we found that high physical activity was associated with a lower risk of contracting URTI for both men and women. In addition, we found that highly stressed people, particularly men, appear to benefit more from physical activity than those with lower stress levels.

Objective Prior research has suggested the possible role of oxidative stress in the pathogenesis of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Prospective data examining dietary antioxidants such carotenoids and vitamin C are limited. Methods Risk of ALS associated with carotenoid and vitamin C intake was investigated in 5 prospective cohorts: the National Institutes of Health – AARP Diet and Health Study, the Cancer Prevention Study II Nutrition Cohort, the Multiethnic Cohort, the Health Professionals Follow-up Study, and the Nurses Health Study. ALS deaths were documented using the National Death Index and confirmed nonfatal ALS cases were included from HPFS and NHS. A total of 1153 ALS deaths occurred among 1,100,910 participants (562,942 men; 537,968 women). Participants were categorized into cohort-specific quintiles of intake for dietary variables. We applied Cox proportional hazards regression to calculate cohort-specific risk ratios (RR), and pooled results using random-effects methods. Results A greater total major carotenoids intake was associated with a reduced risk of ALS (pooled, multivariable-adjusted RR for the highest to the lowest quintile: 0.75; 95% CI: 0.61 to 0.91; P trend = 0.004). Individually, higher dietary intakes of β-carotene and lutein were inversely associated with ALS risk. The pooled multivariable RRs comparing the highest to the lowest quintile for β- carotene and lutein were 0.85 (95% CI: 0.64–1.13; P trend=0.03) and 0.79 (95% CI: 0.64 to 0.96; P trend=0.01), respectively. Lycopene, β-cryptoxanthin, and vitamin C were not associated with reduced risk of ALS. Interpretation Consumption of foods high in carotenoids may help prevent or delay onset of ALS.

ObjectiveTo evaluate the prospective association of long-term intake of vegetables and fruits with late-life subjective cognitive function (SCF).MethodsAmong 27,842 men with a mean age of 51 years in 1986, we used multinomial logistic regression to examine the relation of vegetable and fruit consumption to future SCF. Average dietary intake was calculated from 5 repeated food frequency questionnaires collected every 4 years until 2002. SCF score was assessed twice (2008 and 2012) using a 6-item questionnaire; validity was supported by strong associations with APO ε4 genotype. We categorized the average of the 2 scores as good, moderate, and poor SCF.ResultsHigher intakes of total vegetables, total fruits, and fruit juice were each significantly associated with lower odds of moderate or poor SCF after controlling for major nondietary factors and total energy intake. The association with total fruit intake was weaker after further adjusting for major dietary factors. In this model, the multivariate odds ratios (95% confidence intervals) for vegetable intake (top vs bottom quintile) were 0.83 (0.76–0.92), p trend <0.001 for moderate SCF and 0.66 (0.55–0.80), p trend <0.001 for poor SCF. For orange juice, compared to <1 serving/mo of intake, daily consumption was associated with a substantially lower odds of poor SCF (0.53 [0.43–0.67], p trend <0.001). Higher consumption of vegetables and fruits 18 to 22 years before SCF assessment was associated with lower odds of poor SCF independent of more proximal intake.ConclusionOur findings support a long-term beneficial role of vegetable, fruit, and orange juice consumption on SCF.

Benefits of a Mediterranean diet for cognition have been suggested, but epidemiologic studies have been relatively small and of limited duration. To prospectively assess the association between long-term adherence to a Mediterranean dietary pattern and self-reported subjective cognitive function (SCF). Prospective observational study. The Health Professionals' Follow-up Study, a prospective cohort of 51,529 men, 40-75 years of age when enrolled in 1986, of whom 27,842 were included in the primary analysis. Mediterranean diet (MD) score, computed from the mean of five food frequency questionnaires, assessed every 4 years from 1986 to 2002. Self-reported SCF assessed by a 6-item questionnaire in 2008 and 2012, and validated by association with genetic variants in apolipoprotein-4. Using the average of 2008 and 2012 SCF scores, 38.0% of men were considered to have moderate memory scores and 7.3% were considered to have poor scores. In a multivariate model, compared with men having a MD score in the lowest quintile, those in the highest quintile had a 36% lower odds of a poor SCF score (odds ratio 0.64, 95% CI 0.55-0.75; P, trend < 0.001) and a 24% lower odds of a moderate SCF score (OR 0.76, 95% CI 0.70-0.83; P, trend < 0.001). Both remote and more recent diet contributed to this relation. Associations were only slightly weaker using baseline dietary data and a lag of 22 years. Long-term adherence to the Mediterranean diet pattern was strongly related to lower subjective cognitive function. These findings provide further evidence that a healthy dietary pattern may prevent or delay cognitive decline.