Vegans Health Status and Exposure to Pesticides and Nitrate

Vegans Exposure to Pesticides and Nitrate

This research concerns nutritional and toxicological health risk evaluation among long-term vegans. Research focus is in cumulative exposure to pesticides.

Study Overview

• Status: Completed
• Conditions: Malnutrition

Detailed Description

The main objective of the study was nutritional and toxicological health risk evaluation among long-term vegans with emphasis on cumulative exposure to pesticides. Main research methods include: measurement of food intake by using three days food record, measurement of nutritional and toxicological bio-markers on blood, serum and plasma. Nutritional biomarkers include following plasma/ serum measurements: concentrations of vitamins (vitamin E, D2, D3, B12 and beta-carotene), iron, iodine, selenium, fatty acids and polyphenols. Toxicological measurements include nitrate, pesticides and DNA-adducts.

We recruited the participants (n = 41) through an advertisement published in the Finnish Vegan Association's monthly newspaper and via an online discussion forum. The selection criteria were as follows: the participants had to (1) have followed a vegan diet for at least a year, (2) be between 18 and 50 years of age, (3) be apparently healthy, and (4) be nonusers of regular medications (except oral contraceptives or hormone replacement therapy). Further, we matched the non-vegetarian participants by age and sex. The study was approved by the Ethical Committee of Kuopio University Hospital (69//2011)

We assessed the consumption of foods at baseline with a three-day food record using household measures. The participants received the instructions on how to complete this record, and a dietician checked the completed food records. The participants also filled out a health questionnaire inquiring into their long-term healthy eating habits, including vitamin supplementation.

We collected fasting peripheral venous blood samples, plasma and serum, and stored them at -70 °C before the analysis. Further, urine samples 24 hours were collected prior to phlebotomy and divided into aliquots. For one of the subjects, only a spot urine sample was available. We carried out the hematological and chemical analyses at laboratory (hematological data), Helsinki University Central Hospital (folate, vitamin B12, vitamin D, and homocysteine), and the National Institute for Health and Welfare (alfa-tocopherol, beta-carotene, selenium, iodine, fatty acid profile, and polyphenols). Nitrate, nitrite were measured by capillary electrophoresis and DNA adducts by ELISA at Finnish Food Safety Authority.

• Study Type: Observational
• Enrollment (Actual): 41

Contacts and Locations

Study Locations

• Finland
  • Kuopio, Finland, 70211
    • University of Eastern Finland

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: 18 years to 50 years (Adult)
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: Yes
• Genders Eligible for Study: All

• Sampling Method: Non-Probability Sample

Study Population

Vegans and non-vegans

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

The selection criteria were as follows: the participants had to

1. have followed a vegan diet for at least a year,
2. be between 18 and 50 years of age,
3. be apparently healthy, and
4. be nonusers of regular medications (except oral contraceptives or hormone replacement therapy). Further, we matched the non-vegetarian participants by age and sex.

Exclusion Criteria:

• age <18, and >50y,
• regular medication,
• illnesses

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Number of groups / cohorts

2

Cohorts and Interventions

Group / Cohort
Vegans; Vegans' data are compared with those of sex-and age-matched non vegetarians
Non-vegans; Non-vegans are age and sex-matched controls

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Nutritional and toxicological status (determined by measuring several nutritional biomarkers from blood and urine)	Nutritional status was determined by measuring several nutritional biomarkers (vitamin E, D2,D3, B12, , beta-carotene, iron, iodine, selenium, fatty acids, polyphenols) from serum/plasma or urine	1 year

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Food intake (recorded by 3-day records)	Food intake was recorded by 3-day records	3 days
Nitrate excretion (urinary nitrate determination)	urinary nitrate determination	24 hr

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: University of Eastern Finland
• Collaborators: Helsinki University Central Hospital; Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare; Finnish Safety and Chemicals Agency
• Investigators: Principal Investigator: Anna-Liisa Kosonen, PhD, University of Eastern Finland

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start: September 1, 2011
• Primary Completion (Actual): November 1, 2011
• Study Completion (Actual): November 1, 2011

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: November 3, 2014
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: November 6, 2014
• First Posted (Estimate): November 11, 2014

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Estimate): November 11, 2014
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: November 6, 2014
• Last Verified: August 1, 2011

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Keywords: nutritional status; nitrate; pesticides
• Additional Relevant MeSH Terms: Nutrition Disorders; Malnutrition
• Other Study ID Numbers: UKuopio