Prevention of chronic diseases

Combined estrogen plus progestin should not be used in the prevention of chronic diseases because it increases the risk of CHD, stroke, breast cancer, and venous thromboembolism. 

Bohm, FI. et al., Flavonols, flavone and anthocyanins as natural antioxidants of food and their possible role in the prevention of chronic diseases, Z. Ernahrungsw., 37, 147, 1998. 

World Health Organization (WHO) (2003). Diet, Nutrition and the Prevention of Chronic Diseases. World Health Organization, Geneva Technical Report Series 916, Report of a Joint WHO/FAO Expert Consultation, p. 88. 

Vitamin E is not recommended for the prevention of chronic disease, such as coronary heart disease or cancer. Clinical trials using vita min E supplementation have been uniformly disappointing. For example, subjects in the Alpha-Tocopherol, Beta Carotene Cancer Prevention Study trial who received high doses of vitamin E, not only lacked cadiovascular benefit but also had an increased inci dence of stroke. 

WHO/FAO Expert Consultation (2003) Diet, nutrition and the prevention of chronic diseases , WHO Technical Report Series, vol. 916, WHO, Geneva. 

Carotenoids, a class of yellow to deep-red pigments present in many commonly eaten fruits and vegetables, have been hypothesized to play a role in the prevention of chronic diseases such as cancer and heart disease. Most research to date has focused on the relationship between P-carotene and lung cancer. Lung cancer is one of the most common cancers in the U.S., and P-carotene was initially the most thoroughly studied carotenoid because of its role as a vitamin A precursor (Cooper et al., 1999). 

The biological activities of carotenoids, such as (3-carotene, are related to their provitamin A activity within the body (Clinton, 1998). Since lycopene lacks the (3-ionic ring structure, it does not have any provitamin A activity (Stahl and Sies, 1996). The biological effects of lycopene in humans have therefore been attributed to mechanisms other than vitamin A. Two major hypotheses have been proposed to explain the anticarcinogenic and antiatherogenic activities of lycopene oxidative and nonoxidative mechanisms. The proposed mechanisms for the role of lycopene in the prevention of chronic diseases are summarized in Figure 6. 

FIG. 7 Lycopene and the prevention of chronic diseases The hypothesis. (Lycopene and the prevention of chronic diseases. Reprinted from Major findings from five international conferences. 2002. A.V. Rao, D. Heber, eds., p. 4. By permission of Caledonian Science Press.)... 

Since the recognition of the biological role of lycopene in the prevention of chronic diseases, the emphasis of the scientific community has been in the area of cancer, with special focus on prostate cancer. However, based on the hypothesis that oxidative stress may be an important etiological factor in the causation of most of the degenerative diseases and that lycopene is a potent antioxidant, the scientific community has started to study its role in diseases other than the ones reviewed in this chapter. These health disorders include skin and ocular diseases, rheumatoid arthritis, periodontal diseases, and inflammatory disorders. The scientific information pertaining to the role of lycopene in these diseases is still in its infancy. However, the rationale for undertaking these studies is scientifically valid and it is hoped that in the next 3-5 years several studies will be reported in the literature. 

Rao, A.V. 2002a. Lycopene, tomatoes and health New perspectives (2000). In Lycopene and the Prevention of Chronic Diseases Major Findings from Five International Conferences (A.V. Rao and D. Heber, eds), pp. 19-28. Caledonian Science Press, Scotland. 

Most of the epidemiological data presented in this chapter showed that high dosages of antioxidants are not active as preventive of chronic diseases, and the few positive results were found with moderation of the dosage and, particularly, by using a combination of products. 

This volume presents a state-of-the-art assessment of how diet can intervene and aid in the prevention of chronic disease. The editors hope this effort will stimulate further research in this important area of food biochemistry and nutrition. 

Phytochemicals are a broad array of compounds that coexist with nutrients in plant foods while not considered as essential nutrients per se, some are considered to play a role in the prevention of chronic diseases by acting either independently, synergistically with other phytochemicals or with nutrients that coexist in the plant. Ralph and Provan [3] have conveniently grouped phytochemicals into categories that include ... 

Rao AV, Agarwal S. Role of lycopene as antioxidant carotenoid in the prevention of chronic diseases a review. Nutr Res 1999 19 305-323. 

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