Fruits and vegetables, 5+ a day: are we getting the message across?

Fruit and vegetables have important health promoting properties. The 5+ a day programme aims to promote awareness of the need to eat more of these foods. This paper presents and discusses the results of two surveys designed to determine the success of the 5+ a day programme across New Zealand.

Effect of riboflavin status on the homocysteine-lowering effect of folate in relation to the MTHFR (C677T) genotype.

Background: Riboflavin (vitamin B(2)) is the precursor for FAD, the cofactor for methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR). MTHFR catalyzes the formation of 5-methyltetrahydrofolate, which acts as a methyl donor for homocysteine remethylation. Individuals with the MTHFR 677C-->T mutation have increased plasma total homocysteine (tHcy) concentrations, particularly in association with low folate status.

Methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase 677C-->T genotype modulates homocysteine responses to a folate-rich diet or a low-dose folic acid supplement: a randomized controlled trial.

Background: Low folate status and elevated plasma homocysteine are associated with increased risk of neural tube defects and cardiovascular disease. Homocysteine responses to folate may be influenced by genetic variants in folate metabolism.

Objective: We determined the effect of folate-enhancing dietary interventions on plasma folate and plasma total homocysteine (tHcy) with respect to the methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase 677C-->T genotype.

Influence of methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase genotype, exercise and other risk factors on endothelial function in healthy individuals.

Cardiovascular disease has a multifactorial aetiology that is influenced by both genetic and environmental factors. Endothelial dysfunction is a key event in the pathogenesis of vascular disease that occurs before structural vascular changes or clinical symptoms are evident. Conventional risk factors, for example hypertension and diabetes mellitus, are associated with endothelial dysfunction, but the influence of other putative risk factors is not clear.