Risk assessment of methylmercury based on internal exposure and fish and seafood consumption estimates in Taiwanese children.

Fish and seafood consumption is a major source of human exposure to methylmercury (MeHg). This study evaluated the potential health risk of MeHg in Taiwanese children from fish and seafood consumption using a toxicokinetic model, hazard quotients and hazard indices (HIs). Two biomonitoring programs provided an important resource for blood specimens for assessing MeHg exposure in human populations. For internal exposures, total mercury (THg) was measured as a biomarker of MeHg in whole blood (WB) and red blood cells using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry and cold-vapor atomic absorption spectroscopy, respectively. The THg concentrations were used to estimate MeHg concentrations. Consumption of fish and seafood was assessed using the National Food Consumption database in Taiwan, while mercury concentrations in edible fish and seafood were collected from published studies in Taiwan. Our results indicated that 1) the highest median THg (representing estimated MeHg) daily intakes were found to decrease with increasing age in children consuming saltwater fish for age groups 0-3, 4-6, 7-12, and 13-18 years: 0.03 > 0.02 > 0.017 > 0.007 (µg kg-BW-1 day-1); 2) HI greater than one, based on WB-THg, was found in 28% of 4-6-year-old children and 3) internal exposure estimates based on WB-THg, though slightly higher, were comparable to those based on fish and seafood consumption. The results support the use of dietary intake estimates as surrogates for internal blood MeHg levels in Taiwanese children to assess their exposure.

Fast foods--are they a risk factor for functional gastrointestinal disorders?

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Fast-food consumption has greatly increased in Taiwan. Frequent fast food intake is associated with both allergy and obesity. The aim of this study was to describe fast food habit changes, and to assess the relationship between fast food intake and the risk of functional gastrointestinal disorders (FGIDs) among Taiwanese adolescents. METHODS AND STUDY DESIGN: This analysis used data from the Nutrition and Health Survey in Taiwan (NAHSIT) of high school students conducted in 2011. A total of 2,042 adolescents (12-19 years) completed the questionnaire. The survey included the Rome III criteria for FGIDs, translated into Chinese for adolescents. Respondents with previously diagnosed chronic organic gastrointestinal diseases were excluded from the study. RESULTS: In total, 2,034 children were enrolled. 545 subjects (26.8%) had history of at least one FGID. 88.1% of the subjects reported fast foods consumption. A significantly higher prevalence of FGIDs was noted in adolescents with a history of fast foods consumption, compared with those reported not to have ingested fast foods in the past 30 days (27.6% vs 20.6%, p=0.024). An increased risk of FGIDs in children and adolescents was associated with fast food intake (OR 1.8, 95% CI: 1.78-1.83). CONCLUSIONS: FGIDs were common among Taiwanese adolescents. Fast-food consumption may contribute to a positive association with the development of functional gastrointestinal disorders. Lower fiber intake and more frozen desserts in the diet may be complicit in FGIDs. The findings have public health relevance in regard to the global increase in fast food consumption.

Attenuating the mortality risk of high serum uric acid: the role of physical activity underused.

BACKGROUND: High serum uric acid (sUA) has been associated with increased mortality risks, but its clinical treatment varied with potential side effects. The role of physical activity has received limited attention. METHODS: A cohort, consisting of 467 976 adults, who went through a standard health screening programme, with questionnaire and fasting blood samples, was successively recruited between 1996 and 2008. High sUA is defined as uric acid above 7.0 mg/dL. Leisure time physical activity level was self-reported, with fully active defined as those with 30 min per day for at least 5 days a week. National death file identified 12 228 deaths with a median follow-up of 8.5 years. Cox proportional model was used to analyse HRs, and 12 variables were controlled, including medical history, life style and risk factors. FINDINGS: High sUA constituted one quarter of the cohort (25.6%). Their all-cause mortality was significantly increased [HR: 1.22 (1.15-1.29)], with much of the increase contributed to by the inactive (HR: 1.27 (1.17-1.37)), relative to the reference group with sUA level of 5-6 mg/dL. When they were fully active, mortality risks did not increase, but decreased by 11% (HR: 0.89 (0.82-0.97)), reflecting the benefits of being active was able to overcome the adverse effects of high sUA. Given the same high sUA, a 4-6 years difference in life expectancy was found between the active and the inactive. CONCLUSIONS: Physical activity is a valuable alternative to pharmacotherapy in its ability to reduce the increases in mortality risks from high sUA. By being fully active, exercise can extend life span by 4-6 years, a level greater than the 1-4 years of life-shortening effect from high sUA.

Constipation in Taiwan elementary school students: a nationwide survey.

BACKGROUND: To evaluate the prevalence and associated factors of childhood constipation in Taiwan. METHODS: Healthy children between 7 and 12 years of age were interviewed to determine the prevalence of constipation and associated demographic and dietary factors. A nationwide sample of 2,375 children was selected with complex multistaged sampling throughout Taiwan. RESULTS: In total, 2,375 individuals (1,282 boys and 1,093 girls, mean age=9.3±2.2 years) were interviewed, with a response rate of 95.1%. The prevalence of constipation was 32.2%, and girls were more likely to have constipation than boys (36.1% vs. 29.2%, p=0.0012) in this study. The prevalence of constipation was inversely related to age (24.4% for children aged 11 and 12, 34.0% for children aged 9 and 10, and 39.6% for children aged 7 and 8, p<0.001). Constipated children were more likely to report irregular bowl movements (37.2% vs. 29.3%, p=0.003), and constipated children had a significantly lower body mass index (17.5kg/m(2)vs. 18.3kg/m(2), p<0.001). The dietary intake for children with constipation was associated with lower intake of vegetables (4.2 servings/week vs. 5.8 servings/week, p<0.05), fruits (5.6 servings/week vs. 7.0 servings/week, p<0.05), soybean products (2.2 servings/week vs. 2.9 serving/week, p<0.05), and eggs (3.9 servings/week vs. 4.6 servings/week, p<0.05). CONCLUSION: Constipation is common in Taiwanese school-aged children, especially in girls. Less frequent consumption of vegetables, fruits, soybean products, and eggs is associated with childhood constipation. Establishing a regular bowel habit is encouraged to decrease the risk of constipation, and allowing the children a relaxed and sufficient time to defecate after school is essential.

Prevalence of obesity and its comorbidities among schoolchildren in Taiwan.

To evaluate the prevalence of obesity and its comorbidities among a representative sample of elementary schoolchildren in Taiwan, the Nutrition and Health Survey in Taiwan Elementary School Children used a stratified, multi-staged complex sampling scheme. In total 2,405 children (1,290 boys and 1,115 girls) were included. The prevalence of overweight and obesity was 15.5 and 14.7% in boys and 14.4 and 9.1% in girls. With respect to geographic differences, the prevalence of obesity for boys was highest in the southern area (23.3% for the 3rd stratum) and lowest in the mountain area (4.3%). For girls, the prevalence of overweight and obesity was highest in the central area (13.0% for the 3rd stratum) and lowest in the southern area (2.6% for the 3rd stratum). The obese children had higher mean levels of blood pressure, triglyceride, low density lipoprotein-cholesterol, uric acid and serum glutamic pyruvic transaminase, but lower level of high density lipoprotein-cholesterol when compared with the normal weight children. For obese and normal weight boys, the prevalence was 12.9 % vs. 0.3 % for high blood pressure, 31.4 % vs. 19.6 % for dyslipidemia, and 6.4 % vs. 0.8 % for abnormal serum glutamic pyruvic transaminase level. In conclusion, we found that about one third of the boys and one quarter of the girls were overweight and/or obesity in Taiwan. Furthermore, the prevalence of obesity-related comorbidities was significantly increased for obese and/or overweight elementary schoolchildren in the Taiwan area.

Long contiguous stretches of homozygosity in the human genome.

Single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) are the most common sequence variation in the human genome; they have been successfully used in mapping disease genes and more recently in studying population genetics and cancer genetics. In a population-based association study using high-density oligonucleotide arrays for whole-genome SNP genotyping, we discovered that in the genomes of unrelated Han Chinese, 34 out of 515 (6.6%) individuals contained long contiguous stretches of homozygosity (LCSHs), ranging in the size from 2.94 to 26.27 Mbp (10.22+/-5.95 Mbp). Four out of four (100%) Taiwan aborigines also demonstrated this genetic characteristic. The number of LCSH regions increased markedly in the offspring of consanguineous marriages. LCSH was also detected in Caucasian samples (11/42; 26.2%) and African American samples (2/42; 4.76%). A total of 26 LCSH regions were recurrently detected among Han Chinese, Taiwan aborigines, and Caucasians. DNA copy number determination by hybridization intensity analysis and real-time quantitative PCR (qPCR) excluded deletion as the cause of LCSH. Our results suggest that LCSHs are common in the human genome of the outbred population and this genetic characteristic could have a significant impact on population genetics and disease gene studies.