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Dear Colleagues and Friends,
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Health in the adolescence
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Neurology, Psychiatry and Cognition
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Diet quality and dietary patterns
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This week's articles summarize olive oils’ most prominent healthful benefits. From neuropsychiatric to cardiovascular health, its benefits are found across multiple age groups and in particular for women’s health. The macronutrient “fat” has taken on a positive connotation as a result of the abundance of evidence surrounding olive oil (OO) and its multiple benefits.
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New trends in the understanding of obesity pathophysiology are shifting focus towards the renin-angiotensin system (RAS) and its link with fatty acid deposit and weight gain. Traditionally linked to water and blood pressure regulation, the RAS has now been linked to thermogenic, metabolic, and satiety-regulating mechanisms of the hypothalamus. In a basic research study with an animal model, a high fat diet regime with distinct fatty acid profiles compared the effects of extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) to butter in relation to body weight under similar caloric intake. Animals on the EVOO intervention group showed interesting changes in endocrine function, such as lower conversion of angiotensin, lower expression of genes regulating lipid metabolism, and minimal alterations in leptin activity. The neuroendocrine functions of EVOO are not fully understood, however the evidence supporting a positive link between dietary patterns with abundant OO consumption and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) or diabetes have been consistent for the past decade. An observational study found that in the presence of NAFLD, patients with a high adherence to a mediterranean dietary pattern had no significant increase in cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk compared to a low adherence group that experienced an increased risk of almost 40%. Overall, these reports support the biological plausibility of alternate mechanisms through which EVOO fatty acids modulate body weight and endocrine functions that further support its inclusion in healthy dietary patterns.
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Nonetheless, the highlight of this week is a report from the Framingham Heart Study that explains the possible biological links between high quality diets, CVD, and mortality. This well-known cohort presents their results from a sample of 6360 participants with a median follow-up of 13 years, presenting 512 fatal cases and 488 incident CVD events. A total of 71 proteins were described as potential links between diet quality and CVD or mortality, in addition to inflammatory pathways or neuroinflammatory response. Using mediation analysis, six proteins were identified as mediators between diet quality and all cause mortality and one protein for CVD; the specific proteins are presented in the full report found here. Current trends are contributing to our understanding of the intricate mechanisms that regulate body composition. In this context, olive oil plays an important role for its healthy fatty acid content and elevated concentrations of antioxidant properties.
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