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Studies on MD and health during the last 20 years. Bars represent number of citations in PubMed for two time periods (1995Y2004 and 2005Ypresent) for combinations of MD studies and specific chronic diseases. 4
Source publication
A large body of research data suggests that traditional dietary habits and lifestyle unique to the Mediterranean region (Mediterranean diet, MD) lower the incidence of chronic diseases and improve longevity. These data contrast with troubling statistics in the United States and other high income countries pointing to an increase in the incidence of...
Similar publications
The purpose of this work is to analyse the improvement in the health and quality of life of children and youth detected with sedentary lifestyle and/or overweight, through the application of a training program based on exer-games. A total of 359 boys and girls between the ages of 3 and 12 from four schools participated in the study, from which 20 c...
Background:
Pregnancy is a crucial stage in a woman's life and can be affected by epigenetic and environmental factors. Diet also plays a key role in gestation. This study aimed to evaluate how a greater or lesser adherence to the Mediterranean Diet (MD) influences specific parameters of mother and newborn.
Methods:
After delivery, the women par...
We aim to assess the beneficial effects of the Mediterranean style-diet before and after the period of confinement due to COVID-19 in a sample of 51 older patients who were part of a clinical trial of the Instituto de Investigación sanitaria y Biomédica de Alicante (ISABIAL, CEIM). Participants were randomly assigned to two conditions: experimental...
The importance of culture and interest in K-culture due to the development of online Mediterraneania such as social media have increased curiosity about K-Food, which contains Korean traditions and cultures. It will be necessary to establish the identity and value of K-Food in order to continue it, which is in global attention. Therefore, this stud...
The Mediterranean diet (MD) has been inversely associated with lung cancer (LC) risk. Hereby we show the preliminary results of our prospective randomised controlled trial in inflammatory and nutritional status of LC patients after 3-month implementation of MD. In total, 30 patients with small-cell or non-small-cell LC (stages III–IV) were enrolled...
Citations
... However, the most recent research in nutritional immunology focuses on the role of complex nutritional patterns, rather than on single foods/nutrients, in chronic disease risk. Specifically, the MD pattern has been thoroughly studied in the context of non-communicable disease prevention [41][42][43][44][45]. Concerning AD and MS prevention, MD has all the credentials to be looked at as a preventive dietary pattern, and evidence is available regarding its possible immune-modulatory and antioxidant effects on SNC [6,46]. ...
Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a debilitating autoimmune condition primarily affecting young adults, and its rise is evident globally. Despite this, its precise etiology remains elusive. Both genetic and environmental factors contribute to MS susceptibility; however, the link between diet and MS lacks substantial evidence due to limited large-scale studies. We exploited the UK Biobank resources to explore the nexus between diet, lifestyle, and MS risk. The dietary and lifestyle habits of MS incident cases, derived from a general food frequency questionnaire (FFQ) completed by all participants at study enrollment, were compared to those of subjects who did not develop MS during the follow-up. Our findings suggest the protective role of moderate oily fish consumption and weekly alcohol intake. Furthermore, by analyzing food intake data obtained through 24 h recall, completed by a subset of participants, we found a protective, though non-significant, trend of an increased adherence to the Mediterranean diet (MD). These findings, derived from the analysis of the UK Biobank and representing an unprecedented approach for this inquiry, warrant further exploration and integration in future research.
... MD has become the reference model from which nutritional guidelines for the general population in Italy have been derived [10]. These guidelines have the goal of preventing chronic diseases and cancer, which represent the leading cause of mortality and reduced quality of life in industrialized countries [11]. The underlying evidence has been obtained estimating the adherence to MD through adherence scores derived a posteriori, i.e., on the data-driven basis, or a priori, i.e., calculating a score of adherence to a pre-defined model. ...
The Mediterranean diet (MD) and Western diet (WD) are poles apart as dietary patterns. Despite the availability of epidemiological tools to estimate the adherence to MD, to date, there is a lack of combined scores. We developed MEDOC, a food frequency questionnaire (FFQ) designed to calculate a combined adherence score for both diets and validated it on 213 subjects. The test–retest reliability revealed all frequency questions falling within the acceptable range of 0.5 to 0.7 (Pearson correlation coefficient) in younger (<30 years old) subjects, while 1 question out of 39 fell below the range in older (>30 years old) participants. The reproducibility for portion size was less satisfying, with, respectively, 38.2% and 70.5% of questions falling below 0.5 (Cohen’s Kappa index) for younger and older subjects. The good correlation (R = 0.63, p < 0.0001 for subjects younger than 30 years and R = 0.54, p < 0.0001 for subjects older than 30 years, Pearson’s correlation coefficient) between the MEDOC score and the MediDietScore (MDS) confirmed the validity of the MEDOC score in identifying patients who adhere to the MD. Harnessing the capabilities of this innovative tool, we aim to broaden the existing perspective to study complex dietary patterns in nutritional epidemiology studies.
... Evidence from the literature illustrates a beneficial effect of MD on metabolic and chronic diseases, including obesity, type-2 diabetic mellitus, cardiovascular disease, and metabolic syndrome, which may be partly through beneficial changes in gut microbiota composition and function [8][9][10]. A high proportion of plantbased foods in MD correlates with a higher percentage of short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) and fiber-degrading bacteria in the feces [11]. ...
Aim
Dietary patterns could have a notable role in shaping gut microbiota composition. Evidence confirms the positive impact of the Mediterranean diet (MD), as one of the most studied healthy dietary patterns, on the gut microbiota profile. We conducted this systematic review to investigate the results of observational studies and clinical trials regarding the possible changes in the gut microbiota composition, metabolites, and clinical outcomes following adherence to MD in healthy cases or patients suffering from metabolic disorders.
Methods
A systematic literature search was conducted on PubMed, Web of Science, and Scopus databases until October 2023. Two researchers separately screened the titles, abstracts, and then full-text of the articles and selected the relevant studies. Quality assessment of observational and interventional studies was performed by Newcastle-Ottawa and Cochrane checklists, respectively.
Results
A total of 1637 articles were obtained during the initial search. Ultimately, 37 articles, including 17 observational and 20 interventional studies, were included in this systematic review. Ten observational and 14 interventional studies reported a correlation between MD adherence and microbiota diversity. Faecalibacterium and Prevotella were the most frequent bacterial genera with increased abundance in both observational and interventional studies; an Increment of Bacteroides genus was also reported in observational studies. Better glycemic control, lowering fat mass, better bowel movement, decreased bloating, inflammation, and hospitalization risk were the reported clinical outcomes.
Conclusion
Adherence to the MD is associated with significant beneficial changes in the gut microbiota diversity, composition, and functions and major clinical improvements in most populations.
... 2,3 Compared with the Standard American diet (SAD) of refined carbohydrates, fatty meats, excess sodium, and limitednutrient dense fruits and vegetables, 4 long-term adherence to the MD is shown to be beneficial for metabolic conditions such as hypertension, hyperlipidemia, fatty liver disease, obesity, diabetes, and reducing markers of oxidative stress. 1,5 Due to the exemplary amount of research and positive evidence for this dietary paradigm, it is widely celebrated by medical professionals and recommended to patients in support of their overall health. ...
... Small amounts of red wine, dairy, sweets, and red meat are acceptable though not main staples of the dietary paradigm. 1,5,13 Herbs and spices are used and recommended to reduce the use of sodium to enhance flavour along with certain probiotic foods to support gut microbiota. 14 Most research describes the components necessary to designate a diet as Mediterranean, but few discuss the ratio of components. ...
Background: The Mediterranean diet (MD) has been studied for its benefits, including metabolic risk factors, since the 1950s. In recent years, debates around barriers to access within cultural and environmental fields have arisen within non-Eurocentric cultural backgrounds. Using data related to health benefits derived from dietary components, this review will produce a map of MD modifications to match various cultures. Methods: Foods and constituents of the MD were compared and analyzed to assess benefits for both healthy and metabolic disease states using both empirical and theoretical approaches. Databases (PubMed and Cochrane) were searched using terms for cultural diets and metabolic disease outcomes associated with the MD (e.g., HbA1C, cholesterol, waist circumference, weight, AST and ALT). One multicultural diet database was chosen to identify culturally specific foods that match components of the MD to each cultural affinity. Results: Cultural alternatives to foods and components of the MD exist. However, there is modest research on the specific health effects of most culturally adapted diets. Conclusion: While some evidence gaps exist, it is feasible to translate most components of the MD to diets suitable for various cultural affinities. Future research is needed to examine the overall effects of these diets based on MD macronutrient presentation and the barriers associated with cultural–religious dietary practices and access to foods. Healthcare practitioners may benefit from this as a resource and to facilitate inclusivity and cultural competency for a broader range of dietary behaviours.
... Since food adulteration begins with sowing and continues through consumption, producing healthy feed is primarily a global concern. According to a number of surveys, microplastic contamination is rapidly getting worse everywhere (Romagnolo and Selmin 2017;Conti et al. 2020). It is important to understand how microplastic contamination affects horticulture crops like tomatoes. ...
Despite growing concern about microplastic contamination in terrestrial ecosystems, there have been few researches on the possible consequences of various microplastics on terrestrial plants. In this study, the toxicity of Polyethylene microplastics (PE-MPs) with different concentrations (0, 0.25, 0.50, 0.75 and 1.00%) to tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) were studied. Results showed a concentration-dependent negative impacts on the physiological, biochemical, growth, yield attributes and fruit quality of tomatoes. Amongst various concentrations, the maximum effect was observed with 0.75 and 1.00% PE-MPs and among the various growth stages studied (vegetative, flowering, fruiting and harvest), the highest impact was observed during the fruiting stage. Besides exhibiting a deleterious effect on physiological traits, it was also confirmed that PE-MPs could exert oxidative stress in plants thereby delaying the days to first flowering. Moreover, exposure to PE-MPs at 1.00% recorded the maximum reduction in the number of flowers per cluster (17.67%), number of flower clusters per plant (18.27%), number of fruits per cluster (32.76%), number of fruits per plant (56.33%) and single fruit weight (47.57%). Furthermore, 1.00% PE-MPs exposure was also observed to significantly reduce the fruit quality like titrable acidity, ascorbic acid and lycopene content by 22.32, 21.09 and 23.96% respectively. Additionally, the application of 1.00% PE –MPs decreased the soil bulk density, available phosphorus and potassium; whereas, the EC, organic carbon, microbial biomass carbon (8%), NO3–N (22%), NH4–N (23%) significantly increased. Moreover, the presence of PE-MPs in soil also had a significant influence on the soil enzyme activities. Metagenomic analysis (16 s) reveals that control had higher diversity, richness and evenness, compared to rhizosphere soil with 1.00% PE-MPs. These results can provide a theoretical basis and data support for further investigation on the toxicity of microplastics to tomatoes, and contribute to understanding the type specificity of microplastics’ toxic effects on plants.
... 8 The beneficial effects of the MD in preventing various types of chronic diseases including cancer, cardiovascular diseases and diabetes mellitus are well established. 9 For these reasons, the WHO considers the MD as a health promoter; it has been distinguished by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization as a World Heritage of Humanity. 10 Nevertheless, the nutritional impact originated from the cultural globalisation of food markets and changes in work patterns have contributed to a change in eating habits, resulting in a decreased adherence to these traditional dietary patterns, such as the MD. ...
Aim
To evaluate the adherence to the Mediterranean diet (MD) and the level of nutritional literacy (NL) among university students from different academic fields of study, within the context of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Methods
A total of 1114 first-year undergraduate students at the University of Lisbon, Portugal, were included in this study. A self-administered online questionnaire was applied that included questions regarding sociodemographic information, the MD measured by the PREDIMED questionnaire (PREvención con DIeta MEDiterránea) and NL assessed using the Newest Vital Sign questionnaire.
Results
The average PREDIMED score revealed a low adherence (6.79±2.14 points) to the MD. Notably, students in the Social Sciences and Humanities academic fields showed the highest level of adherence (U=21 071; p<0.05). Within the Health field, there was a greater prevalence of dietary behaviours aligned with the MD, contributing to higher overall adherence scores. Furthermore, 84.1% of the participants demonstrated adequate NL. Interestingly, students in the Exact Sciences and Engineering field demonstrated the highest levels of NL (5.07±1.19), particularly in questions involving mathematical reasoning.
Conclusions
Our findings suggest that university students in Lisbon do not follow a MD and are far from the recommendations of this dietary pattern. While most participants showed adequate NL, it is essential to highlight the link between knowledge and application to daily practice. Despite positive literacy levels, there remains a deficit in translating this knowledge into correct dietary practices.
... This is a reflection of university students renouncing traditional diets in favour of Western diets (Andrade et al., 2020). The intake of processed foods is linked to a higher incidence of injury risk and a greater likelihood of suffering from cardiovascular diseases, cancer, diabetes and obesity (Romagnolo & Selmin, 2017). ...
Alcohol consumption among Spanish undergraduates during their university time has increased exponentially in recent years. In addition, this lifestyle change is associated with abandoning the Mediterranean diet, increasing the risk of suffering some kind of injury and affecting their quality of life. The study was carried out with a sample of 1,057 Spanish university students, 12.1% (n = 127) of them women and 87.9% (n= 930) men. The SF-36 questionnaire was used to measure health-related quality of life, the MEDAS test to check adherence to the Mediterranean diet, and the AUDIT test to measure alcohol consumption. The results show an inverse relationship between injury and quality of life (β=-0.020) and adherence to the Mediterranean diet (β=-0.042) among students who have suffered some kind of injury. On the other hand, there was a positive relationship with alcohol consumption (β=-0.046). The main conclusion is that lower alcohol consumption and higher adherence to the Mediterranean diet was associated with a better quality of life and a reduced risk of injury in undergraduates in southern Spain. El consumo de alcohol de la juventud durante el periodo universitario ha aumentado exponencialmente en los últimos años. Además, el cambio de estilo de vida se asocia al abandono de la dieta mediterránea, aumentando el riesgo de sufrir algún tipo de lesión y afectando a su calidad de vida. El estudio se realizó con una muestra de 1057 estudiantes universitarios españoles, el 12,1% (n = 127) de mujeres y el 87,9% (n = 930) de hombres. Se utilizó el cuestionario SF-36 para medir la calidad de vida relacionada con la salud; el test MEDAS para comprobar la adherencia a la dieta mediterránea; y el test AUDIT para medir el consumo de alcohol. Los resultados muestran una relación inversa entre la lesión y la calidad de vida (β=-0,020) y la adherencia a la dieta mediterránea (β=-0,042) entre los estudiantes que han sufrido algún tipo de lesión. Por otro lado, se observa una relación positiva con el consumo de alcohol (β=-0,046). La principal conclusión es que un menor consumo de alcohol y una mayor adherencia a la dieta mediterránea se asociaron con una mejor calidad de vida y un menor riesgo de lesiones en los estudiantes universitarios del sur de España. Palabras clave: calidad de vida, estudiantes universitarios, alcohol, dieta mediterránea, lesiones ■
... Dietary patterns or habits may play an important role in the prevention and control of chronic diseases. Epidemiologic and experimental studies have linked diets high in plant-based foods to a number of favorable health outcomes, including lower risk of metabolic syndrome, cardiometabolic diseases, and cancer, whereas diets high in non-fish meats and fatty or refined foods are associated with increased risk of these diseases [10][11][12][13][14]. Findings from the Adventist Health Study (AHS)-2 cohort, particularly, have shown strong inverse associations between a vegetarian dietary pattern and diabetes, metabolic syndrome (including lower triglycerides, glucose, blood pressure, waist circumference, and total and low-density lipoprotein (LDL)-cholesterol), and coronary heart disease [15][16][17][18][19]. ...
Background
Black Americans suffer disparities in risk for cardiometabolic and other chronic diseases. Findings from the Adventist Health Study-2 (AHS-2) cohort have shown associations of plant-based dietary patterns and healthy lifestyle factors with prevention of such diseases. Hence, it is likely that racial differences in metabolic profiles correlating with disparities in chronic diseases are explained largely by diet and lifestyle, besides social determinants of health.
Methods
Untargeted plasma metabolomics screening was performed on plasma samples from 350 participants of the AHS-2, including 171 Black and 179 White participants, using ultrahigh-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS/MS) and a global platform of 892 metabolites. Differences in metabolites or biochemical subclasses by race were analyzed using linear regression, considering various models adjusted for known confounders, dietary and/or other lifestyle behaviors, social vulnerability, and psychosocial stress. The Storey permutation approach was used to adjust for false discovery at FDR < 0.05.
Results
Linear regression revealed differential abundance of over 40% of individual metabolites or biochemical subclasses when comparing Black with White participants after adjustment for false discovery (FDR < 0.05), with the vast majority showing lower abundance in Blacks. Associations were not appreciably altered with adjustment for dietary patterns and socioeconomic or psychosocial stress. Metabolite subclasses showing consistently lower abundance in Black participants included various lipids, such as lysophospholipids, phosphatidylethanolamines, monoacylglycerols, diacylglycerols, and long-chain monounsaturated fatty acids, among other subclasses or lipid categories. Among all biochemical subclasses, creatine metabolism exclusively showed higher abundance in Black participants, although among metabolites within this subclass, only creatine showed differential abundance after adjustment for glomerular filtration rate. Notable metabolites in higher abundance in Black participants included methyl and propyl paraben sulfates, piperine metabolites, and a considerable proportion of acetylated amino acids, including many previously found associated with glomerular filtration rate.
Conclusions
Differences in metabolic profiles were evident when comparing Black and White participants of the AHS-2 cohort. These differences are likely attributed in part to dietary behaviors not adequately explained by dietary pattern covariates, besides other environmental or genetic factors. Alterations in these metabolites and associated subclasses may have implications for the prevention of chronic diseases in Black Americans.
... Os principais constituinte do azeite de oliva são triglicerídeos, compostos químicos formados a partir da ligação de glicerol com três ácidos graxos (98% do peso do óleo), na fração restante, componentes minoritários, estão presentes também compostos com propriedades benéficas à saúde, responsáveis pela estabilidade oxidativa do óleo, sabor e aroma característicos (Khedir et al, 2018;Almanza-Aguilera et al, 2023;Romagnolo;Selmi, 2017). Os componentes minoritários, em torno de 2% do peso total do azeite de oliva, também chamados de fração insaponificável, compreendem fosfolipídios, tocoferol, esteróis, resinas, carboidratos, proteínas, traços de metais, pigmentos e pesticidas (O'Brien, 2004;Schmidt et al., 2023). ...
É com grande satisfação que apresentamos o quinto volume da coletânea Ciência e Tecnologia de Alimentos: o avanço da ciência no Brasil. Nesse quinto volume, vocês encontrarão diversos trabalhos importantes nas áreas de Ciências e Tecnologia de Alimentos, como fruto de um processo colaborativo entre professores, estudantes e pesquisadores que se destacaram e qualificaram as discussões neste espaço formativo. Resulta, também, de movimentos interinstitucionais e de ações de incentivo à pesquisa que congregam pesquisadores das mais diversas áreas do conhecimento e de diferentes Instituições de Educação Superior públicas e privadas de abrangência nacional e internacional. Além disso, busca integrar ações interinstitucionais nacionais e internacionais com redes de pesquisa que tenham a finalidade de fomentar a formação continuada dos profissionais da educação, por meio da produção e socialização de conhecimentos das diversas áreas dos Saberes. Agradecemos aos autores pelo empenho, disponibilidade e dedicação para o desenvolvimento e conclusão dessa obra, e que a mesma sirva de instrumento didático-pedagógico para estudantes, professores dos diversos níveis de ensino em seus trabalhos e demais interessados pela temática.
... The occurrence of microplastics of big size, that are not allowed to pass by xylem transport, suggests that fresh vegetables and fruits can be contaminated with plastic, especially during the production phase, during agricultural activities (greenhouses, plastic crates, additive fertilizers, etc.) and during the marketing process (transport to the market and purchasing process). Nevertheless, in nutritional diets recommended for healthy eating all over the world (especially the World Health Organization's (WHO) Mediterranean diet) at least 400 g of fruits and vegetables must be consumed every day to maintain good health [102,103]. Nonetheless, it would be a mistake to ignore this serious food safety issue due to the lack of information on how much microplastics are emitted, whether by conventional, integrated or organic means. Therefore, it is extremely important to monitor the quality of fruits and vegetables and identify and minimize the potential sources of contamination that can occur during the food supply chain. ...
Microplastics are transferred to humans through the food chain by consuming food contaminated with microplastics. However, the knowledge about the risks of dietary exposure for humans to these particles is very limited. Moreover, only a few studies on microplastic pollution in fruit and vegetables have been carried on. Thus, this study aims to investigate the presence of microplastics in some of the most consumed fruits and vegetables (pear (Pyrus communis), apple (Malus domestica), tomato (Solanum lycopersicum), onion (Allium cepa), potatoes (Solanum tuberosum), and cucumber (Cucumis sativus)) from Turkey and to evaluate the potential risk for consumers. Fruits and vegetable samples were purchased from different markets and fruiterer (two of each) in Muğla province, Southwest of Turkey. Microplastic extraction processes were carried out on the edible parts of the samples. According to the results obtained, a total of 210 particles (2.9 ± 1.6 particle g−1) were detected in all samples. Any significant difference occurred among the different markets. The maximum average amount of microplastic was determined in tomato samples (3.63 ± 1.39 particle g−1). The highest microplastic intake was with tomato (398,520 particles individual−1 year−1 for Estimated Annual Intake (EAI) and Estimated Daily Intake (EDI) for children 68.24 particles kg−1 day−1). The occurrence of microplastics of big size, that are not allowed to pass by plant xylem transport, suggests that fresh vegetables and fruits can be contaminated with plastic, especially during the production phase, during agricultural activities and during the marketing process (transport to the market and purchasing process).
