Liisa Valsta

Publications (6)16.72 Total impact

• Source

  Available from: Anja Hannele Hallikainen

  Article: Modelling the intake of polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and dibenzofurans: impact of energy under-reporting and number of reporting days in dietary surveys.

  Tero Hirvonen, Harri Sinkko, Anja Hallikainen, Hannu Kiviranta, Pirjo Pietinen, Liisa Valsta, Jouni T Tuomisto
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  ABSTRACT: A probabilistic long-term intake estimation of dioxins was carried out using food consumption data obtained from the National FINDIET 2007 Survey (Paturi et al. 2008). The study population consisted of 606 participants who were first interviewed with a 48-h recall and then filled in a 3-day food record twice. The concentrations of dioxins were obtained from previously published studies. The intake was estimated using a semi-parametric Monte Carlo simulation. The analyses were done separately for the whole study population and for the population excluding energy under-reporters. To diminish the impact of intra-individual variation and nuisance effects, adjustment with software (C-SIDE) was also done after Monte Carlo simulation. It was found that when C-SIDE was used, the 95th percentile of intake and its confidence limit was higher with 2 reporting days than with a higher number of days. However, with a crude intake estimation (no adjustment), the confidence intervals of the 95th percentile were also smaller with a higher number of days, but the 95th percentiles were higher with a higher number of reporting days. When under-reporters were excluded the intakes increased, but the impact of energy under-reporting was smaller with 8 reporting days than with 2 days and smaller using C-SIDE than with a crude estimation. To conclude, adjustment for intra-individual variation and taking energy under-reporting into account are essential for intake estimation of dioxins with food consumption data of a limited number of reporting days.
  Food Additives and Contaminants - Part A Chemistry, Analysis, Control, Exposure and Risk Assessment 08/2010; 27(8):1170-6.
• Source

  Available from: oxfordjournals.org

  Article: Thirty-five-year trends in cardiovascular risk factors in Finland.

  Erkki Vartiainen, Tiina Laatikainen, Markku Peltonen, Anne Juolevi, Satu Männistö, Jouko Sundvall, Pekka Jousilahti, Veikko Salomaa, Liisa Valsta, Pekka Puska
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  ABSTRACT: In the late 1960s, coronary heart disease (CHD) mortality among Finnish men was the highest in the world. From 1972 to 2007, risk factor surveys have been carried out to monitor risk factor trends and assess their contribution to declining mortality in Finland. The first risk factor survey was carried out in the North Karelia and Kuopio provinces in 1972 as the basis for the evaluation of the North Karelia Project. Since then, up to five geographical areas have been included in the surveys. The target population has been persons aged 25-74 years, except in the first two surveys where the sample was drawn from a population aged 30-59 years. Risk factor contribution on mortality change was assessed by a logistic regression model. A remarkable decline in serum cholesterol levels was observed between 1972 and 2007. Blood pressure declined among both men and women until 2002 but levelled off during the last 5 years. Prevalence of smoking decreased among men. Among women, smoking increased throughout the survey years until 2002 but did not increase between 2002 and 2007. Body mass index (BMI) has continuously increased among men. Among women, BMI decreased until 1982, but since then an increasing trend has been observed. Risk factor changes explained a 60% reduction in coronary mortality in middle-aged men while the observed reduction was 80%. The 80% decline in coronary mortality in Finland mainly reflects a great reduction of the risk factor levels; these in turn have been associated with long-term comprehensive chronic disease prevention and health promotion interventions.
  International Journal of Epidemiology 12/2009; 39(2):504-18. · 6.41 Impact Factor
• Article: Development of a model for optimal food fortification: vitamin D among adults in Finland.

  Tero Hirvonen, Harri Sinkko, Liisa Valsta, Marja-Leena Hannila, Pirjo Pietinen
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  ABSTRACT: Average vitamin D intake is low in Finland. Even though almost all retail milk and margarine are fortified with vitamin D, the vitamin D intake is inadequate for a significant proportion of the population. Consequently, expanded food fortification with vitamin D would be motivated. However, there is a risk of unacceptably high intakes due to the rather narrow range of the adequate and safe intake. Therefore, a safe and efficient food fortification practice should be found for vitamin D. To develop a model for optimal food fortification and apply it to vitamin D. The FINDIET 2002 Study (48-h recall and data on supplement use (n = 2007), and 3 + 3 days' food records, n = 247) was used as the test data. The proportion of the population whose vitamin D intake is between the recommended intake (RI) and the upper tolerable intake level (UL) was plotted against the fortification level per energy for selected foods. The fortification level that maximized the proportion of the population falling between RI and UL was considered the optimal fortification level. If only milk, butter milk, yoghurt and margarine were fortified, it would be impossible to find a fortification level by which the intake of the whole population would lie within the RI-UL range. However, if all potentially fortifiable foods were fortified with vitamin D at level 1.2-1.5 microg/100 kcal, the intake of the whole adult population would be between the currently recommended intake of 7.5 microg/d and the current tolerable upper intake level of 50 microg/day (model 1). If the RI was set to 40 microg/day and UL to 250 microg/day, the optimal fortification level would be 9.2 microg/100 kcal in the scenario where all potentially fortifiable foods were fortified (model 2). Also in this model the whole population would fall between the RI-UL range. Our model of adding a specific level of vitamin D/100 kcal to all potentially fortifiable foods (1.2-1.5 microg/100 kcal in model 1 and 9.2 microg/100 kcal in model 2) seems to be an efficient and safe food fortification practise.
  European Journal of Nutrition 09/2007; 46(5):264-70. · 2.75 Impact Factor
• Article: Efficacy and safety of food fortification with calcium among adults in Finland.

  Tero Hirvonen, Heli Tapanainen, Liisa Valsta, Marja-Leena Hannila, Antti Aro, Pirjo Pietinen
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  ABSTRACT: To examine the efficacy and safety of foods fortified with calcium in the adult population in Finland. A simulation study based on the FINDIET 2002 Survey, which estimated habitual food consumption, dietary supplement use and nutrient intakes using 48-hour recall and two 3-day food records, and an Internet survey of the consumption of fortified foods and dietary supplements. Participants of FINDIET 2002 were 25-64 years old from five areas (n = 2007). Participants of the Internet-based survey (n = 1537) were over 15 years of age from all over the country. If all potentially fortifiable foods were to be fortified with calcium, the proportion of participants with calcium intake below the recommended level (< 800 mg day(-1)) would decrease from 20.3% to 3.0% in men and from 27.8% to 5.6% in women compared with the situation where no foods were fortified. At the same time, the proportion of participants with calcium intake above the tolerable upper intake level (UL, > 2500 mg day(-1)) would increase from 0.6% to 12.7% in men and from 0.1% to 3.8% in women. However, in a probability-based model (11% of all fortifiable foods to be fortified with calcium) the proportion of participants with calcium intake below the recommended level would be 15.7% in men and 23.2% in women. The proportion with intake above the UL in this model would be 1.2% in men and 0.7% in women. Food fortification would be a relatively effective and safe way to increase the calcium intake of the Finnish adult population.
  Public Health Nutrition 09/2006; 9(6):792-7. · 2.17 Impact Factor
• Article: Efficacy and safety of food fortification with calcium among adults in Finland

  Tero Hirvonen, Heli Tapanainen, Liisa Valsta, Marja-Leena Hannila, Antti Aro, Pirjo Pietinen
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  ABSTRACT: Objective To examine the efficacy and safety of foods fortified with calcium in the adult population in Finland.Design A simulation study based on the FINDIET 2002 Survey, which estimated habitual food consumption, dietary supplement use and nutrient intakes using 48-hour recall and two 3-day food records, and an Internet survey of the consumption of fortified foods and dietary supplements.Setting/participants Participants of FINDIET 2002 were 25–64 years old from five areas (n = 2007). Participants of the Internet-based survey (n = 1537) were over 15 years of age from all over the country.Results If all potentially fortifiable foods were to be fortified with calcium, the proportion of participants with calcium intake below the recommended level (<800 mg day−1) would decrease from 20.3% to 3.0% in men and from 27.8% to 5.6% in women compared with the situation where no foods were fortified. At the same time, the proportion of participants with calcium intake above the tolerable upper intake level (UL, >2500 mg day−1) would increase from 0.6% to 12.7% in men and from 0.1% to 3.8% in women. However, in a probability-based model (11% of all fortifiable foods to be fortified with calcium) the proportion of participants with calcium intake below the recommended level would be 15.7% in men and 23.2% in women. The proportion with intake above the UL in this model would be 1.2% in men and 0.7% in women.Conclusions Food fortification would be a relatively effective and safe way to increase the calcium intake of the Finnish adult population.
  Public Health Nutrition 08/2006; 9(06):792 - 797. · 2.17 Impact Factor
• Article: The combined use of cholesterol-lowering drugs and cholesterol-lowering bread spreads: health behavior data from Finland.

  Nynke de Jong, Meri Simojoki, Tiina Laatikainen, Heli Tapanainen, Liisa Valsta, Marjaana Lahti-Koski, Antti Uutela, Erkki Vartiainen
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  ABSTRACT: Cholesterol-lowering drugs may metabolically interact with cholesterol-lowering bread spreads. This study analyses the prevalence of use of drugs, bread spreads or the combination of both in people aware of their high/elevated cholesterol level, and compares users of the three therapies on health behavior and demographics. Participants (9581, 25-74 years) from The National FINRISK 2002 Study filled out a questionnaire on demographics and health (related) issues. Blood samples, blood pressure, body weight and height were measured. Of those who reported to have a high cholesterol level (31% of the study population), 19% used cholesterol-lowering drugs, 11% used cholesterol-lowering bread spreads and 5% combined both therapies. On a population level, only 1% jointly used a drug and bread spread therapy. The combination was used by especially highly educated people and those having a healthy diet. Combining a cholesterol-lowering drug with a bread spread regimen is relatively rare, even among those being aware of their high cholesterol levels. The combined usage was most frequent among 'the better off'. Public health risks of a metabolic interaction between both therapies may not be of major importance yet, but future follow-up is recommended.
  Preventive Medicine 12/2004; 39(5):849-55. · 3.22 Impact Factor