Lifestyle factors, including diet, have long been recognised as potentially important determinants of cancer risk. In addition to the significant role diet plays in affecting body fatness, a risk factor for several cancers, experimental studies have indicated that diet may influence the cancer process in several ways. Prospective studies have shown that dietary patterns characterised by higher ...

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Higher intake of whole grains may exert cardiometabolic benefits, although findings on stroke risk are inconclusive. The potentially differential effects of individual whole grain foods on ischemic stroke have not been examined. METHODS We analyzed whole grain consumption in relation to ischemic stroke among 71 750 women from the Nurses' Health Study and 42 823 men from...

BACKGROUND Studies of whole grain and chronic disease have often included bran-enriched foods and other ingredients that do not meet the current definition of whole grains. Therefore, we assessed the literature to test whether whole grains alone had benefits on these diseases. OBJECTIVE The objective was to assess the contribution of bran or cereal fiber on the impact of whole grains on the r...

The term ‘functional foods’ is a relatively new food category or concept, originating in the 1980s and becoming more widely used over the past decade. The ‘functional foods’ concept has been notoriously hard to define. Discussions of functional foods often begin by acknowledging that there are no generally accepted definitions of ‘functional foods’ and note the ‘ambiguity of definition and inte...

Dietary recommendations should be individualized for each patient, but certain basic principles apply to most people. A healthful diet should include a wide variety of whole, unprocessed foods that are free of additives and, if possible, grown without the use of pesticides, herbicides, and other potentially toxic agricultural chemicals. For people who do not have specific food intolerances, suc...

Evidence from prospective cohort studies indicates that a high consumption of plant-based foods such as fruit and vegetables, nuts, and whole grains is associated with a significantly lower risk of coronary artery disease and stroke. The protective effects of these foods are probably mediated through multiple beneficial nutrients contained in these foods, including mono- and polyunsaturated fat...

Consumption of a number of grains and grain extracts has been reported to control or improve glucose tolerance and reduce insulin resistance. The inability of the body to maintain normal glucose levels or to require excessive levels of insulin to do so has been called glucose intolerance, impaired glucose tolerance and insulin resistance. These conditions are associated with obesity and may be ...

OBJECTIVE To explore current awareness and perceptions of whole grain foods and perceived barriers and facilitators of whole grain consumption. DESIGN Focus groups were conducted to investigate consumer attitudes to whole grains. Discussions were transcribed verbatim and analysed thematically. SETTING Discussions were held throughout Northern Ireland with adults who were at least partly res...