The British journal of nutrition
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Randomized Controlled Trial Comparative Study
The influence of selenium-enriched milk proteins and selenium yeast on plasma selenium levels and rectal selenoprotein gene expression in human subjects.
Certain forms of dietary Se may have advantages for improving human Se status and regulating the risk for disease, such as cancers, including colorectal cancer (CRC). The present study compared the effects of a Se-enriched milk protein (dairy-Se) with a Se-rich yeast (yeast-Se) on plasma Se levels and rectal selenoprotein gene expression since we reasoned that if these genes were not regulated, there was little potential for regulating the risk for CRC in this organ. A total of twenty-three healthy volunteers with plasma Se in the lower half of the population range were supplemented with dairy-Se (150 μg/d) or yeast-Se (150 μg/d) for 6 weeks, followed by 6 weeks of washout period. ⋯ Rectal GPx-1 and GPx-2 mRNA were higher with dairy-Se (P < 0·05) than with yeast-Se at 6 weeks. In conclusion, three rectal selenoprotein mRNA were differentially regulated by dairy-Se and yeast-Se. Changes in rectal selenoproteins are not predicted by changes in plasma Se; dairy-Se effectively regulates the expression of several rectal selenoproteins of relevance to the risk for CRC.
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Following concerns about the nutritional content of school lunches and the increased prevalence of overweight and obesity in the UK, changes to the standards of school meals were made. From September 2008, all primary schools in England were required, by law, to be fully compliant with the new food-based standards (FBS) and nutrient-based standards (NBS) for school lunches. The aim of the present survey was to evaluate the introduction of the NBS for school lunches on the nutritional profile of food and drink items provided by schools and chosen by pupils at lunchtime. ⋯ Results show that even when the FBS was met, many schools did not provide a school lunch that met the NBS as well. The average school lunch eaten was significantly lower in fat, saturated fat and Na in schools that met both the FBS and NBS for school lunches compared with schools that met only the FBS. Change in school lunch policy has contributed to improvements in pupils' choices and the nutritional profile of foods selected at lunchtime.
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The aim of the present study was to investigate the association of PLIN1 11482G>A (rs894160) and PLIN1 13041A>G (rs2304795) polymorphisms with body composition, energy and substrate metabolism, and the metabolic response to a 12-week energy-restricted diet in obese women. The study comprised a total of seventy-eight obese (BMI 34·0 (SD 2·8) kg/m(2)) women (age 36·7 (SD 7) years). We measured weight, height and waist circumference before and after a 12-week controlled energy-restricted diet intervention. ⋯ Moreover, women with the 11482A allele had a higher decrease in lipid oxidation rate than non-A allele carriers (58·9 (SD 6·7) v. 31·3 (SD 8·2) %, respectively, P = 0·012; P for gene-diet interaction = 0·004). There was no interaction effect between the 13041A>G polymorphism and diet-induced changes on the outcome variables (all P>0·1). These results confirm and extend previous findings suggesting that the PLIN1 11482G>A polymorphism plays a modulating role on diet-induced changes in body fat and energy metabolism in obese women.
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As recently described, adherence to the Mediterranean diet is associated with improved asthma control. However, evidence of how specific nutrients such as fatty acids and antioxidants may affect this relationship remains largely unknown. We aimed to examine the association between dietary intake of fatty acids and antioxidants and asthma control. ⋯ A high n-6:n-3 PUFA ratio increased the odds for uncontrolled asthma (OR 3·69, 95% CI 1·37, 9·94; P for trend=0·009), after adjusting for energy intake, sex, age, education and use of inhaled corticosteroids. Higher intakes of n-3 PUFA, ALA and SFA were associated with good asthma control, while the risk for uncontrolled asthma increased with a higher n-6:n-3 PUFA ratio. The present results introduce a protective effect of ALA in asthma control, independent of marine n-3 fatty acids, and provide a rationale to dietary intervention studies in asthma.