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Background Nitrites and nitrates occur naturally in water and soil and are commonly ingested from drinking water and dietary sources. They are also used as food additives, mainly in processed meats, to increase shelf life and to avoid bacterial growth. Experimental studies suggested both benefits and harmful effects of nitrites and nitrates exposure on type 2 diabetes (T2D) onset, but epidemiological and clinical data are lacking. We aimed to study these associations in a large population-based prospective cohort study, distinguishing foods and water-originated nitrites/nitrates from those from food additives. Methods and findings Overall, 104,168 adults from the French NutriNet-Santé cohort study (2009 to 2021, 79.1% female, mean age [SD] = 42.7 [14.5]) were included. Associations between self-reported exposure to nitrites and nitrates (evaluated using repeated 24-h dietary records, linked to a comprehensive food composition database and accounting for commercial names/brands details of industrial products) and risk of T2D were assessed using cause-specific multivariable Cox proportional hazard models adjusted for known risk factors (sociodemographic, anthropometric, lifestyle, medical history, and nutritional factors). During a median follow-up duration of 7.3 years (interquartile range: [3.2; 10.1] years), 969 incident T2D cases were ascertained. Total nitrites and foods and water-originated nitrites were both positively associated with a higher T2D risk (HR.sub.tertile 3 vs.1 = 1.27 (95% CI 1.04 to 1.54), P.sub.trend = 0.009 and 1.26 (95% CI 1.03 to 1.54), P.sub.trend = 0.02, respectively). Participants with higher exposure to additives-originated nitrites (i.e., above the sex-specific median) and specifically those having higher exposure to sodium nitrite (e250) had a higher T2D risk compared with those who were not exposed to additives-originated nitrites (HR .sub.higher consumers vs. non-consumers = 1.53 (95% CI 1.24 to 1.88), P.sub.trend < 0.001 and 1.54 (95% CI 1.26 to 1.90), P.sub.trend < 0.001, respectively). There was no evidence for an association between total, foods and water-originated, or additives-originated nitrates and T2D risk (all P.sub.trend = 0.7). No causal link can be established from this observational study. Main limitations include possible exposure measurement errors and the lack of validation versus specific nitrites/nitrates biomarkers; potential selection bias linked to the healthier behaviors of the cohort's participants compared to the general population; potential residual confounding linked to the observational design, as well as a self-reported, yet cross-checked, case ascertainment. Conclusions The findings of this large prospective cohort did not support any potential benefits for dietary nitrites and nitrates. They suggested that a higher exposure to both foods and water-originated and additives-originated nitrites was associated with higher T2D risk in the NutriNet-Santé cohort. This study provides a new piece of evidence in the context of current debates about updating regulations to limit the use of nitrites as food additives. The results need to be replicated in other populations. Trial registration ClinicalTrials.gov NCT03335644 (https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT03335644), Author(s): Bernard Srour 1,2,*, Eloi Chazelas 1,2, Nathalie Druesne-Pecollo 1,2, Younes Esseddik 1, Fabien Szabo de Edelenyi 1, Cédric Agaësse 1, Alexandre De Sa 1, Rebecca Lutchia 1, Charlotte Debras [...]

Author(s): Fabien Szabo De Edelenyi [1, 2]; Christophe Rubin [1]; Francois Esteve (corresponding author) [1, 2]; Sylvie Grand [1, 2]; Michel Decorps [1]; Virgine Lefournier [3]; Jean-Francois Le Bas [1, [...]

Background: Fluid and water intake have received limited attention in epidemiological studies. The aim of this study was to compare the average daily consumption of foods and beverages in adults of selective samples of the European Union (EU) population in order to understand the contribution of these to the total water intake (TWI), evaluate if the EU adult population consumes adequate amounts of total water (TW) according to the current guidelines, and to illustrate the real water intake in Europe. Methods: Three national European dietary surveys have been selected: Spain used the Anthropometry, Intake, and Energy Balance Study (ANIBES) population database, Italy analyzed data from the Italian National Food Consumption Survey (INRAN-SCAI 2005-06), and French data came from the NutriNet-Santé database. Mean daily consumption was used to compare between individuals. TWI was compared with European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) reference values for adult men and women. Results: On average, in Spain, TWI was 1.7 L (SE 22.9) for men and 1.6 L (SE 19.4) for women; Italy recorded 1.7 L (SE 16.9) for men and 1.7 L (SE 14.1) for women; and France recorded 2.3 L (SE 4.7) for men and 2.1 L (SE 2.4) for women. With the exception of women in France, neither men nor women consumed sufficient amounts of water according to EFSA reference values. Conclusions: This study highlights the need to formulate appropriate health and nutrition policies to increase TWI in the EU population. The future of beverage intake assessment requires the use of new instruments, techniques, and the application of the new available technologies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Adequate hydration is a key factor for correct functioning of both cognitive and physical processes. In France, public health recommendations about adequate total water intake (TWI) only state that fluid intake should be sufficient, with particular attention paid to hydration for seniors, especially during heatwave periods. The objective of this study was to calculate the total amount of water coming from food and beverages and to analyse characteristics of consumption in participants from a large French national cohort. Methods: TWI, as well as contribution of food and beverages to TWI was assessed among 94,939 adult participants in the Nutrinet-Santé cohort (78% women, mean age 42.9 (SE 0.04)) using three 24-h dietary records at baseline. Statistical differences in water intakes across age groups, seasons and day of the week were assessed. Results: The mean TWI was 2.3 L (Standard Error SE 4.7) for men and 2.1 L (SE 2.4) for women. A majority of the sample did comply with the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) adequate intake recommendation, especially women. Mean total energy intake (EI) was 1884 kcal/day (SE 1.5) (2250 kcal/day (SE 3.6) for men and 1783 kcal/day (SE 1.5) for women). The contribution to the total EI from beverages was 8.3%. Water was the most consumed beverage, followed by hot beverages. The variety score, defined as the number of different categories of beverages consumed during the three 24-h records out of a maximum of 8, was positively correlated with TWI (r = 0.4); and with EI (r = 0.2), suggesting that beverage variety is an indicator of higher consumption of food and drinks. We found differences in beverage consumptions and water intakes according to age and seasonality. Conclusions: The present study gives an overview of the water intake characteristics in a large population of French adults. TWI was found to be globally in line with public health recommendations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lutein is recovered at high concentration in the human macula lutea. Recent studies suggest that this micronutrient might be implicated in prevention of age-related macular degeneration. Objective. To identify genes which affect blood and retina lutein concentrations among candidate genes (intestinal sterol transporters and carotenoid oxygenases). Design. A comparative plus an observational study. Participants. Twenty-nine healthy subjects for the comparative study and 622 subjects for the observational study. Intervention and methods. All the participants were genotyped for single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the candidate genes. Fasting plasma lutein concentrations were measured in all the participants and after 6 months' supplementation, with either a lutein-rich supplement or a placebo, in the 29 subjects who participated in the comparative study. Macular pigment optical density (MPOD), which is a measure of macula concentration of lutein, was measured before and after the dietary intervention in the 29 subjects. Associations between SNPs and plasma lutein and MPOD were assessed by partial least square (PLS) regression followed by univariate analysis. Observed associations between SNPs and plasma lutein were verified by haplotype-based association analysis in the cohort of 622 subjects. Main outcome measures. Plasma lutein levels and MPOD. Results. Six SNPs in four genes (ABCG8, BCMO1, CD36, and NPC1L1) explained 25% and 38% of the plasma and MPOD variance, respectively. Subjects with TT at the BCMO1 rs7501331 locus had lower ( P < 0.05) plasma lutein than CT subjects. Subjects with CC at the CD36 rs13230419 locus had lower ( P < 0.05) plasma lutein than subjects who carried a T allele. The association between CD36 and plasma lutein was confirmed in the cohort of 622 subjects. Subjects with TT at the BCMO1 rs7501331 locus had a higher ( P < 0.05) MPOD, and subjects with GG at rs1761667 CD36 locus had a higher ( P < 0.05) MPOD than those with an A allele. Conclusions. These results suggest that BCMO1 and CD36 are implicated in plasma and retina concentrations of lutein and that genetic variants in these genes can modulate blood and retina concentrations of lutein. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nosologic images: a 1H spectroscopic imaging tool for cerebral tumour classification. Proton magnetic resonance spectroscopic imaging (1H MRSI) provides non-invasively biochemical information from tissue. We present 56 patients with brain tumours, who underwent multivoxel 1H MRS examinations. The results were presented in the form of nosologic images. Each of the 1H MR spectra in the spectroscopic images was assigned to a particular histopathological class on the basis of a preestablished classification. Nosologic imaging had significant contribution to the pre-operative diagnosis and could be used as part of the routine assessment. Furthermore, it takes into account tumour heterogeneity, and can help in stereotactic biopsy guidance and therapy follow-up. To cite this article: V. Lefournier et al., C. R. Chimie 7 (2004). [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Background: Nutritional factors are essential for the functioning of the immune system and could therefore play a role in COVID-19 but evidence is needed. Our objective was to study the associations between diet and the risk of SARS-CoV-2 infection in a large population-based sample., Methods: Our analyses were conducted in the French prospective NutriNet-Santé cohort study (2009-2020). Seroprevalence of anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibodies was assessed by ELISA on dried blood spots. Dietary intakes were derived from repeated 24 h dietary records (at least 6) in the two years preceding the start of the COVID-19 pandemic in France (February 2020). Multi-adjusted logistic regression models were computed., Results: A total of 7766 adults (70.3% women, mean age: 60.3 years) were included, among which 311 were positive for anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibodies. Dietary intakes of vitamin C (OR for 1 SD=0.86 (0.75-0.98), P=0.02), vitamin B9 (OR=0.84 (0.72-0.98), P=0.02), vitamin K (OR=0.86 (0.74-0.99), P=0.04), fibers (OR=0.84 (0.72-0.98), P=0.02), and fruit and vegetables (OR=0.85 (0.74-0.97), P=0.02) were associated to a decreased probability of SARS-CoV-2 infection while dietary intakes of calcium (OR=1.16 (1.01-1.35), P=0.04) and dairy products (OR=1.19 (1.06-1.33), P=0.002) associated to increased odds. No association was detected with other food groups or nutrients or with the overall diet quality., Conclusions: Higher dietary intakes of fruit and vegetables and, consistently, of vitamin C, folate, vitamin K and fibers were associated with a lower susceptibility to SARS-CoV-2 infection. Beyond its established role in the prevention of non-communicable diseases, diet could therefore also contribute to prevent some infectious diseases such as COVID-19., (© 2021. The Author(s).)