Meta-analysis of intrinsic rates of increase and carrying capacity of populations affected by toxic and other stressors

Most of the thousands of substances and species that are of concern for environmental management will not be investigated empirically at ecologically relevant levels because of financial, practical, and ethical constraints. To allow risk assessment for these less well-known categories, we have developed a mechanistic model with classical...

Moderate alcohol consumption lowers the risk of type 2 diabetes: A meta-analysis of prospective observational studies

OBJECTIVE - This meta-analysis was undertaken to obtain insight regarding the shape and strength of the relationship between alcohol consumption and the risk of type 2 diabetes, the effects of adjustment for confounders, and the effect of modification by type 2 diabetes definition, sex, and BMI. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS - The 15 original...

Physical exercise interventions to improve disability and return to work in low back pain: Current insights and opportunities for improvement

Introduction: There is a body of literature that indicates that physical exercise interventions, with a primary focus on improvement of functioning instead of pain relief, might be effective to stimulate return to work and improve function in workers who are absent from work due to low back pain (LBP). Successful application and implementation...

Alcohol consumption and risk of lung cancer: A pooled analysis of cohort studies

Background: Although smoking is the primary cause of lung cancer, much is unknown about lung cancer etiology, including risk determinants for nonsmokers and modifying factors for smokers. Objective: We hypothesized that alcohol consumption contributes to lung cancer risk. Design: We conducted a pooled analysis using standardized exposure and...

Dairy foods, calcium, and colorectal cancer: A pooled analysis of 10 cohort studies

Background: Studies in animals have suggested that calcium may reduce the risk of colorectal cancer. However, results from epidemiologic studies of intake of calcium or dairy foods and colorectal cancer risk have been inconclusive. Methods: We pooled the primary data from 10 cohort studies in five countries that assessed usual dietary intake by...

C-reactive protein as a risk factor versus risk marker

Purpose of review C-reactive protein (CRP) is consistently associated with cardiovascular disease in prospective and cross-sectional clinical and epidemiological studies. Inflammation is an important mechanism in cardiovascular disease, and the plasma level of CRP is considered to. reflect the inflammatory condition of the patient and/or the...

The relationships between work characteristics and mental health: Examining normal, reversed and reciprocal relationships in a 4-wave study

This longitudinal study examined the causal relationships between job demands, job control and supervisor support on the one hand and mental health on the other. Whereas we assumed that work characteristics affect mental health, we also examined reversed causal relationships (mental health influences work characteristics). Further, the topic of...

The effectiveness of worksite physical activity programs on physical activity, physical fitness, and health

Objective: To critically review the literature with respect to the effectiveness of worksite physical activity programs on physical activity, physical fitness, and health. Data Sources: A search for relevant English-written papers published between 1980 and 2000 was conducted using MEDLINE, EMBASE, Sportdiscus, CINAHL, and Psychlit. The key...

Health promotion and disease prevention as a complement to community health indicators: Working group 1

The aim of Working Group 1 has been to assess health promotion and disease prevention activities in terms of benefits, risks, and economic, social, and ethical implications as a complement to community health indicators. Objectives: The objectives delineated for Working Group 1 were: 1) to analyze current initiatives to assess health promotion...

Mechanisms of action of lumbar supports: A systematic review

Study Design. A systematic review and meta-analysis of studies on the putative mechanisms of action of lumbar supports in lifting activities. Objective. To summarize the evidence bearing on the putative mechanisms of action of lumbar supports. Summary of Background Data. A restriction of trunk motion and a reduction in required back muscle...

Multiple imputation of missing blood pressure covariates in survival analysis

This paper studies a non-response problem in survival analysis where the occurrence of missing data in the risk factor is related to mortality. In a study to determine the influence of blood pressure on survival in the very old (85+ years), blood pressure measurements are missing in about 12.5 per cent of the sample. The available data suggest...

Differences between men and women in the response of serum cholesterol to dietary changes

Background. Hypercholesterolaemia is initially treated by diet. However, most studies of diet and cholesterol response have been carried out in men, and it is not known whether women react to diet to the same extent as men do. We therefore studied sex differences in the response of serum cholesterol and lipoproteins to diet. Materials and...

Functional food properties of non-digestible oligosaccharides: a consensus report from the ENDO project (DGXII AIRII-CT94-1095)

This paper results from the final phase of the ENDO project (DGXII AIRII-CT94-1095), a European Commission-funded project on non-digestible oligosaccharides (NDO). All participants in the programme met to perform a consensus exercise on the possible functional food properties of NDO. Topics studied during the project (including a workshop on...