Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the third and second most prevalent cancer in men and women, respectively. Various epidemiological studies indicated that dietary factors are implicated in the aetiology of CRC and its precursor, colorectal adenomas (CRA). Recently, much attention has been given to the role of acid–base balance in the development of chronic diseases including cancers. Therefore, the aim of the current study is to examine the association of diet-dependent acid load and the risk of CRC and CRA.

In this case–control study, potential renal acid load (PRAL) was computed based on dietary intake of participants assessed via a validated FFQ. Negative PRAL values indicated a base-forming potential, while positive values of PRAL implied acid-forming potential of diet. Logistic regression was used to derive OR and 95 % CI after adjusting for confounders.

Tehran, Iran.

A total of 499 participants aged 30–70 years were included in the study (240 hospital controls, 129 newly diagnosed CRC and 130 newly diagnosed CRA). The current study was conducted between December 2016 and September 2018.

After adjusting for potential confounders, a higher PRAL was associated with increased odds of CRC and CRA. The highest v. the lowest tertile of PRAL for CRC and CRA was OR 4·82 (95 % CI 2·51–9·25) and OR 2·47 (95 % CI 1·38–4·42), respectively.

The findings of the current study suggested that higher diet-dependent acid load is associated with higher risk of CRC and CRA.

To carry out a qualitative evidence synthesis to explore what influences the diet and physical activity of adolescents living in five countries that constitute the Transforming Adolescent Lives through Nutrition (TALENT) consortium (Cote D’Ivoire, Ethiopia, India, South Africa and The Gambia).

A search of electronic databases was conducted for qualitative articles published between 2000 and 2019.

Studies that explore influences on the diets and physical activity habits of adolescents aged 10–19 years.

Of the twelve included studies, none were identified from The Gambia or Cote D’Ivoire. The existing qualitative literature focussed on three major areas in relation to adolescents’ diet and physical activity: (1) the influence of body image and self-esteem; (2) social and environmental influences and (3) poverty. The limited existing literature focusses heavily on girls’ experiences particularly in relation to body image and dysfunctional eating practices.

In-depth research exploring adolescents’ perceptions of diet and physical activity is needed to better understand how both boys and girls, at different stages of adolescence, perceive health, diet and physical activity. More research with young people is required especially in countries where little exists to cover a wider range of issues that play a role in diet and physical activity.

There are numerous health effects associated with excess sugar-sweetened beverage (SSB) consumption. Interventions aimed at reducing population-level consumption require understanding of the relevant barriers and facilitators. This study aimed to identify the variables with the strongest relationship with intentions to reduce SSB consumption from a suite of variables derived from the literature.

Random-digit dialling of landline and mobile phones was used to survey adults using computer-assisted telephone interviews. The outcome variable was ‘likelihood of reducing SSB consumption in next 6 months’, and the predictor variables were demographics, SSB attitudes and behaviour, health risk perceptions and social/environmental exposure.

Australia.

A subsample of 1630 regular SSB consumers from a nationally representative sample of 3430 Australian adults (38 % female, 51 % aged 18–45 years, 56 % overweight or obese).

Respondents indicated that they were ‘not at all’ (30·1 %), ‘somewhat’ (43·9 %) and ‘very likely’ (25·3 %) to reduce SSB consumption. Multivariate nominal logistic regressions showed that perceiving future health to be ‘very much’ at risk was the strongest predictor of intention to reduce SSB consumption (OR = 8·1, 95 % CI 1·8, 37·0, P < 0·01). Other significant predictors (P < 0·01) included self-perceptions about too much consumption, habitual consumption, difficulty reducing consumption and likelihood of benefitting from reduced consumption.

Health risk perceptions had the strongest relationship with intentions to reduce consumption. Age and consumption perceptions were also predictors in the multivariate models, whereas social/environmental exposure variables were not. Interventions may seek to incorporate strategies to denormalise consumption practices and increase knowledge about perceived susceptibility to health risks.

Regular breakfast skipping is related to unhealthy dietary behaviours, such as consuming an overall poorer quality diet and lower rates of physical activity, both of which are linked to a higher BMI. Adolescent breakfast skippers struggle with mental focus, sleep issues and lower grades. Solutions that can be implemented to overcome breakfast skipping are needed.

A systematic literature review was undertaken to identify programmes that aimed to increase breakfast eating. Following the PRISMA framework, studies were sourced to examine details of behaviour change, evidence of theory use and other important programme learnings and outcomes.

Breakfast consumption empirical studies published from 2000 onwards.

Nineteen empirical studies that aimed to improve breakfast eating behaviour.

Out of the nineteen studies examined, ten studies reported an increase in breakfast consumption frequency for the entire study group or subgroups. Seven studies found no change, one was inconclusive and one observed a decrease in breakfast frequency. Positive changes to the dietary quality of breakfast were observed in five of the studies that did not observe increased frequency of breakfast consumption. Only six studies reported using theory in the intervention.

This evidence review points needed to extend theory application to establish a reliable evidence base that can be followed by practitioners seeking to increase breakfast eating rates in their target population.

To determine which established diet quality indices best predict weight-related outcomes in young women.

In this cross-sectional analysis, we collected dietary information using the Harvard FFQ and measured body fat percentage (BF%) by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry. We used FFQ data to derive five diet quality indices: Recommended Food Score (RFS), Healthy Eating Index 2015 (HEI-2015), Alternate Healthy Eating Index 2010 (AHEI-2010), alternate Mediterranean Diet Score (aMED) and Healthy Plant-Based Diet Index (HPDI).

University of Massachusetts at Amherst.

Two hundred sixty healthy women aged 18–30 years.

The AHEI-2010 and HPDI were associated with BMI and BF%, such that a ten-point increase in either diet score was associated with a 1·2 percentage-point lower BF% and a 0·5 kg/m2 lower BMI (P < 0·05). Odds of excess body fat (i.e. BF% > 32 %) were 50 % lower for those in the highest v. lowest tertile of the AHEI-2010 (P = 0·04). Neither the RFS nor HEI-2015 was associated with BMI or BF%; the aMED was associated with BMI but not BF%.

These results suggest that diet quality tends to be inversely associated with BMI and BF% in young women, but that this association is not observed for all diet quality indices. Diet indices may have limited utility in populations where the specific healthful foods and food groups emphasised by the index are not widely consumed. Future research should aim to replicate these findings in longitudinal studies that compare body composition changes over time across diet indices in young women.

This study examined the association between predominant vegetable oil consumed and BMI of adult women and men in India, with emphasis on predominant consumption of mustard oil.

Two nationally representative data, the consumer expenditure survey of National Sample Survey Office (NSSO)-68th round (2011–2012) for food consumption and National Family Health Survey-4 (2015–2016) for weight status, were analysed. Data from both surveys were combined by matching households through common matching variables (‘family size’, ‘religion’, etc.) using Nearest-Neighbour Hot-Deck matching. The association of overweight/obesity with predominant mustard oil consumption in the household was examined using logistic regression adjusted for confounders. The NSSO reports household consumption of mustard, groundnut, coconut, refined oils (sunflower, safflower, soyabean) and all other edible oils.

Two nationally representative surveys from India.

Total of 638 445 women and 92 312 men, respectively.

Mustard oil was the most predominantly consumed oil (51 %) followed by refined oils (32·4 %). Prevalence of overweight/obesity in women and men was lower in households with predominant mustard oil consumption (17 and 15 %) v. all other refined and other oils combined (27 and 26 %). The adjusted OR for predominant mustard oil use was 0·88 (95 % CI 0·86, 0·87) for women and 0·80 (95 % CI 0·76, 0·83) for men. A similar analysis with predominant groundnut oil consumption showed no association with overweight/obesity.

The data from a large national level survey suggest an inverse association between mustard oil consumption and overweight/obesity which needs to be explored with further research studies.

The current study aimed to develop a modified Mediterranean diet (MMD) score adjusted to the southern Mediterranean countries’ cultural specificities and to evaluate associations between adherence to this modified score and overweight/obesity risk in Moroccan adults.

Population-based cross-sectional study.

Rural and urban areas of the five greatest provinces of Morocco.

In total, 1516 participants were recruited between September 2009 and February 2017. Dietary assessment was obtained using a validated Moroccan FFQ. We constructed a MMD score focusing on twelve components. The MMD score ranged from 0 (no adherence to the traditional southern Mediterranean diet (MD)) to 12 (maximal adherence) and was categorised as low (scores 0–4), moderate (scores 5–7) and high (scores 8–12).

Among the whole population, 754 (50·5 %) were women and 738 (49·5 %) were men, and the mean age was about 55·60 ± 13·70. In total, 58 % of participants were moderately active. Regarding educational level, 50·7 % were illiterate. The prevalence of overweight and obesity was 43·3 and 8·6 %, respectively. In multivariate analyses, close adherence to MMD (scores 8–12) was associated with reduced overweight/obesity risk (OR 0·61, 95 % CI 0·44, 0·84).

The prevalence of overweight and obesity was very high among Moroccan adults. Adherence to the traditional southern MD may help prevent overweight and obesity.

Excessive alcohol consumption during reproductive years may impact the integrity of developing eggs and sperm, potentially affecting the life-long health of future children. Inadequate diets could aggravate these preconception effects of alcohol. The aim of the present study was to assess the prevalence of excessive alcohol consumption and explore whether weekly alcohol intake is associated with energy and nutrient intake and adequacy of micronutrient intake among students.

Cross-sectional survey using a validated and reproducibility-tested FFQ.

University of Agder, Norway, in 2018.

622 students (71 % female).

More than 80 % reported having consumed alcoholic beverages the past 4 weeks. One-third of men and 13 % of women exceeded the upper recommended limit of 14 UK alcohol units/week. An inverse association between increasing alcohol intake and energy-adjusted micronutrient intake was evident for thiamine, phosphate, Fe, Zn and Se in men, and for vitamin A, β-carotene, vitamin E and C, thiamine, vitamin B6, folate, P, Mg, K, Fe, Zn and Cu in women. A substantial proportion had vitamin D, folate, Fe and I intakes below average requirement regardless of alcohol consumption level. The combination of prevalent alcohol use, decreasing micronutrient density of diet across alcohol consumption level and a high probability of micronutrient inadequacy indicate reason for concern in a preconception public health perspective.

Our findings call for investigations into young adults’ knowledge, reflections and beliefs regarding diet and alcohol use to understand how these behaviours could be improved ahead of parenthood.

To determine (i) whether distinct groups of infants under 6 months old (U6M) were identifiable as malnourished based on anthropometric measures and if so to determine the probability of admittance to GOAL Ethiopia’s Management of At Risk Mothers and Infants (MAMI) programme based on group membership; (ii) whether there were discrepancies in admission using recognised anthropometric criteria, compared with group membership and (iii) the barriers and potential solutions to identifying malnutrition within U6M.

Mixed-methods approaches were used, whereby data collected by GOAL Ethiopia underwent: factor mixture modelling, χ2 analysis and logistic regression analysis. Qualitative analysis was performed through coding of key informant interviews.

Data were collected in two refugee camps in Ethiopia. Key informant interviews were conducted remotely with international MAMI programmers and nutrition experts.

Participants were 3444 South-Sudanese U6M and eleven key informants experienced in MAMI programming.

Well-nourished and malnourished groups were identified, with notable discrepancies between group membership and MAMI programme admittance. Despite weight for age z-scores (WAZ) emerging as the most discriminant measure to identify malnutrition, admittance was most strongly associated with mid-upper arm circumference (MUAC). Misconceptions surrounding malnutrition, a dearth of evidence and issues with the current identification protocol emerged as barriers to identifying malnutrition among U6M.

Our model suggests that WAZ is the most discriminating anthropometric measure for malnutrition in this population. However, the challenges of using WAZ should be weighed up against the more scalable, but potentially overly sensitive and less accurate use of MUAC among U6M.

To identify factors associated with food purchasing decisions and expenditure of South African supermarket shoppers across income levels.

Intercept surveys were conducted, grocery receipts collated and expenditure coded into categories, with each category calculated as percentage of the total expenditure. In-supermarket food quality audit and shelf space measurements of foods such as fruits and vegetables (F&V) (healthy foods), snacks and sugar-sweetened beverages (SSB) (unhealthy foods) were also assessed. Shoppers and supermarkets were classified by high-, middle- and low-income socio-economic areas (SEA) of residential area and location, respectively. Shoppers were also classified as “out-shoppers” (persons shopping outside their residential SEA) and “in-shoppers” (persons shopping in their residential SEA). Data were analysed using descriptive analysis and ANOVA.

Supermarkets located in different SEA in urban Cape Town.

Three hundred ninety-five shoppers from eleven purposively selected supermarkets.

Shelf space ratio of total healthy foods v. unhealthy foods in all the supermarkets was low, with supermarkets located in high SEA having the lowest ratio but better quality of fresh F&V. The share expenditure on SSB and snacks was higher than F&V in all SEA. Food secure shoppers spent more on food, but food items purchased frequently did not differ from the food insecure shoppers. Socio-economic status and food security were associated with greater expenditure on food items in supermarkets but not with overall healthier food purchases.

Urban supermarket shoppers in South Africa spent substantially more on unhealthy food items, which were also allocated greater shelf space, compared with healthier foods.

The current study evaluated the reliability and validity of the Arabic version of the revised general nutrition knowledge questionnaire (GNKQ-R) for adults.

The eighty-eight-item English GNKQ-R was adapted into an eighty-six-item Arabic version. Four validation studies were conducted for internal (n 805) and external (n 106) reliability, construct validity between participants with (n 84) and without (n 88) nutrition background, convergent validity for associations between nutrition knowledge and demographic characteristics (n 750) and responsiveness to online nutrition information (n 55).

United Arab Emirates University in United Arab Emirates and Hashemite University in Jordan.

Undergraduate students aged 18 years and above, enrolled in any programme at the two universities, were recruited.

Overall, internal reliability (Cronbach’s α = 0·91) and external reliability (P = 0·350; intra-class correlation coefficient = 0·84) were high. Significantly higher GNKQ-R scores of students with (66·0 (10·6)) v. without (38·0 (10·7), P < 0·001; d = 2·6) nutrition background indicated high construct validity. Significantly higher GNKQ-R scores among females v. males, older and senior students v. younger and junior students and students in health discipline v. non-health discipline reflected good convergent validity. Significant differences in GNKQ-R scores with nutrition information (time 1 = 37·8 (10·5) and time 2 = 47·7 (9·1), P < 0·001; d = 1·0) indicated high responsiveness to nutrition intervention.

The Arabic GNKQ-R showed high reliability and validity in the young adult Arab population. Besides the reliability of the overall questionnaire, each section demonstrated adequate reliability. Further studies are warranted to establish the generalisability and applicability of the Arabic GNKQ-R in older adults and in different middle-eastern Arab countries.

Our understanding of the nutrient contribution of fish and other aquatic species to human diets relies on nutrient composition data for a limited number of species. Yet particularly for nutritionally vulnerable aquatic food consumers, consumption includes a wide diversity of species whose nutrient composition data are disparate, poorly compiled or unknown.

To address the gap in understanding fish and other aquatic species’ nutrient composition data, we reviewed the literature with an emphasis on species of fish that are under-represented in global databases. We reviewed 164 articles containing 1370 entries of all available nutrient composition data (e.g. macronutrients, micronutrients and fatty acids) and heavy metals (e.g. Pb and Hg) for 515 species, including both inland and marine species of fish, as well as other aquatic species (e.g. crustaceans, molluscs, etc.) when those species were returned by our searches.

We highlight aquatic species that are particularly high in nutrients of global importance, including Fe, Zn, Ca, vitamin A and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), and demonstrate that, in many cases, a serving can fill critical nutrient needs for pregnant and lactating women and young children.

By collating the available nutrient composition data on species of fish and other aquatic species, we provide a resource for fisheries and nutrition researchers, experts and practitioners to better understand these critical species and include them in fishery management as well as food-based programmes and policies.

Little is known about parents’ compensatory health beliefs (CHB) surrounding their children’s engagement in physical activity (PA). Our aim was to provide evidence regarding the nature of, and factors underpinning, parents’ PA-related compensatory beliefs for their children.

A qualitative descriptive approach and thematic content analysis were employed.

Parents were recruited from community sport and PA programmes.

Eighteen parents aged 32–52 years (mean age = 40·8 (sd 5·4) years; six males; twelve females).

Analyses indicated that parents compensate through ‘passive’ or ‘active’ means. Among parents who compensated, most described their provision of ‘treat’ foods/drinks and a minority described allowing extended sedentary time to their children. Parents’ reasons underpinning these beliefs related to their child’s general physical/health status and psychological characteristics, and their own motivation and mood state.

These findings provide the first evidence of unhealthy dietary and sedentary behaviour CHB that parents may hold regarding their children’s involvement in PA.

Few studies have examined the healthy eating environments within the Australian out of school hours care (OSHC) setting. This study aims to describe healthy eating environments, consisting of: (a) the alignment of provided food and beverages to Australian Dietary Guidelines; (b) healthy eating promotion practices; (c) nutrition education through cooking experiences; (d) staff role modelling healthy eating and (e) regular water availability.

A cross-sectional study was conducted using direct observations and the validated System for Observing Staff Promotion of Activity and Nutrition (SOSPAN) tool.

OSHC located in urban and semi-rural regions of NSW, Australia.

Staff (151) and children (1549) attending twelve OSHC services operating in the hours after school.

Fifty per cent (50 %) of services offered fruits and 100 % offered water as a part of the afternoon snack on all four observation days. Discretionary foods were offered on more days compared to vegetables (+1·9/d, P = 0·009), lean meats (+2·7/d, P =·0 004) and wholegrains (+2·8/d, P = 0 002). Staff promoted healthy eating on 15 % of days, sat and ate with children 52 %, consumed high sugar drinks 15 % and ate discretionary foods in front of children 8 % of days, respectively. No opportunities for cooking or nutrition education were observed.

Afternoon snacks regularly contained fruits and water. Opportunities exist to improve the frequency by which vegetables, wholegrains and lean meats are offered in addition to staff healthy eating promotion behaviours. Future research is warranted to further explore healthy eating behaviours, practices and policies within the after-school sector.

Obesity is a serious public health issue. Investigating the eating behaviour of individuals plays an important role in preventing obesity. Therefore, the purpose of the current study is to adapt the long and first version of the ‘Three-Factor Eating Questionnaire’ (TFEQ), a scale that examines the eating behaviour of individuals, to Turkish culture and to carry out its validity and reliability study.

The data were collected using data collection forms, and anthropometric measurements of the individuals were made by the researchers. The data collection form included several parameters: socio-demographic characteristics, the TFEQ scale, whose validity and reliability analysis is conducted here, and the Dutch Eating Behaviour Questionnaire (DEBQ) which was used as a parallel form.

The Obesity Clinic at Ege University in Izmir.

The study group consisted of obese adult individuals (n 257).

It was seen that constructing the questionnaire with twenty-seven items and four sub-dimensions provides better information about Turkish obese individuals. Factor loadings ranged from 0·421 to 0·846, and item total score correlations ranged from 0·214 to 0·558. Cronbach’s α coefficient was found to be 0·639 for the whole scale. A positive, strong and statistically significant correlation was detected between TFEQ and DEBQ, which was used as a parallel form (r = 0·519, P < 0·001).

In Turkey, the long version of the TFEQ scale was found valid and reliable for obese adult individuals. TFEQ can be used by clinicians or researchers to study the eating behaviour of obese individuals.

There is limited evidence on the interaction by alcohol dehydrogenase 2 (ADH1B) (rs1229984) and aldehyde dehydrogenase 2 (ALDH2) (rs671) regarding the associations of alcohol and a methyl diet (low folate and high alcohol intake) with cancer risk, partly because of rare polymorphisms in Western populations.

In a case–control study, we estimated the ORs and 95 % CIs to evaluate the associations of ADH1B and ALDH2 genotypes with colorectal cancer (CRC) and the joint association between methyl diets and ADH1B and ALDH2 polymorphisms with CRC risk using logistic regression models.

A hospital-based case–control study.

In total, 1001 CRC cases and 899 cancer-free controls admitted to two university hospitals.

We found that alcohol intake increased the risk of CRC; OR (95 % CI) was 2·02 (1·41, 2·87) for ≥60 g/d drinkers compared with non-drinkers (Ptrend < 0·001). The associations for two polymorphisms with CRC were not statistically significant. However, we found a potential interaction of ALDH2 with methyl diets and CRC. We observed a 9·08-fold (95 % CI 1·93, 42·60) higher risk of CRC for low-methyl diets compared with high-methyl diets among individuals with an A allele of ALDH2, but the association was not apparent among those with ALDH2 GG (Pinteraction = 0·02).

Our data support the evidence that gene–methyl diet interactions may be involved in CRC risk in East Asian populations, showing that a low-methyl diet increased the risk of CRC among individuals with an A allele of ALDH2.

This study investigated the impact of recipe and single-use herb/spice packet provision on egg intake and protein intake in community-dwelling individuals aged over 55 years.

Using a randomised-controlled intervention design, 100 older adults were randomised to receive (n 53) or not receive (n 47) high-protein egg-based recipes and herb/spice packets through the post for 12 weeks, from June to December 2016. Egg intake, protein intake, adverse events, lean body mass and functional measures of lean body mass were measured at baseline, after the 12 weeks and after a further 12 weeks.

Bournemouth, UK.

Community-dwelling older adults.

Intention-to-treat data were analysed using regression, controlling for various demographic and lifestyle characteristics. Ninety-three individuals (intervention, n 50; control, n 43) completed assessments at all three time points. Egg intakes increased by end of intervention in both groups (mean: 4–5 eggs/month). After a further 12 weeks, higher egg intakes were sustained in the intervention group, while egg intakes in the control group returned to baseline levels (between-group difference: β = −0·124, P = 0·047). No differences were found in other measures (largest β = −0·106, P = 0·12).

The provision of high-protein egg-based recipes and single-use herb/spice packets over 12 weeks increased egg intakes up to 12 weeks after end of intervention. Other factors may explain increased egg intakes during the intervention, but the sustained effects most plausibly result directly from recipe provision. Limited effects in other measures suggest that the recipes may have replaced as opposed to added to existing protein intakes.

The current study aimed to analyse the prospective association between perceived work demand and changes in eating behaviours in schoolteachers.

This was a prospective cohort study with self-reported information obtained on the Demand Control Support Questionnaire and eating behaviours at baseline and after a 2-year follow-up. The analyses were performed using mixed-effects models adjusted for the main confounders.

The setting consisted of elementary and secondary schools located in a large city in southern Brazil.

The participants were 502 schoolteachers (65·9 % females, median age of 42·7 years [interquartile range 34·2, 49·4]).

A total of 39·2 % of the schoolteachers were classified at baseline with job strain, 28·9 % with passive job, 12·2 % with active job and 19·7 % with low-strain job. In the fully adjusted models, compared with teachers who reported low-strain job, those with higher levels of job strain were more likely to reduce (coefficient = 0·064; 95 % CI 0·018, 0·109) and less likely to increase (coefficient = −0·066; 95 % CI −0·115, −0·016) their frequency of fruit consumption regardless of sociodemographic, lifestyle, health conditions and social support at work.

Job strain plays a relevant role in the frequency of fruit consumption over time in schoolteachers. The balance between demand and control at work must be considered in strategies for promoting healthy eating despite perceived social support.

Dietary salt intake may vary depending on different lifestyles. We aimed to estimate the different salt intakes and evaluate the knowledge and self-awareness about salt among people speaking the Teochew, Teochew–Hakka and Hakka dialects in the Chaoshan region of southern China.

The study followed a cluster sampling of residents in Chaoshan region. General characteristics, lifestyles, health status as well as knowledge and self-awareness related to salt intake were investigated using a questionnaire. Anthropometric variables as well as Na and K excretion in a 24-h urine collection were measured.

Chaoshan region of China.

Four hundred fifteen adults who spoke only one of these three dialects.

The salt intake of adults who spoke the Teochew, Teochew–Hakka and Hakka dialects was 7·19 (interquartile range (IQR) 5·29–10·17), 9·03 (IQR 6·62–11·54) and 10·12 (IQR 7·61–12·82) g/d, respectively, with significant differences between Teochew and Teochew–Hakka speakers and between Teochew and Hakka speakers (both P < 0·05). The Na:K ratio for adults who spoke the three dialects was 3·00 (IQR 2·00–4·11), 3·50 (IQR 2·64–4·82) and 4·52 (IQR 3·35–5·97), respectively, and differed significantly among the groups (all P < 0·05). Multiple linear regression analysis showed increased Na:K ratio associated with hypertension (β = 0·71, P = 0·043) in Hakka speakers. Knowledge and self-awareness about salt intake were poor in this population.

Salt intake was closely related to lifestyles and was higher than the upper limit (5 g/d) recommended by the WHO in adults of Chaoshan, especially those speaking the Hakka dialect.

Unhealthy diet is a modifiable risk factor leading to subclinical arterial damage (SAD), high BP and CVD. It was aimed to investigate the possible associations of dietary patterns (DPs) with SAD in adults having multiple CVD risk factors.

Dietary intake was evaluated through two 24-h dietary recalls and principal component analysis was used to identify DPs. Oscillometry, applanation tonometry with pulse wave analysis and carotid ultrasound were used to assess peripheral and aortic BP, arterial stiffness and pressure wave reflections.

Laiko University Hospital, Athens, Greece.

A total of 470 individuals (53·1 ± 14·2 years) with CVD risk factors were enrolled.

A pattern characterised by increased consumption of whole-grain cereals, white meat and reduced consumption of sugar was positively associated with common carotid compliance (β = 0·01, 95 % CI 0·00, 0·01), whereas a pattern high in refined cereals, red and processed meat was positively associated with brachial but not aortic systolic pressure (β = 1·76, 95 % CI 0·11, 3·42) and mean arterial pressure (MAP) (β = 1·18, 95 % CI 0·02, −2·38). Low consumption of low-fat dairy products, high consumption of full-fat cheese and butter was positively associated with MAP (β = 0·97, 95 % CI 0·01, 1·95). Increased consumption of vegetables, fruits, fresh juices, fish and seafood was inversely associated with augmentation index (AIx) (β = -1·01, 95 % CI -1·93, −0·09).

Consumption of whole grains, white meat, fruits/vegetables, fish/seafood and avoidance of sugar was associated with improved SAD. Preference in refined grains, red/processed meat, high-fat cheese/butter and low intake of low-fat dairy products were associated with BP elevation. Future studies are needed to confirm the present findings.