World Health Organization projections estimate that worldwide approximately one-third of adults are overweight and one-tenth are obese. There is accumulating research into the Mediterranean diet and ...whether it could prevent or treat obesity. Therefore, the purpose of this paper was to systematically review and analyse the epidemiological evidence on the Mediterranean diet and overweight/obesity. We identified 21 epidemiological studies that explored the relationship between the Mediterranean diet and weight. These included seven cross-sectional, three cohort and 11 intervention studies. Of these, 13 studies reported that Mediterranean diet adherence was significantly related to less overweight/obesity or more weight loss. Eight studies found no evidence of this association. Exploring the relationship between the Mediterranean diet and overweight/obesity is complex, and there are important methodological differences and limitations in the studies that make it difficult to compare results. Although the results are inconsistent, the evidence points towards a possible role of the Mediterranean diet in preventing overweight/obesity, and physiological mechanisms can explain this protective effect. Despite this, more research is needed to substantiate this association. Epidemiological studies should use a consistent universal definition of the Mediterranean diet, and address common methodological limitations to strengthen the quality of research in this area.
Osteoporosis, a common chronic metabolic bone disease is associated with considerable morbidity and mortality. As the prevalence of osteoporosis increases with age, a paralleled elevation in the rate ...of incident fragility fractures will be observed. This narrative review explores the origins of bone and considers physiological mechanisms involved in bone homeostasis relevant to management and treatment. Secondary causes of osteoporosis, as well as osteosarcopenia are discussed followed by an overview of the commonly used pharmacological treatments for osteoporosis in older people.
No known cohort study has investigated whether the Mediterranean diet can reduce incident coronary heart disease (CHD) events in a Mediterranean population. This study examined the relation between ...Mediterranean diet adherence and risk of incident CHD events in the 5 Spanish centers of the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition. Analysis included 41,078 participants aged 29–69 years, recruited in 1992–1996 and followed up until December 2004 (mean follow-up:10.4 years). Confirmed incident fatal and nonfatal CHD events were analyzed according to Mediterranean diet adherence, measured by using an 18-unit relative Mediterranean diet score. A total of 609 participants (79% male) had a fatal or nonfatal confirmed acute myocardial infarction (n = 468) or unstable angina requiring revascularization (n = 141). After stratification by center and age and adjustment for recognized CHD risk factors, high compared with low relative Mediterranean diet score was associated with a significant reduction in CHD risk (hazard ratio = 0.60, 95% confidence interval: 0.47, 0.77). A 1-unit increase in relative Mediterranean diet score was associated with a 6% reduced risk of CHD (95% confidence interval: 0.91, 0.97), with similar risk reductions by sex. Mediterranean diet adherence was associated with a significantly reduced CHD risk in this Mediterranean country, supporting its role in primary prevention of CHD in healthy populations.
Abstract Background and Aim No previous study has assessed the association between major dietary patterns and the risk of coronary heart disease (CHD) in a large cohort from a Mediterranean country. ...Methods and Results We studied prospectively 40,757 persons, aged 29–69 years, participating in the Spanish cohort of the EPIC study. Food consumption was collected between 1992 and 1996 with a validated history method. Individuals were followed-up until 2004 through record linkage with hospital discharge registers, population-based registers of myocardial infarction, and mortality registers to ascertain CHD events (fatal and non-fatal acute myocardial infarction or angina requiring revascularization). Two major dietary patterns were identified from factor analysis. The first pattern was labeled as Westernized, because of the frequent consumption of refined cereals and red meat; the second was called the evolved Mediterranean pattern, because of the frequent intake of plant-based foods and olive oil. During a median follow-up of 11 years, 606 CHD events were ascertained. No association was found between the Westernized pattern and CHD risk. In contrast, the score for the evolved Mediterranean pattern was inversely associated with CHD risk ( p for trend = 0.0013); when compared with the lowest quintile of the evolved Mediterranean pattern score, the multivariable hazard ratios for CHD were 0.77 (95% confidence interval 0.61–0.98) for the second quintile, 0.64 (95% CI 0.50–0.83) for the third quintile, 0.56 (95% CI 0.43–0.73) for the fourth quintile, and 0.73 (95% CI 0.57–0.94) for the fifth quintile. Conclusion A Mediterranean diet, as consumed in this study population, was associated with a lower risk of CHD.
Current tissue‐clearing protocols for imaging in three dimensions (3D) are typically applied to optimally fixed, small‐volume rodent brain tissue – which is not representative of the tissue found in ...diagnostic neuropathology laboratories. We present a method to visualise the cerebral cortical vasculature in 3D in human post‐mortem brain tissue which had been preserved in formalin for many years. Tissue blocks of cerebral cortex from two control cases, two Alzheimer's brains and two cases from Alzheimer's patients immunised against Aβ42 were stained with fluorescent Lycopersicon esculentum agglutinin (Tomato lectin), dehydrated and cleared using an adapted three‐dimensional imaging of solvent cleared organs (3DISCO) protocol to visualise the vascular endothelium. Tissue was imaged using light sheet and confocal microscopy and reconstructed in 3D using amira software. The method permits visualisation of the arrangement of the parallel penetrating cortical vasculature in the human brain. The presence of four vascular features including anastomosis, U‐shaped vessels, spiralling and loops were revealed. In summary, we present a low cost and simple method to visualise the human cerebral vasculature in 3D compatible with prolonged fixation times (years), allowing study of vascular involvement in a range of normative and pathological states.
Background
The influence of nutrition on breast cancer prognosis is still inconclusive and therefore dietary interventions incorporating dietary biomarkers are needed to confirm compliance with ...dietary goals and clarify biological mechanisms. The present study assessed whether a lifestyle intervention in breast cancer survivors could affect dietary biomarkers of fruit and vegetables and fatty acids.
Methods
In this phase II single‐arm trial, 37 overweight/obese early stage breast cancer patients completed a 12‐week diet and exercise intervention. The intervention involved 1‐h weekly diet sessions delivered by a dietician and 75‐min bi‐weekly physical activity sessions of moderate‐to‐high intensity led by trained monitors. Before and after the intervention, three 24‐h dietary recalls were carried out to calculate nutrient intakes and, in addition, blood samples were taken to measure plasma carotenoids, vitamin E and retinol concentrations and erythrocyte membrane fatty acid (EFA) composition. Wilcoxon signed rank tests were used to assess changes in dietary and biomarkers measurements over the intervention period.
Results
After the intervention, there was a significant increase in the intake of dietary carotenoids (+15.1% compared to baseline) but not plasma carotenoids levels (+6.3%). Regarding the EFA levels, we observed a significant decrease in percentage of saturated fatty acids (−1.4%) and n‐6 polyunsaturated fatty acids (−2.9%) and an increase in monounsaturated fatty acids (1.7%) and total and long‐chain n‐3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (by 13.1% and 13.7%, respectively). A favourable decrease in the ratio of long‐chain n‐6 to n‐3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (−9.1%) was also observed.
Conclusions
After a short‐term diet and exercise intervention in overweight/obese breast cancer survivors, we observed significant changes in dietary nutrients and fatty acid biomarkers, suggesting positive dietary changes that could be relevant for breast cancer prognosis.
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