Gina L. Ambrosini

ADHD Is Associated With a “Western” Dietary Pattern in Adolescents

Objective: To examine the relationship between dietary patterns and ADHD in a population-based cohort of adolescents. Method: The Raine Study is a prospective study following 2,868 live births. At the 14-year follow-up, the authors collected detailed adolescent dietary data, allowing for the determination of major dietary patterns using factor analysis. ADHD diagnoses were recorded according to International Classification of Deiseases, 9th Revision coding conventions. Logistic regression was used to assess the relationship between scores for major dietary pattern and ADHD diagnoses. Results: Data were available for 1,799 adolescents, and a total of 115 adolescents had an ADHD diagnosis. Two major dietary patterns were identified: “Western” and “Healthy.” A higher score for the Western dietary pattern was associated with ADHD diagnosis (odds ratio = 2.21, 95% confidence interval = 1.18, 4.13) after adjusting for known confounding factors from pregnancy to 14 years. ADHD diagnosis was not associated with the “Healthy” dietary pattern. Conclusion: A Western-style diet may be associated with ADHD.

Malignant pleural and peritoneal mesotheliomas in former miners and millers of crocidolite at Wittenoom, Western Australia

Aims: To report the number of malignant pleural and peritoneal mesotheliomas that have occurred in former Wittenoom crocidolite workers to the end of 2000, and to compare this with earlier predictions. Methods: A group of 6493 men and 415 women who had worked at the former Wittenoom crocidolite mine and mill at some time between 1943 and 1966 have been followed up throughout Australia and Italy to the end of 2000. Results: The cumulative number of mesotheliomas up to 2000 was 235 in men (202 pleural, 33 peritoneal) and seven (all pleural) in women. There had been 231 deaths with mesothelioma (9% of known deaths). Conclusions: The number of deaths in men with mesothelioma between 1987 and 2000 was at the low end of the predictions made earlier based on the number of cases to 1986. If this trend continues, it is predicted that about another 110 deaths with mesothelioma will occur in men by 2020.

Dietary Patterns Identified Using Factor Analysis and Prostate Cancer Risk: A Case Control Study in Western Australia

PURPOSE Dietary patterns offer an alternative method for analyzing dietary intakes that take into account the whole diet. We investigated empirical dietary patterns and prostate cancer risk in Western Australia (WA) using a population-based case-control study. METHODS Incident prostate cancer cases were identified via the WA Cancer Registry. Controls were sourced from the WA electoral roll, frequency matched on age. A food frequency questionnaire (FFQ) estimated usual dietary intake from 10 years earlier. Factor analysis identified dietary patterns in FFQ data. Effects of independent dietary patterns on prostate cancer risk were examined using unconditional logistic regression, adjusting for potential confounders. RESULTS A total of 546 cases and 447 controls provided data. Three distinct dietary patterns were identified, which we labeled vegetable, Western, and health-conscious. An increased risk for prostate cancer was observed with the Western pattern, which consisted of high intakes of red and processed meats, fried fish, hamburgers, chips, high-fat milk, and white bread. Men in the highest quartile for Western pattern score had an odds ratio of 1.82 (95% confidence interval 1.15-2.87, trend p = 0.02). Results were similar for aggressive cases and attenuated for non-aggressive cancers. CONCLUSIONS A western style diet may lead to increased risks for prostate cancer, especially aggressive prostate cancer.

Comparison of an Australian food-frequency questionnaire with diet records: implications for nutrition surveillance

OBJECTIVES To compare a widely used Australian food-frequency questionnaire (FFQ) with diet records and consider the results in relation to its use in nutrition surveillance. DESIGN Inter-method reliability study. SETTING A randomised trial in subjects with past asbestos exposure. SUBJECTS Seventy-two adults living in Western Australia. METHODS A semi-quantitative FFQ developed by the Commonwealth Scientific Industrial Research Organisation in South Australia was administered after the completion of four 7-day diet records (DRs). RESULTS Mean agreement between methods was not significantly different from 100% for many nutrients, but the limits of agreement indicated that, at the individual level, the FFQ over- or underestimated the DR by at least 50%. Mean agreement between methods decreased significantly with increasing intakes for the majority of nutrients. Pearsons correlation coefficients were less informative indicators of agreement compared with the limits of agreement. CONCLUSIONS These results indicate poor agreement between the FFQ and DR when estimating absolute intakes. Therefore, comparing intakes collected using this FFQ with specific cut-off points such as Recommended Dietary Intakes for nutrition surveillance may lead to seriously flawed conclusions about population intakes.

Agreement between a brief food frequency questionnaire and diet records using two statistical methods

OBJECTIVE To compare intra- and inter-method reliability of a semi-quantitative food frequency questionnaire (FFQ) designed specifically to measure beta carotene (BC) and retinol intake, using two methods - the limits of agreement (LOA) and the correlation coefficient. DESIGN A cross-sectional study of dietary intake. SETTING A randomized trial of vitamin A supplements in 2769 subjects with past asbestos exposure. SUBJECTS Data from 57 men and 26 women, aged 28-72 years, living in Western Australia. METHODS The FFQ was administered at baseline (FFQ1) and repeated 1 year later (FFQ2). Four 1-week diet records (DRs) were completed during the year. RESULTS Mean agreement between FFQ2 and FFQ1 was 120% for BC and 98% for retinol. LOA were 47-306% and 21-459%, respectively. Mean agreement between FFQ2 and the DR was 149% for BC and 63% for retinol; LOA were 50-447% and 11-349%, respectively. Mean agreement and LOA varied across energy intakes. Between the DR and FFQ2, correlation coefficients were 0.36 for BC and 0.51 for retinol. These varied considerably across age, gender and energy intakes and were not in accordance with limits of agreement findings. CONCLUSION Although correlation coefficients were positive and significant, there was less than ideal intra-method and inter-method reliability shown by the limits of agreement method. Bias was uneven across the range of intakes, the LOA were wide and, compared with the DR, the FFQ significantly over-estimated BC and under-estimated retinol. This shows the limitations of calculating correlation coefficients alone, for assessing reliability and validity.

Occupational risk factors for prostate cancer and benign prostatic hyperplasia: a case–control study in Western Australia

Objective: To assess the association of selected occupational exposures with risk of prostate cancer and with risk of benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH). Methods: This population-based case–control study recruited 606 men with a diagnosis of confirmed prostate cancer, 400 men who had undergone their first prostatectomy for BPH and 471 male controls randomly selected from the electoral roll between 1 August 2001 and 1 October 2002 in Western Australia. χ2 tests and logistic regressions were used for univariate and multivariate analyses to investigate the association of the two outcomes with occupational exposure to pesticides, fertilisers, metals, wood dust, oils, diesel exhaust and polyaromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). Results: Exposure to toxic metals at a non-substantial level increased the risk of BPH (odds ratio (OR) 1.39, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.1 to 1.84) and led to a non-significant excess risk of prostate cancer (OR 1.25, 95% CI 0.96 to 1.61). Non-significant excess risks were observed for prostate cancer after exposure to oils other than mineral oil (OR 1.54, 95% CI 0.95 to 2.51) and for BPH after exposure to PAHs (OR 1.20, 95% CI 0.91 to 1.58). A non-statistically significant protective effect for prostate cancer was seen after exposure to organophosphate pesticides (OR 0. 69, 95% CI 0.43 to 1.12). No other associations were found for either prostate cancer or BPH and no dose–response relationships were seen for the exposures investigated. Conclusions: These results do not provide evidence that any of the occupational factors examined are risk factors for either prostate cancer or BPH.

Aerodigestive and gastrointestinal tract cancers and exposure to crocidolite (blue asbestos): Incidence and mortality among former crocidolite workers

The objective of this article was to assess the association between the incidence and mortality from aerodigestive cancers and exposure to crocidolite (blue asbestos). Our study is a cohort study of former workers of the now‐defunct crocidolite mining and milling operation at Wittenoom, Western Australia, who have been followed up since 1979 and on whom asbestos exposure and smoking information was known. Standardised mortality and incidence rates were used to compare former workers with the Western Australian male population. Cases were matched with up to 10 randomly assigned controls, and conditional logistic regression was used to examine the relationship between asbestos exposure, smoking status and cancer incidence. There were 129 incident cases from all cancers of interest and 57 deaths. Former workers had a significantly higher risk of mortality from upper aerodigestive cancers than the Western Australian male population. The incidence of upper and lower aerodigestive cancers was higher in the Wittenoom cohort but not significantly so. Cumulative exposure to asbestos did not appear to be associated with the incidence of stomach cancer, colorectal cancer or upper aerodigestive cancers. Smoking status was strongly associated with the incidence of upper aerodigestive cancers, with current smokers experiencing the greatest risk. Our study with longer and more complete follow‐up, smoking information and a stronger study design does not show an association between cumulative asbestos exposure and stomach cancer or other gastrointestinal cancers. The excess mortality from upper aerodigestive cancers seen in this cohort of former asbestos workers compared to the Western Australian male population does not appear to be associated with exposure to crocidolite.

Dietary glycaemic carbohydrate in relation to the metabolic syndrome in adolescents: comparison of different metabolic syndrome definitions

Diabet. Med. 27, 770–778 (2010)

Dietary protein intake is associated with body mass index and weight up to 5 y of age in a prospective cohort of twins

Background: Few large epidemiologic studies have investigated the role of postweaning protein intake in excess weight and adiposity of young children, despite children in the United Kingdom consistently consuming protein in excess of their physiologic requirements. Objective: We investigated whether a higher proportion of protein intake from energy beyond weaning is associated with greater weight gain, higher body mass index (BMI), and risk of overweight or obesity in children up to 5 y of age. Design: Participants were 2154 twins from the Gemini cohort. Dietary intake was collected by using a 3-d diet diary when the children had a mean age of 21 mo. Weight and height were collected every 3 mo, from birth to 5 y. Longitudinal models investigated associations of protein intake with BMI, weight, and height, with adjustment for age at diet diary, sex, total energy intake, birth weight/length, and rate of prior growth and clustering within families. Logistic regression investigated protein intake in relation to the odds of overweight or obesity at 3 and 5 y of age. Results: A total of 2154 children had a mean ± SD of 5.7 ± 3.2 weight and height measurements up to 5 y. Total energy from protein was associated with higher BMI (β = 0.043; 95% CI: 0.011, 0.075) and weight (β = 0.052; 95% CI: 0.031, 0.074) but not height (β = 0.088; 95% CI: −0.038, 0.213) between 21 mo and 5 y. Substituting percentage energy from fat or carbohydrate for percentage energy from protein was associated with decreases in BMI and weight. Protein intake was associated with a trend in increased odds of overweight or obesity at 3 y (OR = 1.10; 95% CI 0.99, 1.22, P = 0.075), but the effect was not statistically significant at 5 y. Conclusion: A higher proportion of energy from protein during the complementary feeding stage is associated with greater increases in weight and BMI in early childhood in this large cohort of United Kingdom children.

Vietnam military service history and prostate cancer

BackgroundThree decades after US and Australian forces withdrew from Vietnam, there has been much public interest in the health consequences of service in Vietnam. One controversial question is whether the risk of prostate cancer amongst Vietnam veterans is increased. This paper examines relationships between military history, family history and risk of prostate cancer in a population-based case control study.MethodsCases were selected from the Cancer Registry of Western Australia as incident cases of histologically-confirmed prostate cancer, and controls were age-matched and selected from the Western Australian electoral roll. Study participants were asked to report any military service history and details about that service.ResultsBetween January 2001 and September 2002, 606 cases and 471 controls aged between 40–75 years were recruited. An increased prostate cancer risk was observed in men reporting they were deployed in Vietnam although this was not statistically significant (OR = 2.12; 95% CI 0.88–5.06). An increased risk was also observed in men reporting prostate cancer in fathers (OR = 1.90; 95% CI 1.20–3.00) or brothers (OR = 2.05; 95% CI 1.20–3.50) diagnosed with prostate cancer.ConclusionThese findings support a positive association between prostate cancer and military service history in the Vietnam war and a first degree relative family history of prostate cancer.Background Three decades after US and Australian forces withdrew from Vietnam, there has been much public interest in the health consequences of service in Vietnam. One controversial question is whether the risk of prostate cancer amongst Vietnam veterans is increased. This paper examines relationships between military history, family history and risk of prostate cancer in a population-based case control study. Methods Cases were selected from the Cancer Registry of Western Australia as incident cases of histologically-confirmed prostate cancer, and controls were age-matched and selected from the Western Australian electoral roll. Study participants were asked to report any military service history and details about that service. Results Between January 2001 and September 2002, 606 cases and 471 controls aged between 40–75 years were recruited. An increased prostate cancer risk was observed in men reporting they were deployed in Vietnam although this was not statistically significant (OR = 2.12; 95% CI 0.88–5.06). An increased risk was also observed in men reporting prostate cancer in fathers (OR = 1.90; 95% CI 1.20–3.00) or brothers (OR = 2.05; 95% CI 1.20–3.50) diagnosed with prostate cancer. Conclusion These findings support a positive association between prostate cancer and military service history in the Vietnam war and a first degree relative family history of prostate cancer.