Lung cancer in men and breast cancer in women are the most commonly diagnosed cancers in Poland and worldwide. Results of studies involving dietary patterns (DPs) and breast or lung cancer risk in European countries outside the Mediterranean Sea region are limited and inconclusive. This study aimed to develop a ‘Polish-adapted Mediterranean Diet’ (‘Polish-aMED’) score, and then study the associations between the ‘Polish-aMED’ score and a posteriori-derived dietary patterns with breast or lung cancer risk in adult Poles. This pooled analysis of two case-control studies involved 560 subjects (280 men, 280 women) aged 40–75 years from Northeastern Poland. Diagnoses of breast cancer in 140 women and lung cancer in 140 men were found. The food frequency consumption of 21 selected food groups was collected using a 62-item Food Frequency Questionnaire (FFQ)-6. The ‘Polish-adapted Mediterranean Diet’ score which included eight items—vegetables, fruit, whole grain, fish, legumes, nuts and seeds—as well as the ratio of vegetable oils to animal fat and red and processed meat was developed (range: 0–8 points). Three DPs were identified in a Principal Component Analysis: ‘Prudent’, ‘Non-healthy’, ‘Dressings and sweetened-low-fat dairy’. In a multiple logistic regression analysis, two models were created: crude, and adjusted for age, sex, type of cancer, Body Mass Index (BMI), socioeconomic status (SES) index, overall physical activity, smoking status and alcohol abuse. The risk of breast or lung cancer was lower in the average (3–5 points) and high (6–8 points) levels of the ‘Polish-aMED’ score compared to the low (0–2 points) level by 51% (odds ratio (OR): 0.49; 95% confidence interval (Cl): 0.30–0.80; p < 0.01; adjusted) and 63% (OR: 0.37; 95% Cl: 0.21–0.64; p < 0.001; adjusted), respectively. In the middle and upper tertiles compared to the bottom tertile of the ‘Prudent’ DP, the risk of cancer was lower by 38–43% (crude) but was not significant after adjustment for confounders. In the upper compared to the bottom tertile of the ‘Non-healthy’ DP, the risk of cancer was higher by 65% (OR: 1.65; 95% Cl: 1.05–2.59; p < 0.05; adjusted). In conclusion, the Polish adaptation of the Mediterranean diet could be considered for adults living in non-Mediterranean countries for the prevention of the breast or lung cancers. Future studies should explore the role of a traditional Mediterranean diet fitted to local dietary patterns of non-Mediterranean Europeans in cancer prevention.

Shift healthcare workers are a group particularly exposed to an increased risk of poor eating habits and are affected by many diseases. The aim of the study was to evaluate the dietary patterns (DPs), including the Polish-adapted Mediterranean Diet (Polish-aMED^®) score, and dietary fat intake in association with the shift work of healthcare workers. This cross-sectional study involved 445 healthcare workers from the West Pomeranian in Poland. Dietary data were collected using an FFQ-6^®. A posteriori DPs were derived with a Principal Component Analysis (PCA). The Polish-aMED^® score and the individual’s percentage of energy from dietary fat (Pfat) were calculated. Healthcare shift work compared to the daily work was associated with approximately 2-times higher odds of adherence to the ‘Meat/fats/alcohol/fish’ DP in the upper tertile (OR: 2.38; 95% Cl: 1.27–4.47; p < 0.01) and higher Pfat >35% of total energy intake (OR: 1.73; 95% Cl: 1.06–2.83; p < 0.05). Healthcare shift work compared to the daily work was associated with approximately 50% lower odds of adherence to the ‘Pro-healthy’ DP in the middle tertile (OR: 0.48; 95% Cl: 0.26–0.89; p < 0.05) and a higher level of the Polish-aMED^® score (OR: 0.57; 95% Cl: 0.33–0.98; p < 0.05), as well as lower odds of the constants of mealtime (OR: 0.54; 95% Cl: 0.33–0.89; p < 0.05). The obtained findings highlight the unhealthy food choices among shift healthcare workers. Thus, to avoid the negative health consequences, there is a need for nutritional education for healthcare workers, especially those working shifts.

Breast cancer is the most diagnosed cancer in women worldwide. Studies regarding complex breast cancer aetiology are limited and the results are inconclusive. We investigated the associations between dietary patterns (DPs), metabolic-hormone profiles (M-HPs), and breast cancer risk. This case-control study involved 420 women aged 40–79 years from north-eastern Poland, including 190 newly-diagnosed breast cancer cases. The serum concentration of lipid components, glucose, and hormones (oestradiol, progesterone, testosterone, prolactin, cortisol, insulin) was marked in 129 post-menopausal women (82 controls, 47 cases). The food frequency consumption was collected using a validated 62-item food frequency questionnaire. A posteriori DPs or M-HPs were derived with a Principal Component Analysis (PCA). Three DPs: ‘Non-Healthy’, ‘Prudent’, and ‘Margarine and Sweetened Dairy’ and two M-HPs: ‘Metabolic-Syndrome’ and ‘High-Hormone’ were identified. The ‘Polish-adapted Mediterranean Diet’ (‘Polish-aMED’) score was calculated. The risk of breast cancer risk was three-times higher (odds ratio (OR): 2.90; 95% confidence interval (95% Cl): 1.62–5.21; p < 0.001) in the upper tertile of the ‘Non-Healthy’ pattern (reference: bottom tertile) and five-times higher (OR: 5.34; 95% Cl: 1.84–15.48; p < 0.01) in the upper tertile of the ‘High-Hormone’ profile (reference: bottom tertile). There was a positive association of ‘Metabolic-Syndrome’ profile and an inverse association of ‘Polish-aMED’ score with the risk of breast cancer, which disappeared after adjustment for confounders. No significant association between ‘Prudent’ or ‘Margarine and Sweetened Dairy’ DPs and cancer risk was revealed. Concluding, a pro-healthy diet is insufficient to reduce the risk of breast cancer in peri- and postmenopausal women. The findings highlight the harmful effect of the ‘High-Hormone’ profile and the ‘Non-Healthy’ dietary pattern on breast cancer risk. In breast cancer prevention, special attention should be paid to decreasing the adherence to the ‘Non-Healthy’ pattern by reducing the consumption of highly processed food and foods with a high content of sugar and animal fat. There is also a need to monitor the concentration of multiple sex hormones in the context of breast cancer risk.

The study aimed at identifying the socioeconomic, eating- and health-related limitations and their associations with food consumption among Polish women 60+ years old. Data on the frequency of consumption of fruit, vegetables, dairy, meat, poultry, fish, legumes, eggs, water and beverages industrially unsweetened were collected with the Mini Nutritional Assessment (MNA^®) and were expressed in the number of servings consumed per day or week. Three indexes: the Socioeconomic Status Index (SESI), the Eating-related Limitations Score (E-LS) and the Health-related Limitations Score (H-LS) were developed and applied. SESI was created on the base of two variables: place of residence and the self-reported economic situation of household. E-LS included: difficulties with self-feeding, decrease in food intake due to digestive problems, chewing or swallowing difficulties, loss of appetite, decrease in the feeling the taste of food, and feeling satiety, whereas H-LS included: physical function, comorbidity, cognitive function, psychological stress and selected anthropometric measurements. A logistic regression analysis was performed to assess the socioeconomic, eating-, and health-related limitations of food consumption. Lower socioeconomic status (vs. higher) was associated with a lower chance of consuming fruit/vegetables ≥ 2 servings/day (OR = 0.25) or consuming dairy ≥ 1 serving/day (OR = 0.32). The existence of multiple E-LS limitations (vs. few) was associated with a lower chance of consuming fruit/vegetables ≥ 2 servings/day (OR = 0.72), consuming dairy ≥ 1 serving/day (OR = 0.55) or consuming water and beverages industrially unsweetened ≥6 cups/day (OR = 0.56). The existence of multiple H-LS limitations was associated with a lower chance of consuming fruit/vegetables ≥ 2 servings/day (OR = 0.79 per 1 H-LS point increase) or consuming dairy ≥ 1 serving/day (OR = 0.80 per 1 H-LS point increase). Limitations found in the studied women were related to insufficient consumption of selected groups of food, which can lead to malnutrition and dehydration. There is a need for food policy actions, including practical educational activities, to eliminate barriers in food consumption, and in turn to improve the nutritional and health status of older women.

Breast cancer is the most prevalent cancer in females worldwide. Studies evaluating the blood vitamins and minerals status in the breast cancer etiology are limited, and the results are inconclusive. This study analyzed the association between serum vitamin-mineral profiles (V-MPs) and breast cancer (BC) risk with including dietary patterns (DPs) and the use of supplements. This case-control study involved 420 women aged 40–79 years from north-eastern Poland, including 190 newly diagnosed breast cancer cases. The fasting serum concentrations of vitamins (folate, cobalamin, 25(OH) vitamin D) and minerals (iron, calcium, magnesium) were measured in 129 post-menopausal women, including 82 controls and 47 cases. Three V-MPs were derived with a Principal Component Analysis (PCA). A logistic regression analysis was performed to estimate the odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence interval (95% CI) of the breast cancer risk associated with serum V-MPs and serum levels of single biomarkers. The risk of BC was lower by 88% (OR: 0.12; 95% Cl: 0.02–0.88; p < 0.05) in the upper tertile of the serum ‘Iron-Calcium’ profile compared to the bottom tertile, lower by 67% (OR: 0.33; 95% Cl: 0.11–0.97; p < 0.05) at the level of serum 25(OH) vitamin D ≥24.6 ng/mL and lower by 68% (OR: 0.32; 95% Cl: 0.11–0.91; p < 0.05) at the level of serum calcium ≥9.6 mg/dL. There was an inverse association of the serum ‘Magnesium’ profile or serum level of iron with the risk of BC, which disappeared after adjustment for the set of confounders accounted for: age, body mass index (BMI), socioeconomic status, overall physical activity, smoking status, age at menarche, number of full-term pregnancies, oral contraceptive use, hormone-replacement therapy use, family history of breast cancer, vitamin/mineral supplement use, the molecular subtype of breast cancer, and dietary patterns. No significant association was found between BC risk and the serum ‘Folate-Cobalamin-Vitamin D’ profile or serum folate, cobalamin or magnesium considered separately. These findings highlight that a higher-normal serum level of both iron and calcium, considered together as the serum profile, as well as a higher-normal serum level of calcium, considered separately, and a slightly below the normal range of serum vitamin D level may protect against breast cancer among postmenopausal women, independent of dietary patterns or the use of vitamin/mineral supplements. Therefore, the maintenance of the adequate status of vitamins and minerals and the regular monitoring of their blood markers should be included in breast cancer prevention.

The study aimed to analyze the dietary–physical activity patterns (D-PAPs) in the health context of Polish people aged 60+ years. A total of 418 respondents across Poland were recruited; however, the final analysis included 361 women and men aged 60–89 years old. D-PAPs were derived using a principal component analysis (PCA); input variables were the frequency of consumption of 10 food groups and physical activity. Finally, three D-PAPs were identified: ‘Pro-healthy eating and more-active’, ‘Sweets, fried foods and sweetened beverages’, and ‘Juices, fish and sweetened beverages’. We developed the Functional Limitations Score (FLS) using the Mini Nutritional Assessment (MNA^®). A logistic regression was applied to verify the association between the D-PAPs and health-condition outcomes. Older adults were more likely to adhere to the upper tertile of the ‘Pro-healthy eating and more-active’ pattern, with good/better self-reported health status in comparison with their peers (OR = 1.86) or with good/very good self-assessed appetite (OR = 2.56), while this was less likely for older adults with malnutrition risk (OR = 0.37) or with a decrease in food intake (OR = 0.46). Subjects with a decrease in food intake (OR = 0.43), who declared a recent weight loss (OR = 0.49), or older adults in the upper tertile of the FLS (OR = 0.34) were less likely to adhere to the upper tertile of the ‘Sweets, fried foods and sweetened beverages’ pattern. The decrease in food intake due to a loss of appetite or chewing or swallowing difficulties was inversely associated with the ‘Pro-healthy eating and more-active’ pattern characterized by a relatively high frequency of consumption of vegetables, fruit, water, dairy, and grains and a high physical activity. In the interest of the good nutritional status and health of older adults, special attention should be paid to removing limitations in meal consumption, including improved appetite.