Weekly Roundup: BioGaia appoints new Managing Director, Aspirin and omega 3 found to reduce risk of bowel polyps

23 Nov 2018 --- This week in nutrition, a study has noted the importance of sit-down, family meals for improving the eating habits of teenagers, while a separate study highlighted how a high intake of fruit and vegetables can lower the risk of memory loss in men. Both aspirin and purified omega 3 (EPA) can reduce the number of pre-cancerous polyps in patients found to be at high risk of developing bowel cancer, according to new research. Lastly, BioGaia has appointed Isabelle Ducellier as Managing Director.

In brief: Research studiesSit-down, family meals improve teenagers’ eating habits, regardless of how well the family unit functions overall, a University of Guelph study has found. Family time, either at dinner or breakfast, encourages healthier eating habits, such as eating more fruit and vegetables and decreasing the consumption of fast food or takeout items. The study, to be published in JAMA Network Open, looked at more than 2,700 participants aged 14 to 24 who were living with their parents in 2011. “Our research found that family dinners are a great way to improve the dietary intake of the whole family, regardless of how well the family functions together,” says Kathryn Walton, Dietician and study author. “Preparing and enjoying a meal together can also help families bond. It's a win-win.”

Eating leafy greens, dark orange and red vegetables, berries and drinking orange juice may be associated with a lower risk of memory loss over time in men, according to an American Academy of Neurology study. The study further adds to findings pointing to how dietary choices can be important in maintaining brain health. The study looked at nearly 28,000 men and found that those who ate the most fruit and vegetables were 34 percent less likely to develop poor thinking skills than the men who consumed the smallest amount. A total of 6.6 percent of men in the top group developed poor cognitive function, compared to 7.9 percent of men in the bottom group.

Both aspirin and purified omega 3 (EPA) can reduce the number of pre-cancerous polyps in patients found to be at high risk of developing bowel cancer, according to new research. A clinical trial, led by the University of Leeds, found that both aspirin and EPA reduced the number of bowel polyps in patients one year on from a screening colonoscopy (large bowel camera test), although they did not reduce the chances of an individual having any polyps present in the bowel. The study is part of a multidisciplinary collaboration, The SeAFOod Trial, between a few Northern UK universities, including Leeds, which was published in The Lancet. “The seAFOod Trial demonstrates that both aspirin and EPA have preventative effects, which is particularly exciting given that they are both relatively cheap and safe compounds to give to patients,” says lead author Mark Hull, Professor of Molecular Gastroenterology at the University of Leeds. “Given this new evidence, clinicians need to consider these agents for patients at elevated risk of bowel cancer, alongside regular colonoscopy surveillance.”

In brief: Appointments and retirements
Isabelle Ducellier has been appointed Managing Director of BioGaia. Ducellier’s latest position was as General Secretary at the Swedish Childhood Cancer Fund. Previously, she held a number of senior international positions within the Pernod Ricard Group for 20 years, such as CEO of Pernod Ricard Sweden. “I look forward to working in the fast-growing probiotics market, in a company with a unique combination of leading-edge research and a strong brand,” says Ducellier, on her new role. 

By Laxmi Haigh