Dyslipidemia as a Potential Moderator of the Association between Hearing Loss and Depressive Symptoms.

OBJECTIVES: Knowledge about moderation of the association between hearing loss and depression is scant. We investigated dyslipidemia as a potential moderator of the association between hearing/hearing loss and depressive symptoms. DESIGN: Cross-sectional study. SETTING: General population-based cohort in France (SU.VI.MAX 2; 2007-2009). PARTICIPANTS: N= 4,307 adults (mean age = 61.5 ± 6.1 y; 59.6% women). MEASUREMENTS: A score ≥ 16 on the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale defined presence of depressive symptoms. Mean hearing level for each ear was defined as the pure-tone average of the following thresholds: 0.5, 1.0, 2.0 and 4.0 kHz; the value for the better hearing ear was retained for analysis. Hearing loss was defined as inability to hear at thresholds ≥ 25 dB in both ears. A subjective measure of perceived hearing loss was also used. Serum triglyceride, total-, LDL- and HDL-cholesterol concentrations were assessed in fasting blood samples and established cutoffs were used in multivariable logistic regression models. The interaction between hearing/hearing loss (independent variables) and each of the four lipid parameters was tested. RESULTS: Even though the interaction tests regarding LDL-, HDL- cholesterol, and triglyceride status were statistically significant, the subgroup analyses revealed few significant and somewhat unexpected findings. In fact, among individuals with low LDL-cholesterol, unlike their counterparts with high LDL-cholesterol, there was an inverse association between hearing level in the better hearing ear and depressive symptoms (OR= 0.94; 95% CI: 0.89-0.99). Regarding the subjective measure of hearing, a few of the dyslipidemia-moderated associations were statistically significant, albeit not all in the predicted direction. CONCLUSIONS: The findings provide some support for moderation of the association between hearing/hearing loss and depressive symptoms by dyslipidemia, with important lipid-specific and hearing measure-specific differences. The results could serve as impetus for future investigations in order to identify and target population subgroups with increased vulnerability to depression in the context of both sensory disability and aging.

Consumption of Dairy Products and Cognitive Functioning: Findings from the SU.VI.MAX 2 Study.

OBJECTIVES: Research concerning the link between dairy product intake and cognition is scant while experimental studies suggest links through various biological mechanisms. This study's objective was to examine the cross-time associations of total and specific dairy product consumption with cognitive performance in aging adults. We also explored compliance with dairy intake recommendations in France. DESIGN: The study was based on the «Supplémentation en Vitamines et Minéraux Antioxydants¼ randomized trial (SU.VI.MAX, 1994-2002) and the SU.VI.MAX 2 observational follow-up study (2007-2009). SETTING: A general-population cohort in France. PARTICIPANTS: N=3,076 participants included in both the SU.VI.MAX and SU.VI.MAX 2 studies. MEASUREMENTS: Dairy product consumption was estimated using repeated 24h records (1994-1996; mean=10 records, SD=3). Cognitive performance was assessed by neuropsychologists after an average of 13 years post-baseline via a battery of six validated tests. Mean age at the time of the cognitive function evaluation was 65.5 (SD=4.6) years. Principal component analysis revealed factors for verbal memory and working memory. Associations of energy-adjusted dairy product consumption and compliance with the respective dietary guidelines with subsequent cognitive impairment were examined using ANCOVA, providing mean differences (95% confidence intervals, CI) according to tertiles (T), adjusted for confounders including overall dietary patterns. RESULTS: Total dairy product consumption was not associated with cognitive function. However, milk intake was negatively associated with verbal memory performance: mean difference T3 versus T1= -0.99 (-1.83, -0.15). Among women, consuming more than the recommended amount of dairy was negatively associated with working memory performance: excess versus adequate = -1.52 (-2.93, -0.11). CONCLUSION: Our results indicate that dairy products consumption and especially compliance with dietary guidelines regarding dairy product intake are differentially associated with performance in specific cognitive domains after a comprehensive adjustment for lifestyle factors, health status markers and dietary patterns. Further longitudinal research is needed given the limited data available.

Prospective association between the dietary inflammatory index and metabolic syndrome: findings from the SU.VI.MAX study.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: The prevention of the metabolic syndrome (MetS) is of major concern and nutrition has been shown to modulate at least partly MetS risk. Our objective was to investigate whether a pro-inflammatory diet was associated with a higher risk of MetS and its components in a large cohort of French adults. METHODS AND RESULTS: A total of 3726 participants from the Supplémentation en Vitamines et Minéraux AntioXydants (SU.VI.MAX) cohort were included in this study. The MetS status was identified at baseline and after 13 years of follow-up using self-reported medication, data from clinical investigations and biological measurements. The dietary inflammatory index (DII) was computed using repeated 24 h-dietary records (n = 10.1 ± 3.1). Logistic and linear regression analyses were conducted to assess the prospective association of the DII (as Q, quartiles) with the incidence of MetS and with the traits contributing to the MetS-definition (blood pressure, glycaemia, triglycerides, HDL-cholesterol, waist circumference). A diet with pro-inflammatory properties, as expressed by higher DII scores, was significantly associated with a higher risk of developing the MetS (OR comparing Q4 to Q1: 1.39, 95% confidence interval 1.01-1.92, P = 0.047). Moreover, higher DII scores were associated with higher systolic and diastolic blood pressure (Ptrend across quartiles = 0.03 and 0.05, respectively) and triglycerides (Ptrend = 0.01), and with lower HDL-cholesterol (Ptrend = 0.03). CONCLUSION: A higher DII score was prospectively associated with a higher risk of MetS, with associations with blood pressure, triglycerides and HDL-cholesterol. Promotion of a healthy diet exhibiting anti-inflammatory properties may contribute to prevent cardio-metabolic disorders.

Prospective association of protein intake during puberty with body composition in young adulthood.

OBJECTIVE: To examine the association of habitual animal and plant protein intake during the potentially critical period of puberty with body composition in young adulthood. DESIGN AND METHODS: Multivariable regression analyses were performed on data from 140 female and 122 male participants of the DONALD Study with ≥2 3-day weighed dietary records during puberty (girls 9-14 years; boys 10-15 years) and anthropometric measurements in young adulthood (18-25 years). Fat-free mass index (FFMI) and fat mass index (FMI) were estimated from four skinfolds. RESULTS: In women, a higher pubertal animal protein consumption was independently related to higher levels of FFMI (ptrend = 0.001), but not to FMI (ptrend = 0.5). Adjusted means of FFMI in energy-adjusted tertiles of animal protein intake were 15.3 (95% confidence interval: 15.0, 15.5), 15.4 (15.1, 15.7), 16.2 (15.9, 16.6) kg/m(2) . In men, a higher animal protein intake was related to a higher FFMI (ptrend = 0.04) and a lower FMI (ptrend = 0.001) only after adjusting FFMI for current FMI levels and vice versa. Plant protein was not associated with body composition among either sex. CONCLUSIONS: Our results show that a higher pubertal animal protein consumption may yield a higher fat-free mass in young adulthood.