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Dear Colleagues and Friends,
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Health benefits of the Mediterranean Diet
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Western diets, characterized by a high fat intake, have been linked to colorectal cancer through diet-induced changes in the gut microbiota that over time can result in the presence of a pro- or anti-tumor environment in the colon. With this background, a new study aimed to determine the effects of various sources of fat (extra virgin olive oil, sunflower oil or coconut oil) on colon microenvironment. Findings showed that extra virgin olive oil was the only source of fat that had a beneficial impact on the gut microbiota by promoting an anti-inflammatory environment that could be associated with the prevention of colorectal cancer. Meanwhile, high fat diets containing coconut and sunflower oils lead to a microenvironment that promotes tumor development. Interestingly, these alterations did not correlate with body weight at the end of the dietary intervention.
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Other biological mechanisms involved in diet-disease pathogenesis include diet-induced epigenetic changes, which is explained by a series of metabolic and inflammatory disorders. Novel evidence identified an association between DNA methylation and higher adherence to the Mediterranean-style Diet Score, lower risk of CVD risk factors (BMI, triglycerides, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol concentrations, and type 2 diabetes), as well as all-cause mortality.
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Despite all the available evidence on the underlying mechanisms and the health benefits obtained from the Mediterranean Diet, diverse barriers have prevented its widespread adoption. For instance, personality traits are known to impact food preferences and choices, with food neophobia (i.e. avoidance of, and reluctance to taste unfamiliar foods) being one of the major psychological barriers to healthy eating. A large cross-sectional study in Italy found that food neophobia was inversely associated with adherence to the Mediterranean Diet, hindering its potential health benefits. This behavior seems to be most relevant among men, elderly people, and individuals from Southern Italy, as they showed higher levels of food neophobia.
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