AbstractBackground: The present stu

Abstract
Background: The present study aimed to determine whether total fibre or specific fibre food sources are associated with the incidence of the metabolic syndrome (MetS) after 3 years of follow-up in the Tehran Lipid and Glucose
Study.

Methods: This population-based prospective study, conducted within the framework of the Tehran Lipid and Glucose Study, included 1582 adults, who were aged 19–84 years and free of MetS at baseline. Usual dietary fibre intake was assessed at baseline using a 168-item food frequency questionnaire. Anthropometrics, blood pressure, and fasting blood glucose and lipid profiles were measured at baseline and 3 years later. The MetS was defined according to the definition of the revised Adult treatment Panel III.

Results: During the 3-year follow-up, there was 15.2% incidence of MetS. Among sources of dietary fibre, fruit fibre was significantly and inversely associated with the occurrence of MetS, after adjustment for confounding factors, with a 21% lower risk [odds ratio (OR) = 0.79, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.60–0.97] in the highest tertile of intake compared to the lowest tertile. Subjects in the highest tertile of cereal fibre intake had lower odds of MetS compared to those in the lowest tertile (OR = 0.73, 95% CI = 0.52– 0.97) and this association disappeared after adjustment for confounders. No significant association was found between intakes of vegetables, legumes and nut fibre with the incidence of MetS.

Conclusions: Among specific fibre food sources, fruit fibre had a protective effect against the risk of MetS.

Abstract
Background: Resistant glucan (RG) and hydrogenated resistant glucan (HRG) are new dietary fiber materials developed to decrease the risk of metabolic syndrome and lifestyle-related diseases. We investigated the metabolism and bioavailability of RG and HRG using rats and humans.

Methods: Purified RG and HRG were used as test substances. After 25 Wistar male rats (270 g) were fed with an experimental diet (AIN93M diet with the cellulose replaced by β-corn starch) ad libitum for 1 week, they were used for the experiment involving blood collection and circulating air collection. Ten participants (5 males, 22.5 y, BMI 20.4 kg/m2; 5 females, 25.8 y, BMI 20.9 kg/m2) voluntarily participated in this study. The study was carried out using a within-subject, repeated measures design. Effects of RG and HRG on the response for blood glucose and insulin and hydrogen excretion were compared with those of glucose and a typical nondigestible and fermentable fructooligosaccharide (FOS) in rats and humans. Available energy was evaluated using the fermentability based on breath hydrogen excretion.

Results: When purified RG or HRG (400 mg) was administered orally to rats, blood glucose and insulin increased slightly, but less than when glucose was administration (P < 0.05). Hydrogen started to be excreted 120 min after administration of RG with negligibly small peak at 180 min, thereafter excreted scarcely until 1440 min. Hydrogen excretion after HRG administration showed a larger peak than RG at 180 min, but was markedly less than FOS. RG and HRG were excreted in feces, but not urine. When purified RG or HRG (30 g) were ingested by healthy humans, blood glucose and insulin levels increased scarcely. Breath hydrogen excretion increased slightly, but remarkably less than FOS. Ingestion of purified RG or HRG (5 g) to evaluate available energy, increased scarcely glucose and insulin levels and breath hydrogen excretion. Available energy was evaluated as 0 kcal/g for purified RG and 1 kcal/g for HRG.

Conclusion: The bioavailability was very low in both humans and rats, because oligosaccharide of minor component in purified RG and HRG was metabolized via intestinal microbes but major components with higher molecular weight were metabolized scarcely. Moreover, the ingestion of 30 g of RG or HRG did not induce apparent acute side effects in healthy adults. RG and HRG might potentially be used as new dietary fiber materials with low energy.

Abstract
Background
The relationship of snacking patterns on nutrient intake and cardiovascular risk factors
(CVRF) in adults is unknown. The aim of this study was to examine the associations of
snacking patterns with nutrient intake, diet quality, and a selection of CVRF in adults participating in the 2001-2008 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey.
Methods
24-hour dietary recalls were used to determine intake and cluster analysis was used to
identify the snacking patterns. Height and weight were obtained and the health indices that
were evaluated included diastolic and systolic blood pressure, high density lipoproteincholesterol, low density lipoprotein cholesterol, triacylglycerides, blood glucose, and insulin.

Results
The sample was participants (n = 18,988) 19+ years (50% males; 11% African-Americans;
72% white, 12% Hispanic-Americans, and 5% other). Cluster analyses generated 12 distinct
snacking patterns, expla