Birth weight, components of height and coronary heart disease: evidence from the Whitehall II study

BACKGROUND: Previous studies have suggested that shorter leg length, not trunk length, may explain the inverse association between height and coronary heart disease (CHD) risk. However, investigation of the importance of birth weight for these associations has been limited. This study examines associations of measures of stature and birth weight with CHD risk factors (measures of blood pressure and lipids, 2 h glucose, waist-hip ratio and fibrinogen) and incident non-fatal coronary events in middle age. METHODS: Data were derived mostly from the Phase 5 (1997-99) clinical screening of the Whitehall II study of British civil servants. The main cross-sectional analyses included 1084 women and 2290 men with complete data. RESULTS: In women total height and leg length were the measures that tended to be most strongly associated with CHD risk factors, while in men leg length demonstrated the closest associations. Although associations between trunk length and CHD risk factors were weaker, trunk length was the component of height that appeared to be most closely associated with coronary events. Associations between birth weight and CHD risk factors and coronary events were generally weaker than for any measure of stature. Adjustment for birth weight had little effect on associations between components of stature and CHD risk factors or events. CONCLUSION: Findings from this relatively privileged cohort confirmed that shorter leg length underlies the inverse association between height and CHD risk factors in middle-aged women and men. Furthermore, in this study population shorter trunk length was more closely associated with incident, non-fatal coronary events.     

Leg length, insulin resistance, and coronary heart disease risk: The Caerphilly Study

BACKGROUND: Adult height has been inversely associated with coronary heart disease risk in several studies. The mechanism for this association is not well understood, however, and this was investigated by examining components of stature, cardiovascular disease risk factors and subsequent coronary heart disease in a prospective study. METHODS: All men aged 45-59 years living in the town of Caerphilly, South Wales were approached, and 2512 (89%) responded and underwent a detailed examination, which included measurement of height and sitting height (from which an estimate of leg length was derived). Participants were followed up through repeat examinations and the cumulative incidence of coronary heart disease-both fatal and non-fatal-over a 15 year follow up period is the end point in this report. RESULTS: Cross sectional associations between cardiovascular risk factors and components of stature (total height, leg length and trunk length) demonstrated that factors related to the insulin resistance syndrome-the homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance, fasting triglyceride levels and total to HDL cholesterol ratio-were less favourable in men with shorter legs, while showing reverse or no associations with trunk length. Fibrinogen levels were inversely associated with leg length and showed a weaker association with trunk length. Forced expiratory volume in one second was unrelated to leg length but strongly positively associated to trunk length. Other risk factors showed little association with components of stature. The risk of coronary heart disease was inversely related to leg length but showed little association with trunk length. CONCLUSION: Leg length is the component of stature related to insulin resistance and coronary heart disease risk. As leg length is unrelated to lung function measures it is unlikely that these can explain the association in this cohort. Factors that influence leg length in adulthood-including nutrition, other influences on growth in early life, genetic and epigenetic influences-merit further investigation in this regard. The reported associations suggest that pre-adult influences are important in the aetiology of coronary heart disease and insulin resistance.     

Associations of height,leg length,and lung function with cardiovascular risk factors in the Midspan Family Study

BACKGROUND: Taller people and those with better lung function are at reduced risk of coronary heart disease (CHD). Biological mechanisms for these associations are not well understood, but both measures may be markers for early life exposures. Some studies have shown that leg length, an indicator of pre-pubertal nutritional status, is the component of height most strongly associated with CHD risk. Other studies show that height-CHD associations are greatly attenuated when lung function is controlled for. This study examines (1) the association of height and the components of height (leg length and trunk length) with CHD risk factors and (2) the relative strength of the association of height and forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV(1)) with risk factors for CHD. Subjects and methods: Cross sectional analysis of data collected at detailed cardiovascular screening examinations of 1040 men and 1298 women aged 30-59 whose parents were screened in 1972-76. Subjects come from 1477 families and are members of the Midspan Family Study. SETTING: The towns of Renfrew and Paisley in the West of Scotland. RESULTS: Taller subjects and those with better lung function had more favourable cardiovascular risk factor profiles, associations were strongest in relation to FEV(1). Higher FEV(1) was associated with lower blood pressure, cholesterol, glucose, fibrinogen, white blood cell count, and body mass index. Similar, but generally weaker, associations were seen with height. These associations were not attenuated in models controlling for parental height. Longer leg length, but not trunk length, was associated with lower systolic and diastolic blood pressure. Longer leg length was also associated with more favourable levels of cholesterol and body mass index than trunk length. CONCLUSIONS: These findings provide indirect evidence that measures of lung development and pre-pubertal growth act as biomarkers for childhood exposures that may modify an individual's risk of developing CHD. Genetic influences do not seem to underlie height-CHD associations.     

Parents' growth in childhood and the birth weight of their offspring

BACKGROUND: A person's birth weight is inversely related to both their own and their parents' cardiovascular disease mortality risk, but mechanisms underlying such transgenerational associations are unclear. We investigated the influence of the childhood growth of the mother or father on the birth weight of their first-born offspring. METHODS: We used data from the long-term follow up (in 1997-1998) of 4999 children from 1352 families who participated in the Boyd Orr Survey of Diet and Health in Pre-War Britain (1937-1939). Complete information on childhood height, potential confounding variables, and the birth weight of first-born offspring was available for 637 subjects. RESULTS: Mother's height in childhood was positively associated with her offspring's birth weight. Leg length, but not trunk length, was the component of maternal height associated with offspring birth weight. For each unit increase in z-score for maternal childhood leg length, there was a 96-g (95% confidence interval = 6-186) increase in offspring birth weight after controlling for childhood socioeconomic variables and adult height. There were weaker positive associations of paternal height and leg length in childhood with offspring birth weight. Associations were not confounded by maternal birth weight or midgrandparental height. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings are consistent with the hypothesis that maternal growth during childhood influences offspring birth weight, independently of maternal birth weight, final attained height, or midgrandparental height. Because leg length is a sensitive marker of adverse nutritional and social exposures during childhood, these results suggest a key role for a mother's early environmental exposures as a determinant of her child's subsequent health.     

Sociodemographic status, stress, and risk of prostate cancer. A prospective cohort study

PURPOSE: The social gradient in prostate cancer incidence observed in several studies may be a result of differential access to prostate cancer screening. We aim to assess if socioeconomic status, stress, and marital status are associated with prostate cancer risk in a population with free access to health care. METHODS: The 5,496 men who participated in the Copenhagen City Heart Study were asked about their income, educational level, stress level, and marital status during 1981-1983. These men were prospectively followed up in the Danish Cancer Registry until the end of 2002 and fewer than 0.1 % were lost to follow-up. RESULTS: During follow-up, 157 men were diagnosed with prostate cancer. Neither high income (HR = 1.17, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.78-1.76) nor high education (HR = 1.22; 95% CI: 0.76-1.96) were associated with risk of prostate cancer. There were also no differences in prostate cancer risk according to stress (HR = 0.99; 95% CI: 0.90-1.09) or marital status. CONCLUSION: In a racially homogeneous population of Caucasians with free access to health care, we found no evidence of a relation between sociodemographic variables or stress and subsequent risk of prostate cancer.     

Childhood leg length and adult mortality: follow up of the Carnegie (Boyd Orr) Survey of Diet and Health in Pre-war Britain

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the relation between childhood height, its components--leg length and trunk length--and mortality in adulthood. DESIGN: Cohort study based on the Carnegie (Boyd Orr) Survey of diet and health in pre-war Britain, 1937-9. SETTING: The 14 centres in England and Scotland that participated in the Carnegie Survey and where children were examined. Scottish centres: Aberdeen, Dundee, West Wemyss, Coaltown of Wemyss, Hopeman, Methlick, Tarves, Barthol Chapel. English Centres: Liverpool, York-shire, Barrow in Furness, Wisbech, Fulham, and Bethnal Green. SUBJECTS: 2990 boys and girls aged between 2 years and 14 years 9 months when they were examined in 1937-9. These children were drawn from 1134 families who underwent a one week assessment of family diet and home circumstances. Of these, 2547 (85%) have been traced and flagged using the NHS Central Register. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Age adjusted overall, coronary heart disease, and cancer mortality in men and women in relation to age and sex specific z scores for height, leg length, and trunk length. All analyses were adjusted for the possible confounding effects of childhood and adult socioeconomic circumstances and childhood diet. RESULTS: Leg length was the component of childhood height most strongly associated with socioeconomic and dietary exposures. There was no significant relation between childhood height and overall mortality. Height-mortality relations were observed in relation to both coronary heart disease (CHD) and cancer. Leg length was the component of height most strongly related to cause specific mortality. In men and women CHD mortality increased with decreasing childhood leg length. Men in the lowest leg length quintile had a relative risk (RR) of 2.5 (95% CI 1.0 to 6.2) compared to those with the longest legs (linear trend p = 0.14). Similarly, women in the lowest leg length quintile had a RR of 3.9 (95% CI 0.8 to 19.0; linear trend p < 0.01). Adjustment for childhood and adult socioeconomic circumstances had little effect on these trends. In men, but not women, those who as children had long legs experienced increased cancer mortality. The significant relations between anthropometry and both CHD and cancer mortality were restricted to those aged < 8 years when measured. CONCLUSIONS: These findings suggest that adverse diet and living conditions in childhood, for which leg length seems to be a particularly sensitive indicator, are associated with increased risk of CHD in adulthood and possibly reduced cancer risk. It is likely that these influences operate after birth, during the first few years of life.

 

     

The relation between components of adult height and intimal-medial thickness in middle age: the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities Study

The authors aimed to investigate the relation between components of adult height (leg and trunk length) and atherosclerosis in middle age, using data from 12,254 participants (aged 44-65 years) in the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities (ARIC) Study. Intimal-medial thickness (IMT) as measured by B-mode ultrasound was the outcome, and exposures were trunk and leg lengths as estimated (using sitting height and the difference between sitting and standing height) at the first study examination in 1987-1989. The mean IMT was 0.73 (standard deviation, 0.17) mm. Greater leg length was associated with lower IMT, with the largest difference being for Black men (a 0.045 (95% confidence interval: 0.023, 0.068)-mm lower IMT per 10-cm higher leg length). Greater trunk length was associated with higher IMT, with the largest difference being for White men (a 0.024 (95% confidence interval: 0.005, 0.044)-mm higher IMT per 10-cm higher trunk length). Although the effect sizes were small, leg length was inversely associated with atherosclerosis, consistent with the results of other studies with cardiovascular disease outcomes.     

Socio-economic and dietary influences on leg length and trunk length in childhood: a reanalysis of the Carnegie (Boyd Orr) survey of diet and health in prewar Britain (1937–39)

Social class differences in height have been recognised for many centuries. However, few studies have examined the extent to which these differences are made up of differences in leg length or trunk length. This paper reanalyses cross-sectional information on children examined in Britain in the 1930s. We assess associations between socio-economic status and diet and the components of childhood stature. The analyses were based on the records of 2990 children aged 2 years to 14 years 9 months who were examined in the Carnegie (Boyd Orr) survey of diet and health (1937–39). z -Scores for the measures of childhood stature were calculated using polynomial regression techniques with the study population as the standard. Univariable and multivariable statistical techniques were used to assess the relationships between childhood height, leg length and trunk length, and dietary and socio-economic factors measured at the level of the household. Leg length was the component of stature most strongly associated with measures of childhood diet and socio-economic status. A greater part of the difference in stature between socio-economic groups was caused by differences in leg length rather than trunk length. In multiple regression analyses, district of residence and family food expenditure were generally the two factors most strongly related to stature. In a subsample of the surveyed children, for whom birthweight information was available, trunk length and leg length were equally strongly related to birthweight. Leg length appears to be a particularly sensitive indicator of childhood socio-economic circumstances. Although contemporary studies highlight the importance of biological factors in determining childhood height, the data analysed in this study suggest that socio-economic circumstances were also important in explaining height differentials in prewar Britain.     

Weight, height, and body mass index and risk for ovarian cancer in a cohort study

PURPOSE: Reported associations between ovarian cancer and body size are inconsistent. We assessed ovarian cancer and anthropometry in the Breast Cancer Detection Demonstration Project Follow-Up Study. METHODS: The 46,026 participants completed a baseline interview and mailed questionnaires between 1979 and 1998. By using multiple sources, we identified 346 incident ovarian cancers during follow-up. We calculated rate ratios (RRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) to estimate relative risks for developing ovarian cancer associated with height and weight (measured 1973 to 1980) and self-reported current and usual adult weight (collected during follow-up). RESULTS: Neither taller height (> or =66 versus <62 inches; RR, 0.90; 95% CI, 0.64-1.26) nor greater weight (> or =161 versus < or =120 lbs; RR, 1.09; 95% CI, 0.77-1.55) was associated with ovarian cancer. Compared with normal weight (body mass index [BMI], 18.5 to 24.9 kg/m(2)), overweight (BMI, 25 to 29.9 kg/m(2); RR, 1.00; 95% CI, 0.78-1.29) and obesity (BMI, 30 to 34.9 kg/m(2); RR, 0.94; 95% CI, 0.59-1.48) were not associated with ovarian cancer. Severe obesity (BMI > or = 35 kg/m(2)) produced a nonsignificantly elevated RR (1.55; 95% CI, 0.84-2.84). Associations with histologic types and statistical interactions with menopausal status and hormone therapy use were null. CONCLUSIONS: Based on height and weight measured before baseline, overweight and obesity were not significantly associated with ovarian cancer in this cohort.     

近视队列江苏省中部地区2年追踪调查结果

  目的  基于江苏省学生常见病监测、队列及干预研究探索生长参数与近视发生发展的关系，为城市化进程较快地区儿童屈光档案的建立提供理论依据。  方法  采用以学校为单位的分层整群抽样方法，共选取江苏省仪征市学生1 187名，并对2019—2020年追踪人群近视及其相关参数进行差异性比较，采用Cox回归多元统计模型探索儿童青少年生长参数与近视发生发展的关系。  结果  2019年一年级至三年级学生近视率分别为5.4%，21.5%，37.3%，2020年各学段近视率分别增长至25.3%，43.3%，58.1%(χ2值分别为53.59，49.63，32.52，P值均＜0.01)。2019年右眼/左眼散瞳后屈光度均值分别为(0.30±1.24/0.39±1.26)D，2020年右眼/左眼散瞳后屈光度均值分别为(-0.33±1.54/-0.19±1.55)D。基于Cox多元回归结果显示，年龄(HR=1.21，95%CI=1.09~1.34)、裸眼视力(HR=0.08，95%CI=0.07~0.11)、身高(HR=0.98，95%CI=0.97~0.99)与近视发生发展呈现相关性(P值均 < 0.05)。  结论  江苏省中部地区近视增长速度快，建议屈光度、眼轴长度、裸眼视力、年龄、身高等指标纳入地区儿童青少年屈光档案。     

中国成年人饮茶与死亡风险的前瞻性关联研究

目的分析中国成年人饮茶与全因死亡和死因别死亡风险间的关联。方法本研究分析基于中国慢性病前瞻性研究项目。饮茶信息为基线自报。死亡信息主要通过链接死亡监测系统获取。使用Cox比例风险回归模型计算风险比(HR)及其95%CI。结果纳入分析的438 443例研究对象随访11.1年共发生死亡34 661例。与从不饮茶者相比, 当前非每日饮茶者和每日饮茶者全因死亡HR值(95%CI)依次为0.89(0.86～0.91)和0.92(0.88～0.95)。分性别分析显示, 饮茶对全因死亡风险的保护作用主要见于男性(交互P<0.05)。与从不饮茶者相比, 当前每日饮茶者死于缺血性心脏病、缺血性脑卒中、出血性脑卒中、恶性肿瘤、呼吸系统疾病及其他死因的HR值(95%CI)依次为0.83(0.76～0.92)、0.82(0.69～0.97)、0.86(0.78～0.94)、1.03(0.97～1.09)、1.00(0.87～1.16)、0.84(0.78～0.90)。在不吸烟且不过量饮酒者中, 每日饮茶与恶性肿瘤死亡风险间不存在有统计学显著性的关联, 但在吸烟或过量饮酒者中, 每日饮茶者死于恶性肿瘤的风...     

Bowel movement and constipation frequencies and the risk of colorectal cancer among men in the Netherlands Cohort Study on Diet and Cancer

The authors investigated the associations between bowel movement and constipation frequencies and colorectal cancer (CRC) endpoints among men in the Netherlands Cohort Study on Diet and Cancer (n = 58,279) and explored whether dietary fiber intake may modify associations. After 13.3 years (1986-1999), 1,207 CRC cases and 1,753 subcohort members were available for case-cohort analyses. Multivariate analyses showed a significantly increased hazard ratio for CRC overall and rectal cancer in men who reported having a bowel movement 1-2 times per day (second-highest category) as compared with once a day (CRC: hazard ratio (HR) = 1.29, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.09, 1.53 (P(trend) < 0.001); rectal cancer: HR = 1.50, 95% CI: 1.15, 1.95 (P(trend) = 0.001)). Hazard ratios for CRC overall and rectal cancer were significantly decreased and lowest in men who reported suffering from constipation sometimes or more often versus never (CRC: HR = 0.76, 95% CI: 0.58, 0.98 (P(trend) = 0.02); rectal cancer: HR = 0.57, 95% CI: 0.35, 0.90 (P(trend) = 0.01)). No trends in the associations with proximal or distal colon cancer risk were observed. Interactions with dietary fiber intake were not significant. In this study, frequent bowel movements were associated with an increased risk of rectal cancer in men, and constipation was associated with a decreased risk.     

Tea consumption and the risk of overall and grade specific prostate cancer: a large prospective cohort study of Scottish men

Tea may be a potentially modifiable and highly prevalent risk factor for the most common cancer in men, prostate cancer. However, associations between black tea consumption and prostate cancer in epidemiological studies have been inconsistent, limited to a small number of studies with small numbers of cases and short follow-up periods and without grade-specific information. We conducted a prospective cohort study of 6,016 men who were enrolled in the Collaborative Cohort Study between 1970 and 1973 and followed up to December 31, 2007. We used Cox proportional hazards models to investigate the association between tea consumption and overall as well as grade-specific risk of prostate cancer incidence. Three hundred and eighteen men developed prostate cancer in up to 37?years of follow-up. We found a positive association between consumption of tea and overall risk of prostate cancer incidence (P = 0.02). The association was greatest among men who drank ≥7 cups of tea per day (HR: 1.50, 95% CI: 1.06 to 2.12), compared with the baseline of 0-3 cups/day. However, we did not find any significant association between tea intake and low- (Gleason <7) or high-grade (Gleason 8-10) prostate cancer incidence. Men with higher intake of tea are at greater risk of developing prostate cancer, but there is no association with more aggressive disease. Further research is needed to determine the underlying biological mechanisms for the association.     

Fruit and VegeTable Intake and Lung Cancer Incidence Among Black Women According to Cigarette Smoking Status

This project evaluated associations between fruit and vegetable intake, cigarette smoking and lung cancer incidence among U.S. Black women. The Black Women’s Health Study is a prospective cohort study (analytic cohort?=?46,889) among Black women between the ages 21 and 69 at baseline (1995). Fruit and vegetable intake and smoking history were ascertained via questionnaires at baseline and during follow-up. Associations between fruit and vegetable intake, smoking and lung cancer incidence (N?=?306 incident cases through 2013) were evaluated using Cox proportional hazards regression. Among women in this cohort, 6.1% and 5.6% reported consuming at least three servings/d of fruit or vegetables, respectively. Smoking history was associated with increased lung cancer incidence. Being a current smoker of ≥15 cigarettes/d was associated with higher lung cancer incidence compared to never smokers (HR?=?17.4, 95% CI: 11.5, 26.4). Fruit and vegetable was not associated with lung cancer incidence intake (≥5 vs. <3 servings/d, adjusted HR: 0.86, 95% CI: 0.54, 1.36). Associations between fruit and vegetable intake and lung cancer incidence did not differ by smoking history. Fruit and vegetable intake was low in this study population, but results do not support an association between fruit and vegetable intake and lung cancer incidence, regardless of smoking history.     

Impact of tobacco smoking on subsequent cancer risk among middle-aged Japanese men and women: data from a large-scale population-based cohort study in Japan--the JPHC study

BACKGROUND: The present study aimed to obtain a relevant epidemiological index of the impact of tobacco smoking on the subsequent risk of cancer in Japan. METHODS: We conducted a cohort analysis on the possible association between tobacco smoking habits and total cancer risk among a middle-aged Japanese population, using a large-scale population-based cohort of 92,792 subjects (44,521 men and 48,271 women) with 10-year follow-up. RESULTS: During 1990-2001, 4,922 cases of cancer (2,969 men and 1,953 women) were newly diagnosed. From the baseline questionnaire, 52.2% of men were current smokers and they presented a significantly increased hazard ratio (HR) of subsequent cancer occurrence compared with never-smokers [HR 1.64, 95% confidence interval (95% CI) 1.48-1.82]. Only 5.6% of women were current smokers and their HR also represented a significant increase (HR 1.46, 95% CI 1.21-1.75). The corresponding population attributable fraction (PAF) (%) of total cancer incidence in men was 22.4% (95% CI 15.7%-28.5%) and 7.0% (95% CI 3.7%-10.3%) in relation to current and past exposures to tobacco smoke. In women, the PAF was only 2.2% and 0.6% due to the low prevalence of current and former smokers. CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggest that 29% of male cancer and 3% of female cancer would be preventable in Japanese middle-aged population by avoidance of tobacco smoking.     

Tea Consumption and the Risk of Overall and Grade Specific Prostate Cancer: A Large Prospective Cohort Study of Scottish Men

Tea may be a potentially modifiable and highly prevalent risk factor for the most common cancer in men, prostate cancer. However, associations between black tea consumption and prostate cancer in epidemiological studies have been inconsistent, limited to a small number of studies with small numbers of cases and short follow-up periods and without grade-specific information. We conducted a prospective cohort study of 6,016 men who were enrolled in the Collaborative Cohort Study between 1970 and 1973 and followed up to December 31, 2007. We used Cox proportional hazards models to investigate the association between tea consumption and overall as well as grade-specific risk of prostate cancer incidence. Three hundred and eighteen men developed prostate cancer in up to 37 years of follow-up. We found a positive association between consumption of tea and overall risk of prostate cancer incidence (P = 0.02). The association was greatest among men who drank ≥7 cups of tea per day (HR: 1.50, 95% CI: 1.06 to 2.12), compared with the baseline of 0–3 cups/day. However, we did not find any significant association between tea intake and low- (Gleason <7) or high-grade (Gleason 8–10) prostate cancer incidence. Men with higher intake of tea are at greater risk of developing prostate cancer, but there is no association with more aggressive disease. Further research is needed to determine the underlying biological mechanisms for the association.     

(n-6) PUFA increase and dairy foods decrease prostate cancer risk in heavy smokers

Previous studies offer suggestive, but not definitive, evidence that total fat or specific fats may increase prostate cancer risk. This study investigates associations of dietary fat, meat, and dairy foods with prostate cancer risk among 12,025 men in the Carotene and Retinol Efficacy Trial (CARET). After 11 y of follow-up, 890 incident prostate cancers were reported and confirmed. Diet was assessed by a biannual FFQ. Cox proportional hazards models were used to estimate multivariate-adjusted hazard ratios (HR) of intake of fat and fat-related foods (meat and dairy) with prostate cancer incidence. Multiplicative interaction terms tested whether associations differed by family history, race, or smoking. Overall, fat was not associated with total, nonaggressive or aggressive prostate cancer. In subgroup analyses the HR for men with a family history of prostate cancer were 2.47 (95%CI = 0.96-6.37) and 2.61 (95% CI = 1.01-6.72) for total polyunsaturated fat (PUFA) and (n-6) PUFA for the 4th vs. 1st quartiles of intake, respectively. Red meat was not associated with total or aggressive prostate cancer. However, higher dairy intake had a statistically significant reduced risk of aggressive prostate cancer than lower dairy intake (HR = 0.59, 95% CI = 0.40-0.85). Dairy foods also protected current, but not former, smokers against aggressive cancer (HR = 0.42, 95% CI = 0.25-0.70). Our findings suggest that associations of dietary fat with prostate cancer risk may vary by type of fat or fat-containing food, and that risk may vary by host factors, including family history and smoking.     

Alcohol intake and the risk of lung cancer: influence of type of alcoholic beverage

Alcohol consumption has been associated with an increased risk of lung cancer, but the antioxidants in wine may, in theory, provide protection. This association was studied in 28,160 men and women subjects from three prospective studies conducted in 1964-1992 in Copenhagen, Denmark. After adjustment for age, smoking, and education, a low to moderate alcohol intake (1-20 drinks per week) was not associated with an increased risk of lung cancer. Men who consumed 21-41 and more than 41 drinks per week had relative risks of 1.23 (95% confidence interval (CI) 0.88-1.74) and 1.57 (95% CI 1.06-2.33), respectively. The risk of lung cancer differed according to the type of alcohol consumed: After abstainers were excluded, drinkers of 1-13 and more than 13 glasses of wine per week had relative risks of 0.78 (95% CI 0.63-0.97) and 0.44 (95% CI 0.22-0.86), respectively, as compared with nondrinkers of wine (p for trend = 0.002). Corresponding relative risks for beer intake were 1.09 (95% CI 0.83-1.43) and 1.36 (95% CI 1.02-1.82), respectively (p for trend = 0.01); for spirits, they were 1.21 (95% CI 0.97-1.50) and 1.46 (95% CI 0.99-2.14), respectively (p for trend = 0.02). In women, the ability to detect associations with high alcohol intake and type of beverage was limited because of a limited range of alcohol intake. The authors concluded that in men, a high consumption of beer and spirits is associated with an increased risk of lung cancer, whereas wine intake may protect against the development of lung cancer.     

Leg and trunk length at 43 years in relation to childhood health, diet and family circumstances; evidence from the 1946 national birth cohort

BACKGROUND: This is a study of the associations of adult leg and trunk length with early life height and weight, diet, socioeconomic circumstances, and health, and parental height, divorce and death. METHOD: The data used were collected in a longitudinal study of the health, development and ageing of a British national birth cohort (N = 2879 in this analysis) studied since birth in 1946. Multiple regression models were used to investigate the relationships. RESULTS: Adult leg and trunk length were each positively associated with parental height, birthweight, and weight at 4 years. Leg length was associated positively with breastfeeding and energy intake at 4 years. Trunk length was associated negatively with serious illness in childhood and possibly also parental divorce, but not with the dietary data. CONCLUSION: Adult leg length is particularly sensitive to environmental factors and diet in early childhood because that is the period of most rapid leg growth. Trunk growth is faster than leg growth after infancy and before puberty, and may be associated with the effects of serious illness and parental separation because of the child's growing sensitivity to stressful circumstances, as well as the result of the biological effects of illness.     

Opposite contributions of trunk and leg fat mass with plasma lipase activities: the Hoorn study

OBJECTIVE: Lipoprotein lipase (LPL) and hepatic lipase (HL) are essential in hydrolysis of triglyceride-rich lipoproteins. LPL activity is negatively, whereas HL activity is positively, associated with total body fat. We determined the associations of trunk and leg fat mass with plasma LPL and HL activities in a cross-sectional study. RESEARCH METHODS AND PROCEDURES: LPL and HL activities were determined in post-heparin plasma in a sample of 197 men and 209 women, 60 to 87 years of age. A total body DXA scan was performed to determine trunk and leg fat mass. RESULTS: In women, but not in men, trunk fat mass was negatively associated with LPL activity, whereas leg fat mass was positively associated, after mutual adjustment and adjustment for age. Standardized betas (95% confidence interval) for trunk and leg fat mass were -0.24 (-0.41; -0.08) and 0.14 (-0.02; 0.31), respectively (interaction by sex, p = 0.03). Larger trunk fat mass was associated with higher HL activity in men [0.48 (0.28; 0.68)] and women [0.40 (0.24; 0.56)]. A negative association of leg fat mass and HL activity was observed in men, although not statistically significant [-0.13 (-0.33; 0.06)], and in women [-0.28 (-0.38; -0.18)]. DISCUSSION: Abdominal fat is associated with unfavorable and femoral fat with favorable LPL and HL activities in plasma.