during sepsis, which might aggravate the inflammatory reaction and increase neutrophil infiltration into tissues. In addition, FO diet promotes the Th2-type response and suppresses cellular immune response in polymicrobial sepsis.

The present experiment was designed to estimate the quantitative contribution of rumen protozoa to the total N, conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) and vaccenic acid (VA; trans-11–18:1) flow to the duodenum of steers fed two silage diets: control silage (CS) and silage high in water-soluble carbohydrates (HS). Protozoal duodenal flows were estimated using a real-time PCR assay to quantify the genes encoding protozoal 18S ribosomal RNA. Denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis was used to confirm that the rumen protozoa populations were similar to the protozoal population flowing to the duodenum. Estimated duodenal flow of protozoal N was 14·2 and 18·2 g/d (P>0·05) for animals fed the CS and HS diets respectively. Protozoal flow thus represented between 12 and 15 % of the total N duodenal flow. In terms of fatty acid flow, protozoa accounted for between 30 and 43 % of the CLA and 40 % of the VA reaching the duodenum. The contribution of protozoa to 16:0 and 18:0 flows to the duodenum was less than 20 and 10 %, respectively. These results show that the fatty acids within protozoa make up a significant proportion of the CLA and VA reaching the duodenum of ruminants.

This study aimed to investigate the link between deprivation and in-hospital malnutrition and to assess any independent and interrelated effects of deprivation and malnutrition on clinical outcome in hospital. One thousand patients (mean age 71 (sd 19) years, mean BMI 25·6 (sd 5·4) kg/m2) were screened for malnutrition (using the Malnutrition Universal Screening Tool (‘MUST’)) and their clinical outcome assessed prospectively. The deprivation of patients' locality of residence prior to admission was recorded using the Index of Multiple Deprivation 2000 (IMD). Patients with medium and high malnutrition risk (42 %, n 420) were admitted from areas with significantly greater deprivation (lower ranks) than low-risk patients (IMD 3731 v. 3946; P<0·02). The prevalence of malnutrition increased by multiples of 1·14 (95 % CI 1·02, 1·28) for each increment in quartile of IMD rank. The odds of malnutrition of the most deprived quartile were greater than those of the least deprived quartile by a factor of 1·59 (95 % CI 1·11, 2·28). They were also greater for five of the six components of IMD deprivation (and by a factor of 1·73 (95 % CI 1·20, 2·49) for income and 1·69 (95 % CI 1·18, 2·42) for employment). Greater in-hospital mortality was associated with malnutrition, independently of IMD (or its individual components; odds ratio 2·04 (95 % CI 1·22, 3·44)). Length of stay was associated only with malnutrition risk (P<0·0005). This study highlights that in-hospital malnutrition and deprivation are interrelated, yet have independent, adverse associations with patient outcome. Effective strategies are required to tackle these common health inequalities in both clinical and public health settings.

The role of carbohydrates in health and disease has received a high profile in recent years, in particular the glycaemic index (GI) as a physiological classification of carbohydrate foods. A common carbohydrate source in the UK is white bread, which is considered to have a high GI value and low satiety value. In the present study, the possibility of favourably altering the GI of white bread by manipulating bread structure (loaf form) was investigated. In a randomised repeated-measures design, ten subjects were tested for glycaemic and satiety responses to four loaves of varying volume, but of consistent macronutrient content. Peak plasma glucose levels and GI values were shown to be significantly reduced by lowering loaf volume (P=0·007, P<0·001 respectively). In addition, a greater satiety index (SI) was seen with decreased loaf volume (P<0·001). In conclusion, the present study demonstrates that reducing the volume of white bread, which is generally considered to be high-GI and low-SI, can favourably alter metabolic and appetite responses. Relatively small differences in the GI of regularly consumed starch foods have been shown to have beneficial effects on health.

The rate of alcohol absorption is dependent on gastric emptying (GE). As the slowing of GE by fat is dependent on lipolysis, orlistat may increase the rise in blood alcohol when alcohol is consumed with, or after, fat. The aim of the study was to evaluate the effects of orlistat on GE and blood alcohol after an alcohol-containing drink following a fat ‘preload’, in healthy subjects. Ten healthy males consumed 120 ml cream with or without 120 mg orlistat, 30 min before an alcohol-containing drink labelled with 20 MBq [99 mTc]sulfur colloid on 2 d. GE, plasma alcohol and blood glucose were measured. GE was slightly faster with orlistat (P<0·05) compared with control. Plasma alcohol at 15 min was slightly higher with orlistat (0·034 (sem 0·006) g/100 ml) v. control (0·029 (sem 0·005) g/100 ml) (P<0·05), but there was no effect on the area under the curve 0–240 min. The increase in blood glucose was greater with orlistat, for example, at 15 min (1·07 (sem 0·2) mmol/l) v. control (0·75 (sem 0·2) mmol/l) (P=0·05). The rise in blood glucose and plasma alcohol were related (for example, at 15 min r 0·49; P=0·03). In conclusion, lipase inhibition accelerates GE of an alcohol-containing drink following a fat ‘preload’ with a minor increase in the initial rise in plasma alcohol.

Food intake varies across the menstrual cycle in mammals, energy intake usually being greater in the premenstrual phase compared with the postmenstrual phase. Premenstrual increments in energy intake and a preferential selection of carbohydrate have been suggested to be greater in women with premenstrual syndrome (PMS), who may be more sensitive to cyclical hormonal or neurotransmitter fluctuations. This has direct implications for research within populations of women, especially where the primary outcome is diet or a change in energy balance. We aimed to determine whether: the premenstrual intake of energy and macronutrients differed from the postmenstrual intake; the change in intake across the menstrual cycle differed in women with PMS compared with controls; and the change in intake was related to the severity of premenstrual symptoms. We collected 3 d dietary intake data during the postmenstrual and premenstrual phases of the menstrual cycle in thirty-one women with PMS and twenty-seven control women. The consumption of energy and macronutrient intake were similar between the phases of the cycle in women with PMS. Conversely, intakes were usually greater premenstrually in control women, although not all differences were statistically significant. Exceptions were with non-milk extrinsic sugars and alcohol, which were both consumed in greater amounts in the premenstrual phase in women with PMS. Significant correlations were observed between the severity of symptoms and the change in the consumption of these nutrients. These data suggest that a consideration of the menstrual cycle phase and PMS in diet may not be warranted, especially in cross-sectional analysis, although it may need to be taken into account when examining change in intake during dietary interventions.

Protein–energy malnutrition and nosocomial infection (NI) are frequent in elderly patients, and a causal link between the two has often been suggested. The aim of the present study was to identify the nutritional parameters predictive of NI in elderly patients. We assessed on admission 101 patients (sixty-six women, thirty-five men, aged over 65 years) admitted to an acute care of the elderly department. Sarcopenia was detected by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry, with appendicular skeletal muscle mass expressed with respect to body area. Weight, BMI, albuminaemia, serum transthyretin and C-reactive protein values were also determined on admission, and known risk factors, such as functional dependence and invasive biomedical material, were also evaluated. After up to 3 weeks of hospitalisation, patients were classified according to whether they had developed an NI. After 3 weeks of hospitalisation, we found that twenty-nine patients had suffered an NI, occurring after a mean of 16·1 d. Patients who were sarcopenic on admission had a significantly higher risk of contracting an NI (relative risk 2·1, 95 % CI 1·1, 3·8). None of the other morphometric or biological parameters differed significantly between the two groups of patients on admission. Patients who experienced an NI were also more likely, on admission, to have a medical device (P=0·02 to P=0·001 depending on the device), to have swallowing problems (P=0·002) or to have restricted autonomy (P<0·01). Sarcopenia on admission to an acute care of the elderly unit, as measured by X-ray absorptiometry, was therefore associated with a doubled risk of NI during the first 3 weeks of hospitalisation.

Plasma thiocyanate has been reported to be high among cassava-eating populations such as that in Nigeria because of the cyanide content of cassava. Thiocyanate, which is secreted into the stomach contents of animals, has been demonstrated to catalyse the formation of nitrosamines (potent carcinogens) in the stomach from secondary amines and nitrite. The main source of the nitrite precursor in this environment is vegetables, primarily eaten as the chief supplier of proteins. The present study attempts to analyse the levels of nitrate and nitrite in vegetables commonly grown and consumed in Delta State, Nigeria. The nitrate and nitrite contents in green vegetable (Amaranthus spp.), bitter leaf (Vernonia amygdalina), pumpkin (Telfaria occidentalis) and water leaf (Talinum triangulare) grown in different localities of the state were determined by standard analytical procedures. The results show that those vegetables grown in the industrialised urban centres of the state had higher nitrate (223 (sd 71) mg/kg dry weight; P<0·05) and nitrite (12·6 (sd 1·7) mg/kg dry weight; P>0·05) levels when compared with the same species (188 (sd 77) mg nitrate/kg dry weight and 10·9 (sd 1·1) mg nitrite/kg dry weight) cultivated in less industrialised suburbs. We conclude that frequent consumption of such vegetables whose nitrate and nitrite contents are high by cassava-eating individuals might put them at risk of developing stomach cancer and other possible results of nitrate and/or nitrite toxicity. In order to avoid an outbreak in our communities, appropriate agencies should monitor and regulate the release of chemicals into the environment. In the meantime, the cultivation and consumption of vegetables grown in industrialised areas of the state should be discouraged.

The objective of the present study was to investigate the association between food patterns and anaemia among Chinese adults. It was a cross-sectional household survey undertaken in 2002. The sample contained 2849 men and women aged 20 years and above, and had a response rate of 89·0 %. Factor analysis was used to identify food patterns based on a food-frequency questionnaire. Logistic regression was used to relate food patterns to anaemia. A four-factor solution explained 30·5 % of the total variance. After adjusting for socio-demographic factors and four distinct food patterns, the ‘traditional’ (rice, vegetable, wheat flour), ‘sweet tooth’ (drinks, cake) and ‘healthy’ (whole grains, fruits, vegetables) patterns were independently associated with anaemia. ‘Traditional’ and ‘sweet tooth’ patterns were positively associated with anaemia, whereas the association with ‘healthy’ food pattern was negative. No association was observed between the ‘macho’ pattern (meat and alcohol) and anaemia. Compared with the lowest quartile (Q1) of the ‘traditional’ pattern, the highest quartile (Q4) had a higher risk of anaemia (men: odds ratio (OR) 2·60, 95 % CI 1·38, 4·88; women: OR 3·40, 95 % CI 2·14, 5·39). For the ‘sweet tooth’ pattern, compared with the lowest quartile (Q1), the OR of the highest quartile was 2·34 (95 % CI 1·47, 3·73) for men and 2·02 (95 %CI 1·31, 3·13) for women. The fourth quartile of healthy food was associated with a lower risk of anaemia (men: OR 0·50, 95 % CI 0·31, 0·79; women: OR 0·51, 95 % CI 0·34, 0·75). Women in the north had a higher risk of anaemia (OR 2·49, 95 %CI 1·80, 3·43). Food patterns were associated with anaemia in this area with a high prevalence of anaemia.

Proper nutrition during pregnancy may be important for maternal health and fetal growth and development. In Finland, targeted recommendations are given to guide pregnant women in their food choice and dietary supplement use so that they may obtain adequate nutritional status and meet the increased need for nutrients. The aims of the present study were to examine food choices, nutrient intake and dietary supplement use of pregnant Finnish women in association with demographic variables. One thousand and seventy-five families were invited to a birth cohort study during 1998–9. Mothers of 797 newborns completed a validated 181-item food-frequency questionnaire from which the food and nutrient intakes were calculated. The information about supplement use was collected concerning the whole pregnancy. The results of the present study suggest that healthy food choices are rather common among pregnant Finnish women and the choices are positively correlated with age and education. Nutrient supplements were used by 85 % of the women. Supplements were favoured by the older and well-educated women and by those who had normal weight before pregnancy. Of the women in the present study, 31 % received vitamin A-containing supplements, although it is not recommended during pregnancy. Taking food and supplementation into account, the intake of vitamin D did not meet the dietary recommendation and folic acid intake was below recommendation in 44 % of the women. Therefore there seemed to be unnecessary nutrient supplementation and at the same time lack of relevant supplementation among these pregnant women.

Limited egg consumption is often recommended to reduce serum cholesterol concentration for the prevention of CHD. We examined the association of egg consumption and total cholesterol concentration with the risk of CHD. A total of 90 735 subjects (19 856 men and 21 408 women, aged 40–59 years in cohort I; 23 463 men and 26 008 women, aged 40–69 years in cohort II) were followed from 1990–4 to the end of 2001 under the Japan Public Health Center-based prospective study. Total cholesterol was obtained in 36 % of the subjects. Men and women were combined for the analyses. The subjects were categorised into four groups according to egg consumption. Subjects with total cholesterol ≥2200 mg/l were less frequent in frequent egg consumption groups in both cohorts (trend P<0·0001). Subjects with <1 d/week of egg consumption were more likely to avoid a cholesterol-rich diet. Egg consumption was not associated with the risk of CHD, although total cholesterol was significantly related to the risk of CHD. The multivariate hazard ratio of CHD in subjects with total cholesterol ≥2400 v. <1800 mg/l was 2·17 (95 % CI 1·22, 3·85; trend P=0·0018). In conclusion, eating eggs more frequently, up to almost daily, was not associated with an increase in CHD incidence for middle-aged Japanese men and women. Subjects with hypercholesterolaemia were less frequently in frequent egg consumption groups, probably because they avoided eating eggs.

The present study examined the dietary intakes of a population of pregnant women living in the North of England. The objectives of the paper were to assess and describe the dietary intakes of the population and relate the findings to existing data on the diet of pregnant and non-pregnant women in the UK. A total of 250 pregnant women attending their first antenatal appointment at the Jessop Wing Hospital, Sheffield, UK were recruited. Information on their diet was assessed by an interviewer-administered semi-quantified food frequency questionnaire (FFQ). The mean intakes as assessed by the FFQ were similar to other studies of UK pregnant population; however Sheffield pregnant women had lower intakes of calcium and folate. Study findings were also related to the National Diet and Nutrition Survey and to the Estimated Nutrient Intakes (EAR). Of the study participants, 40 % did not meet the EAR for calcium, 67 % for iron and 69 % for folate. Subgroup comparisons suggested lower nutrient intakes of participants living in the 40 % most deprived electoral wards. The study findings suggest that the diet of pregnant women in Sheffield is characterised by low intakes of important nutrients for pregnancy such as folate and nutrient variations by electoral wards.