Physical growth and nutritional status of Tsimane' Amerindian children of lowland Bolivia.

This study examines patterns of growth and nutritional status of indigenous Tsimane' children under 9 years of age (n = 199 boys and 210 girls), based on a cross-sectional sample from 58 villages from the Beni Deparment of lowland Bolivia. Compared with US children, Tsimane' children are quite short, with linear growth tracking at or below the US 5th centile in both sexes. The prevalence of low height-for-age ("stunting;" HA Z-scores

Effect of dietary fatty acids on the postprandial fatty acid composition of triacylglycerol-rich lipoproteins in healthy male subjects.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of the present study was to investigate the effect of trans-18:1 isomers compared to other fatty acids, especially saturates, on the postprandial fatty acid composition of triacylglycerols (TAG) in chylomicrons and VLDL. DESIGN: A randomised crossover experiment where five interesterified test fats with equal amounts of palmitic acid (P fat), stearic acid (S fat), trans-18:1 isomers (T fat), oleic acid (O fat), or linoleic acid (L fat) were tested. SUBJECTS: A total of 16 healthy, normolipidaemic males (age 23+/-2 y) were recruited. INTERVENTIONS: The participants ingested fat-rich test meals (1 g fat per kg body weight) and the fatty acid profiles of chylomicron and VLDL TAG were followed for 8 h. RESULTS: The postprandial fatty acid composition of chylomicron TAG resembled that of the ingested fats. The fatty acids in chylomicron TAG were randomly distributed among the three positions in accordance with the distributions in test fats. Calculations of postprandial TAG concentrations from fatty acid data revealed increasing amounts up to 4 h but lower response curves (IAUC) for the two saturated fats in accordance with previous published data. The T fat gave results comparable to the O and L fats. The test fatty acids were much less reflected in VLDL TAG and there was no dietary influence on the response curves. CONCLUSIONS: The fatty acid composition in the test fats as well as the positional distributions of these were maintained in the chylomicrons. No specific clearing of chylomicron TAG was observed in relation to time.

Different effects of whole milk and a fermented milk with the same fat and lactose content on gastric emptying and postprandial lipaemia, but not on glycaemic response and appetite.

Longitudinal studies indicate that milk and fermented milk products lower basal plasma cholesterol concentrations, despite their high content of saturated fat, and therefore have favourable health effects. However, there have been few studies on the postprandial effects of milk products. The present study compared the effect of whole milk with a fermented milk, A-38, on postprandial carbohydrate and lipid metabolism, gastric emptying and appetite. Eight healthy young men participated. On the two test days, they arrived fasting for collection of baseline values before consuming the meals, which for a 75 kg subject consisted of 1.4 litre milk or fermented milk, plus 165 mg [13C]acetate (for later determination of gastric emptying by a [13C]acetate breath test). Lactose (15 g) was added to the A-38 meal to equalize the lactose content. Postprandially the A-38 meal resulted in a slower gastric emptying rate than milk (P<0.001). Furthermore, the A-38 meal resulted in a greater increase and a quicker decrease of the triacylglycerol content in all lipoprotein fractions (LDL-fraction, P<0.05; other fractions, P<0.001) and of the gastrointestinal hormones (cholecystokinin and peptide YY, P<0.05; gastric inhibitory polypeptide and glucagon-like polypeptide-1, P<0.001). There were no significant differences in appetite sensations (measured by visual analogue scale) or in the glucose and insulin response (P>0.10). The slower emptying rate of the liquid phase after the A-38 meal is probably due to the higher viscosity of A-38. The lower and more prolonged triacylglycerol response after the milk meal might be caused by coagulation of milk in the stomach.

Difference in effect of myristic and stearic acid on plasma HDL cholesterol within 24 h in young men.

BACKGROUND: There is increasing evidence that postprandial triacylglycerol (TAG)-rich lipoproteins (TRL) may be related to atherogenic risk. Little is known about the acute effect of individual dietary saturated fatty acids on plasma lipids and lipoproteins. OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effect of two prevalent dietary saturated fatty acids, stearic and myristic acid on postprandial and 24 h fasting plasma lipoprotein TAG and cholesterol concentrations. DESIGN: Ten young healthy men were served two meals (1.2 g fat/kg body weight) containing fat enriched in either stearic acid (S) (shea butter) or myristic acid (M) (produced by inter-esterification) in a randomised, cross-over study. The meals were given in the morning after 12 h of fasting and again after 8 h (in the afternoon). The S and M containing meals were given at different days separated by a washout period. Blood samples were taken before the meal and 2,4,6,8, and 24 h after the first meal. RESULTS: The M meal resulted in a higher postprandial HDL TAG response than S (P=0.03 I), (diet x time interaction), while no differences were observed in other lipid fractions. Twenty-four hours after the M meal fasting, HDL cholesterol was higher (P=0.05) and HDL TAG lower (P<0.001) than at baseline. CONCLUSIONS: Intake of individual dietary SFA may affect fasting HDL cholesterol within 24 h. Thus after this short period HDL cholesterol concentration was higher after myristic acid than stearic acid. Myristic acid resulted in a higher increase in postprandial HDL TAG than stearic acid.

Green tea extract only affects markers of oxidative status postprandially: lasting antioxidant effect of flavonoid-free diet.

Epidemiological studies suggest that foods rich in flavonoids might reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease and cancer. The objective of the present study was to investigate the effect of green tea extract (GTE) used as a food antioxidant on markers of oxidative status after dietary depletion of flavonoids and catechins. The study was designed as a 2 x 3 weeks blinded human cross-over intervention study (eight smokers, eight non-smokers) with GTE corresponding to a daily intake of 18.6 mg catechins/d. The GTE was incorporated into meat patties and consumed with a strictly controlled diet otherwise low in flavonoids. GTE intervention increased plasma antioxidant capacity from 1.35 to 1.56 (P<0.02) in postprandially collected plasma, most prominently in smokers. The intervention did not significantly affect markers in fasting blood samples, including plasma or haemoglobin protein oxidation, plasma oxidation lagtime, or activities of the erythrocyte superoxide dismutase, glutathione peroxidase, glutathione reductase and catalase. Neither were fasting plasma triacylglycerol, cholesterol, alpha-tocopherol, retinol, beta-carotene, or ascorbic acid affected by intervention. Urinary 8-oxo-deoxyguanosine excretion was also unaffected. Catechins from the extract were excreted into urine with a half-life of less than 2 h in accordance with the short-term effects on plasma antioxidant capacity. Since no long-term effects of GTE were observed, the study essentially served as a fruit and vegetables depletion study. The overall effect of the 10-week period without dietary fruits and vegetables was a decrease in oxidative damage to DNA, blood proteins, and plasma lipids, concomitantly with marked changes in antioxidative defence.

A framework for food-based dietary guidelines in the European Union.

UNLABELLED: The nutrient targets derived from analysis of the relation between nutrient intake and disease prevalence or other scientific evidence, have to be translated into food-based guidelines in order to be understood by the general population. Furthermore, Food-Based Dietary Guidelines (FBGD) have to be realistic, attainable and culturally acceptable and should also give consideration to relevant social, economic, agricultural and environmental factors affecting food availability and eating patterns. This requires a thorough understanding of the relation between foods, food patterns and nutrient intakes in the population. The aims of Working Party 2 were to propose a framework for strategies in the development of FBDG and to examine existing data for nutrient and food intakes in the EU. METHODS: The over-all strategy given by the joint FAO/WHO consultation 1995 was used as the starting point, i.e. target foods or food patterns for public health nutrition programmes should be identified from an analysis of prevailing food and nutrient intakes. Prevailing data for food and nutrient intakes in 14 EU countries were examined and different principles and options for the derivation of FBDG were explored. Methodological issues and their influence on the interpretation of data for the development of FBDG were also examined. RESULTS: The process from nutrients to foods can be briefly: 1) identification of major food sources of the nutrient of interest, 2) identification of foods contributing substantially to population intakes, 3) identification of foods or food patterns compatible with desirable nutrient intakes or explaining variations in nutrient intakes, 4) formulation of FBDG into foods, portion sizes, frequency of intake, meal composition taking attainability and acceptability as well as compatibility of co-existing guidelines into account. The level of complexity that can be applied in the analytical approaches depends on the characteristics of available intake data. A detailed analysis requires data on an individual level for nutrients, foods, food patterns, eating and meal habits etc. When individual data are available different analytical approaches (examination of distribution of intakes, correlation analysis between foods and nutrients, examination of food intakes in compliers/non-compliers to nutrient goals, discriminant analysis, cluster/factor analysis) can be used to identify key foods or food patterns fulfilling nutrient goals. The examination of prevailing food and nutrient intake data in the EU revealed: a number of methodological differences in approaches to dietary surveys exist in the EU countries e.g., regarding methods used, selection of population, classification of foods, which have to be kept in mind in pan-EU comparisons at present there is a substantial gap between actual intakes and present nutrient goals suggesting that major changes of dietary habits are needed while some food patterns were consistently related to intake of specific nutrients in most EU countries, other patterns showed large variations between countries methodological issues, such as survey duration, survey techniques, under- or over-reporting, could have substantial influence on the identification of target foods or food patterns. CONCLUSIONS: A science-based analysis of nutrient and food intakes allows development of FBDG, which, if implemented, are likely to result in mean population intakes closer to nutrient goals. Acknowledging the social and cultural differences within the EU as well as the need to focus on the most relevant public health problem in the population, FBDG should first be developed within member states. Harmonisation of survey methods within the EU would facilitate development of regional and EU FBDG.

Long-term results with the Bankart and Bristow-Latarjet procedures: recurrent shoulder instability and arthropathy.

We retrospectively analyzed 26 shoulders in 24 patients 16 to 20 years (mean, 17.5 years) after a Bankart repair and compared these with a prospective series of 30 shoulders in 28 patients 15 years (mean, 15.1 years) after a Bristow-Latarjet repair for recurrent anterior dislocation of the shoulder. At follow-up one patient in each group had undergone revision surgery for recurrent instability. Two patients in the Bankart group had spontaneous stabilization of postoperative instability. Further, one patient in this group had had one subluxation during the follow-up period. In the Bristow group one patient reported 3 recurrences 3 years postoperatively. This patient has had no further redislocations during the past 12 years. Subluxations occurred occasionally several times in 2 patients in the Bristow group, but these patients were satisfied with the procedures at follow-up. No patient in the Bankart group had apprehension at follow-up. Eight patients in the Bristow group had subjective and/or objective apprehension. Throwing ability after surgery in the dominant shoulder was considered normal in 8 of 12 patients in the Bristow series and in 1 of 11 patients in the Bankart series. In the Bankart group 17 patients were "very satisfied" with the operative result, 7 were "satisfied," and 1 was "dissatisfied." The corresponding figures for the Bristow group were 24 who were very satisfied and 5 who were satisfied. Dislocation arthropathy was found in 16 of 26 Bankart shoulders (14 mild and 2 moderate) and in 9 of 30 Bristow shoulders (5 mild, 3 moderate, and 1 severe). The Bankart procedure seemed to be more successful than the Bristow-Latarjet repair when stability at follow-up was considered. However, when other criteria, as well as the patients' assessment of the operative result, are included, both methods can be recommended without any major differences.

Micronutrient interactions: effects on absorption and bioavailability.

A potential risk of interactions between micronutrients affecting absorption and bioavailability has to be considered in any supplementation or fortification strategy. At levels of essential micronutrients present in foods, most micronutrients appear to utilise specific absorptive mechanisms and not be vulnerable to interactions. In aqueous solutions and at higher intake levels competition between elements with similar chemical characteristics and uptake by non-regulated processes can take place. These interactions have clearly been demonstrated in experimental absorption studies and to some extent have been confirmed in supplementation studies. Negative effects of iron supplementation on indices of zinc and copper status and of zinc supplementation on iron and copper status have been reported. In contrast, the negative effect of calcium on iron absorption has not been confirmed in long-term supplementation studies. Ascorbic acid has a strong iron absorption promoting potential and in iron deficient populations ascorbic acid supplementation improves iron status. Thus, ascorbic acid supplements or an increased intake of ascorbic acid rich foods could have important public health implications, especially in populations subsisting on a mainly plant food based diet. The effect of poor status of a given micronutrient on absorption and utilisation of other micronutrients should also be considered while developing strategies to improve micronutrient status in a population. Awareness of these interactions, combined with a balanced evaluation of the dietary intake of the population with regard to absorption promoting and inhibiting substances and the risk for multiple deficiencies, could lead to more effective strategies to improve micronutrient status.

Folic acid enrichment of bread does not appear to affect zinc absorption in young women.

BACKGROUND: In several countries cereals are now enriched with folic acid to reduce the risk of neural tube defects. Human studies suggest that folic acid interferes with zinc absorption. This raises concerns about the zinc status of high-risk groups such as infants, pregnant women, and older persons. OBJECTIVE: We sought to determine the effect of added folic acid on zinc absorption from white bread with high and low zinc contents. DESIGN: Zinc absorption was measured in 15 healthy women (22-33 y), each of whom consumed 4 single meals spaced 2 wk apart in a randomized crossover design. The servings of bread (100 g) differed in zinc and folic acid contents as follows: A, 1.2 mg Zn and 17 microg folic acid; B, 1.2 mg Zn and 144 microg folic acid; C, 3.0 mg Zn and 17 microg folic acid; and D, 2.9 mg Zn and 144 microg folic acid. Meals were extrinsically labeled with 65Zn and absorption was estimated from whole-body retention measurements. Folate status was assessed by measuring plasma and erythrocyte folate and plasma homocysteine concentrations. RESULTS: Mean (+/-SD) zinc absorption did not differ significantly in relation to the folate content of the breads at either the low zinc content (38.8 +/- 13.5% and 40.6 +/- 16.5% for A and B, respectively; P = 0.74) or the high zinc content (26.7 +/- 9.3% and 22.7 +/- 6.6% for C and D, respectively; P = 0.16). There was no significant correlation between folate status and zinc absorption (r < 0.3, P > 0.1). CONCLUSION: Fortification of white bread with a commonly used amount of folic acid did not appear to influence zinc absorption at either a high or a low zinc content.

No effect of copper supplementation on biochemical markers of bone metabolism in healthy young adult females despite apparently improved copper status.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effects of increasing Cu intakes, above the usual dietary intake, on biomarkers of bone metabolism in healthy young adult females (aged 21-28 y) over a 4 week period. DESIGN: A double-blind, placebo-controlled randomised repeat crossover Cu supplementation trial. SETTING: The study was conducted at the Royal Veterinary and Agricultural University (RVAU), Copenhagen, Denmark. SUBJECTS: Sixteen healthy young adult females aged 20-28 y were recruited from among students at the RVAU. INTERVENTION: During the 4 week intervention periods in this randomised, crossover trial (3x4 weeks with a minimum 3 week wash-out period), each subject received, in addition to their usual diet, either 3 or 6 mg elemental Cu/day as CuSO4 or a matching placebo. On the last 3 days of each dietary period 24 h urines were collected. In addition, blood was collected on the last day of each dietary period. RESULTS: Serum Cu and erythrocyte superoxide dismutase (but not caeruloplasmin protein concentration or activity (putative indices of Cu status)) were significantly increased (P<0.05) after daily Cu supplementation with 3 and 6 mg/day for 4 weeks. Serum osteocalcin (biomarker of bone formation), urinary creatinine (Cr) concentration, urinary pyridinoline (Pyr)/Cr or deoxypyridinoline (Dpyr)/Cr excretion, or daily urinary Pyr or Dpyr excretion (biomarkers of bone resorption) were unaffected by Cu supplementation. CONCLUSION: Copper supplementation of the usual diet in healthy young adult females, while apparently improving Cu status, had no effect on biochemical markers of bone formation or bone resorption over 4 week periods. SPONSORSHIP: Funding from the European Commission.

Absorption and retention of selenium from shrimps in man.

This study was undertaken to evaluate the bioavailability of selenium in shrimps, a possible good source of selenium, by measurements of the absorption and retention of selenium and the effects on plasma selenium concentration and glutathione peroxidase activity. Twelve healthy young subjects (9F and 3M) received 100 g of shrimps each day for six weeks in addition to their habitual diet. In the third week of the study a balance period was inserted in which the subjects received all food from the department and collected faeces and urine over 5 days. Blood samples were collected at commencement of the study, after 2, 4, and 6 weeks. The selenium intake increased from 39.4 +/- 15.3 microg/d to 127 +/- 5.5 microg/d with the addition of shrimps. The apparent absorption of selenium from shrimps was 83 +/- 4%. Faecal and urinary selenium excretion was 32.5 +/- 17.0 microg/d and 21.2 +/- 9.0 microg/d, respectively and the total retention of selenium was 3.1 +/- 1.1 mg. Plasma selenium concentrations were 95.2 +/- 9.7 microg/L and 101.5 +/- 9.7 microg/L before and after six weeks of shrimp intake, respectively (p<0.05). Plasma and erythrocyte glutathione peroxidase activities were not influenced by shrimp intake. Thus, despite the high absorption and retention, plasma selenium concentrations were only moderately affected by an increase in selenium intake of about 100 microg/d in the chemical forms found in shrimp. Whether the accumulation of selenium from shrimps in tissues may represent a potential hazard is to be further investigated.

Green tea or rosemary extract added to foods reduces nonheme-iron absorption.

BACKGROUND: Phenolic compounds act as food antioxidants. One of the postulated mechanisms of action is chelation of prooxidant metals, such as iron. Although the antioxidative effect is desirable, this mechanism may impair the utilization of dietary iron. OBJECTIVE: We sought to determine the effect of phenolic-rich extracts obtained from green tea or rosemary on nonheme-iron absorption. DESIGN: Young women aged 19-39 y consumed test meals on 4 separate occasions. The meals were identical except for the absence (meal A) or presence (meal B) of a phenolic-rich extract from green tea (study 1; n = 10) or rosemary (study 2; n = 14). The extracts (0.1 mmol) were added to the meat component of the test meals. The meals were extrinsically labeled with either 55Fe or 59Fe and were consumed on 4 consecutive days in the order ABBA or BAAB. Iron absorption was determined by measuring whole-body retention of 59Fe and the ratio of 55Fe to 59Fe activity in blood samples. RESULTS: The presence of the phenolic-rich extracts resulted in decreased nonheme-iron absorption. Mean (+/-SD) iron absorption decreased from 12.1 +/- 4.5% to 8.9 +/- 5.2% (P < 0.01) in the presence of green tea extract and from 7.5 +/- 4.0% to 6.4 +/- 4.7% (P < 0.05) in the presence of rosemary extract. CONCLUSION: Phenolic-rich extracts used as antioxidants in foods reduce the utilization of dietary iron.

Effect of 6 dietary fatty acids on the postprandial lipid profile, plasma fatty acids, lipoprotein lipase, and cholesterol ester transfer activities in healthy young men.

BACKGROUND: There is increasing evidence that postprandial triacylglycerol-rich lipoproteins may be related to atherogenic risk. OBJECTIVE: The objective was to investigate the effect of individual fatty acid intakes on postprandial plasma lipoprotein triacylglycerol and cholesterol concentrations, plasma fatty acids, and preheparin lipoprotein lipase and cholesterol ester transfer protein (CETP) activities. DESIGN: Six test fats high (approximately 43% by wt) in stearic acid, palmitic acid, palmitic + myristic acid, oleic acid, elaidic acid (trans 18:1), and linoleic acid were produced by interesterification. After having fasted for 12 h, 16 healthy young men were served the individual test fats incorporated into meals (1 g fat/kg body wt) in random order on different days separated by washout periods. Blood samples were drawn before and 2, 4, 6, and 8 h after the meals. RESULTS: Different responses to the test-fat meals were observed for plasma lipoprotein triacylglycerol and cholesterol concentrations, plasma fatty acid concentrations, and lipoprotein lipase and CETP activities (diet x time interaction: 0.001 < P < 0.05). Intake of the long-chain saturated fatty acids stearic and palmitic acids resulted in a relatively lower lipemic response than did intake of the unsaturated fatty acids, probably because the saturated fatty acids were absorbed less and at a lower rate; therefore, the lipemic response took longer to return to postabsorptive values. CONCLUSIONS: Fatty acid chain length and degree of saturation appear to affect the extent and duration of lipemia and affect hepatic output indirectly. These effects may not be mediated via effects on lipoprotein lipase and CETP activities.

The sound of activism.

ABSTRACT A longtime advocate for female empowerment and equality, Boden Sandstrom has worked for political change in many arenas. In the 1960s, she began a career as a librarian, but soon made activism her full-time job, working for feminist, leftist and socialist causes. In the 1970s, she found a way to turn her lifelong passion for music into a career as a sound engineer. Once established in that profession, she began donating her services to political events, marches, demonstrations, and rallies. After thirteen years of running her own company, called Woman Sound,Inc. (later City Sound Productions,Inc.), she turned to the study of ethnomusicology. She is now Program Manager and Lecturer for the Ethnomusicology Program at the University of Maryland, where she is also working on her doctorate in that subject. She continues to freelance as a sound engineer and serve as a technical producer for major events.

Intestinal metabolism of rye lignans in pigs.

To study the intestinal metabolism of lignans, the concentrations of plant and mammalian lignans in intestinal digesta sampled along the intestinal tract of pigs were determined by isotope dilution GC-MS. The pigs were fed rye-bread diets made from either whole rye-grains or rye-grain milling fractions enriched in pericarp-testa, aleurone or endosperm cells. The content and characteristics of dietary fibre varied between diets and had been shown to induce different colon fermentation patterns. As the metabolism of lignans depends on the action of the intestinal flora, we tested whether the rye-bread diets influence the metabolism of lignans. In the ileum, the lignans were mainly present as conjugated plant lignans, which were determined only when the analytical procedure included a hydrolysis step. High recovery of dietary lignans in the ileum may indicate that the lignans enter the enterohepatic circulation. In addition, two to three times the intake of lignans were recovered in the faeces when the diets had a high content of dietary fibre suggesting underestimation of plant lignans in the diet. Most of the plant lignans disappeared from the intestinal tract between the terminal ileum and the caecum. The intestinal concentrations and the disappearance of lignans correlated with the content of lignans in the diet, being highest on the pericarp-testa diet and lowest on the endosperm diet. No effect of fermentation pattern on the intestinal metabolism of lignans was observed. The lignans were liberated from the pericarp-testa diet although the plant cell walls remained largely undegraded.

The effect of grape-skin extract on oxidative status.

Epidemiological studies indicate that moderate alcohol consumption, particularly wine, reduce the risk of CHD. The present study was designed to investigate the effect of grape-skin extract on markers of oxidative status. The study was designed as a randomised crossover. A diet with a low content of flavonoids was served with strict control of intake in two consecutive 1-week intervention periods to fifteen subjects (nine women, six men) divided randomly into two groups. During one of the weeks the subjects from either group consumed 200 ml grape-skin extract in water (1 mg extract/ml) at each of three daily meals (31.3 mg total phenolics, including 9.0 mg catechin). An increased activity of glutathione reductase and a borderline increase of glutathione peroxidase activity in erythrocytes were observed after grape-skin intervention, while the intervention had no significant effect on superoxide dismutase or catalase. Likewise, no effect was found on 2-aminoadipic semialdehyde (AAS) residues, a plasma protein oxidation product, or on malondialdehyde in plasma or in LDL, which are markers of lipoprotein oxidation. A marginal effect of grape-skin intervention was observed on plasma ascorbate levels. Intake of the experimental diet significantly reduced plasma vitamin C and plasma AAS in both groups. This effect was most pronounced in the particular week with no grape-skin extract addition. We speculate that grape-skin extract may have a sparing effect on vitamin C. The effects of the experimental diet may be partly ascribed to a low content of several fruit- and vegetable-related antioxidants like flavonoids and vitamin C and a relatively high content of carrot-derived antioxidants, such as carotenes.

Copper supplementation in humans does not affect the susceptibility of low density lipoprotein to in vitro induced oxidation (FOODCUE project).

The oxidative modification of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL) has been implicated in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis. Copper (Cu) is essential for antioxidant enzymes in vivo and animal studies show that Cu deficiency is accompanied by increased atherogenesis and LDL susceptibility to oxidation. Nevertheless, Cu has been proposed as a pro-oxidant in vivo and is routinely used to induce lipid peroxidation in vitro. Given the dual role of Cu as an in vivo antioxidant and an in vitro pro-oxidant, a multicenter European study (FOODCUE) was instigated to provide data on the biological effects of increased dietary Cu. Four centers, Northern Ireland (coordinator), England, Denmark, and France, using different experimental protocols, examined the effect of Cu supplementation (3 or 6 mg/d) on top of normal Cu dietary intakes or Cu-controlled diets (0.7/1.6/6.0 mg/d), on Cu-mediated and peroxynitrite-initiated LDL oxidation in apparently healthy volunteers. Each center coordinated its own supplementation regimen and all samples were subsequently transported to Northern Ireland where lipid peroxidation analysis was completed. The results from all centers showed that dietary Cu supplementation had no effect on Cu- or peroxynitrite-induced LDL susceptibility to oxidation. These data show that high intakes (up to 6 mg Cu) for extended periods do not promote LDL susceptibility to in vitro-induced oxidation.

An olive oil-rich diet results in higher concentrations of LDL cholesterol and a higher number of LDL subfraction particles than rapeseed oil and sunflower oil diets.

We investigated the effect of olive oil, rapeseed oil, and sunflower oil on blood lipids and lipoproteins including number and lipid composition of lipoprotein subclasses. Eighteen young, healthy men participated in a double-blinded randomized cross-over study (3-week intervention period) with 50 g of oil per 10 MJ incorporated into a constant diet. Plasma cholesterol, triacylglycerol, apolipoprotein B, and very low density lipoprotein (VLDL), intermediate density lipoprotein (IDL), and low density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol concentrations were 10;-20% higher after consumption of the olive oil diet compared with the rapeseed oil and sunflower oil diets [analysis of variance (ANOVA), P < 0.05]. The size of IDL, VLDL, and LDL subfractions did not differ between the diets, whereas a significantly higher number (apolipoprotein B concentration) and lipid content of the larger and medium-sized LDL subfractions were observed after the olive oil diet compared with the rapeseed oil and sunflower oil diets (ANOVA, P < 0.05). Total HDL cholesterol concentration did not differ significantly, but HDL(2a) cholesterol was higher after olive oil and rapeseed oil compared with sunflower oil (ANOVA, P < 0.05).In conclusion, rapeseed oil and sunflower oil had more favorable effects on blood lipids and plasma apolipoproteins as well as on the number and lipid content of LDL subfractions compared with olive oil. Some of the differences may be attributed to differences in the squalene and phytosterol contents of the oils.

Cholesterol-lowering potential in human subjects of fat from pigs fed rapeseed oil.

The possibility of achieving blood-lipid-lowering characteristics of pig fat by increasing the content of unsaturated fat in pig feed was evaluated. Three pig feeding regimens were applied: basal feed (no added fat or vitamin E), basal feed + rapeseed oil (60 g/kg feed), and basal feed + rapeseed oil (60 g/kg) + vitamin E (200 mg/kg). Meat and meat products from the three pig groups were incorporated into diets providing 86 g pig fat/10 MJ. The diets were served to twelve healthy human male subjects for 3 weeks each in a randomised crossover design. The diets prepared from pigs fed rapeseed oil had a lower content of saturated fatty acids (approximately 9 v. 11% of energy) and a higher content of polyunsaturated fatty acids (approximately 6 v. 4% of energy) than the diet prepared from pigs fed the basal feed. Diets based on fat from pigs fed the rapeseed oil resulted in significantly lower (approximately 4%, P = 0.019) total serum cholesterol concentration compared with the diet from pigs fed the basal feed. No differences were observed in LDL-, HDL- or VLDL-cholesterol, or in triacylglycerol or VLDL-triacylglycerol concentrations. Addition of vitamin E to the pig feed resulted in only a minor increase in vitamin E content in the human subjects' diet and the vitamin E content was low in all three pig diets. Plasma vitamin E concentration in the human subjects at the end of the period with diets from pigs fed rapeseed oil without vitamin E was significantly lower (P = 0.04) than in the other two diet periods. In conclusion, an increased content of rapeseed oil in pig feed changes the fatty acid composition of the pig fat in a way that has a potential to reduce blood cholesterol concentrations in human subjects. However, intake of pig fat with a higher content of unsaturated fatty acids needs to be matched by a higher dietary intake of vitamin E.

[Proper advice on nutrition. Recommendations concerning the conduct of the nutritional news]. / Redelig ernaeringsoplysning. Anbefalinger om hvordan ny viden om ernaering kan formidles.

The Committee on Proper Conduct in Public Advice on Nutrition, set up by the Danish Nutrition Council, has produced recommendations to persons involved in communicating results of nutrition research. The guidelines are targeted on scientists, industry, journalists and publishers as well as consumers to facilitate proper conduct in communication of own or other scientists' research results, which might influence consumers' choice and intake of food. The results are presented as recommendations and checklists providing the necessary requirements to bring people in a position to make the best possible evaluation of the new scientific results and to put the results into their proper perspective. The aim of this report is to improve the process so that the communicator focuses on the background information necessary for the reader/listener/viewer in the current situation to achieve a balanced view and benefit from the new scientific result.