Development and calibration of a dietary nitrate and nitrite database in the NIH–AARP Diet and Health Study

Abstract

Objective Nitrate and nitrite are probable human carcinogens when ingested under conditions that increase the formation of N-nitroso compounds. There have been limited efforts to develop US databases of dietary nitrate and nitrite for standard FFQ. Here we describe the development of a dietary nitrate and nitrite database and its calibration. Design We analysed data from a calibration study of 1942 members of the NIH–AARP (NIH–AARP, National Institutes of Health–AARP) Diet and Health Study who reported all foods and beverages consumed on the preceding day in two non-consecutive 24 h dietary recalls (24HR) and completed an FFQ. Based on a literature review, we developed a database of nitrate and nitrite contents for foods reported on these 24HR and for food category line items on the FFQ. We calculated daily nitrate and nitrite intakes for both instruments, and used a measurement error model to compute correlation coefficients and attenuation factors for the FFQ-based intake estimates using 24HR-based values as reference data. Results FFQ-based median nitrate intake was 68·9 and 74·1 mg/d, and nitrite intake was 1·3 and 1·0 mg/d, in men and women, respectively. These values were similar to 24HR-based intake estimates. Energy-adjusted correlation coefficients between FFQ- and 24HR-based values for men and women respectively were 0·59 and 0·57 for nitrate and 0·59 and 0·58 for nitrite; energy-adjusted attenuation factors were 0·59 and 0·57 for nitrate and 0·47 and 0·38 for nitrite. Conclusions The performance of the FFQ in assessing dietary nitrate and nitrite intakes is comparable to that for many other macro- and micronutrients.

Mortality from different causes associated with meat, heme iron, nitrates, and nitrites in the NIH-AARP Diet and Health Study: population based cohort study

“…19 The results of a calibration study of nitrate and nitrite intakes, conducted in a subset of the cohort, showed that the performance of the DHQ in assessing dietary nitrate and nitrite intakes was comparable to that for many other macronutrients and micronutrients (for example, the adjusted correlation coefficient for animal nitrite was 0.52 for women and 0.64 for men). 19 Cohort follow-up and outcome ascertainment Follow-up time extended from the date the baseline questionnaire was returned to the date of death or 31 December 2011. We confirmed vital status by annual linkage of the cohort to the Social Security Administration Death Master File in the US verification of vital status, and cause of death information came from follow-up searches of the National Death Index.…”

“…19 We multiplied the nitrate and nitrite composition of each DHQ processed meat item by the reported frequency of consumption and portion size and summed this across all processed meat items. 19 The results of a calibration study of nitrate and nitrite intakes, conducted in a subset of the cohort, showed that the performance of the DHQ in assessing dietary nitrate and nitrite intakes was comparable to that for many other macronutrients and micronutrients (for example, the adjusted correlation coefficient for animal nitrite was 0.52 for women and 0.64 for men). 19 Cohort follow-up and outcome ascertainment Follow-up time extended from the date the baseline questionnaire was returned to the date of death or 31 December 2011.…”

Ingested Nitrate, Disinfection By-products, and Kidney Cancer Risk in Older Women

“…37 A similar approach to estimate nitrate and nitrite levels from a FFQ found good correlations with 24 hour-based recalls for women. 38 For each participant, we estimated dietary nitrate and nitrite overall and separately for intakes from plant, animal, and processed meat (e.g., sausage, salami, bologna; bacon; and hot dogs) sources. We multiplied the frequency of consumption of vitamin C-containing foods and dietary supplements by their vitamin C levels to generate total intake, and similarly estimated intake of vitamin E, another antioxidant and potential inhibitor of endogenous nitrosation.…”

Effect of lactic acid microorganisms on the content of nitrates in tomato in the process of pickling

“…reduces the amount of nitrates by 10 % on average [17]. Washing potato, carrot, table beet, cabbage for 1 hour decreases the level of nitrates by 25-30 %; greenery (parsley, celery, spinach, dill, green onion) -by 20 % [18,19]. However, water-soluble nutrients are also partially lost during treatment.…”