The Association between Social Support and Musculoskeletal Health in Community-Dwelling Older Adults: Findings from the Hertfordshire Cohort Study.

Previous studies suggest social support is associated with musculoskeletal health in later life. We explored this relationship further in community-dwelling older adults, by considering associations between different aspects of social support and musculoskeletal health in community-dwelling adults. Participants from the Hertfordshire Cohort Study reported level of confiding/emotional, practical, and negative support using the Close Persons Questionnaire.

Pregnancy vitamin D supplementation and offspring bone mineral density in childhood follow-up of a randomized controlled trial.

Background: Findings from the Maternal Vitamin D Osteoporosis Study (MAVIDOS) trial demonstrated a positive effect of gestational cholecalciferol supplementation on offspring bone mineral density (BMD) at age 4 y. Demonstrating the persistence of this effect is important to understanding whether maternal vitamin D supplementation could be a useful public health strategy to improving bone health.

Objectives: We investigated whether gestational vitamin D supplementation increases offspring BMD at ages 6-7 y in an exploratory post-hoc analysis of an existing trial.

Intensive physical activity following total hip arthroplasty increased the revision risk after 15 years: a cohort study of 973 patients from the Geneva Arthroplasty Register.

Background And Purpose: Younger recipients of total hip arthroplasty (THA) highly prioritize returning to preoperative levels of physical activity (PA). Surgeons have tended to give cautious advice concerning high-impact sports participation, but there have been few long-term studies. The purpose of our study was to investigate the risk of revision arthroplasty in relation to postoperative PA levels.

Slow walking speed and health-related exit from employment among older workers over 5 years of follow-up: evidence from the Health and Employment After Fifty (HEAF) cohort study.

Introduction: With demographic changes, there is increasing demand for individuals and governments to lengthen working lives. Jobs that are very physically demanding are likely to be more difficult to sustain at older ages. If workers at risk of mismatch of demand and capability could be identified early, there would be opportunities for intervention for health or lifestyle and/or re-training or redeployment.

Bone health, cardiovascular disease, and imaging outcomes in UK Biobank: a causal analysis.

This study examined the association of estimated heel bone mineral density (eBMD, derived from quantitative ultrasound) with: (1) prevalent and incident cardiovascular diseases (CVDs: ischemic heart disease (IHD), myocardial infarction (MI), heart failure (HF), non-ischemic cardiomyopathy (NICM), arrhythmia), (2) mortality (all-cause, CVD, IHD), and (3) cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR) measures of left ventricular and atrial structure and function and aortic distensibility, in the UK Biobank. Clinical outcomes were ascertained using health record linkage over 12.3 yr of prospective follow-up.

Cognitive function and skeletal size and mineral density at age 6-7 years: Findings from the Southampton Women's Survey.

Introduction: Poor cognitive function and osteoporosis commonly co-exist in later life. In women, this is often attributed to post-menopausal estrogen loss. However, a common early life origin for these conditions and the associations between cognitive function and bone mineral density (BMD) in childhood have not previously been explored.

Musculoskeletal health and life-space mobility in older adults: Findings from the Hertfordshire Cohort Study.

This study explores the relationship between musculoskeletal conditions of ageing and life-space mobility (LSM) in 1110 community-dwelling older adults from the Hertfordshire Cohort Study. LSM is a novel measure which captures ability to mobilise within the home, locally and more widely. Among men, older age, care receipt, not driving a car, lower wellbeing, and reduced physical function were associated with lower LSM, while in women only driving status and physical function were associated with LSM.

Identification and Characterization of Neuroprotective Properties of Thaumatin-like Protein 1a from Apple Flesh Polyphenol Extract.

Background: Alzheimer's disease (AD) and Parkinson's disease (PD) are multifactorial neurodegenerative disorders that are mostly treated with drugs inhibiting key enzymes of cholinergic and aminergic neurotransmission, such as acetyl and butyryl cholinesterase (AChE, BuChE) or monoamine oxidases (MAO)-A/B, and of A aggregation. Diet plant components with multitarget functions are promising compounds in the prevention of AD and PD. Our aim was to identify neuroprotective compounds from apple polyphenol extract (AFPE).

Why did middle-aged and older people retire since the first COVID-19 lockdown? A qualitative study of participants from the Health and Employment After Fifty study.

Background: Governments of Western countries need people to work to older ages, however the COVID-19 pandemic impacted the workforce by pushing older adults to retire. Socio-demographic factors that influence the decision to retire in the pre-pandemic period were, poor or good health, finances, marital status, and gender. The aim of this study was to explore aspects that contributed to the decision to retire among middle-aged and older people in England who retired during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Diet and Aging: The Role of Polyphenol-Rich Diets in Slow Down the Shortening of Telomeres: A Review.

The ends of human chromosomes are defended by DNA-protein complexes named telomeres, which inhibit the chromosomes from fusing with each other and from being known as a double-strand break by DNA reparation proteins. Telomere length is a marker of biological aging, and disfunction of telomeres is related to age-related syndromes. Telomere attrition has been shown to be accelerated by oxidative stress and inflammation.

Role of Nutritional Supplements in Sport, Exercise and Health.

Health promotion requires good nutrition and an adequate lifestyle, which together contribute to people's well-being [...

Inhibition of Interleukin-6 Dependent Metalloproteinases-9/2 Expression in Cancer Cells by Diet Polyphenols.

Among inflammatory cytokines, Interleukin-6 (IL-6) is one of the major activators of acute phase response and is also involved in immune response and cancer progression. IL-6 is involved in the up-regulation of enzymes and growth factors acting on the extracellular matrix (ECM) remodelling components in physio-pathological processes. IL-6 enhances the expression of metalloproteases (MMP-)2/9, enzymes that play a key role in ECM degradation and therefore contribute to the process of tumor metastasis.

Development of a measure of dietary quality for the UK Biobank.

Background: Previous studies of the UK Biobank have examined intake of single food items and their association with health outcomes. Our aim was to develop a dietary quality score and examine the relationship between this score and markers of cardiometabolic health.

Methods: Principal component analysis was performed on dietary data from UK Biobank participants.

The effect of pregnancy vitamin D supplementation on offspring bone mineral density in childhood: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Unlabelled: Systematic review and meta-analysis of the effect of moderate- to high-dose vitamin D supplementation in pregnancy on offspring bone mineralisation found a positive effect of vitamin D supplementation on offspring bone mineral density (BMD) at age 4-6 years, with a smaller effect on bone mineral content.

Purpose: A systematic review and meta-analysis was performed to assess the effect of pregnancy vitamin D supplementation on offspring bone mineral density (BMD) in childhood.

Methods: A literature search was conducted for published RCTs of antenatal vitamin D supplementation with assessment of offspring BMD or bone mineral content (BMC) by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) using MEDLINE and EMBASE up to 13th July 2022.

Parent-Offspring Associations in Body Composition: Findings From the Southampton Women's Survey Prospective Cohort Study.

Context: Children born to parents who are overweight or obese have a high risk of adult obesity, but it is unclear if transgenerational associations relating to unfavorable body composition differ by parent.

Objective: To examine differential mother-offspring and father-offspring associations in body composition in early childhood.

Methods: A total of 240 mother-father-offspring trios from a prospective UK population-based pre-birth cohort (Southampton Women's Survey) were included for anthropometry and dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry assessment of whole-body-less-head body composition in the offspring at 3 different ages (4, 6-7, and 8-9 years) and in the mother and father at the 8- to 9-year offspring visit.

Serum from Adolescents with High Polyphenol Intake Exhibits Improved Lipid Profile and Prevents Lipid Accumulation in HepG2 Human Liver Cells.

The traditional Mediterranean diet (MD) is characterized by a high phenolic-rich food intake, including in particular vegetables and fruits, but also legumes, whole grain cereals, nuts, and extra virgin olive oil. Evidence for beneficial effects of polyphenols in humans depends on the amount consumed and on their bioavailability. Here, we evaluated the association between the estimated polyphenol intake by fruits and vegetables food source and serum biochemical parameters in healthy adolescents, recruited into the DIMENU research project.

Impact of Menopausal Symptoms on Work: Findings from Women in the Health and Employment after Fifty (HEAF) Study.

Women make up a growing proportion of the workforce and therefore many women experience menopause while in paid employment. We explored the prevalence of menopausal symptoms, the relationship between symptoms and coping with work and the risk factors associated with struggling at work during the menopause. The Health and Employment After Fifty (HEAF) community-based cohort of people aged 50-64 years was incepted 2013-2014 to study health and work.

Does antenatal cholecalciferol supplementation affect the mode or timing of delivery? Post hoc analyses of the MAVIDOS randomized controlled trial.

Background: Observational studies relating maternal 25-hydroxyvitamin D status to timing and mode of delivery have reported inconsistent results. We assessed the effect of antenatal cholecalciferol supplementation on the incidence of preterm birth, delivery mode and post-partum haemorrhage (PPH).

Methods: MAVIDOS was a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial of 1000 IU/day cholecalciferol from 14 weeks' gestation until delivery.

Predictors and Consequences of Not Seeking Healthcare during the COVID-19 Pandemic: Findings from the HEAF Cohort.

The COVID-19 pandemic resulted in a dramatic reduction of routine healthcare availability in many European countries. Among a cohort of English middle-aged adults, we explored pre-pandemic and pandemic factors associated with not seeking healthcare during lockdown, and their effect on subsequent self-reported health measures. Longitudinal data from the Health and Employment After Fifty (HEAF) cohort were used.

Pre-pandemic socio-economic status and changes in employment during the first lockdown (2020) on the health of middle-aged people in England: a longitudinal study.

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic markedly disrupted people's lives. It caused higher mortality and morbidity amongst individuals from poorer socio-economic position (SEP). It is well-recognised that job loss has a negative impact on health.

Telomere Length and Risk of Incident Fracture and Arthroplasty: Findings From UK Biobank.

We investigated independent associations between telomere length and risk of fracture and arthroplasty in UK Biobank participants. Leukocyte telomere length (LTL) was measured in baseline samples using a validated polymerase chain reaction (PCR) method. We used, in men and women separately, Cox proportional hazards models to calculate the hazard ratio (HR) for incident fracture (any, osteoporotic) or arthroplasty (hip or knee) over 1,186,410 person-years of follow-up.

Pregnancy Vitamin D Supplementation and Childhood Bone Mass at Age 4 Years: Findings From the Maternal Vitamin D Osteoporosis Study (MAVIDOS) Randomized Controlled Trial.

In the Maternal Vitamin D Osteoporosis Study (MAVIDOS) randomized trial, vitamin D supplementation in pregnancy did not lead to greater neonatal bone mass across the trial as a whole, but, in a prespecified secondary analysis by season of birth, led to greater neonatal bone mass among winter-born babies. Demonstrating persistence of this effect into childhood would increase confidence in a long-term benefit of this intervention. We investigated whether antenatal vitamin D supplementation increases offspring bone mineralization in early childhood in a prespecified, single-center follow-up of a double-blinded, multicenter, randomized controlled clinical trial based in the UK (MAVIDOS).

Maternal antenatal vitamin D supplementation and offspring risk of atopic eczema in the first 4 years of life: evidence from a randomized controlled trial.

Background: Evidence linking prenatal maternal vitamin D supplementation with the offspring's risk of atopic eczema is inconsistent, with most data coming from observational studies.

Objectives: To examine the influence of maternal cholecalciferol supplementation during pregnancy on the risk of atopic eczema in the offspring at ages 12, 24 and 48 months.

Methods: Within the UK Maternal Vitamin D Osteoporosis Study (MAVIDOS) double-blind, randomized placebo-controlled trial, we examined the relationship of maternal vitamin D supplementation during pregnancy with offspring atopic eczema at ages 12, 24 and 48 months.

Associations Between Late Pregnancy Dietary Inflammatory Index (DII) and Offspring Bone Mass: A Meta-Analysis of the Southampton Women's Survey (SWS) and the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (ALSPAC).

Systemic inflammation is associated with reduced bone mineral density and may be influenced by pro-inflammatory diets. We undertook an observational analysis of associations between late pregnancy energy-adjusted dietary inflammatory index (E-DII) scores and offspring bone outcomes in childhood. E-DII scores (higher scores indicating pro-inflammatory diets) were derived from food frequency questionnaires in late pregnancy in two prospective mother-offspring cohorts: the Southampton Women's Survey (SWS) and the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (ALSPAC).