What's New Today?

New Study Finds Plant-Based Diets Play Critical Role In Breast Cancer Survival
13 Jun 2007 - A new study in the "Journal of Clinical Oncology" reinforces existing evidence showing that women with breast cancer can greatly reduce their risk of recurrence by eating a healthy plant-based diet rich in fruits and vegetables and making other healthy lifestyle choices, according to nutrition experts with The Cancer Project.

"Women coping with breast cancer deserve to know that plant-based diets and regular exercise can spell the difference between life and death," says Jennifer Reilly, R.D., senior nutritionist with The Cancer Project. "In the battle against breast cancer, fruits, vegetables, and other low-fat vegetarian foods may be our most powerful weapons. Doctors must let women know that diet changes and exercise can help them beat this terrible disease."

The new study, conducted by researchers with the University of California, San Diego, tracked dietary patterns and exercise habits among about 1,500 women who were diagnosed with early-stage breast cancer between 1991 and 2000. It found that the death rate for women who consumed a high-fiber diet rich in fruits and vegetables and practiced good exercise habits was 44 percent lower than the rate for women who exercised little and ate few plant-based foods.

There are more than 2 million breast cancer survivors in the United States, but many of these women eat fewer than five servings of fruits and vegetables a day, consume too much fat, and lead sedentary lifestyles. But science has repeatedly shown that a plant-based diet composed of legumes, whole grains, fruits, and vegetables can help prevent cancer and cancer recurrence.

A 2005 National Cancer Institute study found that breast cancer patients in the study who reduced their fat consumption lowered their risk of tumor recurrence by as much as 42 percent. High-fat foods, including beef, vegetable oils, and chicken, can boost the hormones that promote cancer cell growth. But most plant-based foods are naturally low fat and offer people a healthy way to stay slim. Maintaining a healthy weight is another key to preventing cancer recurrence.

In 1982, the National Research Council linked eating habits-particularly high-fat, meat-heavy diets-to cancer of the breast and other organs. The "Journal of the National Cancer Institute" recently reported that the rate of breast cancer among premenopausal women who ate the most animal (but not vegetable) fat was a third higher than that of women who ate the least animal fat.

The Cancer Project is a collaborative effort of physicians, researchers, and nutritionists who have joined together to educate the public about the benefits of a healthy diet for cancer prevention and survival. Based in Washington, D.C., The Cancer Project is an affiliate of the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine.

Cancer Project
http://www.CancerProject.org
Article URL: http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/medicalnews.php?newsid=74026

Vitamin B Deficiency And Stroke Prevention: New Report Says Folic Acid Supplementation Can Reduce Risk Of Stroke
13 Jun 2007 - A new meta-analysis by an international team of researchers has determined that folic acid supplementation can effectively reduce the risk of a first stroke by 18 percent. Published in the Lancet, the meta-analysis, which centered on eight randomized controlled trials consisting of 16,841 individuals, also determined the risk of stroke was reduced by 25 percent in certain subgroups:

-- Subgroups that received folic acid supplements for more than three years

-- Subgroups that had blood homocysteine levels decrease by 20 percent or more

-- Subgroups who lived in regions with no folate grain fortification

Studies published in peer-reviewed journals have determined that patients with a variety of diseases are often deficient in folic acid, other B vitamins such as vitamin B6 and vitamin B12, and the omega-3 fatty acids (particularly DHA). Doctors are now using the prescription supplement Animi-3(R) to precisely deliver these nutrients to different patients.

"In this meta-analysis, researchers have identified folic acid supplementation as a potentially life-saving dietary aid," said PBM Pharmaceuticals President Jack Schramm. "We understand folic acid deficiency is common, so we specially designed our prescription Animi-3 formula to deliver 1 milligram of folic acid, along with DHA and other nutrients, to patients who are deficient in one or more of these ingredients."

Animi-3 is indicated for improving nutritional deficiencies in folic acid, DHA (omega-3 essential fatty acid), Vitamin B-12, and/or vitamin B-6. Research has shown that addressing these particular nutritional deficiencies may also reduce cardiovascular risk.

Each capsule of Animi-3 contains essential B vitamins:

-- Folic Acid (1 mg)

-- Vitamin B6 (12.5 mg)

-- Vitamin B12 (500 mcg)

Each capsule of Animi-3 also contains essential omega-3 acids (500 mg):

-- Docosahexaenoic Acid (DHA) 350 mg

-- Eicosapentaenoic Acid (EPA) 35 mg

FDA "Qualified Health Claims" B vitamins & Vascular Disease. As part of a well-balanced diet that is low in saturated fat and cholesterol, Folic Acid, Vitamin B6 and Vitamin B12 may reduce the risk of vascular disease. FDA evaluated the above claim and found that, while it is known that diets low in saturated fat and cholesterol reduce the risk of heart disease and other vascular diseases, the evidence in support of the above claim is inconclusive. Docket No. 99P-3029.

PBM Pharmaceuticals
http://www.animi-3.com
Article URL: http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/medicalnews.php?newsid=74016
Potential Heart Health Benefits Offered By A Daily Dose Of Pistachios - 12 Jun 2007 - Adding to a growing body of evidence, new research shows that a daily dose of pistachios may offer protective benefits against cardiovascular disease, according to a study published in the Volume 26, Number 2 issue of the Journal of the American College of Nutrition.

The study, conducted by James N. Cooper M.D., of George Mason University and Michael J. Sheridan, Sc.D., of Inova Fairfax Hospital, found that in people with moderately high cholesterol levels, a daily diet consisting of 15% of calories from pistachios (about two to three ounces or one to two handfuls of kernels) over a four-week period favorably improved some blood lipid levels.

"These results are exciting because the research indicates that adding pistachios to the daily diet can help protect the heart without a dramatic dietary lifestyle change," said Dr. James Cooper. "This research challenges the previously-held belief that a low-fat diet is best for heart health. Studies now show that a diet with a moderate amount of healthful monounsaturated fat, like the kind found in pistachios, is a more effective way to prevent heart disease than reducing overall fat intake. What's more, we noted very good compliance and a positive response from participants during the four-week period."

About Blood Lipids and Heart Disease

High levels of most blood lipids increase the risk of developing both heart disease and stroke while lowering blood lipid levels has been shown to reduce the risk. Lipids join with protein in the blood to form lipoproteins, known as cholesterol. There are three kinds of lipoproteins in the blood including high-density cholesterol (HDL); low-density cholesterol (LDL); and very low-density (VLDL) cholesterol. A normal total cholesterol level is 200 mg/dL or less; a normal LDL level is 130 mg/dL or less.

About the Study

In a randomized crossover trial, 15 free-living humans with moderately high blood cholesterol (greater than 210 mg/Hg) were given a diet where 15% of daily calories came from pistachios to see if it would have a significant impact on their blood lipid levels. All subjects consumed their normal diets during a five-day baseline period. Then, half the subjects were randomized to the pistachio diet for four weeks followed by four weeks on the regular diet; the other half followed the diets in reverse order. Subjects were instructed to substitute the pistachio nuts for normally consumed high-fat snacks. Subjects who did not normally consume high-fat snacks were asked to substitute pistachio nuts as fat calories. Otherwise, subjects consumed their normal diets.

Cardio-protective Shift in Some Important Blood Lipids

On the pistachio diet, statistically significant reductions were seen in TC/HDL-C (mean difference,-0.38; 95% CI, -0.57 to -0.19; p=0.001), LDL-C/HDL-C (mean difference, -0.40; 95% CI, -0.66 to -0.15; p=0.004), B-100/A-1 (mean difference, -0.11; 95% CI, -0.19 to -0.03, p=0.0009) and a statistically significant increase in HDL-C (mean difference, 2.3; 95% CI, 0.48 to 4.0; p= 0.02). Subjects consumed less saturated fat and more polyunsaturated fat and fiber. Statistically significant differences favoring the pistachio diet were observed for some blood lipid values, predictors of heart disease.

No Weight Gain on the Pistachio Diet

Subjects on the pistachio diet showed no changes in blood pressure, body mass index, or weight gain; further supporting previous studies which have also demonstrated no weight gain from the addition of pistachios to a daily diet. Nut consumption, in general, is associated with a lower body mass index and has not been shown to cause weight gain.

Source of Heart Healthy Fats; Nutrient Dense Snack Choice

Most of the fat in pistachios -- almost 90% - is "good" or monounsaturated fat, which can lower blood cholesterol along with heart disease2. Monounsaturated fat comprises 55% of the fat in pistachios; 32% is polyunsaturated. Both monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fat reduce blood cholesterol levels and lower the risk of heart disease when they replace saturated fats in the diet3. Of all snack nuts, pistachios offer the highest level of phytosterols, and are a powerful source of fiber, both of which reduce the absorption of cholesterol from the diet4,5. Pistachios make a wise snack choice as they are contain dense levels of eight nutrients including thiamin, vitamin B6, copper, manganese, potassium, fiber, phosphorus and magnesium.

Pistachios Carry FDA's First-Ever Qualified Heart Health Claim

The study further affirms the FDA's first-ever qualified claim for heart health, issued in July 2003, which states: "Scientific evidence suggests, but does not prove, that eating 1.5 ounces per day of most nuts, such as pistachios, as part of a diet low in saturated fat and cholesterol may reduce the risk of heart disease."

Sources:

1Sabate, J. (2003). Nut consumption and body weight. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition , 78 (3), 647S-650.

2Institute of Medicine, 2002 a. Dietary Reference Intakes for Energy, Carbohydrate, Fiber, Fat, Fatty Acids, Cholesterol, Protein and Amino Acids. Washington D.C., National Academy Press .

3Institute of Medicine (2002a). Dietary Reference Intakes for Vitamin C, Vitamin E, Selenium and Carotenoids. Washington DC: National Academy Press.

4Phillips, K. M., Ruggio, D. M., & Ashraf-Khorassani, M. (2005). Phytosterol composition of nuts and seeds commonly consumed in the United States. J Agric Food Chem , 53(24), 9436-9445.

5Tsai, C.J., Leitzmann, M. F., Hu, F. B., Willett, W. C., & Giovannucci, E. L. (2004). Frequent nut consumption and decreased risk of cholecystectomy in women. Am J Clin Nutr , 80(1), 76-81.

Contact: Sonya Grigoruk
Paramount Farms
Article URL: http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/medicalnews.php?newsid=73835
Dietary Preferences and Patterns May Be Linked To Genes
12 Jun 2007 - The relative amount of protein, carbohydrate, and fat that people choose to eat may be influenced by genetics, according to new research. Jose Ordovas, PhD, director of the Nutrition and Genomics Laboratory at the Jean Mayer USDA Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging at Tufts University (USDA HNRCA), and colleagues found that the apolipoprotein A-II gene (APOA2) is associated with proportions of fat, carbohydrate, and protein in the diet, along with total calories and, therefore, with body-mass-index (BMI). These results, published in Clinical Chemistry, are the first to show that the APOA2 gene is linked to food preferences that shape dietary patterns, particularly preferences for dietary fat.

Ordovas, corresponding author, and colleagues analyzed genetic alleles, or variants, in the APOA2 promoter, a region that controls expression, or behavior, of the APOA2 gene. The alleles of the APOA2 promoter, T and C, form combinations; TT, TC, and CC, which indicate genotype. Of more than 1,000 study participants, approximately 85 percent had the common TT and TC genotypes, whereas 15 percent of participants had the CC genotype. "Both men and women with the CC genotype had a statistically significant higher intake of fat than people with the TT and TC genotypes," says Ordovas. "People with the CC genotype also consumed an average of 200 more calories per day and were nearly two times more likely to be obese, as compared to those with the two more common alleles."

In addition to preference for dietary fat, the researchers found evidence that the APOA2 gene influences preferences for protein and carbohydrate. People with the CC genotype consumed higher absolute amounts of protein and lower absolute amounts of carbohydrate than those with the TT and TC genotypes. "People with the CC genotype also exhibited dietary patterns with a lower amount of carbohydrate relative to fat and protein than people with the TT and TC genotypes," says Ordovas, "despite their caloric intake or BMI."

Study participants, who were part of the Genetics of Lipid Lowering Drugs and Diet Network (GOLDN) Study, funded by the National Institutes of Health, were asked to fill out dietary and lifestyle questionnaires. Researchers measured participants' weight, height, and waist and hip circumference, along with blood lipid levels both before and after a high-fat meal.

The researchers did not find an association between any alleles of APOA2 and blood lipid levels, including triglycerides, total cholesterol, or LDL or HDL cholesterol. People with the CC genotype, however, did have greater amounts of small HDL cholesterol particles, as compared to larger HDL cholesterol particles, in their blood after eating the high-fat meal than did people with at least one T allele. Small HDL cholesterol particles are more of a risk factor for cardiovascular disease than are larger HDL particles.

"This study adds to our understanding of the relationship among nutrition, genetics, and obesity," says Ordovas, who is also a professor at the Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy at Tufts. "Nutrients from the foods we eat activate proteins in our body, which in turn bind to promoter regions, like the APOA2 promoter. These promoters then tell our genes how to behave," he explains. "Understanding these relationships may help to shape future recommendations for prevention of undesirable health outcomes, especially in populations that may be genetically vulnerable to certain dietary patterns or specific nutrients. More studies are needed in diverse populations to determine if APOA2 might play a role not only in food preferences, but also in satiety signaling."

In an earlier study investigating the link between genes and diet, Ordovas found that, for most adults in the Framingham Heart Study, fat intake was associated with BMI. However, for 13 percent of the study population with a specific allele of the apolipoprotein A5 gene (APOA5), higher dietary fat was not related to a greater BMI. For more information on APOA5 and Ordovas' research at the USDA HNRCA, please see "Study Finds Dietary Fat Interacts with Genes" [http://nutrition.tufts.edu/news/notes/2007-03.html] in the March-April 2007 issue of Friedman Nutrition Notes and "Genes and Diet Linked to Risk Factors for Heart Disease" [http://nutrition.tufts.edu/news/notes/2006-09.html] in the September-October 2006 issue of Friedman Nutrition Notes.

Corella D, Arnett DK, Tsai MY, Kabagambe EK, Peacock JM, Hixson JE, Straka RJ, Province M, Lai C-Q, Parnell LD, Borecki I, Ordovas JM. Clinical Chemistry. 2007 (June);53(6):1144 - 1152. "The -256T>C Polymorphism in the Apolipoprotein A-II Gene Promoter Is Associated with Body Mass Index and Food Intake in the Genetics of Lipid Lowering Drugs and Diet Network Study."

The Gerald J. and Dorothy R. Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy at Tufts University are the only independent school of nutrition in the United States. The school's eight centers, which focus on questions relating to famine, hunger, poverty, and communications, are renowned for the application of scientific research to national and international policy. For two decades, the Jean Mayer USDA Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging at Tufts University has studied the relationship between good nutrition and good health in aging populations. Tufts research scientists work with federal agencies to establish the USDA Dietary Guidelines, the Dietary Reference Intakes, and other significant public policies.

Contact: Siobhan Gallagher
Tufts University, Health Sciences
Article URL: http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/medicalnews.php?newsid=73610