Diet Quality of Preschoolers in Greece Based on theHealthy Eating Index: The GENESIS StudyThis study aimed to assess the diet quality of Greek preschoolers andthe potential role of several sociodemographic factors related to it. Arepresentative sample of 2,287 Greek children aged 2 to 5 years from theGrowth, Exercise, and Nutrition Epidemiological Study In preSchoolerswas used in this study. Dietary intake data were obtained using acombination of techniques comprising weighed food records, 24-hourrecalls, and food diaries. A Healthy Eating Index (HEI) score wascalculated by summing the individual scores (0 to 10) assigned to eachone of 10 index components. Based on HEI scores, the vast majority ofGreek preschoolers have a poor diet. It was also detected that low HEIscore was associated with children who had less physical activity, lowvegetable intakes, high saturated fat intakes, and children whose moth-ers had either limited education or were unemployed.

See pages 616-623.

Underreporting of Food Intake among Mexican/Mexican-American Women: Rates and CorrelatesUnderreporting of food intake threatens the validity of dietary assess-ment, yet little is known about the prevalence or correlates of underre-porting in the Mexican/Mexican-American community. Therefore, thisstudy examined underreporting rates and correlates among a randomsample of 357 Mexican/Mexican-American women—ranging in age from21 to 67 years and living in south San Diego, CA, near the UnitedStates–Mexico border—using dietary data based on repeated 24-hourrecalls and the Goldberg equation. Age, income level, education level,and weight status, all correlates of underreporting in non-Hispanicwhite participants, were examined as potential correlates of underre-porting among Mexican/Mexican-American women. Acculturation wasexamined to determine whether it accounted for additional variance inunderreporting. Analysis of the data revealed that, consistent withprevious studies, underreporters in this Mexican/Mexican-Americansample were more likely to be overweight or obese, and were older. Theywere also more likely to identify with the dominant Anglo culture.

See pages 624-632.

Dietary Intake, Eating Habits, and Metabolic Syndromein Korean MenThe objective of this study was to evaluate the association between theintake frequencies of certain food groups, eating habits, and the risk ofmetabolic syndrome in a cross-sectional study of Korean men. Studyparticipants were 7,081 men 30 years and older recruited from theNational Cancer Center in South Korea between August 2002 and May2007. Metabolic syndrome was defined as having three or more of thefollowing conditions: obesity, high blood pressure, low high-density lipo-protein cholesterol level, high triglyceride level, and high fasting bloodglucose level. The association of metabolic syndrome and sociodemo-graphic characteristics, food intake frequencies, and eating habits as-sessed by a food frequency questionnaire was examined. The results ofthis examination suggested that high intake of seaweed and oily foodsas well as eating habits such as eating faster and frequent overeating,are associated with the risk of metabolic syndrome. In contrast, highfruit intake may be associated with a lower risk of metabolic syndrome.

See pages 633-640.

Food Groups and Renal CellCarcinoma: Results from aCase-Control StudyThis case-control study used an integrativeapproach to assess the role of food groupsand food items in renal cell carcinoma risk.Three hundred thirty-five incident caseswere identified from hospital records andthe Florida cancer registry, and 337 popula-tion controls frequency-matched by age, sex,and race, were identified through random-digit dialing. Eating habits were assessedthrough the use of the 70-item Block foodfrequency questionnaire. Odds ratios, 95%confidence intervals, and tests for trendswere calculated using logistic regression,controlled for age, sex, race, income, bodymass index, and pack-years of smoking. Re-sults of these calculations led the authors toconclude that the protective role of vegetablesand the increased risk of renal cell carcinomawith meat consumption are supported, butthe protective role of fruits is not.

See pages 656-667.

A Systemic Review of the Rolesof n-3 Fatty Acids in Healthand DiseaseAttention to the role of n-3 long-chain fattyacids in human health and disease has beencontinuously increased during recent de-cades. This article reviews available litera-ture on the role of n-3 fatty acids in humanhealth and disease and also highlights theinfluence of increased consumption of n-3fatty acids in improving quality of life. Manyclinical and epidemiologic studies haveshown positive roles for n-3 fatty acids ininfant development, cancer, cardiovasculardiseases, and, more recently, in variousmental illnesses, including depression, at-tention-deficit hyperactivity disorder, anddementia. These beneficial effects may bemediated through several distinct mecha-nisms, including alterations in cell membranecomposition and function, gene expression, oreicosanoid production. Additional controlledclinical trials are needed to documentwhether long-term consumption or supple-mentation with eicosapentaenoic acid/doco-sahexaenoic acid or the plant-derived coun-terpart, �-linolenic acid, results in betterquality of life.

See pages 668-679.

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