Objective To explore the association between socioeconomic status (SES) and vitamin D deficiency/insufficiency of women of childbearing age in rural northern China. Design A population-based, case–control study was conducted. Setting Four counties of Henan Province, China from 2009 to 2010. Participants 1151 non-pregnant healthy women between 18 and 40 years old. Primary and secondary outcome measures Serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) levels were measured using high-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. Vitamin D insufficiency was defined as serum 25(OH)D ≥20 ng/mL and <30 ng/mL, deficiency as ≥10 ng/mL and <20 ng/mL, and severe deficiency as <10 ng/mL. SES was measured separately by women’s and their husbands’ education level and occupation, household income and expenditure, as well as aggregately by SES index constructed with principal component analysis. Results The median serum 25(OH)D level was 20.90 (13.60–34.60) ng/mL, and the prevalence of vitamin D insufficiency, deficiency and severe deficiency was 20.16%, 31.80% and 15.99%, respectively. After adjustment, household annual income <¥10 000 was associated with increased risk of vitamin D insufficiency (adjusted OR (aOR): 2.10, 95% CI 1.41 to 3.14), deficiency (aOR: 1.58, 95% CI 1.09 to 2.29) and severe deficiency (aOR: 2.79, 95% CI 1.78 to 4.38); inadequate household income for expenditure was associated with elevated risk of vitamin D insufficiency (aOR: 1.66, 95% CI 1.08 to 2.54) and deficiency (aOR: 1.81, 95% CI 1.26 to 2.62); low SES index was associated with elevated risk of vitamin D insufficiency (aOR: 2.40, 95% CI 1.52 to 3.80) and deficiency (aOR: 1.64, 95% CI 1.08 to 2.50); and both middle and low SES index were associated with increased risk of vitamin D severe deficiency (aOR: 1.70, 95% CI 1.02 to 2.84; aOR: 2.45, 95% CI 1.45 to 4.14). Conclusions Lower SES was associated with higher risk of vitamin D deficiency/insufficiency in women of childbearing age in rural northern China. More should be done to explore potential mechanisms and to narrow down SES inequalities in vitamin D status.

Maternal pesticide exposure might be associated with adverse pregnancy outcomes through triggering inflammation and oxidative stress and disrupting endocrine functions. Yet the association between prenatal pesticide exposure and risk of preterm birth remains inconclusive. To conduct a systematic review and meta-analysis of human observational studies using the Office of Health Assessment and Translation (OHAT) framework to explore the association of per ten-fold increase of pesticide concentrations in maternal biological samples during pregnancy with risk of preterm birth and length of gestational age at birth. Five English (PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, Web of Science and Scopus) and 3 Chinese databases (China national knowledge infrastructure (CNKI), Wanfang Data, and Chinese Biomedical Literature Database (CBM)) were searched till Jan 18th, 2023. To be included, pesticide exposure should be measured in maternal biological samples during pregnancy and in log-transformed forms. The primary outcome was preterm birth and the secondary outcome was gestational age at birth. Quality of studies was evaluated using OHAT Risk of Bias Tool. Evidence was quantitatively synthesized with Correlated and Hierarchical Effects (CHE) model. The confidence rating in the body of evidence was done using OHAT. A total of 21 studies reported by 18 papers were included, with 7 studies for preterm birth and 19 for gestational age at birth. The meta-analysis found a ten-fold increase of pesticide concentrations was potentially associated with risk of preterm birth (pooled OR = 1.28; 95%CI: 0.93, 1.78) and shortened gestational age at birth (β = -0.10; 95%CI: -0.21, 0.01). Sampling biospecimens in different trimesters was identified as a potential modifier in the association between pesticide exposure and length of gestational age (F = 2.77, P < 0.05). For studies that collected samples at any time during pregnancy, pesticide exposure was found to be associated with shortened length of gestational age (β = -0.43; 95%CI: -0.81, -0.06). The confidence rating in the body of evidence was "moderate" and "very low" for preterm birth and gestational age at birth, respectively. Our result suggested moderate evidence of an association between pesticide exposure and higher risk of preterm birth. Yet more studies are still needed with larger sample size and careful considerations of confounders and accuracy of outcome measurements. Attention is also required on other pesticide compounds in addition to organochlorine and organophosphorus pesticides, and on windows of susceptibility.

Physical functional disability is a global public health concern, especially among ageing populations [1]. With accelerated population ageing, it is estimated that one in six people worldwide will be 65 or older by 2050 [2]. The growing ageing population commonly encounters disease burdens and physical function disabilities [3,4]. According to United Nations (UN) estimates, more […]

The renin‑angiotensin system (RAS) serves a critical role in blood pressure regulation and prevention of cardiovascular diseases. Efforts to develop functional foods that enhance the RAS have focused on inhibition of angiotensin‑converting enzyme (ACE) activity in the ACE‑angiotensin II (Ang II)‑Ang II type 1 receptor axis. ACE2 and the Mas receptor are important components of this axis. ACE2 catalyzes Ang II into Ang‑(1‑7), which then binds to the G‑protein‑coupled receptor Mas. In addition, it induces nitric oxide release from endothelial cells and exerts antiproliferative, vasodilatory and antihypertensive effects. The present review examined recent findings regarding the physiological and biological roles of the ACE2‑Ang‑(1‑7)‑Mas axis in the cardiovascular system, discussed potential food‑derived ACE2‑activating agents, and highlighted initiatives, based on this axis, that aim to develop functional foods for the treatment of hypertension.

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is a leading cause of death globally, while the dynamics of CVD risk across different age groups, periods, and birth cohorts remain unclear. This study investigates how age, period, and cohort effects contribute to CVD risk across regions differently. We employed a repeated cross-sectional design, analysing data from four large longitudinal surveys in the USA, UK, Europe, and China. A hierarchical age-period-cohort analysis was conducted using Bayesian inference through the integrated nested Laplace approximation to model the effects of age, period, and cohort on CVD risk across these regions. Subgroup analyses were also conducted to examine the moderation effects of social-demographic factors. CVD risk increases with age across all regions, peaking at age 75 in China while continuously rising in other areas. Period effects showed a significant increase in CVD risk over time in the USA, UK, and China, while a decline was observed in Europe after 2017. More recent birth cohorts showed a lower CVD risk, especially in the USA and UK. In China, the decrease in risk among recent cohorts was less pronounced. Gender, marital status, education, rural residence, and smoking moderated CVD risk trends across regions. This study highlights the importance of age, period, and cohort effects in understanding regional differences in CVD risk among middle-aged and older adults. Findings suggest that public health interventions should be tailored to specific regions and demographic groups to reduce CVD burden effectively.