|
|
|
Dear Colleagues and Friends,
|
Mental and cognitive health
|
It is well known that the Mediterranean Diet (MD) –rich in olive oil, fruits and vegetables, legumes and nuts– is an effective preventive strategy against the onset and the prognosis of chronic non-communicable diseases, leading to a greater quality of life. For this reason and in order to obtain the greatest benefits from this healthful dietary pattern, it is important to promote the adherence to this dietary pattern early in life.
|
An example of this can be found in a longitudinal analysis, which assessed the relationship between the MD and the risk to develop kidney impairment, carried out on Chinese children aged 6 to 8 years. In this report, researchers chose microalbumin (MA) and β2-microglobulin (β2-MG) as candidate markers to study the associations with the MD, as the presence of these metabolites in urine samples is an indicator of kidney impairment. It was observed that participants with a low urinary excretion of MA also displayed a greater adherence to the MD. Moreover, a high consumption of sweets and candies was associated with a greater risk of developing glomerular impairment. These findings support the role of diets, and in particular that the adherence to the MD could relate to the onset of kidney related diseases early in the development process.
|
Once again, the PREDIMED study –the longest randomized control trial for the secondary prevention of NCDs based on an intervention with the Mediterranean diet– reports on the relationship between the intake of polyphenols and the risk of type 2 diabetes. More specifically, microbial phenolic metabolites (MPMs) such as hydroxybenzoic acid are the byproducts of polyphenols produced by gut microbiota; biomarkers that were used by the researchers as correlates of glucose metabolism. According to their results, an adequate intake of polyphenols (contained in olive oil among other foods) could help prevent the onset of type 2 diabetes through various mechanisms, now through MPMs as indicators of glucose metabolism.
|
It is apparent from these results that it is important to maintain a healthy gut microbiome as it carries out various functions in the body. One of the primary methods to maintain adequate microbiome activity is through healthy dietary choices, since these can modulate its composition and performance. For example, in this case-control study, researchers evaluated the effect of 3 different diets on the microbiome composition and inflammatory markers. Although individual foods were not found to have an individual influence on these parameters, one of the three dietary patterns (the closest to the MD) seemed to improve the markers defined by the authors in their report in comparison to other diets. The results suggest that microbiome health is a universal property of healthy diets, of which the MD has been a staple and thus recommended by various international agencies.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|