[Association between folate intake and breast cancer risk among Tehrani women: a case-control study]

Dietary folate deficiency may contribute to tumorogenesis in many sorts of malignancies. By considering the increasing incidence rate of breast cancer in Iran, this study was conducted to investigate the association between dietary folate intake and breast cancer risk. In this case-control study, 177 patients with breast cancer and 169 control subjects with no family history of malignancy were recruited from hospitals affiliated to Shahid-Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran. Standard questionnaires were used to collect data on demographic characteristics, physical activity, and food frequency consumption for the previous year. Total daily energy and folate intakes were estimated using the Nutritionist IV software. No statistically significant correlation was observed between daily dietary intake of folate and breast cancer risk in the sample population. However, the results showed a significant inverse association between daily intake of dietary folate and risk of breast cancer in postmenopausal women [OR=0.17; 95%CI: 0.035-0.88]. Increases in the strata of daily folate intakes were associated with decreasing trends of ORs in postmenopausal breast cancer risk [P[for trend] =0.036], where the OR of folate intake at the 2[nd] tertile was 0.26 [95%CI: 0.05-1.22] and at the 3[rd] tertile was 0.17 [95%CI: 0.035-0.88]. Based on the findings, folate intake was not correlated with breast cancer risk in the total sample population, whereas higher intakes of folate was inversely associated with postmenopausal breast cancer risk

[Dietary patterns and breast Cancer among women]

Although breast cancer is the most common form of cancer in women worldwide, only a few investigations have addressed the role of dietary patterns. Our main objective, was to identify the relationship of major dietary patterns and breast cancer. In this case-control study, 100 patients, 30-65 years old, with breast cancer, and 174 controls from the Shohada hospital in Tehran, were sampled. Dietary intake was measured with a food frequency questionnaire. Physical activity, demographic factors and health status were questioned. The questionnaires were completed by an interviewers. Factor analysis was used to identify major dietary patterns. The association between major dietary patterns and breast cancer risk were examined by logistic regression analysis. Two dietary patterns were identified. The healthy food pattern was characterized by the consumption of vegetables, fruits, low fat dairy, legumes, olive and liquid oils, Condiments, fish, organic meat, poultry, pickles, soya, and whole grains and the unhealthy food pattern was characterized by consumption of colas, sugar, tea, coffee, potato chips, fried potatoes, salt, sweets, desserts, hydrogenated fats, nuts, commercial fruit juice, refined grains, and red and processed meat. After adjusting for potential confounding variables, women in the highest tertile of the healthy dietary pattern scores, had a 66% decreased risk of breast cancer compared to those in the lowest [OR: 0.34 CI: 0.11-1.05]; the unhealthy dietary pattern significantly increased the risk of breast cancer [OR: 5.17 CI: 1.56-17.14]. The healthy dietary pattern was inversely, and the unhealthy dietary pattern was directly associated with breast cancer risk

[Shares of energy and nutrients intakes from subsidized food items in Iranian households in diffferent socio-economic status]

This study was conducted to determine the shares of energy and nutrients intakes from subsidized food items in meeting nutritional requirements of Iranian urban and rural households in different socio-economic [SES] groups. The data collected in the Comprehensive Study on Household Food Consumption Patterns and Nutritional Status of I.R. Iran during 2001-2003 were used in this study. Households were selected by systematic cluster sampling in urban and rural areas and their SES was assessed through in-depth interviews. Assessment of food consumption patterns was done using three consecutive 24-hour diet recalls by trained nutritionists. To determine subsidized food items consumption in the households direct weighing and purchasing tables of major food items [rice, oil, and sugar] and 2-day records were used. In the data file, subsidized and non-subsidized food item subgroups were separated from each other and the shares of each subgroup in supplying energy and nutrients intake in the households were determined. From among the socio-economic variables, some were extracted by factor analysis as indicators of SES based on factor loading. Factor analysis detected 3 significant components for SES. These factors could explain 70% of the variance in SES. The population was divided into three categories [tertiles] according to the factors extracted. The first, second and third tertiles were considered as low, medium and high socio-economic groups, respectively. Finally, the shares of subsidized food items in supplying energy and macronutriets in the 3 categories were estimated. Of the 7158 households studied, 2496 [34.9%] were rural and 4662 [65.1%] urban. The highest consumption of bread was seen in the low SES groups, while the energy, carbohydrate, and protein supplied by bread was low in the high SES groups. The daily per capita consumption of hydrogenated and liquid oils was 82 and 3.6 grams in urban and rural areas, respectively. In spite of increasing non-subsidized liquid oil proportion in urban areas [2.6, 3.0, and 4.1 gram/person/day in the low, medium and high SES tertiles, respectively], consumption of hydrogenated and total oils decreased with increasing SES in both urban and rural areas. The data also showed that in cities, with increasing the SES level the proportions of non-subsidized rice and sugar increased and that of hydrogenated [subsidized] fat decreased. Shares of dietary energy obtained from bread [42.3 +/- 0.5, 37.4 +/- 0.5, and 33.0 +/- 0.5 grams in rural, and 36.4 +/- 0.4, 30.0 +/- 0.3, and 26.4 +/- 0.3 grams in urban, areas in low, moderate and high SES groups, respectively] and hydrogenated subsidized oil were higher, and that from sugar was lower, in low SES groups, as compared to moderate and high SES groups in both rural and urban areas. Finally, in the high SES groups the shares of energy from non-subsidized and total rice, as well as from non-subsidized liquid oil, were higher. In IR Iran, higher SES groups receive lower proportions of their dietary fat, rice and sugar from subsidized food items. In contrast, in the lower SES it is the subsidized food items that supply most of the energy, carbohydrates and proteins

Association of overweight and obesity in first-year primary school children in Shiraz with breastfeeding pattern, birth weight, and family socio-economic status in school year 2008-09

The overweight and obesity epidemic in Iran started in about 2001. Obesity in the early decades of life is a strong predictor of adult obesity. Some of the most important risk factors of overweight and obesity in childhood are related to infant feeding pattern, parents obesity, family socioeconomic status, birth weight, physical activity, and diet. Breastfeeding is a good strategy for reducing childhood overweight and obesity. In this study the association between overweight and obesity with birth weight and breastfeeding pattern in 7 year-old children in Shiraz was investigated. This case-control study included a total of 400 Shirazin first-year primary school children [200 obese children as case and 200 normal-weight ones as control] selected by multistage sampling. The schools were selected by stratified random sampling and then all of the overweight and obese children [case group] were selected by cluster sampling. Overweight and obesity were defined as 85 /= 95 percentile of CDC 2000, respectively. For each case subject a control child was chosen matched for age, sex, school and grade. Data were collected by a nutritionist on demographic and socioeconomic characteristics, breastfeeding pattern, birth weight, physical activity, and food consumption [24-hour diet recall] by interviewing mothers, using appropriate questionnaires. Weights and heights of the mothers were also measured. The SPSS software was used for data analysis. The length of breastfeeding, mothers' BMI, and obesity in first-degree family members were statistically significantly different between the case and control groups [P = 0.005]. On the other hand, there was no significant difference between the 2 groups with regard to the family socio-economic status. Further analysis of the data showed no association between birth weight and overweight and obesity in the case group. The results of this study show that overweight and obesity in 7- year old children in Shiraz city are related to breastfeeding pattern, although the relationship may not be an independent one

[Association between dietary factors and renal stones in adults]

Urolithiasis is the third urinary disease and evidence shows that its incidence has increased continually during the past decades. The relationship between urinary stones and diet is known to some extent, but there are controversies about it. The aim of this study was to determine the relationship between dietary habits, food intake patterns and urinary stone disease. This was a case-control study with 161 adult patients with urinary stone disease referred to Hasheminejad Urology Center, Tehran, Iran, and 254 healthy subjects matched for age and gender. All the subjects were interviewed using a questionnaire to obtain data on demographic characteristics, dietary habits, and food consumption frequency. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 14. The independent T-test, chi square and regression were used to examine the differences. Findings showed that male-to-female ratio was 1.98:1. The prevalence of renal stone was highest in men aged between 30 and 50 years and in women aged between 40 and 60 years. There were no differences in height and weight between the two groups, but BMI was significantly higher in the case group [p=0.007]. A family history of renal stones was observed more frequently in the patients [59% compared to 31.9%; p<0.001]. The mean intakes of food sources of several nutrients were lower in the patients than in the healthy subjects: calcium [p=0.048], phosphorus [p=0.001], potassium [p<0.0001], vitamin A [p<0.0001], vitamin D [p<0.0001], and vitamin C [p=0.004]. Regression analysis confirmed the differences between the two groups as regards sources of vitamins A and D. The intakes of sources of magnesium and vitamin B6, as well as of foods rich in oxalate, were not significantly different between the 2 groups. Results suggest that there are associations between urinary stone formation and the dietary intakes of nutrients such as calcium, phosphorus, potassium, vitamin A, vitamin D, and vitamin C. Considering the challenges of treatment and the costs of this relatively common disease, dietary recommendations may be an easy and cost-effective way to reduce its burden

[Qualitative and quantitative dietary assessment of primary school children in Tehran]

Most of our food habits and preferences originate during childhood. Following an adequate and balanced diet from childhood is one of the most important factors in preventing degenerative diseases in adulthood. Thus, determining children's food consumption patterns is a high health priority. The present study was initiated to determine meal and snacking patterns of primary school children during 2003-2005 in Tehran. A total of 761 male and female primary school children [378 grade 1, 383 grades 2 to 5] from all the 19 Educational Areas in Tehran, selected by multistage cluster sampling, were included in the study. General information was collected in 2 parts, by interviewing [1]. the students, and [2]. the students' mothers or caregivers. For collecting information on food consumption during the previous month the 24-h-recall technique and a snack-frequency questionnaire were used. Results are reported as means +/- standard deviations and frequency distributions. The mean daily intakes of energy among the first and other grade students were 1910 +/- 551 and 2014 +/- 539 kcal, respectively. As compared to RDA, energy intake [95% RDA for grade 1 and 91% for other grades] and iron intake [86% for other grades] were inadequate, while the intakes of other nutrients were adequate. The mean intakes of energy, protein and some of the B vitamins among girls were higher than among boys

[Pattern of fat distribution [waist to hip ratio] and its relationship with BMI among high school girls in Lahijan]

Obesity is one of the most important public health problems of adolescents in developed countries. Recently, the prevalence of obesity has increased dramatically among adolescents of developing countries as a result of changes in life style and rapid growth of urbanization of societies. Considering that adolescent obesity is related to an increased adult morbidity and mortality, the present study was carried out in high school girls aged 14-17 years living in Lahijan in 2000-2001 to determine the pattern of fat distribution and its relationship with Body Mass Index [BMI]. In this descriptive-analytical study, 400 students were selected by random stratified sampling. Weight, height, waist and hip circumferences were measured and BMI and WHR were calculated. Data were analyzed using the SPSS program and Pearson correlation and ANOVA tests. The prevalences of obesity and overweight were 5.3% and 14.8%, respectively. On the basis of WHR, 21.5% of subjects and 66.7% of obese girls had a central pattern of fat distribution. A significant positive correlation was found between BMI and WHR [r=0.35, P<0.0001]. Results showed that in obese adolescent girls, fat deposition occurs in the body's centeral regions. Since central obesity has been associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular disease, hypertension and type 2 diabetes mellitus, implementation and monitoring of individual and groups nutritional and physical activity programs is recommended for this age group. [as individuals and groups]

Food consumption pattern in the Islamic Republic of Iran and its relation to coronary heart disease

A study was conducted to determine and evaluate the Iranian food consumption pattern in relation to coronary heart disease and dietetic risk factors. Nationwide data collected in our recent surveys were analysed. The findings reveal plant foods to be the basis of the Iranian diet. Of the total energy intake, 66% and 22% came from carbohydrates and fats respectively. The share of fat from different food groups was: meat and eggs 22%, dairy products 10%, fats and oils 58%. The percentage of saturated, monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fatty acids was 11.3%, 6.8% and 2.1% of the total energy intake respectively. Although the general food pattern of the population falls within the accepted ranges, the trend in the past 30 years reveals a twofold increase in fat intake