COFFEE BEANS & BEINGS / CUPPA JO IS GOOD MEDICINE

GUEST BLOG—By Melissa A. Merritt, P.H.d., a research fellow in cancer epidemiology at Imperial College London in the United Kingdom.

Women who drank about four cups of coffee per day appeared to have decreased endometrial cancer risk compared with those who drank less than a cup each day, according to a study published in Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention, a journal of the American Association for Cancer Research. Melissa A. Merritt, PhD

“We used a ‘nutrient-wide association study,’ a new approach to systematically evaluate the association of dietary factors with endometrial cancer risk,” said Melissa A. Merritt, PhD, a research fellow in cancer epidemiology at Imperial College London in the United Kingdom. “This approach was inspired by genome-wide association studies that look at genetic risk factors for cancer, but in our case we investigated 84 foods and nutrients in place of genes as risk factors for endometrial cancer.

“We confirmed observations from previous studies that having a high versus low intake of coffee was associated with a reduced risk for endometrial cancer, and for most other dietary factors there was no association with endometrial cancer risk,” Merritt added.

“Coffee intake is worth investigating further to see if coffee can be used for the prevention of endometrial cancer. However, before clinical recommendations can be made, further studies are needed to evaluate this question in other studies and to try to isolate the components of coffee that may be responsible for any influence on endometrial cancer,” Merritt said.

Merritt and colleagues evaluated the association of 84 foods and nutrients based on dietary questionnaires from a prospective cohort study, the European Prospective Investigation Into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC) Study. They then validated nine foods and nutrients identified from the EPIC study as having associations with endometrial cancer risk in two prospective cohort studies, the Nurses’ Health Study (NHS) and NHSII, two cohorts based at Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Boston, and Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, respectively.

Among the EPIC study participants, those who drank about three cups of coffee per day (750 g/day) had a 19 percent lower risk for endometrial cancer compared with those who drank less than one cup of coffee per day. Among the NHS/NHSII participants, those who drank about four cups of coffee per day (1,000 g/day) had an 18 percent lower risk for endometrial cancer compared with those who never drank coffee.

This study focused on 1,303 endometrial cancer cases in the EPIC study, and 1,531 endometrial cancer cases from the NHS/NHSII studies.

The nine foods/nutrients that were found to have associations with endometrial cancer in the EPIC cohort were total fat, monounsaturated fat, carbohydrates, phosphorus, butter, yogurt, cheese, potatoes, and coffee.

Total fat, monounsaturated fat, and phosphorus were associated with decreased risk for endometrial cancer, and carbohydrates and butter intake were associated with increased risk for endometrial cancer in the EPIC cohort, but these findings could not be validated in the NHS/NHSII cohorts.

The coordination of EPIC is financially supported by the European Commission (DGSANCO) and the International Agency for Research on Cancer.

THE BREWSPAPER / BREW NATION HEADING TO SAN DIEGO

DEFENDING CHAMPION—San Diego (site of 2015 American Homebrewers Assn. convention) is also home to Kelsey McNair, who last year at the AHA competition in Grand Rapids, won a gold medal for his India Pale Ale, Hop-Fu!  As an amateur brewer, McNair has AHA gold medals for his brews in 2010 and 2012 with a silver medal in 2013.  Kelsey (shown here in this WestCoaster Magazine photograph) has signed a lease on a brewery site in San Diego’s brewstoric North Park neighborhood.  The opening of North Park Beer Company sometime this year means McNair is going pro, which has to be good news for other India pale ale brewers around the country.

SAVE THE DATE—Next month the 2015 AHA National Homebrewers Conference will be held in San Diego.  Eyes of brew nation will focus on this sunny cul de sac city, whose homebrew roots have spawned more than 100 independent craft beer breweries in the last decade.

WHAT:           For the first time since 2011, the American Homebrewers Association National Homebrewers Conference takes place in sunny San Diego. Homebrewers will flock to what has been described as the “hoppiest place on Earth” for three days of homebrewing culture, companionship and competition. Special seminars and events cater to beer enthusiasts and amateur brewers of every level.

The 37th annual conference is also home to the final round of judging in this year’s National Homebrew Competition, the world’s largest beer competition, which recognizes the most outstanding homebrewed beer, mead and cider 

produced by amateur brewers worldwide.           

WHO:              An estimated 4,000 attendees will have the opportunity hear from over 70 presenters, including keynote speaker Tomme Arthur of California-based Port Brewing Company and The Lost Abbey, who is widely regarded as one of the leaders of the American craft brewing renaissance. Presenters include other pioneering and veteran homebrewers, Cicerones, mead makers and more.

WHEN:           Thursday, June 11 – Saturday, June 13

                          Times vary. For a full schedule of events,

                          visit the conference schedule.

WHERE:         Town and Country Resort & Convention Center

                        500 Hotel Circle North San Diego, CA 92108

WHY:              The American Homebrewers Association has worked on behalf of the homebrewing community since 1978 and celebrates a membership of more than 44,000 homebrewers and beer enthusiasts. This fun and educational gathering brings together homebrewing fans and friends from across the country to broaden their brewing skills and knowledge, while enhancing the community’s camaraderie.

Being next door to the San Diego Trolley Fashion Valley station, the

Town & Country Hotel is not located within walking distance of this amazing craft 

beer city's brewcentric hot spots like Downtown or hipster North Park.  

But when convention free time is available those 'hoods are easily reached by 

your car rental or trolley, taxi, city bus, Lyft or Uber.