Health Effects of Increasing Protein Intake Above the Current Population Reference Intake in Older Adults: A Systematic Review of the Health Council of the Netherlands.

Whether older adults need more protein than younger adults is debated. The population reference intake for adults set by the European Food Safety Authority is 0.83 g/kg body weight (BW)/d based primarily on nitrogen balance studies, but the underlying data on health outcomes are outdated.

Dietary and Circulating Long-Chain Omega-3 Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids and Mortality Risk After Myocardial Infarction: A Long-Term Follow-Up of the Alpha Omega Cohort.

Background Habitual intake of long-chain omega-3 fatty acids, especially eicosapentaenoic and docosahexaenoic acid (EPA+DHA) from fish, has been associated with a lower risk of fatal coronary heart disease (CHD) in population-based studies. Whether that is also the case for patients with CHD is not yet clear. We studied the associations of dietary and circulating EPA+DHA and alpha-linolenic acid, a plant-derived omega-3 fatty acids, with long-term mortality risk after myocardial infarction.

Alcohol and Brain Development in Adolescents and Young Adults: A Systematic Review of the Literature and Advisory Report of the Health Council of the Netherlands.

Young people, whose brains are still developing, might entail a greater vulnerability to the effects of alcohol consumption on brain function and development. A committee of experts of the Health Council of the Netherlands evaluated the state of scientific knowledge regarding the question whether alcohol negatively influences brain development in young people. A systematic literature search for prospective studies was performed in PubMed and PsychINFO, for longitudinal studies of adolescents or young adults ranging between 12 and 24 y of age at baseline, investigating the relation between alcohol use and outcome measures of brain structure and activity, cognitive functioning, educational achievement, or alcohol use disorder (AUD), with measures at baseline and follow-up of the outcome of interest.

Fatty acids in the de novo lipogenesis pathway and incidence of type 2 diabetes: A pooled analysis of prospective cohort studies.

Background: De novo lipogenesis (DNL) is the primary metabolic pathway synthesizing fatty acids from carbohydrates, protein, or alcohol. Our aim was to examine associations of in vivo levels of selected fatty acids (16:0, 16:1n7, 18:0, 18:1n9) in DNL with incidence of type 2 diabetes (T2D).

Methods And Findings: Seventeen cohorts from 12 countries (7 from Europe, 7 from the United States, 1 from Australia, 1 from Taiwan; baseline years = 1970-1973 to 2006-2010) conducted harmonized individual-level analyses of associations of DNL-related fatty acids with incident T2D.

Associations of dairy and fiber intake with circulating odd-chain fatty acids in post-myocardial infarction patients.

Background: Circulating odd-chain fatty acids pentadecanoic (15:0) and heptadecanoic acid (17:0) are considered to reflect dairy intake. In cohort studies, higher circulating 15:0 and 17:0 were associated with lower type 2 diabetes risk. A recent randomized controlled trial in humans suggested that fiber intake also increased circulating 15:0 and 17:0, potentially resulting from fermentation by gut microbes.

Plasma and Dietary Linoleic Acid and 3-Year Risk of Type 2 Diabetes After Myocardial Infarction: A Prospective Analysis in the Alpha Omega Cohort.

Objective: To study plasma and dietary linoleic acid (LA) in relation to type 2 diabetes risk in post-myocardial infarction (MI) patients.

Research Design And Methods: We included 3,257 patients aged 60-80 years (80% male) with a median time since MI of 3.5 years from the Alpha Omega Cohort and who were initially free of type 2 diabetes.

Biomarkers of Dietary Omega-6 Fatty Acids and Incident Cardiovascular Disease and Mortality.

Background: Global dietary recommendations for and cardiovascular effects of linoleic acid, the major dietary omega-6 fatty acid, and its major metabolite, arachidonic acid, remain controversial. To address this uncertainty and inform international recommendations, we evaluated how in vivo circulating and tissue levels of linoleic acid (LA) and arachidonic acid (AA) relate to incident cardiovascular disease (CVD) across multiple international studies.

Methods: We performed harmonized, de novo, individual-level analyses in a global consortium of 30 prospective observational studies from 13 countries.

Dairy Consumption and Cardiometabolic Diseases: Systematic Review and Updated Meta-Analyses of Prospective Cohort Studies.

Purpose Of Review: Dairy products contain both beneficial and harmful nutrients in relation to cardiometabolic diseases. Here, we provide the latest scientific evidence regarding the relationship between dairy products and cardiometabolic diseases by reviewing the literature and updating meta-analyses of observational studies.

Recent Findings: We updated our previous meta-analyses of cohort studies on type 2 diabetes, coronary heart disease (CHD), and stroke with nine studies and confirmed previous results.

Fatty acid biomarkers of dairy fat consumption and incidence of type 2 diabetes: A pooled analysis of prospective cohort studies.

Background: We aimed to investigate prospective associations of circulating or adipose tissue odd-chain fatty acids 15:0 and 17:0 and trans-palmitoleic acid, t16:1n-7, as potential biomarkers of dairy fat intake, with incident type 2 diabetes (T2D).

Methods And Findings: Sixteen prospective cohorts from 12 countries (7 from the United States, 7 from Europe, 1 from Australia, 1 from Taiwan) performed new harmonised individual-level analysis for the prospective associations according to a standardised plan. In total, 63,682 participants with a broad range of baseline ages and BMIs and 15,180 incident cases of T2D over the average of 9 years of follow-up were evaluated.

Omega-6 fatty acid biomarkers and incident type 2 diabetes: pooled analysis of individual-level data for 39 740 adults from 20 prospective cohort studies.

Background: The metabolic effects of omega-6 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) remain contentious, and little evidence is available regarding their potential role in primary prevention of type 2 diabetes. We aimed to assess the associations of linoleic acid and arachidonic acid biomarkers with incident type 2 diabetes.

Methods: We did a pooled analysis of new, harmonised, individual-level analyses for the biomarkers linoleic acid and its metabolite arachidonic acid and incident type 2 diabetes.

Dietary fatty acid intake after myocardial infarction: a theoretical substitution analysis of the Alpha Omega Cohort.

Background: Replacement of saturated fatty acids (SFAs) with unsaturated fatty acids (UFAs), especially polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs), has been associated with a lower risk of ischemic heart disease (IHD). Whether this replacement is beneficial for drug-treated patients with cardiac disease is not yet clear.

Objective: In a prospective study of Dutch patients with cardiac disease (Alpha Omega Cohort), we examined the risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) and IHD mortality when the sum of SFAs and trans fatty acids (TFAs) was theoretically replaced by total UFAs, PUFAs, or cis monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFAs).

Kidney function and specific mortality in 60-80 years old post-myocardial infarction patients: A 10-year follow-up study.

Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is highly prevalent among older post-myocardial infarction (MI) patients. It is not known whether CKD is an independent risk factor for mortality in older post-MI patients with optimal cardiovascular drug-treatment. Therefore, we studied the relation between kidney function and all-cause and specific mortality among older post-MI patients, without severe heart failure, who are treated with state-of-the-art pharmacotherapy.

Kidney dysfunction, systemic inflammation and mental well-being in elderly post-myocardial infarction patients.

Background: The aim was to investigate whether mild kidney dysfunction and low-grade inflammation in post-myocardial infarction patients are independently associated with markers of mental well-being (i.e. depressive and apathy symptoms, and dispositional optimism).

Dairy Consumption and Risk of Stroke: A Systematic Review and Updated Dose-Response Meta-Analysis of Prospective Cohort Studies.

Background: A higher milk consumption may be associated with a lower stroke risk. We conducted a comprehensive systematic review and dose-response meta-analysis of milk and other dairy products in relation to stroke risk.

Methods And Results: Through a systematic literature search, prospective cohort studies of dairy foods and incident stroke in stroke-free adults were identified.

Consumption of dairy foods and diabetes incidence: a dose-response meta-analysis of observational studies.

Background: A growing number of cohort studies suggest a potential role of dairy consumption in type 2 diabetes (T2D) prevention. The strength of this association and the amount of dairy needed is not clear.

Objective: We performed a meta-analysis to quantify the associations of incident T2D with dairy foods at different levels of intake.

Healthy eating and lower mortality risk in a large cohort of cardiac patients who received state-of-the-art drug treatment.

Background: Little is known about dietary scores and mortality risk in cardiac patients who are well treated with drugs with attendant relatively low risk of cardiovascular diseases (CVDs).

Objective: We assessed whether healthy eating lowers the risk of CVD and all-cause mortality in cardiac patients.

Design: We included 4307 patients from the Alpha Omega Trial aged 60-80 y with a clinically diagnosed myocardial infarction and monitored mortality for 10 y.

Effect of cheese consumption on blood lipids: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.

Context: Cheese may affect lipids and lipoproteins differently than other high-fat dairy foods. 

Objective: The present systematic review and meta-analysis was performed to evaluate randomized controlled trials that examined the effect of cheese consumption compared with another food product on blood lipids and lipoproteins. 

Data Sources: A systematic literature search of the MEDLINE, Embase, Scopus, CAB Abstracts, the Cochrane Controlled Trials Register, and the clinicaltrials.

Effect of alpha linolenic acid supplementation on serum prostate specific antigen (PSA): results from the alpha omega trial.

Background: Alpha linolenic acid (ALA) is the major omega-3 fatty acid in the diet. Evidence on health effects of ALA is not conclusive, but some observational studies found an increased risk of prostate cancer with higher intake of ALA. We examined the effect of ALA supplementation on serum concentrations of prostate-specific antigen (PSA), a biomarker for prostate cancer.

Update on cardiometabolic health effects of ω-3 fatty acids.

Purpose Of Review: The fish fatty acids eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) may promote cardiometabolic health. This review summarizes the results of recent meta-analyses of prospective studies on cardiovascular diseases, diabetes type 2 and markers of atherosclerosis and thrombosis.

Recent Findings: The results of recently published meta-analyses of prospective cohort studies showed that eating fish once a week was associated with a 16% lower risk of fatal coronary heart disease (CHD) and a 14% lower risk of stroke incidence, but was not related to heart failure.

N-6 and N-3 fatty acid cholesteryl esters in relation to fatal CHD in a Dutch adult population: a nested case-control study and meta-analysis.

Background: Dietary polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) are inversely related to coronary heart disease (CHD) in epidemiological studies. We examined the associations of plasma n-6 and n-3 PUFA in cholesteryl esters with fatal CHD in a nested case-control study. Additionally, we performed a dose-response meta-analysis of similar prospective studies on cholesteryl ester PUFA.

Gender-specific associations of marine n-3 fatty acids and fish consumption with 10-year incidence of stroke.

Background: There is some evidence that the association of fish and marine fatty acids with stroke risk differs between men and women. We investigated the gender-specific associations of habitual intake of the marine fatty acids eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) plus docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and fish on incident stroke in a population-based study in the Netherlands.

Methods: We prospectively followed 20,069 men and women, aged 20-65 years, without cardiovascular diseases at baseline.

n-3 fatty acids, ventricular arrhythmia-related events, and fatal myocardial infarction in postmyocardial infarction patients with diabetes.

Objective: We carried out a secondary analysis in high-risk patients with a previous myocardial infarction (MI) and diabetes in the Alpha Omega Trial. We tested the hypothesis that in these patients an increased intake of the n-3 fatty acids eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), and α-linolenic acid (ALA) will reduce the incidence of ventricular arrhythmias and fatal MI.

Research Design And Methods: A subgroup of 1,014 post-MI patients with diabetes aged 60-80 years was randomly allocated to receive one of four trial margarines, three with an additional amount of n-3 fatty acids and one placebo for 40 months.

Linoleic acid intake, plasma cholesterol and 10-year incidence of CHD in 20,000 middle-aged men and women in the Netherlands.

We studied the associations of a difference in linoleic acid or carbohydrate intake with plasma cholesterol levels and risk of CHD in a prospective cohort study in the Netherlands. Data on diet (FFQ) and plasma total and HDL-cholesterol were available at baseline (1993-7) of 20,069 men and women, aged 20-65 years, who were initially free of CVD. Incidence of CHD was assessed through linkage with mortality and morbidity registers.