Papers by Shirley Beresford
American Journal of Epidemiology, Mar 1, 1995
It has been suggested that aspects of lactose consumption and metabolism favoring a relatively hi... more It has been suggested that aspects of lactose consumption and metabolism favoring a relatively high tissue level of galactose-1-phosphate may predispose women to ovarian cancer. The authors sought to examine this hypothesis in a study of 108 18- to 74-year-old Caucasian residents of a three-county area of western Washington who were diagnosed with stage I ovarian cancer during 1989-1991, and 108 age- and race-matched controls. Lactose and galactose intake, measured using a food frequency questionnaire, had been hypothesized to increase risk, but were somewhat lower among the cases than among the controls (75th percentile of lactose intake vs. 25th: odds ratio (OR) = 0.80, 95% confidence interval (Cl) 0.52-1.2; of galactose intake: OR = 0.71, 95% Cl 0.48-1.1). Intestinal lactase activity, also hypothesized to have a positive relation with ovarian cancer occurrence, was measured with an oral lactose challenge followed by determination of urinary galactose; no evidence that it was related to the disease was found (75th percentile of excreted galactose vs. 25th: OR = 0.87, 95% Cl 0.62-1.2). Galactose-1-phosphate uridyltransferase (transferase), the enzyme responsible for the metabolism of galactose-1-phosphate, was measured in erythrocytes; no deficit in cases was observed (75th percentile of transferase activity vs. 25th: OR = 1.3, 95% Cl 0.80-2.1). There was also no excess of cases carrying low-activity genetic variants of the transferase enzyme (lower-activity variants vs. higher-activity variants: OR = 0.61, 95% Cl 0.21-1.7). These results do not support the hypothesis that aspects of lactose and galactose intake and metabolism have a bearing on the etiology of ovarian cancer.
International Journal of Cancer, Sep 30, 2014
Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health, 2002
Objective: To test the ability of psychiatric diagnosis, symptom count, and adaptive functioning ... more Objective: To test the ability of psychiatric diagnosis, symptom count, and adaptive functioning in adolescence to predict failure to complete secondary school and criminal involvement in young adulthood. Design: Community-based cohort study. Setting: Two counties in upstate New York, USA Participants: 181 adolescents interviewed in 1983 and 1985-86 who were randomly selected in 1975 from a probability area sampling of representative families with 1-10 year old children Main results: Compared with adolescents without psychiatric disorders, adolescents with depressive, anxiety, disruptive, and substance abuse disorders were 2.86-9.21 times more likely to fail to complete secondary school. Compared with adolescents without disruptive disorders, adolescents with disruptive disorders were 4.04 (1.96-8.32) times more likely to get in trouble with police during young adulthood. The positive predictive value of each measure of adolescent psychiatric disorder for school non-completion was higher in the lowest SES stratum and for young adult criminal involvement was higher for boys. Combining knowledge of symptom counts, age, gender, and social class in a logistic regression model yielded 89% sensitivity and 87% specificity for predicting future school non-completion at the p > 0.13 cut off. The optimal cut off value in a model incorporating knowledge of disruptive symptoms and demographic characteristics yielded 75% sensitivity and 76% specificity for predicting future criminal involvement. Conclusions: Screening children and adolescents for psychiatric disorders can identify those at high risk of adverse young adult outcomes. Future school and community adjustment can be predicted as easily and accurately on the basis of a simple count of psychiatric symptoms as by applying more complex diagnostic algorithms. Screening youth for psychiatric symptoms in neighbourhood, school, or primary care settings is a logical first step for early intervention to promote increased school completion and decreased criminal activity in young adulthood.
Annual Review of Public Health, May 1, 1992
Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention, Dec 1, 2010
Background: A potential susceptibility locus for colorectal cancer on chromosome 9p24 (rs719725) ... more Background: A potential susceptibility locus for colorectal cancer on chromosome 9p24 (rs719725) was initially identified through a genome-wide association study, though replication attempts have been inconclusive. Methods: We genotyped this locus and explored interactions with known risk factors as potential sources of heterogeneity, which may explain the previously inconsistent replication. We included Caucasians with colorectal adenoma or colorectal cancer and controls from 4 studies (total 3,891 cases, 4,490 controls): the Women's Health Initiative (WHI); the Diet, Activity and Lifestyle Study (DALS); a Minnesota populationbased case-control study (MinnCCS); and the Prostate, Lung, Colorectal and Ovarian Cancer Screening Trial (PLCO). We used logistic regression to evaluate the association and test for gene-environment interactions. Results: SNP rs719725 was statistically significantly associated with risk of colorectal cancer in WHI (OR per A allele 1.19; 95% CI, 1.01-1.40; P trend ¼ 0.04), marginally associated with adenoma risk in PLCO (OR per A allele 1.11; 95% CI, 0.99-1.25; P trend ¼ 0.07), and not associated in DALS and MinnCCS. Evaluating for geneenvironment interactions yielded no consistent results across the studies. A meta-analysis of 17 studies (including these 4) gave an OR per A allele of 1.07 (95% CI, 1.03-1.12; P trend ¼ 0.001). Conclusions: Our results suggest the A allele for SNP rs719725 at locus 9p24 is positively associated with a small increase in risk for colorectal tumors. Environmental risk factors for colorectal cancer do not appear to explain heterogeneity across studies. Impact: If this finding is supported by further replication and functional studies, it may highlight new pathways underlying colorectal neoplasia. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev; 19(12); 3131-9. Ó2010 AACR.
Journal of Nutrition, Apr 1, 2022
Background: Genetic variation in one-carbon metabolism may affect nutrient concentrations and bio... more Background: Genetic variation in one-carbon metabolism may affect nutrient concentrations and biological functions. However, data on genetic variants associated with blood biomarkers of one-carbon metabolism in US postmenopausal women are limited, and whether these associations were affected by the nationwide folic acid (FA) fortification program is unclear. Objectives: We investigated associations between genetic variants and biomarkers of one-carbon metabolism using data from the Women's Health Initiative Observational Study. Methods: In 1573 non-Hispanic White (NHW) and 282 Black/African American, American Indian/Alaska Native, Asian/Pacific Islander, and Hispanic/Latino women aged 50-79 y, 288 nonsynonymous and tagging single-nucleotide variants (SNVs) were genotyped. RBC folate, plasma folate, pyridoxal-5-phosphate (PLP), vitamin B-12, homocysteine, and cysteine concentrations were determined in 12-h fasting blood. Multivariable linear regression tested associations per variant allele and for an aggregated genetic risk score. Effect modifications before, during, and after nationwide FA fortification were examined. Results: After correction for multiple comparisons, among NHW women, 5,10-methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) rs1801133 (677C→T) variant T was associated with lower plasma folate (−13.0%; 95% CI: −17.3%, −8.6%) and higher plasma homocysteine (3.5%; 95% CI: 1.7%, 5.3%) concentrations. Other associations for nonsynonymous SNVs included DNMT3A rs11695471 (T→A) with plasma PLP; EHMT2 rs535586 (G→A), TCN2 rs1131603 (L349S A→G), and TCN2 rs35838082 (R188W G→A) with plasma vitamin B-12; CBS rs2851391 (G→A) with plasma homocysteine; and MTHFD1 rs2236224 (G→A) and rs2236225 (R653Q G→A) with plasma cysteine. The influence of FA fortification on the associations was limited. Highest compared with lowest quartiles of aggregated genetic risk scores from SNVs in MTHFR and MTRR were associated with 14.8% to 18.9% lower RBC folate concentrations. Gene-biomarker associations were similar in women of other races/ethnicities. Conclusions: Our findings on genetic variants associated with several one-carbon metabolism biomarkers may help elucidate mechanisms of maintaining B vitamin status in postmenopausal women.
Public Health Nutrition, May 24, 2019
Objective:Perceptions of social-contextual food environments and associated factors that influenc... more Objective:Perceptions of social-contextual food environments and associated factors that influence food purchases are understudied in American Indian (AI) communities. The purpose of the present study was to: (i) understand the perceived local food environment; (ii) investigate social-contextual factors that influence family food-purchasing choices; and (iii) identify diet intervention strategies.Design:This qualitative study consisted of focus groups with primary household shoppers and key-informant interviews with food retailers, local government food assistance programme directors and a dietitian. An inductive, constant comparison approach was used to identify major themes.Setting:A large AI reservation community in the north-central USA.Participants:Four focus groups (n 31) and seven key-informant interviews were conducted in February and May 2016.Results:Perceptions of both the higher cost of healthy foods and limited access to these foods influenced the types of foods participants purchased. Dependence on government assistance programmes and the timing of benefits also contributed to the types of foods purchased. Participants described purchasing foods based on the dietary needs and preferences of their children. Suggestions for improving the purchase and consumption of healthy foods included: culturally relevant and family-centred cooking classes and workshops focused on monthly food budgeting. Participants also emphasized the importance of involving the entire community in healthy eating initiatives.Conclusions:Cost and access were the major perceived barriers to healthy eating in this large rural AI community. Recommended interventions included: (i) family-friendly and culturally relevant cooking classes; (ii) healthy food-budgeting skills training; and (iii) approaches that engage the entire community.
American Journal of Medical Genetics, 2005
Menopause, Nov 1, 2016
OBJECTIVE-To examine the association of long-term oral bisphosphonate use, compared with short-te... more OBJECTIVE-To examine the association of long-term oral bisphosphonate use, compared with short-term use, with fracture risk among postmenopausal women with breast cancer. METHODS-We studied 887 postmenopausal women who were enrolled to the Women's Health Initiative from 1993 to 1998, diagnosed with breast cancer after enrollment, and reported current oral bisphosphonate use of two years or more on a medication inventory administered in 2008-9.
Research Evaluation, Dec 25, 2020
Intractable public health problems are influenced by interacting multi-level factors. Dynamic res... more Intractable public health problems are influenced by interacting multi-level factors. Dynamic research approaches in which teams of scientists collaborate beyond traditional disciplinary, institutional, and geographic boundaries have emerged as promising strategies to address pressing public health priorities. However, little prior work has identified, defined, and characterized the outcomes of transdisciplinary (TD) research undertaken to address public health problems. Through a mixed methods approach, we identify, define, and characterize TD outcomes and their relevance to improving population health using the Transdisciplinary Research on Energetics and Cancer (TREC) II initiative as a case example. In Phase I, TREC II leadership (n = 10) identified nine initial TD outcomes. In Phase II (web-based survey; n = 23) and Phase III (interviews; n = 26; and focus groups, n = 23) TREC members defined and characterized each outcome. The resulting nine outcomes are described. The nine complementary TD outcomes can be used as a framework to evaluate progress toward impact on complex public health problems. Strategic investment in infrastructure that supports team development and collaboration, such as a coordination center, cross-center working groups, annual funded developmental projects, and face-to-face meetings, may foster achievement of these outcomes. This exploratory work provides a basis for the future investigation and development of quantitative measurement tools to assess the achievement of TD outcomes that are relevant to solving multifactorial public health problems.
Springer eBooks, 1997
Meta-analytic methods were used to calculate the relative risk of plasma homocysteine elevations ... more Meta-analytic methods were used to calculate the relative risk of plasma homocysteine elevations for various types of arteriosclerotic vascular disease reported from 27 publications. The relative risks for coronary artery disease ranged between 1.6-1.8, regardless of whether odds ratios were calculated from a homocysteine concentration defined as abnormal by the original authors, or were derived from 5 μmol/L increments. The proportion of cases of coronary artery disease attributable to homocysteine was 10%.
The FASEB Journal, Mar 1, 2006
Environmental health perspectives, Oct 20, 2014
Background: Organophosphate pesticides (OPs) are the primary form of insect control in American a... more Background: Organophosphate pesticides (OPs) are the primary form of insect control in American agriculture. For non-occupationally exposed individuals, the primary source of OP exposure is thought...
Health psychology open, Jul 1, 2018
We examined food consumption in response to a laboratory-induced stressor (two challenging neurop... more We examined food consumption in response to a laboratory-induced stressor (two challenging neuropsychological tasks) among non-Hispanic White women categorized as lower or higher in socioeconomic status based on education. The two socioeconomic status groups did not differ with respect to current hunger or baseline dietary habits. Perceived stress was measured pre-and post-challenge. Snacks were offered post-challenge; food consumption was measured by weighing snack bowls pre-and post-offering. Perceived stress increased pre-to post-challenge for both groups, but this effect was stronger for women lower in socioeconomic status. In addition, women lower versus higher in socioeconomic status consumed more food overall and more high-fat sweet food in particular (large effect sizes). These findings provide evidence of socioeconomic status differences in food consumption following an acute stressor.
Journal of The American College of Radiology, 2018
Journal of Nutrition, Nov 1, 2020
Background: Choline plays an integral role in one-carbon metabolism in the body, but it is unclea... more Background: Choline plays an integral role in one-carbon metabolism in the body, but it is unclear whether genetic polymorphisms are associated with variations in plasma choline and its metabolites. Objectives: This study aimed to evaluate the association of genetic variants in choline and one-carbon metabolism with plasma choline and its metabolites. Methods: We analyzed data from 1423 postmenopausal women in a case-control study nested within the Women's Health Initiative Observational Study. Plasma concentrations of choline, betaine, dimethylglycine (DMG), and trimethylamine N-oxide were determined in 12-h fasting blood samples collected at baseline (1993-1998). Candidate and tagging single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) were genotyped in betaine-homocysteine S-methyltransferase (BHMT), BHMT2, 5,10-methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR), methylenetetrahydrofolate dehydrogenase (NADP+ dependent 1) (MTHFD1), 5-methyltetrahydrofolate-homocysteine methyltransferase (MTR), and 5-methyltetrahydrofolate-homocysteine methyltransferase reductase (MTRR). Linear regression was used to derive percentage difference in plasma concentrations per variant allele, adjusting for confounders, including B-vitamin biomarkers. Potential effect modification by plasma vitamin B-12, vitamin B-6, and folate concentrations and folic-acid fortification periods was examined. Results: The candidate SNP BHMT R239Q (rs3733890) was associated with lower concentrations of plasma betaine and DMG concentrations (−4.00% and −6.75% per variant allele, respectively; both nominal P < 0.05). Another candidate SNP, BHMT2 rs626105 A>G, was associated with higher plasma DMG concentration (13.0%; P < 0.0001). Several tagSNPs in these 2 genes were associated with plasma concentrations after correction for multiple comparisons. Vitamin B-12 status was a significant effect modifier of the association between the genetic variant BHMT2 rs626105 A>G and plasma DMG concentration. Conclusions: Genetic variations in metabolic enzymes were associated with plasma concentrations of choline and its metabolites. Our findings contribute to the knowledge on the variation in blood nutrient concentrations in postmenopausal women.
Cancer Causes & Control, Sep 12, 2017
Purpose-Vitamin D has been implicated in lowering lung cancer risk, but serological data on the a... more Purpose-Vitamin D has been implicated in lowering lung cancer risk, but serological data on the association among never-smoking women are limited. We report results examining the association of serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D] concentrations with lung cancer risk among female never smokers. We also examined whether the association was modified by vitamin D supplementation and serum vitamin A concentrations. Methods-In the Women's Health Initiative, including the Calcium/Vitamin D (CaD) Trial, we selected 298 incident cases (191 non-small-cell lung cancer [NSCLC] including 170 adenocarcinoma) and 298 matched controls of never smokers. Baseline serum 25(OH)D was assayed by a chemiluminescent method. Logistic regression was used to estimate odds ratios (ORs) for quartiles and pre-defined clinical cutoffs of serum 25(OH)D concentrations. Results-Comparing quartiles 4 versus 1 of serum 25(OH)D concentrations, ORs were 1.06 (95% confidence interval [CI]=0.61-1.84) for all lung cancer, 0.94 (95% CI=0.52-1.69) for NSCLC, and 0.91 (95% CI=0.49-1.68) for adenocarcinoma. Comparing serum 25(OH)D ≥75
American Journal of Epidemiology, Jul 5, 2019
Concerns about reverse causality and selection bias complicate the interpretation of studies of b... more Concerns about reverse causality and selection bias complicate the interpretation of studies of body mass index (BMI, calculated as weight (kg)/height (m)2) and mortality in older adults. The objective of this study was to investigate methodological explanations for the apparent attenuation of obesity-related risks in older adults. We used data from 68,132 participants in the Women’s Health Initiative (WHI) clinical trial for this analysis. All of the participants were postmenopausal women aged 50–79 years at baseline (1993–1998). To examine reverse causality and selective attrition, we compared rate ratios from inverse probability of treatment– and censoring–weighted Poisson marginal structural models with results from an unweighted adjusted Poisson regression model. The estimated mortality rate ratios and 95% confidence intervals for BMIs of 30.0–34.9, 35.0–39.9 and ≥40.0 were 0.86 (95% confidence interval (CI): 0.77, 0.96), 0.85 (95% CI: 0.72, 0.99), and 0.88 (95% CI: 0.72, 1.07), respectively, in the unweighted model. The corresponding mortality rate ratios were 0.96 (95% CI: 0.86, 1.07), 1.12 (95% CI: 0.97, 1.29), and 1.31 95% CI: (1.08, 1.57), respectively, in the marginal structural model. Results from the inverse probability of treatment– and censoring–weighted marginal structural model were attenuated in low BMI categories and increased in high BMI categories. The results demonstrate the importance of accounting for reverse causality and selective attrition in studies of older adults.
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Papers by Shirley Beresford