Iron absorption from two typical French meals and three typical Spanish meals was measured, using the extrinsic tag technique (with 55Fe and 59Fe) on French and Spanish volunteers. The total iron absorption coefficient varied up to three-fold (between 3.4 and 11.4 per cent) according to the contents of haem and non-haem iron and the presence of non-haem iron absorption enhancers and inhibitors. Expressed for iron absorption of 40 per cent of the reference dose (corresponding to subjects with theoretical depleted iron stores), those coefficients varied up to four-fold (between 4.9 and 18.9 per cent). The bioavailable nutrient density ranged from 0.30 to 0.77 mg/1000 kcal in subjects with good iron stores and from 0.50 to 1.12 mg/1000 kcal for subjects with theoretical depleted iron stores. This low bioavailable iron density enabled understanding of why iron balance is especially critical in women of childbearing age in industrialized countries, where iron enrichment of food is not practised.

Iron status was assessed using a combination of several biochemical indicators (serum ferritin, erythrocyte protoporphyrin, serum iron, MCV, hemoglobin) in 3,676 apparently healthy children. Children who were 10 months, 2 years and 4 years of age were selected from the population undergoing a free medical check up in a Paris Child Health Center. The prevalence of iron deficiency in children of parents from continental France was 29% in the 10 month olds, 13% in the 2 year olds and 7% in those who were 4 years of age. Corresponding figures in children born of immigrant parents were 50%, 44% and 15% respectively. Iron deficiency anemia was found in 8% of 10 month olds from continental France versus 23% in the other group. Children born of parents from the South Sahara were found to be at high risk for iron deficiency.

The relationship between soup consumption and folic acid, beta-carotene, and vitamin E and C status was assessed in adults who regularly consumed soup compared to those who did not or who were occasional eaters. Data were obtained for 2114 men and 2874 women living in France and participating in the SU.VI.MAX cohort, who reported twelve 24-hour dietary records during a two-year follow-up period. Six-point-seven percent of women and 8.7% of men were heavy consumers of soup (i.e., they consumed soup from 9-12 days out of 12 days). Respectively, 46 and 42.5% were regular soup consumers (3-8 days out of 12), and 47.3 and 48.8% were occasional or non-soup consumers (0-2 days or less out of 12). Total energy intake did not differ between soup consumers and non-consumers. In both genders, heavy consumers of soups had significantly higher intakes of carbohydrates and lower lipid intakes. Heavy consumers of soup had higher dietary intakes of folates, beta-carotene, vitamin C and, in men, of vitamin E. In heavy consumers, soups contributed 12.5% of total dietary intake of beta-carotene in men and 13% in women. For vitamin C, vitamin E, and folates, soups contributed to 4-5% of total vitamin intake. In heavy soup consumers, mean serum vitamin C levels were higher, but not significantly, than in occasional or non-soup consumers. This trend was also observed for red blood cell folate in women only. The present data suggest that consumption of soup may be beneficial in promotional programs to increase vegetable consumption, and may contribute to a balanced diet and a healthy nutritional status, and especially vitamin status, in the overall population.

A high consumption of fruit and vegetables (F&V) has been associated with a lower incidence of many chronic diseases (1,2) .Increasing F&V intake has become an international public health priority in many countries.The aim of the present study was to investigate relationships between socio-demographic and behavioural factors and both quantity and variety of F&V consumption in a national sample of middle-aged French subjects.The Supplementation en Vitamines et Mineraux Antioxydants (SU.VI.MAX) study (3) included middle-aged adults (aged 45-60 years) who were followed for an 8-year period.All subjects were invited to complete a 24 h dietary record every 2 months.The subjects selected were those who completed at least six dietary records during the first 2 years of follow-up and for whom data were available for all sociodemographic variables and behavioural characteristics.Furthermore, to take into account seasonal variations in F&V consumption the sample was restricted to subjects having at least one-third of their reported 24 h dietary records in the autumn-winter period (November-April) and one-third in the spring-summer period (May-October).Older subjects, non-smokers and moderate alcohol consumers of both genders and women undertaking regular physical activity were more likely to achieve the 'five-a-day' F&V recommendation.Educational level was associated with a higher quantity of F&V in the study population.Men with a higher education level consumed a higher variety of F&V, whereas for women variety was significantly higher for vegetables only.No association was found with occupation in multivariate analyses for women, whereas higher fruit variety was observed for higher occupational categories for men.The contribution of F&V to the cost of the total daily diet also differed between socio-economic groups, with some gender-specific relationships.Most of the nutritional policies developed in Western countries to improve F&V intakes are based on general actions for the whole population.However, low socio-economic groups should be targetted with specific actions to improve F&V intake in low consumers.

info:eu-repo/semantics/published

Adiponectin is a metabolic link between adipose tissue and insulin action, mediating part of obesity-associated insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes. Two adiponectin receptors have been identified, and we investigated whether sequence variations in adiponectin receptor 1 (ADIPOR1) and adiponectin receptor 2 (ADIPOR2) genes could contribute to the genetic risk for type 2 diabetes in a case-control study of 1,498 Caucasian subjects. We sequenced the putative functional regions of the two genes in 48 subjects and selected single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) from the public database. Five SNPs in ADIPOR1 and 12 in ADIPOR2 were tested for association with type 2 diabetes. No SNP of ADIPOR1 showed association in any of the samples from the French population. In contrast, three SNPs of ADIPOR2 showed nominal evidence for association with type 2 diabetes before correction for multiple testing (odds ratio [OR] 1.29-1.37, P = 0.034-0.014); only rs767870, located in intron 6, was replicated in an additional diabetes dataset (n = 636, OR 1.29, P = 0.020) with significant allelic association from the overall meta-analysis of 2,876 subjects (adjusted OR 1.25 [95% CI 1.07-1.45], P = 0.0051). In conclusion, our data suggest a modest contribution of ADIPOR2 variants in diabetes risk in the French population.

A substantial number of mature women experience nasal symptoms during the course of a year. Rhinitis and nasal bleeding were correlated with passive exposure to tobacco smoke.

These results may indicate that there are modifications of structure and function of large arteries according to paternal longevity.