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Dear Colleagues and Friends,
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Beyond Mediterranean Diet
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Obesity and body composition
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Among this week's articles we wanted to highlight a review of Antonia Trichopoulou, also known as the "mother of the Mediterranean diet", on the occasion of the tenth anniversary of the inclusion of this diet in the UNESCO Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. This recognition has undoubtedly contributed to positioning the Mediterranean diet and olive oil, its most representative component, on the international scene. In this article, Trichopoulou discusses the future of research in the context of this diet, which should include new aspects such as sustainability. In this respect, she also discusses the cultivation of olive trees and the impact they can have in this respect. In the same vein, the Director of the UNESCO Chair in Food, Culture and Development speaks of the need for interdisciplinary perspectives in future research on this diet, from which the whole of humanity can benefit.
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Meanwhile, research into the health benefits of this diet continues to progress. This week we can highlight several articles that talk about its neurological benefits. One of them assesses cognitive performance in the Framingham Heart Study based on adherence to the MIND diet (Mediterranean-DASH for neurodegenerative delay). This diet is derived from the Mediterranean diet and includes 15 points, one of which is precisely the use of olive oil as the main cooking fat. This study concludes that higher MIND diet scores are associated with better cognitive performance and higher total brain volume, but that clinical trials are needed to determine whether adoption of the MIND diet affects trajectories of cognitive decline. It is precisely along these lines that the Maintain Your Brain (MYB) trial aims to advance.
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One of the mechanisms that may explain the neurological benefits of the Mediterranean diet is its anti-inflammatory and antioxidant power. As another paper points out, this is largely mediated by dietary polyphenols. This study evaluates the dietary intake of polyphenols provided by different foods, including extra virgin olive oil, and relates it to biological ageing. Cognitive impairment is mentioned as a marker of ageing, but is not explored in depth. In any case, the results of this Mediterranean cohort indicate that a diet rich in polyphenols is associated with slowed biological ageing, a new predictor of cardiovascular disease risk.
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