The present study investigated dietary intake, glucose metabolism and sex hormones in women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). A total of forty-five women (aged 25 -40 years) with PCOS and 161 control women (aged 25-43 years) with non-PCOS-related infertility were recruited. Anthropometry, glucose tolerance and sex hormones were determined and dietary intake was assessed. Women with PCOS had lower serum sex hormone-binding globulin and increased BMI, waist:hip ratio, luteinising hormone, ratio of luteinising hormone: follicle-stimulating hormone, testosterone and free androgen index (FAI). Postprandial glucose, fasting insulin and insulin resistance were elevated in women with PCOS. Women with PCOS had reduced energy and carbohydrate intake but higher fat intake. Serum sex hormone-binding globulin level was negatively associated with BMI in both groups and negatively correlated with macronutrient intake in the PCOS group with hyperandrogenism. However, FAI was positively correlated with BMI, waist circumference and glucose metabolic parameters in both groups. Therefore, women with PCOS consume lower energy and carbohydrate compared with those with non-PCOS-related infertility and macronutrient intake is only negatively associated with serum sex hormone-binding globulin level in the PCOS group with hyperandrogenism.

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Background Lifestyle factors were associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) occurrence. We explored the associations between lifestyle factors and CVD risk factors, and assessed the interactive effects of lifestyle factors on CVD risk factors. Methods A cross-sectional data of 114,082 (57,680 men and 56,402 women) middle-aged adults and elderly in Taiwan were collected from 2001 to 2010. Logistic regression analysis was used to assess the associations between lifestyle factors and CVD risk factors. The relative excess risk due to interaction (RERI) and the attributable proportion due to interaction were used to explore the interactive effect of lifestyle factors on CVD risk factors. Results The interaction between alcohol consumption and smoking exhibited an excess risk of high triglycerides (RERI = 0.21; 95% CI: 0.14 – 0.29), and that of alcohol consumption and physical activity had an excess risk of high LDL-cholesterol (RERI = 0.11; 95% CI: 0.06 – 0.16) and high blood glucose (RERI = 0.05; 95% CI: 0.01 – 0.11). Alcohol consumption and vegetable-rich diet (intake of high vegetables with no or low meat) had an excess risk of high LDL-cholesterol and low HDL-cholesterol, but a reduced risk of high triglycerides (RERI = -0.10; 95% CI: -0.17 – -0.04). Smoking and physical activity had an increased risk of high blood glucose and a reduced risk of low HDL-cholesterol. Smoking and vegetable-rich diet reduced the risk of high triglycerides (RERI = -0.11; 95% CI: -0.18 – -0.04), high blood glucose (RERI = -0.14; 95% CI: -0.21 – -0.07) and low HDL-cholesterol (RERI = -0.10; 95% CI: -0.19 – -0.01). Conclusions The interaction between smoking, alcohol consumption, physical activity and diet were associated with lipid profile and blood glucose, hence there was an interaction between these lifestyle factors in an additive scale. Public health promotion should therefore consider multifaceted promotional activities that are likely to make a positive impact on the health status of the Taiwanese population.

Homocysteine level can lead to adverse effects on the brain white matter through endothelial dysfunction, microstructural inflammation, and neurotoxin effects. Despite previously observed associations between elevated homocysteine and macroscopic structural brain changes, it is still unknown whether microstructural associations of homocysteine on brain tissue properties can be observed in healthy subjects with routine MRI. To this end, we investigated potential relationships between homocysteine levels and microstructural measures computed with diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) in a cohort of 338 healthy participants. Significant positive correlations were observed between homocysteine levels and diffusivity measures in the bilateral temporal WM, the brainstem, and the bilateral cerebellar peduncle. This is the first study demonstrating that DTI is sufficiently sensitive to relate microstructural WM properties to homocysteine levels in healthy subjects.