The scientific literature contains evidence suggesting that women who have been treated for breast cancer may, as a result of their diagnosis, increase their phyto-oestrogen (PE) intake. In the present paper, we describe the creation of a dietary analysis database (based on Dietplan6) for the determination of dietary intakes of specific PE (daidzein, genistein, glycitein, formononetin, biochanin A, coumestrol, matairesinol and secoisolariciresinol), in a group of women previously diagnosed and treated for postmenopausal breast cancer. The design of the database, data evaluation criteria, literature data entry for 551 foods and primary analysis by LC–MS/MS of an additional thirty-four foods for which there were no published data are described. The dietary intake of 316 women previously treated for postmenopausal breast cancer informed the identification of potential food and beverage sources of PE and the bespoke dietary analysis database was created to, ultimately, quantify their PE intake. In order that PE exposure could be comprehensively described, fifty-four of the 316 subjects completed a 24 h urine collection, and their urinary excretion results allowed for the description of exposure to include those identified as ‘equol producers’.

Nine ‘large-eating’ (approximately 12 MJ/d) and nine ‘small-eating’ (approximately 5.3 MJ/d) women were selected from the population on the basis of diet and activity diaries. At rest and in the post-absorptive state the rate of oxygen consumption (Vo2)/kg fat-free mass (FFM) and rate of carbon dioxide production (Vco2)/kg FFM were 9–17% higher (P < 0.05) in the ‘large-eaters’ than in the ‘small-eaters’. As energy expenditure was increased by walking at 2.4, 3.9 and 5.4 km/h the differences between the two experimental groups for both Vo2/kg FFM and Vco2/kg FFM were decreased to negligible values, but energy expended on a body-weight basis (MJ/kg per min) remained significantly higher (5–10%) in ‘large-eaters’. Oral temperature was also consistently higher (up to 0.5°) in this group both at rest and during sitting, standing and walking activities. Although the average thermic effect of a standardized liquid meal tended to be higher (27%; not significant) in the ‘small-eaters’, the other results demonstrate that the ‘large-eating’ females had a markedly higher rate of energy expenditure at rest and during light physical activities.

1. Four experiments, each with four concurrent continuous cultures of rumen micro-organisms, were used to investigate the effects of inoculum, food substrate and cobalt supplementation on the course of fermentation and vitamin B12 synthesis. The inocula came from sheep receiving either a Co-rich, complete diet (Ruminant A: Expts 1, 2 and 4) or a Co-deficient hay (Expt 3). In Expt 2, inocula from different donors were used for each culture but for other experiments they were pooled. Co-deficient hay was used as the initial substrate and Co-supplements were given after 8–54 d Co-depletion.

2. In three of four experiments, two using a pooled inoculum, uncharacteristically low acetate (Ac) and high propionate (Pr) outputs were obtained from the hay substrate in some cultures. In all, six cultures gave Ac:Pr values in the effluent > 2: 1 and, in Expt 3, the differences remained evident for at least 6 d after a change to a Co-deficient barley substrate.

3. Abnormal cultures gave lower cobalamin (cbl) and vitamin B12 analogue outputs than normal cultures: when supplemented with Co they showed small responses in cbl and large responses in analogue output with a slow increase in Ac:Pr.

4. We suggest that the use of Co-deficient substrates led to shifts in the microbial populations of some cultures, indicating the cbl-dependence of some species of rumen micro-organisms.

Flaxseed oil is rich in α-linolenic acid (ALA), which is the metabolic precursor of EPA and DHA. The present study investigated the effect of flaxseed oil supplementation on lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced muscle atrophy and carbohydrate oxidation impairment in a piglet model. Twenty-four weaned pigs were used in a 2 × 2 factorial experiment including dietary treatment (5 % maize oil v. 5 % flaxseed oil) and LPS challenge (saline v. LPS). On day 21 of treatment, the pigs were injected intraperitoneally with 100 μg/kg body weight LPS or sterile saline. At 4 h after injection, blood, gastrocnemius muscle and longissimus dorsi muscle were collected. Flaxseed oil supplementation increased ALA, EPA, total n-3 PUFA contents, protein:DNA ratio and pyruvate dehydrogenase complex quantity in muscles (P < 0·05). In addition, flaxseed oil reduced mRNA expression of toll-like receptor (TLR) 4 and nucleotide-binding oligomerisation domain protein (NOD) 2 and their downstream signalling molecules in muscles and decreased plasma concentrations of TNF-α, IL-6 and IL-8, and mRNA expression of TNF-α, IL-1β and IL-6 (P < 0·05). Moreover, flaxseed oil inclusion increased the ratios of phosphorylated protein kinase B (Akt) 1:total Akt1 and phosphorylated Forkhead box O (FOXO) 1:total FOXO1 and reduced mRNA expression of FOXO1, muscle RING finger (MuRF) 1 and pyruvate dehydrogenase kinase 4 in muscles (P < 0·05). These results suggest that flaxseed oil might have a positive effect on alleviating muscle protein loss and carbohydrates oxidation impairment induced by LPS challenge through regulation of the TLR4/NOD and Akt/FOXO signalling pathways.

The present study investigated the effect of glutamine (Gln) on dextran sulphate sodium (DSS)-induced changes in the expression of small-intestinal intraepithelial lymphocyte (IEL) γδ-T cells in mice. Mice were randomly assigned to a normal control (NC) group and two DSS-treated groups. The NC group and one of the DSS-treated groups (DSS-C) were fed a common semi-purified diet, while the other DSS-treated group (DSS-G) was fed an identical diet, except that part of casein was replaced by Gln, which provided 25 % of total amino acid nitrogen. After being fed the diets for 10 d, mice in the NC group were given distilled water, while the DSS-treated groups were given distilled water containing 2·5 % DSS for 5 d. At the end of the experiment, the mice were killed. The small-intestinal IEL γδ-T-cell subset was isolated for further analysis. The results indicated that DSS treatment resulted in a lower percentage of small-intestinal IEL γδ-T cells and higher mRNA expressions of interferon-γ, TNF-α, IL-17, complement 5a receptor and keratinocyte growth factor in IEL γδ-T cells. Gln administration increased the proportion of small-intestinal IEL γδ-T cells, and the expression levels of immunomodulatory mediator genes in IEL γδ-T cells were lower in the DSS-treated mice. The histological findings indicated that the immunoreactive intensity of the tight junction protein ZO-1 in the small-intestinal mucosa was higher in the DSS-G group than in the DSS-C group. These results indicate that pretreatment with Gln increases the proportion of small-intestinal IEL γδ-T cells and down-regulates γδ-T-cell-expressed inflammatory mediators, which may consequently ameliorate the severity of DSS-induced small-intestinal epithelial injury.

Dietary protein has been shown to increase urinary Ca excretion in randomised controlled trials, and diets high in protein may have detrimental effects on bone health; however, studies examining the relationship between dietary protein and bone health have conflicting results. In the present study, we examined the relationship between dietary protein (total, animal and vegetable protein) and lumbar spine trabecular volumetric bone mineral density (vBMD) among participants enrolled in the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis (n 1658). Protein intake was assessed using a FFQ obtained at baseline examination (2000–2). Lumbar spine vBMD was measured using quantitative computed tomography (2002–5), on average 3 years later. Multivariable linear and robust regression techniques were used to examine the associations between dietary protein and vBMD. Sex and race/ethnicity jointly modified the association of dietary protein with vBMD (P for interaction = 0·03). Among white women, higher vegetable protein intake was associated with higher vBMD (P for trend = 0·03), after adjustment for age, BMI, physical activity, alcohol consumption, current smoking, educational level, hormone therapy use, menopause and additional dietary factors. There were no consistently significant associations for total and animal protein intakes among white women or other sex and racial/ethnic groups. In conclusion, data from the present large, multi-ethnic, population-based study suggest that a higher level of protein intake, when substituted for fat, is not associated with poor bone health. Differences in the relationship between protein source and race/ethnicity of study populations may in part explain the inconsistent findings reported previously.

During pregnancy, growth of the foetus depends on an adequate glycine supply because it is needed for synthesis of fetal DNA, collagen and serine. Since pregnant adolescent girls give birth to lower birth weight babies, it is possible that they do not produce sufficient glycine to meet overall demands as their adult counterparts, especially after an overnight fast. The objective of the study was to measure and compare the flux of glycine among adolescents and adult women in the first and third trimesters of pregnancy. Glycine flux was measured by continuous intravenous infusion of 2H2-glycine in eight overnight fasted adolescents and in eight adult women in the first and third trimesters of pregnancy. There was a significant interaction between subject's age and time of pregnancy (P = 0·02), as weight-specific glycine flux decreased by 39 % from trimesters 1 to 3 in the adolescents but increased by approximately 5 % in the adults. Whole body glycine flux also decreased significantly in the adolescent group (P < 0·05) from trimesters 1 to 3, and this was associated with a significant reduction in plasma glycine concentration. In trimester 3, there was a positive correlation between glycine flux and the subject's age indicating that younger subjects had slower fluxes. These findings suggest that after a brief period of food deprivation, the pregnant adolescent cannot maintain glycine production as her adult counterpart in late pregnancy. It is possible that this inability to maintain endogenous glycine production makes her foetus more vulnerable to impaired growth if food deprivation becomes more frequent or is prolonged.

The insulin-like growth factor (IGF) axis may be involved in the development of type 2 diabetes. We examined the associations of IGF-I and IGF binding proteins (IGFBP)-1 and -3 with diabetes risk and evaluated macronutrient intakes related to the observed associations. In a nested case–control study of the Alpha-Tocopherol, Beta-Carotene Cancer Prevention Study of Finnish male smokers aged 50–69 years, the IGF variables were measured from baseline serum samples for a random sample of 310 men with diabetes diagnosed during a 12-year follow-up and for 310 controls matched by age, recruitment day and intervention group. Diet at baseline was assessed using a validated FFQ. The associations of IGF proteins with diabetes risk were estimated using conditional logistic regression and the associations with macronutrient intakes using linear regression. IGF-I and IGFBP-3 were not associated with the incidence of diabetes. Higher IGFBP-1 was associated with lower diabetes risk in an unadjusted crude model (OR 0·25; 95 % CI 0·15, 0·42 in the highest quartile compared with the lowest), but not after adjustment for BMI (corresponding OR 0·76; 95 % CI 0·41, 1·40). Intakes of carbohydrates, plant protein and milk protein associated positively and intake of meat protein and fat negatively with IGFBP-1 (P<0·005). IGFBP-1 was inversely associated with diabetes risk, but the association was substantially dependent on BMI. The associations between macronutrient intakes and IGFBP-1 may reflect influences of nutrients or foods on insulin concentrations.

Obesity increases the risk of developing bacterial and viral infections compared with normal weight. In a 7-week double-blind, randomised, cross-over trial, twenty obese volunteers (BMI between 30 and 40 kg/m2) were fed freeze-dried strawberry powder or strawberry-flavoured placebo preparations to determine the effects of dietary strawberries on immune function. Blood was collected at six time points during the study and peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) were isolated at each time point and activated with CD3 plus CD28 antibodies (T-lymphocyte activation) or lipopolysaccharide (LPS, monocyte activation). Interferon-γ, TNF-α, IL-4 and IL-10 were measured in supernatants from the activated T cells. Supernatants from the activated monocytes were analysed for the production of TNF-α, IL-1β, IL-6 and IL-8. PBMC were pre-stained with PKH (Paul Karl Horan) dye and activated with CD3 plus CD28 antibodies to determine the proliferative responses of CD4+ and CD8+ T-lymphocytes by flow cytometry. To detect global changes in gene expression, microarray analysis was performed on LPS- and vehicle-treated PBMC from two subjects before and after the strawberry intervention. No difference was observed for the production of T-cell cytokines between the intervention groups. The production of TNF-α was increased in the supernatants from LPS-activated PBMC in the group consuming strawberries compared with the placebo. A modest increase in the proliferation of the CD8+ T-lymphocyte population was observed at 24 h post-activation. These data suggest that dietary strawberries may increase the immunological response of T-lymphocytes and monocytes in obese people who are at greater risk for developing infections.

Data on body weight of pure-bred kittens (Maine Coon, Norwegian Forest Cat, Birman, Persian, Siamese/Oriental Shorthair Cat) from birth (n 245) to 12 weeks of age (n 135) were obtained from breeders. Absolute birth weight (in g) was higher in larger breeds than in smaller breeds, whereas relative birth weight (in % of mature female weight) tended to be higher in smaller breeds (Maine Coon 115 g, 2·3 %; Norwegian Forest Cat 106 g, 2·7 %; Birman 97 g, 2·8 %; Siamese 92 g, 2·8 %; Persian 82 g, 3·2 %). Relative birth weight was lower than that described in the literature for colony cats. Relative litter weight was highest in Norwegian Forest Cats (14·6 (sd 1·8) %; n 10) and lowest in Birmans (8·8 (sd 3·1) %, n 7; P < 0·05); the other breeds were in-between (11·9 (sd 2·0) %; n 19). Absolute growth was faster in larger breeds than in smaller breeds. In relation to expected mature weight, there was good agreement with data from colony cats but no clear-cut effect of breed size. There appeared to be a trend to an earlier onset of sexual dimorphism in larger breeds.

1. The biological evaluation of solvent and prepress-solvent processed rapeseed meals RM(S) and RM(PS) was carried out with the weanling (phase 1) and the mature (phase 2) rat. The nutritional indices measured were compared with those for diets containing soyabean meal SM and casein CS.

2. The true nitrogen digestibility (td(N)) for RM(S), RM(PS), SM and CS in the weanling rat was (%) 78.9 f±1.2, 77.9±2.7, 90.4±0.9 and 96.0±0.6 (P < 0.01) respectively. Net protein utilization was (%) 68.9±10.1, 65.6±3.5, 80.6±4.8 and 81.7±3.1 (P < 0.05) respectively. Biological value was (%) 83.0±7.9, 84.1±5.6, 8.90±5.1 and 85.0±3.4 (P < 0.05) respectively. The same indices when measured in the mature rat showed an increase over those obtained in the weanling rat.

3. The growth-promoting effects of the test diets were evaluated over a period of 8 weeks with ad lib. feeding between phases 1 and 2. Protein efficiency ratio averaged 2.0±0.14, 1.9±0.35, 2.4±0.39 and 2.3±0.25 for the RM(S), RM(PS), SM and CS treatments respectively.

4. The daily endogenous urinary N excretion was 1.58±0.14 mg N/basal kcal or 254 mg N/kg body-weight for the weanling rat and 0.16 mg N/basal kcal or 18 mg N/kg body-weight for the mature rat. Metabolic faecal N excretion was 98.0±9.3 mg N/kg body-weight, or 27.9% of the total N output for the weanling rat, and 37.9±7.2 mg N/kg body-weight, or 67.3% of the total N output for the mature rat during the ‘protein-free’ feeding periods.

5. The fresh weight of the thyroid gland per kg metabolic body size was 70, 90, 40 and 40 mg respectively for the RM(S), RM(PS), SM and CS dietary treatments.

6. The moisture content of the carcasses was 66.9±3.1, 63.6±2.3 and 64.2±2.2 and the protein content on a dry-matter basis was 55.9±9.6, 50.2±6.4 and 53.1±4.9 for the RM (S and PS), SM and CS diets respectively. The results suggest an increased lean body mass in the rats receiving the rapeseed meal treatments.

7. Under the conditions of this experiment solvent-extracted rapeseed meal was superior to prepress-solvent meal on the basis of rat growth response and of results for nutritional indices. Both rapeseed meals were inferior to soya-bean meal and casein.

1. Rhode Island Red and Light Sussex poultry attained their full size in about 6 months.

2. When they were held back by undernutrition so that they weighed only about 170g at 6 months of age and were then given unlimited food, they grew—like the normal birds—for about 6 months, i.e. till they were 1 year old, but still they did not attain the same stature as normal birds. 3. The pullets more nearly attained the size of their controls than did the cockerels. 4. On rehabilitation after the period of undernutrition poultry frequently suffered leg weakness which in its extreme form could be diagnosed as perosis. 5. Rehabilitated pullets began to lay large eggs after a comparatively short period of growth and when they were still a small size.

Increased vitamin D fortification of dairy products has increased the supply of vitamin D-containing products with different vitamin D contents on the market in Finland. The authors developed a ninety-eight-item FFQ with eight food groups and with a question on supplementation to assess dietary and supplemental vitamin D and Ca intakes in Finnish women (60ºN). The FFQ was validated in subgroups with different habitual vitamin D supplement use (0–57·5 µg/d) against the biomarker serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D (S-25(OH)D) and against 3-d food records (FR) (n 29–67). Median total vitamin D intake among participants was 9·4 (range 1·6–30·5) µg/d. Spearman’s correlations for vitamin D and Ca ranged from 0·28 (P 0·146, FFQ v. S-25(OH)D, persons not using supplements) to 0·75 (P<0·001, FFQ v. FR, supplement use included). The correlations between the FFQ and S-25(OH)D concentrations improved within increasing supplement intake. The Bland–Altman analysis showed wide limits of agreement between FFQ and FR: for vitamin D between −7·8 and 8·8 µg/d and for Ca between −938 and 934 mg/d, with mean differences being 0·5 µg/d and 2 mg/d, respectively. The triads method was used to calculate the validity coefficients of the FFQ for vitamin D, resulting in a mean of 1·00 (95 % CI 0·59, 1·00) and a range from 0·33 to 1·00. The perceived variation in the estimates could have been avoided with a longer FR period and larger number of participants. The results are comparable with earlier studies, and the FFQ provides a reasonable estimation of vitamin D and Ca intakes.

To test whether the glycaemic index is altered by the amount of carbohydrate, meals containing 25 and 50 g carbohydrate as white rice and white bread were taken by seven non-insulin-dependent diabetic subjects. The glycaemic indices to parboiled white rice corresponding to 25 and 50 g carbohydrate were similar, being 55 (SE 10) and 60 (SE 8) respectively. The incremental areas of blood glucose (above basal) to parboiled white rice were significantly lower than to white bread after both an amount corresponding to 25 g carbohydrate (85 (SE 24) mM × 180 min v. 181 (SE 55) mM × 180 min; P < 0.01) and to 50 g carbohydrate 226 (SE 29) mM × 180 min v. 423 (SE 76) mM × 180 min; P < 0.01). Similar insulin response areas to 25 g carbohydrate given as parboiled white rice and white bread were found, whereas 50 g carbohydrate as white bread caused a significantly higher insulin response area than parboiled white rice (P < 0.05).

In conclusion, the glycaemic index of parboiled white rice is not affected by the amount of carbohydrate ingested, at least under the present study conditions.

Regional differences in overweight and obesity levels in England have mirrored those of CVD, with higher levels in the North. It is unclear whether the increase in the prevalence of overweight and obesity over the last 15 years has been consistent in different regions of the country. BMI data from each of the health surveys for England conducted between 1993 and 2004 were analysed. Annual grouped estimates of the prevalence of overweight (BMI ≥ 25 kg/m2) and obesity (BMI ≥ 30 kg/m2) for the North and the South of England were produced by appropriately combining regional administrative authorities. Logistic regression analyses were performed to assess the independence of the geographical effect after adjustment for age and social class. The prevalence of both overweight and obesity in women has risen more quickly in the North than in the South between 1993 and 2004, leading to a widening of inequalities. The prevalence of both overweight and obesity in women in the South has remained reasonably stable since 1997. The prevalence rates of both conditions in men have risen in parallel in the North and the South between 1993 and 2004 by approximately 8 %. The OR for obesity for young women increased between 1993/98 and 1998/2004 from 1·07 (1·00, 1·14) to 1·21 (1·13, 1·30). Widening geographical inequalities in overweight and obesity rates in women could lead to widening inequalities in cardiovascular and other diseases.