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Background: Prevalence of metabolic disorders has been increased in recent years around the world. The relationship between Mediterranean diet (MD) with metabolic health status and serum adropin levels has been less examined in Iranian adults. We investigated the association between MD compliance with metabolic health status and adropin hormone in Iranian adults., Methods: This observational study was conducted on 527 men and women. Food intakes were evaluated by a validated food frequency questionnaire. Blood pressure and anthropometric parameters were measured. Fasting blood samples were drawn to measure serum adropin concentrations, blood glucose, triglycerides, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, high sensitive C-reactive protein and insulin. Metabolic unhealthy (MU) status was defined as having ≥ 2 cardio-metabolic risk factors., Results: After adjustments for potential confounders, subjects in highest versus lowest tertile of MD had 52% lower odds of MU status (OR = 0.48, 95%CI: 0.23-0.97). Stratified analysis revealed a significant association in normal-weight participants (OR = 0.12; 95%CI: 0.02-0.64), but not in those with overweight/obesity (OR = 0.66, 95%CI: 0.27-1.57). By excluding each component of MD, the association disappeared, except for three components (vegetables, nuts and grains). MD adherence was not significantly related to serum adropin levels in multivariable-adjusted model (unstandardized B= -0.19, 95%CI: -4.97, 4.59; P = 0.94). Serum adropin hormone levels were also not substantially different among metabolic healthy versus unhealthy subjects (P = 0.66)., Conclusions: This cross-sectional study showed an inverse association between adherence to MD and odds of MU status, especially in subjects with normal-weight. Serum adropin concentrations were not associated with MD adherence or metabolic health status., Competing Interests: Declarations. Competing interests: The authors declare no competing interests. Ethical approval and consent to participate: All participants provided an informed written consent. In order to ensure ethical compliance, the researchers got informed consent from the parents of the minor participants included in the study. The protocol of study was in accordance with the ethical principles established in the 1975 Declaration of Helsinki. The study protocol was approved by the local Ethics Committee of Isfahan University of Medical Sciences. Consent for publication: Not applicable. Competing interests: None of the authors had any personal or financial conflicts of interest., (© 2025. The Author(s).)

Given the sparse conclusive findings regarding the association of magnesium intake with metabolic health status and limited evidence relating magnesium intake to metabolic biomarkers, our objective was to evaluate the association of metabolic health status, adropin, and brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) in relation to dietary magnesium intake. In this cross-sectional study, 527 male and female adults were investigated in Isfahan City. The data regarding usual dietary intakes were gathered using a valid and reliable 168-item food frequency questionnaire. Biochemical variables, anthropometric indices, and blood pressure were assessed following standard methods. The criteria suggested by Wildman et al. were used to classify participants as metabolically unhealthy (MU) and metabolically healthy (MH). Moderate magnesium intake was associated with 71% reduced odds of MU (OR T2 vs. T1  = 0.29; 95% CI: 0.12-0.70). In the stratified analysis, the inverse association between moderate intake of magnesium and MU was seen only in overweight/obese subjects but not in normal-weight ones. A significant difference was found in serum levels of adropin between the first and second tertile of dietary magnesium intake among overweight/obese subjects (62.74 ± 4.99 vs. 50.13 ± 2.54, P = 0.03). After adjustment for potential covariates, this association became attenuated (59.06 ± 3.47 vs. 50.02 ± 3.64, P = 0.20). No statistically significant link was obtained between dietary intake of magnesium and circulating BDNF levels. Moderate dietary intake of magnesium may exert beneficial effects on metabolic health and serum levels of adropin, especially in obese/overweight individuals. Further prospective studies will be required to approve our findings., (© 2024. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature.)

The present study aimed to investigate the association of nutrient patterns (NPs) with metabolic health status and serum levels of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and adropin in Iranian adults. This cross-sectional survey was performed on 527 adults aged 20-60 years in Isfahan, Iran. To evaluate dietary intake, a validated 168-item semi-quantitative food frequency questionnaire (FFQ) was used. Participants were categorized as metabolically healthy (MH) and metabolically unhealthy (MU) according to their glycemic and lipid profile, insulin resistance (IR), and inflammation status. An overnight fasting blood sample was collected from each participant and serum levels of BDNF and adropin were assessed. A total of 42.50% of participants were recognized as MU. Three NPs were recognized by factor analysis that labeled as "high animal protein" (NP1), "high vegetable" (NP2), and "high carbohydrate" (NP3) patterns. Moderate adherence to NP2 was related to a lower risk of MU (OR T2 vs. T1  = 0.38, 95% CI: 0.18-0.76). Moreover, high adherence of NP2 (T3 vs. T1) was inversely associated with hypertriglyceridemia (OR = 0.27, 95% CI: 0.11-0.65; P-trend < 0.001) and high hs-CRP values (OR = 0.29, 95% CI: 0.09-1.00; P-trend = 0.03). No significant association was observed between adherence of NP1 and NP3 with MU in crude and adjusted models. However, negative associations were found between moderate adherence to NP3 and insulin resistance (IR) (OR = 0.23, 95% CI: 0.06-0.91) as well as high adherence to NP1 and hypertension (OR = 0.23, 95% CI: 0.09-0.61; P-trend < 0.001). NPs were not associated with serum BDNF and adropin values., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Introduction: Metabolic disturbances are of major health concerns in the world. In addition to their high prevalence, these disorders have substantial roles in developing other physical and mental diseases. Diet could have a considerable influence on managing the progression of these conditions and their consequent health-related effects. The aim of the 'Diet in relation to Metabolic, sleep and psychological health Status' Project is to explore the association of nutrition with metabolic, sleep and mental health, considering potential mediators including brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and adropin., Methods and Analysis: This cross-sectional study will be conducted on adults (20-65 years) working in schools of Isfahan, Iran. A multistage cluster random sampling method will be used to select participants. Anthropometric, body composition and biochemical values including fasting blood glucose, lipid profile, 25-hydroxy vitamin D, insulin, BDNF, adropin, malondialdehyde, superoxide dismutase, glutathione peroxidase, uric acid, creatinine and C reactive protein will be measured for each participant. National Cholesterol Education Program and Adult Treatment Panel III will be considered to define metabolic syndrome. Diet will be assessed through a validated Food Frequency Questionnaire. Furthermore, sleep status, mental health, quality of life, physical activity and demographic status of individuals will be assessed by validated questionnaires. The collected data will be analysed using appropriate statistical methods., Ethics and Dissemination: The study protocol was approved by the local Ethics Committee of Isfahan University of Medical Sciences. All participants will provide written informed consent. Dissemination will be through conference presentations and publications in peer-reviewed journals., Competing Interests: Competing interests: None declared., (© Author(s) (or their employer(s)) 2023. Re-use permitted under CC BY-NC. No commercial re-use. See rights and permissions. Published by BMJ.)

There is controversial evidence about the relationship between consumption of legumes and nuts with metabolic disturbances. The present study was undertaken to explore the association of legumes and nuts intake with metabolic health status among Iranian adults. This cross-sectional study was conducted on 527 adults (45.7% female, aged 20-65 years) chosen through a multistage cluster random-sampling approach. Dietary intakes of individuals were assessed using a validated food frequency questionnaire. Fasting blood samples were gathered to evaluate biochemical parameters. Metabolic health status of subjects was determined according to the criteria defined by Wildman. Data of covariates were collected using pre-tested procedures. The overall prevalence of metabolic unhealthy (MU) phenotype was 42.5%. After controlling all confounders, participants with highest intake of legumes and nuts had lower odds of MU status, compared with the lowest intake (OR 0.35; 95% CI 0.18-0.71). This association was stronger in normal-weight rather than overweight/obese adults and also in women rather than men. Higher consumption of legumes and nuts was additionally related to decreased odds of hyperglycemia, hypertriglyceridemia, and hypertension. A marginally inverse association was observed between legumes and nuts intake with low brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) levels, in fully-adjusted model (OR T3 vs. T1  0.50; 95% CI 0.25-1.01). Each tertile increase in legumes and nuts intake was marginally related to higher adropin levels ([Formula: see text] = 4.06; P = 0.07). In conclusion, this study demonstrated that higher intake of legumes and nuts is associated with lower chance of MU both in normal weight and overweight/obese adults. The association may be facilitated through serum BDNF and adropin., (© 2023. Springer Nature Limited.)

Backgrounds: We investigated the relation of plant-based diets (PDs) with hypertension (HTN) and Framingham risk score (FRS) in Iranian adults., Objectives: We hypothesized that healthy PDs might have positive effects on blood pressure (BP) and FRS, whereas less-healthy plant-based foods might have negative effects., Methods: The current cross-sectional study was performed on 527 middle-aged adults (45.7% women), who were selected through a multistage cluster random-sampling method. The assessment of dietary intakes was performed by using a validated food-frequency questionnaire. Twelve-hour fasting blood samples were collected to evaluate total cholesterol and high-density lipoprotein concentrations. BP was measured through the standard method and HTN was defined as BP ≥130/80 mmHg. FRS was used to predict the 10-y risk for development of cardiovascular disease (CVD)., Results: The prevalence of HTN and high FRS among study participants were, respectively, 62% and 15.6%. After adjustment for potential confounders, plant-based diet index (PDI) and healthy plant-based diet index (hPDI) were not significantly associated with HTN [odds ratio (OR): 0.99; 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.55, 1.79 and OR: 0.83; 95% CI: 0.45, 1.53, respectively)]. However, those in the highest tertile of unhealthy plant-based diet index (uPDI) in comparison with those in the bottom tertile had a 100% increased odds of HTN (OR: 2.00; 95% CI: 1.04, 3.88). Greater adherence to PDI, hPDI, and uPDI was not related to high FRS chance, in fully adjusted model (OR: 0.50; 95% CI: 0.15, 1.65; OR: 1.03; 95% CI: 0.26, 4.04; and OR: 2.05; 95% CI: 0.56, 7.52, respectively)., Conclusions: This study demonstrated that less-healthy PDs would enhance the chance of HTN in Iranian adults, although PDIs were not significantly related to the 10-y risk of developing CVD., (© 2023 The Authors.)

Nutrient pattern analysis is an easy way to compare nutrient intakes across different nations due to the universality of nutrients nature. The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between dietary nutrient patterns (NPs) and circulating 25(OH)D concentrations with sleep duration and sleep quality among Iranian adults. We used a multistage cluster random sampling method to enroll 535 adults in this cross-sectional investigation. A validated food frequency questionnaire was applied to evaluate typical dietary intakes. Fasting blood samples were obtained to determine levels of circulating 25(OH)D. Sleep characteristics were assessed using the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI). Participants had a mean age of 42.57 years and 51.2% of them had insufficient or deficient levels of serum vitamin D. Three NPs were identified: "high animal protein", "high vegetable" and "high carbohydrate". After adjustments for potential confounders, no significant associations were observed between "high animal protein" pattern and short sleeping or sleep quality. Greater adherence to "high vegetable" NP was associated with lower odds of short sleeping (OR 0.24; 95% CI 0.10, 0.54) and poor sleep quality (OR 0.45; 95% CI 0.20, 1.05). Stratified analysis revealed that these associations were stronger in normal-weight participants. Greater adherence to "high carbohydrate" NP, on the other hand, was connected to higher odds of short sleeping (OR 2.83; 95% CI 1.20, 6.72). Low adherence to "high vegetable" pattern and vitamin D insufficiency/deficiency were jointly associated with increased odds of short sleeping (OR 3.42, 95% CI 1.42, 6.64). High adherence to pattern comprising mainly of vegetable nutrients was associated with a reduced likelihood of being short sleepers and having poor sleep quality in Iranian adults, especially among those with a normal weight. Lower adherence to vegetable NP and insufficient/deficient vitamin D levels were synergistically associated with greater likelihood of being short sleepers. Greater adherence to carbohydrate NP was associated with an increased likelihood of short sleeping., (© 2023. Springer Nature Limited.)

Context: Although some studies have examined the connection between circulating 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) concentrations and preeclampsia (PE) risk, the results were inconsistent., Objective: A dose-response meta-analysis on epidemiologic investigations was conducted to evaluate the relation of 25(OH)D concentration and PE., Data Source: Electronic databases, including Scopus, MEDLINE (PubMed), the Institute for Scientific Information, Embase, and Google Scholar, were comprehensively search until July 2021., Data Extraction: A total of 65 observational studies evaluating the link between circulating 25(OH)D concentrations and PE were included. The body of evidence was assessed by the Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development, and Evaluations (GRADE) approach., Data Analysis: Combining 32 effect sizes from 32 prospective studies with 76 394 participants revealed that highest vs lowest circulating 25(OH)D concentrations was significantly related to a 33% reduced risk of PE (relative risk [RR], 0.67; 95%CI, 0.54-0.83). Subgroup analysis by study design revealed that PE risk has significantly decreased in cohort and case-cohort studies (RR, 0.72; 95%CI, 0.61-0.85), and a slight decline was found in nested case-control studies (RR, 0.62; 95%CI, 0.38-1.02). Dose-response analysis in 27 prospective studies with 73 626 participants illustrated that each 10 ng/mL increment in circulating 25(OH)D concentration led to a 14% reduced incidence of PE (RR, 0.86; 95%CI, 0.83-0.90). A U-shaped significant association in nonlinear dose-response analysis was found between 25(OH)D and PE. A significant inverse association was also found between highest vs lowest circulating 25(OH)D concentration and PE in 32 nonprospective studies with 37 477 participants (odd ratio, 0.37; 95%CI, 0.27-0.52). This inverse association was significant in almost all subgroups, based on different covariates., Conclusion: This meta-analysis of observational investigations showed blood 25(OH)D levels were negatively related to PE risk, in a dose-response manner., Systematic Review Registration: PROSPERO registration no. CRD42021267486., (© The Author(s) 2023. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the International Life Sciences Institute. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.)

Data on the association between Mediterranean diet, sleep and brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) were limited in Middle Eastern populations. We examined the association between Mediterranean dietary pattern with sleep quality/quantity, and serum BDNF in Iranian adults. This cross-sectional study was performed among 535 middle-aged adults (54% men), selected by multistage cluster random sampling method. The Pittsburgh sleep quality index and a validated food frequency questionnaire were used to assess sleep quality, sleep quantity, and Mediterranean diet score (MDS). Twelve-hour fasting blood samples were taken to evaluate serum BDNF values. Participants in the highest tertile of MDS, in comparison to those in the lowest tertile, had lower odds of having short sleep (OR = 0.44, 95%CI: 0.21-0.91) and poor sleep quality (OR = 0.48, 95%CI: 0.22-0.96), after adjustment for potential confounders. Among specific domains of sleep quality, lower odds of subjective sleep quality, sleep latency, and daytime dysfunction were associated with increased MDS. Higher adherence to MDS among individuals with overweight or obesity reduced the odds of having short sleep; this relation was not seen among individuals with normal weight. In contrast, the association between sleep quality and the MDS was significant in individuals with normal weight, but not those with overweight or obesity. Participants with higher adherence to MDS had lower odds for low BDNF values; however, this relation was not statistically significant. Overall, Iranian adults with a higher adherence to MDS had considerably lower odds of having short sleep and poor sleep quality. BDNF would not be an intermediate molecule for this connection., (© 2023. Springer Nature Limited.)

Considering contradictory findings of previous investigations and growing prevalence of psychological disorders, we investigated association between dietary total fat and omega-3 fatty acids intake with serum brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) levels, depression, anxiety and psychological distress in Iranian adults. Using a multistage cluster random sampling method, 533 middle-aged adults were included in this cross-sectional study. A validated semi-quantitative 168-item food frequency questionnaire was used to examine dietary intakes. A 12-h fasting blood sample was drawn to measure serum BDNF. Serum BDNF values in the first decile were considered low level. Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) and General Health Questionnaire (GHQ) were used to assess depression, anxiety and psychological distress. A U-shaped relationship between fat intake and prevalence of anxiety and distress was found. The third quartile of fat intake compared to the first quartile was significantly related to 80% decreased odds of depression (OR = 0.20, 95% CI 0.05-0.80), in fully-adjusted model. Participants in the third quartile of fat intake compared to those in the first quartile had significantly 45% lower odds for distress, in the crude model (OR = 0.55, 95% CI 0.33-0.92); however, this association disappeared after considering confounders. There was no significant association between omega-3 fatty acids intake and odds of depression, anxiety or distress. Prevalence of low-BDNF values was higher in participants with depression, as compared to non-depressed subjects (14.9 vs. 9%; P = 0.06). This cross-sectional study illustrated a U-shaped relationship between fat intake and prevalence of anxiety and distress. Moderate intake of fat was related to lower odds of depression. Prevalence of low-BDNF values was slightly higher in subjects with depression compared to non-depressed individuals., (© 2023. The Author(s).)

The association of plant-based diets with health status is underestimated in pediatrics. We aimed to examine the relation between plant-based diets (including overall plant-based index (PDI), healthy plant-based (hPDI) and unhealthy plant-based (uPDI)) and metabolic health status in Iranian adolescents with overweight/obesity. We conducted a cross-sectional study on 203 adolescents with overweight/obesity (12-18 years old) selected by a multistage cluster random-sampling method. Usual dietary intakes were assessed through a validated 147-item food frequency questionnaire (FFQ). Anthropometric indices and blood pressure values were measured and fasting blood samples were drawn. For classification of participants into metabolically healthy obese (MHO) or metabolically unhealthy obese (MUO) groups, two methods of International Diabetes Federation (IDF) and combination of IDF with Homeostasis Model Assessment Insulin Resistance (HOMA-IR) were applied. No significant association was observed between higher adherence to PDI and odds of MUO status defined by both IDF and IDF/HOMA-IR strategies. After adjustments for all potential confounders, adolescents in the highest tertile of hPDI, compared with those in the lowest tertile, had 85% (95% CI 0.05-0.43) and 84% (95% CI 0.05, 0.52) lower odds of being MUO based on IDF and IDF/HOMA-IR criteria, respectively. Greater adherence to uPDI was associated with odd of 3.95 (95% CI 1.41, 11.12) and 4.06 (95% CI 1.31, 12.57) of being MUO based on IDF and IDF/HOMA-IR definitions, after considering all potential confounders. Stratified analysis revealed that these associations were stronger in girls and overweight subjects. Adherence to healthy plant-based foods was inversely associated with odds of MUO status in Iranian adolescents. In contrast, unhealthy plant-based diets was directly associated with MUO in pediatrics. Further studies with prospective nature, are required to affirm these results., (© 2022. The Author(s).)

Background: Findings of observational studies that evaluated the association of serum vitamin D status and high blood pressure were contradictory. This meta-analysis of epidemiologic studies assessed the relation of serum vitamin D levels to hypertension (HTN) and pre-hypertension in adults., Methods: We conducted a systematic search of all published articles up to March 2021, in four electronic databases (MEDLINE (PubMed), Web of Science (ISI), Embase and Scopus), and Google scholar. Seventy epidemiologic studies (10 prospective cohort, one nested case-control, and 59 cross-sectional investigations) that reported relative risks (RRs), odds ratios (ORs), hazard ratios, or prevalence ratios with 95% CIs for HTN or pre-hypertension in relation to serum vitamin D concentrations in adults were included in the analysis., Results: In prospective studies, a 16% decrease in risk of hypertension was observed in participants with high levels of serum vitamin D compared to low levels (RR: 0.84; 95%CI: 0.73, 0.96; 12 effect sizes). Dose-response analysis in prospective studies revealed that each 25 nmol/L increase in serum vitamin D concentrations resulted in 5% reduced risk of HTN (RR: 0.95; 95% CI: 0.90, 1.00). Also, a significant nonlinear relationship between serum vitamin D levels and HTN was found (P nonlinearity < 0.001). In cross-sectional investigations, highest vs. lowest level of serum vitamin D was related to reduced odds of HTN (OR: 0.84; 95%CI: 0.79, 0.90; 66 effect sizes) and pre-hypertension (OR: 0.75; 0.95%CI: 0.68, 0.83; 9 effect sizes). Dose-response analysis in these studies showed that each 25 nmol/L increase in serum vitamin D levels was related to a significant 6% reduction in odds of hypertension in all populations (RR: 0.94; 95%CI: 0.90, 0.99) and 3% in studies with representative populations (RR: 0.97; 95%CI: 0.95, 0.99)., Conclusion: This meta-analysis of epidemiologic studies disclosed that serum vitamin D concentrations were inversely related to the risk of HTN in adults, in a dose-response manner in both prospective cohort and cross-sectional studies. Systematic Review Registration: http://www.crd.york.ac.uk/Prospero, identifier: CRD42021251513., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2022 Mokhtari, Hajhashemy and Saneei.)