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This study aimed to investigate if the duration of breastfeeding and the method at initiation of complementary feeding affect eating behaviour in children aged 3-6 years. This is a cross-sectional analysis from the Childhood Obesity Risk Assessment Longitudinal Study project, an ongoing longitudinal cohort study that aims to identify childhood obesity risk factors in Spanish children. A total of 1215 children aged 3-6 years were included. Breastfeeding duration and the method of initiation of complementary feeding [baby-led weaning (BLW), traditional/spoon or mixed method] were evaluated. Eating behaviour at 3-6 years was assessed with the Child Eating Behaviour Questionnaire. Generalized linear models were fitted to assess the association between the aforementioned exposures and eating behaviour. Children breastfed for ≥4 months were less likely to be fussy eaters at 3-6 years compared to those breastfed for <1 month (OR: 0.86 95% CI: 0.76-0.98; p = 0.031). Compared to those children using the traditional/spoon-feeding method, those initiating complementary feeding through BLW or through a mixed approach were more likely to have higher scores on the enjoyment of food (EF) (OR, 95% CI: 1.33, 1.13-1.57; p = 0.001 and 1.17, 1.05-1.30; p = 0.002, respectively) and lower scores on food fussiness (FF) at 3-6 years (0.76, 0.62-0.91; p = 0.004 and 0.87, 0.78-0.98; p = 0.033, respectively). Breastfeeding for ≥4 months and initiation of complementary feeding with the BLW and a mixed approach were associated with greater EF and lower FF, which should endure practice., (© 2024 The Authors. Maternal & Child Nutrition published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Background: Epidemiologic studies have reported a modest inverse association between dairy consumption and the risk of type 2 diabetes (T2D). Whether plasma metabolite profiles associated with dairy consumption reflect this relationship remains unknown., Objectives: We aimed to identify the plasma metabolites associated with total and specific dairy consumption, and to evaluate the association between the identified multi-metabolite profiles and T2D., Methods: The discovery population included 1833 participants from the Prevención con Dieta Mediterránea (PREDIMED) trial. The confirmatory cohorts included 1522 PREDIMED participants at year 1 of the trial and 4932 participants from the Nurses' Health Studies (NHS), Nurses' Health Study II (NHSII), and Health Professionals Follow-Up Study US-based cohorts. Dairy consumption was assessed using validated FFQs. Plasma metabolites (n = 385) were profiled using LC-MS. We identified the dairy-related metabolite profiles using elastic net regularized regressions with a 10-fold cross-validation procedure. We evaluated the associations between the metabolite profiles and incident T2D in the discovery and the confirmatory cohorts., Results: Total dairy intake was associated with 38 metabolites. C14:0 sphingomyelin (positive coefficient), C34:0 phosphatidylethanolamine (positive coefficient), and γ-butyrobetaine (negative coefficient) were associated in a directionally similar fashion with total and specific (milk, yogurt, cheese) dairy consumption. The Pearson correlation coefficients between self-reported total dairy intake and predicted total dairy intake based on the corresponding multi-metabolite profile were 0.37 (95% CI, 0.33-0.40) in the discovery cohort and 0.16 (95% CI, 0.13-0.19) in the US confirmatory cohort. After adjusting for T2D risk factors, a higher total dairy intake-related metabolite profile score was associated with a lower T2D risk [HR per 1 SD; discovery cohort: 0.76 (95% CI, 0.63-0.90); US confirmatory cohort: 0.88 (95% CI, 0.78-0.99)]., Conclusions: Total dairy intake was associated with 38 metabolites, including 3 consistently associated with dairy subtypes (C14:0 sphingomyelin, C34:0 phosphatidylethanolamine, γ-butyrobetaine). A score based on the 38 identified metabolites showed an inverse association with T2D risk in Spanish and US populations., (© The Author(s) 2021. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the American Society for Nutrition.)

Excess body weight is a major global health concern, particularly due to its associated increased health risks. Several strategies have been proposed to prevent overweight and obesity onset. In the past decade, it has been suggested that eating speed/rate and eating frequency might be related to obesity. The main aim of this narrative review was to summarize existing evidence regarding the impact of eating speed/rate and eating frequency on adiposity, metabolic syndrome (MetS), or diet quality (DQ). For this purpose, a literature search of observational and interventional trials was conducted between June and September 2020 in PubMed and Web of Sciences databases, without any data filters and no limitations for publication date. Results suggest that children and adults with a faster eating speed/rate may be associated with a higher risk of developing adiposity, MetS or its components. Furthermore, a higher eating frequency could be associated with diet quality improvement, lower adiposity, and lower risk of developing MetS or its components. Further interventional trials are warranted to clarify the mechanism by which these eating behaviors might have a potential impact on health.

Background: Previous meta-analyses, with some methodological controversies, have assessed the relation between nut consumption and type 2 diabetes (T2D) risk and pointed to contradictory results, making desirable the performance of an updated meta-analysis., Objectives: We aimed to systematically review and meta-analyze all the published studies investigating the relations of total nuts and different types of nuts-i.e., walnuts, peanuts, peanut butter, and total tree nuts-with the prevalence and incidence of T2D., Methods: A systematic search was conducted in the PubMed and Cochrane databases through 12 August, 2020. The inverse variance method with fixed-effect models was used to pool data across studies, expressed as risk ratios (RRs) or ORs and 95% CIs for prospective cohort and cross-sectional studies, respectively. The Cochran Q test and I2 statistics were used to test and quantify heterogeneity, respectively. Dose-response meta-analysis was also conducted., Results: Eight studies (5 prospective and 3 cross-sectional) were included in the quantitative synthesis. Meta-analyses of cross-sectional studies and prospective cohort studies, comparing the highest with the lowest categories, revealed a nonsignificant association between total nut consumption and T2D. Meta-analyses of prospective cohort studies showed an inverse association between peanut butter consumption and T2D incidence (RR: 0.87; 95% CI: 0.77, 0.98; I2 = 50.6%; Pheterogeneity = 0.16), whereas no association was observed between peanuts or tree nuts and T2D. There was no evidence of a linear dose-response or nonlinear dose-response gradient for total nut and peanut consumption in prospective cohort studies. The certainty of the evidence using NutriGrade was very low for all the exposures., Conclusions: Current results do not demonstrate an association of total nut, peanut, or tree nut consumption with T2D. Peanut butter consumption may be inversely associated with this disease.This review protocol was registered at www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/ as CRD42020149756., (© The Author(s) 2021. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the American Society for Nutrition.)

Background: Body weight dissatisfaction is a hindrance to following a healthy lifestyle and it has been associated with weight concerns., Objectives: The aim of this study was to assess the association between the adherence to the Mediterranean lifestyle (diet and exercise) and the desired body weight loss in an adult Mediterranean population with overweight., Methods: Cross-sectional analysis in 6355 participants (3268 men; 3087 women) with metabolic syndrome and BMI (Body mass index) between 27.0 and 40.0 kg/m 2 (55-75 years old) from the PREDIMED-Plus trial. Desired weight loss was the percentage of weight that participants wished to lose. It was categorized into four cut-offs of this percentage (Q1: <10%, n = 1495; Q2: 10-15%, n = 1804; Q3: <15-20%, n = 1470; Q4: ≥20%, n = 1589). Diet was assessed using a validated food frequency questionnaire and a 17-item Mediterranean diet questionnaire. Physical activity was assessed by the validated Minnesota-REGICOR and the validated Spanish version of the Nurses' Health Study questionnaire., Results: Participants reporting higher percentages of desired weight loss (Q3 and Q4) were younger, had higher real and perceived BMI and were more likely to have abdominal obesity. Desired weight loss correlated inversely to physical activity (Q1: 2106 MET min/week; Q4: 1585 MET min/week. p < 0.001) and adherence to Mediterranean diet (Q1: 8.7; Q4: 8.3. p < 0.001)., Conclusions: In older Mediterranean individuals with weight excess, desired weight loss was inversely associated with Mediterranean lifestyle adherence. Deeply rooted aspects of the MedDiet remained similar across groups. Longitudinal research is advised to be able to establish causality.

Background and Aim: Few population-based studies conducted in the Eastern Mediterranean region assessed salt intake by the measurement of 24-h sodium urine excretion (24-hUNa). The current study aimed to assess the trend of mean salt intake in Iranian adults between 1998 and 2013., Methods and Results: These cross-sectional studies were performed on 564, 157, 509 and 837 randomly selected healthy adults aged >18 years from Isfahan city, Iran, in 1998, 2001, 2007 and 2013, respectively. BP was measured using a mercury sphygmomanometer according to a standard protocol. Single 24-h urine was collected to assess 24-hUNa as a surrogate of salt intake, and 24-h urinary K (24-hUK). The estimated trend of salt intake was 9.5, 9.7, 9.6 and 10.2 g/day in total population (P < 0.001). The increase in salt intake between 1998 and 2013 was significant only in men, (P < 0.001). The risk of pre-hypertension was 21% and 18% significantly greater in the highest quartiles of UNa/UK after adjustment for potential confounders in 2001 and 2013, respectively, [OR (95% CI): 1.21 (1.03-1.64) and 1.18 (1.02-1.38), respectively]., Conclusions: This population-based study indicated that mean salt intake was about two times of recommendation in Isfahan city, Iran, and suggest that it would be essential to implement a salt reduction strategy program in Iranian population. Longitudinal national studies with larger samples examining the trend of salt intake are warranted., (Copyright © 2019. Published by Elsevier B.V.)

To update the European Association for the Study of Diabetes clinical practice guidelines for nutrition therapy, we conducted an umbrella review and updated systematic review and meta-analysis (SRMA) of prospective cohort studies of the association between dietary pulses with or without other legumes and cardiometabolic disease outcomes. We searched the PubMed, MEDLINE, EMBASE, and Cochrane databases through March 2019. We included the most recent SRMAs of prospective cohort studies and new prospective cohort studies published after the census dates of the included SRMAs assessing the relation between dietary pulses with or without other legumes and incidence and mortality of cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) [including coronary heart disease (CHD), myocardial infarction (MI), and stroke], diabetes, hypertension, and/or obesity. Two independent reviewers extracted data and assessed risk of bias. Risk estimates were pooled using the generic inverse variance method and expressed as risk ratios (RRs) with 95% CIs. The overall certainty of the evidence was assessed using the GRADE approach. Six SRMAs were identified and updated to include 28 unique prospective cohort studies with the following number of cases for each outcome: CVD incidence, 10,261; CVD mortality, 16,168; CHD incidence, 7786; CHD mortality, 3331; MI incidence, 2585; stroke incidence, 8570; stroke mortality, 2384; diabetes incidence, 10,457; hypertension incidence, 83,284; obesity incidence, 8125. Comparing the highest with the lowest level of intake, dietary pulses with or without other legumes were associated with significant decreases in CVD (RR: 0.92; 95% CI: 0.85, 0.99), CHD (RR: 0.90; 95% CI: 0.83, 0.99), hypertension (RR: 0.91; 95% CI: 0.86, 0.97), and obesity (RR: 0.87; 95% CI: 0.81, 0.94) incidence. There was no association with MI, stroke, and diabetes incidence or CVD, CHD, and stroke mortality. The overall certainty of the evidence was graded as "low" for CVD incidence and "very low" for all other outcomes. Current evidence shows that dietary pulses with or without other legumes are associated with reduced CVD incidence with low certainty and reduced CHD, hypertension, and obesity incidence with very low certainty. More research is needed to improve our estimates. This trial was registered at clinicaltrials.gov as NCT03555734., (Copyright © The Author(s) 2019.)

The prevalence of type 2 diabetes (T2D) is increasing worldwide. This complex and multifactorial metabolic condition affects both the quality and expectancy of life in adults. Therefore, appropriate lifestyle strategies are needed in order to reduce the burden of T2D. Dietary patterns characterized by a high consumption of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, legumes, nuts, and seeds, and a minimal consumption of animal products, have been suggested as a dietary approach to prevent and control T2D and related micro- and macrovascular complications. This narrative review summarizes epidemiologic and clinical trial evidence on the role of the most widely studied dietary patterns that emphasize the consumption of plant foods [vegetarian, vegan, Mediterranean, and DASH (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension) diets] in the management of T2D and its complications. Furthermore, their potential underlying mechanisms are discussed. Dietary patterns emphasizing the consumption of plant foods appear to confer beneficial effects on glycemic control in different diabetic populations. Several components of these dietary patterns might confer benefits on glycemia and counterbalance the detrimental effects of animal-based foods. The limited evidence on T2D-related complications makes it difficult to draw solid conclusions., (Copyright © The Author(s) 2019.)

A previous meta-analysis provided convincing evidence for an inverse association between adherence to a Mediterranean diet (MedDiet) and the risk of all-cause mortality. Since then, 19 prospective studies have been published. We updated the evidence from these prospective studies and conducted a dose-response meta-analysis to test the linear and potential nonlinear dose-response associations between adherence to a MedDiet and the risk of all-cause mortality. The PubMed, Scopus, ISI Web of Knowledge, and Embase bibliographic databases were systematically searched up to August 24, 2018. Summary HRs were estimated with the use of a random-effects meta-analysis to assess the association between a 2-point increment in MedDiet adherence and the risk of all-cause mortality. Sensitivity and subgroup analyses were performed and potential publication bias was tested. Twenty-nine prospective studies with 1,676,901 participants and 221,603 cases of all-cause mortality were included in the final analysis. The pooled HR of all-cause mortality was 0.90 (95% CI: 0.89, 0.91; I2 = 81.1%) for a 2-point increment in adherence to a MedDiet. Subgroup analyses showed that a significant inverse association was stronger in participants who lived in the Mediterranean region compared with non-Mediterranean areas (HRs: 0.82 compared with 0.92, respectively), and in studies that used the Panagiotakos MedDiet score. A nonlinear dose-response meta-analysis indicated that the risk of all-cause mortality linearly decreased with the increase in adherence to a MedDiet. The robustness of findings was confirmed in the sensitivity analyses. In conclusion, low-quality evidence from prospective cohort studies suggests an inverse association between adherence to a MedDiet and the risk of all-cause mortality, especially in Mediterranean regions. An inverse linear dose-response relation was also observed between adherence to a MedDiet and the risk of all-cause mortality., (Copyright © American Society for Nutrition 2019.)

Legumes are key components of several plant-based diets and are recognized as having a wide range of potential health benefits. Previous systematic reviews and meta-analyses have summarized the evidence regarding different cardiometabolic outcomes, such as cardiovascular disease (CVD) and type 2 diabetes (T2D), and legume consumption. However, those studies did not differentiate between nonsoy and soy legumes, which have different nutritional profiles. The aim of the present updated review, therefore, was to summarize and meta-analyze the published evidence regarding legume consumption (making a distinction between nonsoy and soy legumes) and cardiometabolic diseases. In addition, we reviewed randomized clinical trials assessing the effect of legume consumption on CVD risk factors in order to understand their associations. The results revealed a prospective, significant inverse association between total legume consumption and CVD and coronary heart disease risk, whereas a nonsignificant association was observed with T2D and stroke. In the stratified analysis by legume subtypes, only nonsoy legumes were associated with lower risk of T2D. Unfortunately, owing to the paucity of studies analyzing legumes and CVD, it was not possible to stratify the analysis for these outcomes. Because of the high degree of heterogeneity observed for most of the outcomes and the few studies included in some analyses, further prospective studies are warranted to determine the potential role of legume consumption on CVD and T2D., (Copyright © The Author(s) 2019.)

Background and Aims: There is ongoing controversy about the effect of a low to moderate alcohol consumption on atrial fibrillation (AF). Our aim is to assess the association between adherence to a Mediterranean alcohol drinking pattern and AF incidence., Methods and Results: A total 6527 out of the 7447 participants in the PREDIMED trial met our inclusion criteria. A validated frequency food questionnaire was used to measure alcohol consumption. Participants were classified as non-drinkers, Mediterranean alcohol drinking pattern (MADP) (10-30 g/d in men and 5-15 g/day in women, preferably red wine consumption with low spirits consumption), low-moderate drinking (<30 g/day men y and < 15 g/day women), and heavy drinking. We performed multivariable Cox regression models to estimate hazard ratios (HR) with 95% confidence intervals (95% CI) of incident AF according to alcohol drinking patterns. After a mean follow up of 4.4 years, 241 new incident AF cases were confirmed. Alcohol consumption was not associated to AF incidence among low-moderate drinkers (HR: 0.96; 95%CI: 0.67-1.37), adherents to MADP (HR: 1.15 95%CI: 0.75-1.75), or heavy drinkers (HR: 0.92; 95%CI: 0.53-1.58), compared with non-drinkers., Conclusions: In a high cardiovascular risk adult population, a Mediterranean alcohol consumption pattern (low to moderate red wine consumption) was not associated with an increased incidence of AF., Clinical Trials: URL: http://www.controlled-trials.com. Unique identifier: ISRCTN35739639., (Copyright © 2019 The Italian Society of Diabetology, the Italian Society for the Study of Atherosclerosis, the Italian Society of Human Nutrition, and the Department of Clinical Medicine and Surgery, Federico II University. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Previous meta-analyses have associated dairy products with a lower risk of metabolic syndrome (MetS). Since then, new studies evaluating not only total dairy but also different subtypes have been published in this field. The objective of the present work was to systematically review and meta-analyze the epidemiologic studies regarding the associations between the consumption of total dairy products and subtypes (milk, yogurt, and cheese) and the incidence of MetS. Relevant studies were identified through Medline and Cochrane databases. Eligible studies were prospective cohort studies that examined the association between dairy product consumption and/or different subtypes of dairy and the risk of MetS. Random-effects or fixed-effects models were assigned to calculate the pooled RR estimates with 95% CIs. From the 2994 identified articles, 12 and 11 studies were included for the qualitative and quantitative synthesis, respectively. After comparing the highest with the lowest categories, total dairy product consumption was inversely associated with the risk of MetS (9 study comparisons; RR: 0.73; 95% CI: 0.64, 0.83). Low-fat dairy and total yogurt consumption were inversely associated with the risk of MetS (low-fat dairy: 2 study comparisons; RR: 0.77; 95% CI: 0.65, 0.91; total yogurt consumption: 4 study comparisons; RR: 0.74; 95% CI: 0.66, 0.82). The linear RR per 1 serving of yogurt/d was 0.77 (95% CI: 0.60, 1.00). Low-fat yogurt and whole-fat yogurt were inversely associated with the risk of MetS (low-fat yogurt: 2 study comparisons; RR: 0.72; 95% CI: 0.62, 0.84; whole-fat yogurt: 2 study comparisons; RR: 0.81; 95% CI: 0.70, 0.94). Total milk consumption was inversely associated with the risk of MetS (6 study comparisons; RR: 0.79; 95% CI: 0.64, 0.97). Whole-fat dairy consumption was not associated with MetS risk. Our findings suggest that the consumption of total and low-fat dairy products, milk, and yogurt is inversely associated with the risk of MetS. The study protocol is available at https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/PROSPERO/ as CRD42018082480., (© Crown copyright 2019.)

Dairy product consumption may decrease colorectal cancer (CRC) risk, but very few studies have evaluated the association between different types of dairy products and CRC location. The aim of this systematic review and meta-analysis was to examine the associations between dairy product consumption and CRC incidence. Summary RRs and ORs with 95% CIs were estimated. A total of 15 cohort studies and 14 case-control studies comprising a total of >22,000 cases were included in the quantitative synthesis. The cohort studies showed a consistent significant decrease in CRC risk associated with higher consumption of total dairy products (RR: 0.80; 95% CI: 0.70, 0.91) and total milk (RR: 0.82; 95% CI: 0.76, 0.88) compared with the CRC risk associated with lower consumption. These studies also showed a significant protective association between low-fat milk consumption and CRC (RR: 0.76; 95% CI: 0.66, 0.88), but only for colon cancer (RR: 0.73; 95% CI: 0.61, 0.87). Cheese consumption was inversely associated with the risk of CRC (RR: 0.85; 95% CI: 0.76, 0.96) and proximal colon cancer (RR: 0.74; 95% CI: 0.60, 0.91). No significant associations with CRC were found for the consumption of low-fat dairy products, whole milk, fermented dairy products, or cultured milk. Most of these associations were not supported by the case-control studies. In conclusion, high consumption of total dairy products and total milk was associated with a lower risk of developing CRC at any anatomic location, including the proximal and distal colon and the rectum. Low-fat milk consumption was associated with a lower risk of CRC, but this association was restricted to colon cancer. Cheese consumption was associated with the prevention of CRC, specifically proximal colon cancer. Further studies on larger samples and with longer follow-up periods, along with appropriately designed and executed clinical trials, are warranted to determine whether dairy product consumption affects CRC development., (Copyright © American Society for Nutrition 2019.)

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is one of the main causes of morbidity and mortality around the world. Lifestyle is recognized as a key factor in the development of metabolic disorders and CVD. Recently, eating speed has been of particular interest since some studies have associated it with the development of obesity and other cardiometabolic disorders. We aimed to assess the association between eating speed and various cardiovascular risk factors. We conducted a cross-sectional analysis within the framework of the PREDIMED (Prevención con Dieta Mediterránea) study with 792 participants from the Reus-Tarragona center. Eating speed was self-reported according to participant perception and categorized as slow, medium, or fast. The association between eating speed and cardiovascular risk factors was assessed using Cox regression models with constant time of follow-up for all individuals. Compared to participants in the slow eating speed category, those in the faster eating speed category were 59% more likely to have the hypertriglyceridemia component of the metabolic syndrome (MetS) (Hazard Ratio, (HR) 1.59; 95% Confidence Interval (CI) 1.16⁻2.17), even after adjustment for potential confounders (HR 1.47; 95% CI 1.08⁻2.02). No other significant differences were observed. Eating speed was positively associated with the prevalence of the hypertriglyceridemia component of the MetS in a senior population at high cardiovascular risk.

Background: The aim of this analysis was to ascertain the type of relationship between fish and seafood consumption, omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (ω-3 PUFA) intake, and depression prevalence., Methods: Cross-sectional analyses of the PREDIMED-Plus trial. Fish and seafood consumption and ω-3 PUFA intake were assessed through a validated food-frequency questionnaire. Self-reported life-time medical diagnosis of depression or use of antidepressants was considered as outcome. Depressive symptoms were collected by the Beck Depression Inventory-II. Logistic regression models were used to estimate the association between seafood products and ω-3 PUFA consumption and depression. Multiple linear regression models were fitted to assess the association between fish and long-chain (LC) ω-3 PUFA intake and depressive symptoms., Results: Out of 6587 participants, there were 1367 cases of depression. Total seafood consumption was not associated with depression. The odds ratios (ORs) (95% confidence intervals (CIs)) for the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th quintiles of consumption of fatty fish were 0.77 (0.63⁻0.94), 0.71 (0.58⁻0.87), and 0.78 (0.64⁻0.96), respectively, and p for trend = 0.759. Moderate intake of total LC ω-3 PUFA (approximately 0.5⁻1 g/day) was significantly associated with a lower prevalence of depression., Conclusion: In our study, moderate fish and LC ω-3 PUFA intake, but not high intake, was associated with lower odds of depression suggesting a U-shaped relationship.

Background: Human semen quality has declined in industrialized countries. Pollution, smoking, and the consumption of a Western-style diet are all hypothesized as potential causes., Objective: We evaluated the effect of chronic consumption of nuts on changes in conventional semen parameters and the potential mechanisms implicated., Design: The FERTINUTS study was a 14-wk randomized, controlled, parallel trial. A total of 119 healthy men, aged 18-35 y, were allocated to 1 of 2 intervention groups: one group was fed the usual Western-style diet enriched with 60 g of a mixture of nuts/d (nut group), and the other was fed the usual Western-style diet avoiding nuts (control group). Semen and blood samples were collected at baseline and at the end of the intervention. Dietary information was recorded throughout the trial. Changes in conventional semen parameters (pH, volume, sperm count and concentration, motility, and morphology) were determined as primary outcomes. The effect of nut consumption on sperm DNA fragmentation (SDF), reactive oxygen species (ROS) production, chromosome anomalies (X, Y, and 18), total DNA methylation, and microRNA expression were measured in sperm samples as potential causes of the changes in the seminogram., Results: Compared with the control group, improvements in total sperm count (P = 0.002) and vitality (P = 0.003), total motility (P = 0.006), progressive motility (P = 0.036), and morphology of sperm (P = 0.008) were observed in the nut group. Participants in the nut group showed an increase in the consumption of total fat, monounsaturated fatty acids, polyunsaturated fatty acids, magnesium, vitamin E, α-linolenic acid, total omega-3 (n-3) and ω-3:ω-6 ratio intake during the intervention. Participants in the nut group showed a significant reduction in SDF (P < 0.001) and in the expression of hsa-miR-34b-3p (P = 0.036). No significant changes in ROS, sperm chromosome anomalies, or DNA methylation were observed between groups., Conclusions: The inclusion of nuts in a Western-style diet significantly improves the total sperm count and the vitality, motility, and morphology of the sperm. These findings could be partly explained by a reduction in the sperm DNA fragmentation. This trial was registered at ISRCTN as ISRCTN12857940.

Background: The evidence for the Portfolio dietary pattern, a plant-based dietary pattern that combines recognized cholesterol-lowering foods (nuts, plant protein, viscous fibre, plant sterols), has not been summarized., Objective: To update the European Association for the Study of Diabetes clinical practice guidelines for nutrition therapy, we conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of controlled trials using GRADE of the effect of the Portfolio dietary pattern on the primary therapeutic lipid target for cardiovascular disease prevention, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), and other established cardiometabolic risk factors., Methods: We searched MEDLINE, EMBASE, and The Cochrane Library through April 19, 2018. We included controlled trials ≥ 3-weeks assessing the effect of the Portfolio dietary pattern on cardiometabolic risk factors compared with an energy-matched control diet free of Portfolio dietary pattern components. Two independent reviewers extracted data and assessed risk of bias. The primary outcome was LDL-C. Data were pooled using the generic inverse-variance method and expressed as mean differences (MDs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Heterogeneity was assessed (Cochran Q statistic) and quantified (I 2 -statistic). GRADE assessed the certainty of the evidence., Results: Eligibility criteria were met by 7 trial comparisons in 439 participants with hyperlipidemia, in which the Portfolio dietary pattern was given on a background of a National Cholesterol Education Program (NCEP) Step II diet. The combination of a portfolio dietary pattern and NCEP Step II diet significantly reduced the primary outcome LDL-C by ~17% (MD, -0.73 mmol/L, [95% CI, -0.89 to -0.56 mmol/L]) as well as non-high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, apolipoprotein B, total cholesterol, triglycerides, systolic and diastolic blood pressure, C-reactive protein, and estimated 10-year coronary heart disease (CHD) risk, compared with an NCEP Step 2 diet alone (p < 0.05). There was no effect on high-density lipoprotein cholesterol or body weight. The certainty of the evidence was high for LDL-cholesterol and most lipid outcomes and moderate for all others outcomes., Conclusions: Current evidence demonstrates that the Portfolio dietary pattern leads to clinically meaningful improvements in LDL-C as well as other established cardiometabolic risk factors and estimated 10-year CHD risk., (Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier Inc.)

Background: Infertility is a global public health issue, affecting 15% of all couples of reproductive age. Male factors, including decreased semen quality, are responsible for ~25% of these cases. The dietary pattern, the components of the diet and nutrients have been studied as possible determinants of sperm function and/or fertility., Objective and Rationale: Previous systematic reviews have been made of the few heterogeneous low-quality randomized clinical trials (RCTs) conducted in small samples of participants and investigating the effect of specific nutrients and nutritional supplements on male infertility. However, as yet there has been no systematic review of observational studies., Search Methods: A comprehensive systematic review was made of the published literature, from the earliest available online indexing year to November 2016, in accordance with the guidelines of the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses. We have included cross-sectional, case-control and prospective and retrospective studies in which fertile/infertile men were well defined (men with sperm disorders, sperm DNA damage, varicocele or idiopathic infertility). The primary outcomes were semen quality or fecundability. With the data extracted, we evaluated and scored the quality of the studies selected. We excluded RCTs, animal studies, review articles and low-quality studies., Outcomes: A total of 1944 articles were identified, of which 35 were selected for qualitative analysis. Generally, the results indicated that healthy diets rich in some nutrients such as omega-3 fatty acids, some antioxidants (vitamin E, vitamin C, β-carotene, selenium, zinc, cryptoxanthin and lycopene), other vitamins (vitamin D and folate) and low in saturated fatty acids and trans-fatty acids were inversely associated with low semen quality parameters. Fish, shellfish and seafood, poultry, cereals, vegetables and fruits, low-fat dairy and skimmed milk were positively associated with several sperm quality parameters. However, diets rich in processed meat, soy foods, potatoes, full-fat dairy and total dairy products, cheese, coffee, alcohol, sugar-sweetened beverages and sweets have been detrimentally associated with the quality of semen in some studies. As far as fecundability is concerned, a high intake of alcohol, caffeine and red meat and processed meat by males has a negative influence on the chance of pregnancy or fertilization rates in their partners., Wider Implications: Male adherence to a healthy diet could improve semen quality and fecundability rates. Since observational studies may prove associations but not causation, the associations summarized in the present review need to be confirmed with large prospective cohort studies and especially with well-designed RCTs., (© The Author 2017. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com)

Background: The usefulness of cardiovascular disease (CVD) predictive equations in different populations is debatable. We assessed the efficacy of the Framingham-REGICOR scale, validated for the Spanish population, to identify future CVD in participants, who were predefined as being at high-risk in the PREvención con DIeta MEDiterránea (PREDIMED) study-a nutrition-intervention primary prevention trial-and the impact of adherence to the Mediterranean diet on CVD across risk categories., Methods and Results: In a post hoc analysis, we assessed the CVD predictive value of baseline estimated risk in 5966 PREDIMED participants (aged 55-74 years, 57% women; 48% with type 2 diabetes mellitus). Major CVD events, the primary PREDIMED end point, were an aggregate of myocardial infarction, stroke, and cardiovascular death. Multivariate-adjusted Cox regression was used to calculate hazard ratios for major CVD events and effect modification from the Mediterranean diet intervention across risk strata (low, moderate, high, very high). The Framingham-REGICOR classification of PREDIMED participants was 25.1% low risk, 44.5% moderate risk, and 30.4% high or very high risk. During 6-year follow-up, 188 major CVD events occurred. Hazard ratios for major CVD events increased in parallel with estimated risk (2.68, 4.24, and 6.60 for moderate, high, and very high risk), particularly in men (7.60, 13.16, and 15.85, respectively, versus 2.16, 2.28, and 3.51, respectively, in women). Yet among those with low or moderate risk, 32.2% and 74.3% of major CVD events occurred in men and women, respectively. Mediterranean diet adherence was associated with CVD risk reduction regardless of risk strata ( P >0.4 for interaction)., Conclusions: Incident CVD increased in parallel with estimated risk in the PREDIMED cohort, but most events occurred in non-high-risk categories, particularly in women. Until predictive tools are improved, promotion of the Mediterranean diet might be useful to reduce CVD independent of baseline risk., Clinical Trial Registration: URL: http://www.Controlled-trials.com. Unique identifier: ISRCTN35739639., (© 2017 The Authors. Published on behalf of the American Heart Association, Inc., by Wiley Blackwell.)

Background: The associations between dietary fat and cardiovascular disease have been evaluated in several studies, but less is known about their influence on the risk of diabetes. Objective: We examined the associations between total fat, subtypes of dietary fat, and food sources rich in saturated fatty acids and the incidence of type 2 diabetes (T2D). Design: A prospective cohort analysis of 3349 individuals who were free of diabetes at baseline but were at high cardiovascular risk from the PREvención con DIeta MEDiterránea (PREDIMED) study was conducted. Detailed dietary information was assessed at baseline and yearly during the follow-up using a food frequency questionnaire. Multivariable Cox proportional hazards models were used to estimate T2D HRs and 95% CIs according to baseline and yearly updated fat intake. Results: We documented 266 incident cases during 4.3 y of follow-up. Baseline saturated and animal fat intake was not associated with the risk of T2D. After multivariable adjustment, participants in the highest quartile of updated intake of saturated and animal fat had a higher risk of diabetes than the lowest quartile (HR: 2.19; 95% CI: 1.28, 3.73; and P- trend = 0.01 compared with HR: 2.00; 95% CI: 1.29, 3.09; and P- trend < 0.01, respectively). In both the Mediterranean diet and control groups, participants in the highest quartile of updated animal fat intake had an ∼2-fold higher risk of T2D than their counterparts in the lowest quartile. The consumption of 1 serving of butter and cheese was associated with a higher risk of diabetes, whereas whole-fat yogurt intake was associated with a lower risk. Conclusions: In a Mediterranean trial focused on dietary fat interventions, baseline intake of saturated and animal fat was not associated with T2D incidence, but the yearly updated intake of saturated and animal fat was associated with a higher risk of T2D. Cheese and butter intake was associated with a higher risk of T2D, whereas whole-fat yogurt intake was associated with a lower risk of T2D. This trial was registered at www.isrctn.com as ISRCTN35739639., (© 2017 American Society for Nutrition.)

Objectives: The aim of the study was to compare the dietary pattern between subjects with celiac disease (CD) (cases) and subjects without (healthy controls) CD., Methods: A case-control design study was conducted. A total of 98 subjects with CD (age 10-23 years) were matched by age, sex, and body mass index with 98 nonceliac participants. A nonconsecutive 3-day food record was completed to assess energy, nutrient, and food intake and evaluate the participant's adherence to recommendations. Differences in energy, nutrients, food consumption, and compliance with general recommendations between cases and control groups were assessed by Student t test. Pearson chi-squared test was used to compare categorical variables. Sociodemographic, personal, and family history data were collected., Results: Compared with the control group, the cases with CD reported a significantly higher consumption of added sugar (P < 0.001) and total fat (P < 0.017). Mean fiber consumption was below the nutritional recommendations in both groups. Participants with CD consumed significantly lower amounts of foods rich in starch (P < 0.001) and higher amounts of foods rich in protein such as meat, fish, and eggs (P = 0.007). Subjects with CD showed a significantly lower percentage of adherence to recommendations for folic acid (53.2 vs 70.5; P < 0.001), calcium (49.0 vs 56.3; P = 0.025), iron (57.4 vs 78.0; P < 0.001), and magnesium (50.0 vs 63.9; P < 0.001)., Conclusions: The subjects with CD showed a more unbalanced diet than controls in terms of added sugars, total fat, and micronutrient consumption.

Background: The relation between the consumption of sweetened beverages and metabolic syndrome (MetS) is controversial., Objective: This analysis evaluated the associations between intakes of sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs), artificially sweetened beverages, and natural and bottled fruit juices and the incidence of MetS in elderly individuals at high risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) and without MetS at baseline., Methods: We prospectively examined 1868 participants free of MetS at baseline from the PREDIMED (PREvención con DIeta MEDiterránea) study. MetS was defined by using the updated harmonized criteria of the International Diabetes Federation, the American Heart Association, and National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute. Energy and nutrient intakes were evaluated at baseline and then yearly by using a validated 137-item food-frequency questionnaire. Multivariable-adjusted HRs for MetS and its components were estimated from mean intakes during follow-up. We compared the 2 highest consumption categories (1-5 and >5 servings/wk) with the lowest category (<1 serving/wk)., Results: A total of 930 incident cases of MetS were documented during a median follow-up of 3.24 y. When we compared consumption of >5 servings/wk with consumption of <1 serving/wk, multivariable HRs (95% CIs) for MetS incidence were 1.43 (1.00, 2.15), 1.74 (1.26, 2.41), 1.30 (1.00, 1.69), and 1.14 (1.04, 1.65) for SSBs, artificially sweetened beverages, natural fruit juices, and bottled fruit juices, respectively., Conclusions: The occasional consumption of SSBs and artificially sweetened beverages (1-5 servings/wk) was not associated with the incidence of MetS in middle-aged and elderly individuals at high risk of CVD. The consumption of >5 servings/wk of all of the types of beverages analyzed was associated with an increased risk of MetS and some of its components. However, for SSBs and bottled fruit juices these associations must be interpreted with caution because of the low frequency of consumption in this population. This trial was registered at clinicaltrials.gov as ISRCTN35739639., (© 2016 American Society for Nutrition.)

Prospective studies assessing the association between fibre intake or fibre-rich food consumption and the risk of CVD have often been limited by baseline assessment of diet. Thus far, no study has used yearly repeated measurements of dietary changes during follow-up. Moreover, previous studies included healthy and selected participants who did not represent subjects at high cardiovascular risk. We used yearly repeated measurements of diet to investigate the association between fibre intake and CVD in a Mediterranean cohort of elderly adults at high cardiovascular risk. We followed-up 7216 men (55-80 years) and women (60-80 years) initially free of CVD for up to 7 years in the PREvención con DIeta MEDiterránea study (registered as ISRCTN35739639). A 137-item validated FFQ was repeated yearly to assess diet. The primary end point, confirmed by a blinded ad hoc Event Adjudication Committee, was a composite of cardiovascular death, myocardial infarction and stroke. Time-dependent Cox's regression models were used to estimate the risk of CVD according to baseline dietary exposures and to their yearly updated changes. We found a significant inverse association for fibre (P for trend=0·020) and fruits (P for trend=0·024) in age-sex adjusted models, but the statistical significance was lost in fully adjusted models. However, we found a significant inverse association with CVD incidence for the sum of fruit and vegetable consumption. Participants who consumed in total nine or more servings/d of fruits plus vegetables had a hazard ratio 0·60 (95 % CI 0·40, 0·96) of CVD in comparison with those consuming <5 servings/d.

Background: Dietary intervention success requires strong participant adherence, but very few studies have examined factors related to both short-term and long-term adherence. A better understanding of predictors of adherence is necessary to improve the design and execution of dietary intervention trials. This study was designed to identify participant characteristics at baseline and study features that predict short-term and long-term adherence with interventions promoting the Mediterranean-type diet (MedDiet) in the PREvención con DIeta MEDiterránea (PREDIMED) randomized trial., Methods: Analyses included men and women living in Spain aged 55-80 at high risk for cardiovascular disease. Participants were randomized to the MedDiet supplemented with either complementary extra-virgin olive oil (EVOO) or tree nuts. The control group and participants with insufficient information on adherence were excluded. PREDIMED began in 2003 and ended in 2010. Investigators assessed covariates at baseline and dietary information was updated yearly throughout follow-up. Adherence was measured with a validated 14-point Mediterranean-type diet adherence score. Logistic regression was used to examine associations between baseline characteristics and adherence at one and four years of follow-up., Results: Participants were randomized to the MedDiet supplemented with EVOO (n = 2,543; 1,962 after exclusions) or tree nuts (n = 2,454; 2,236 after exclusions). A higher number of cardiovascular risk factors, larger waist circumference, lower physical activity levels, lower total energy intake, poorer baseline adherence to the 14-point adherence score, and allocation to MedDiet + EVOO each independently predicted poorer adherence. Participants from PREDIMED recruiting centers with a higher total workload (measured as total number of persons-years of follow-up) achieved better adherence. No adverse events or side effects were reported., Conclusions: To maximize dietary adherence in dietary interventions, additional efforts to promote adherence should be used for participants with lower baseline adherence to the intended diet and poorer health status. The design of multicenter nutrition trials should prioritize few large centers with more participants in each, rather than many small centers., Trial Registration: This study was registered at controlled-trials.com (http://www.controlled-trials. com/ISRCTN35739639). International Standard Randomized Controlled Trial Number (ISRCTN): 35739639. Registration date: 5 October 2005., Trial Design: parallel randomized trial.

Background & Aims: There is little evidence on post hoc-derived dietary patterns (DP) and all-cause mortality in Southern-European populations. Furthermore, the potential effect modification of a DP by a nutritional intervention has not been sufficiently assessed. We assessed the association between a posteriori defined baseline major DP and total mortality or cardiovascular events within each of the three arms of a large primary prevention trial (PREDIMED) where participants were randomized to two active interventions with Mediterranean-type diets or to a control group (allocated to a low-fat diet)., Design: We followed-up 7216 participants for a median of 4.3 years. A validated 137-item food-frequency questionnaire was administered. Baseline DP were ascertained through factor analysis based on 34 predefined groups. Cox regression models were used to estimate multivariable-adjusted hazard ratios (HR) for cardiovascular disease (CVD) or mortality across quartiles of DP within each of the three arms of the trial., Results: We identified two major baseline DP: the first DP was rich in red and processed meats, alcohol, refined grains and whole dairy products and was labeled Western dietary pattern (WDP). The second DP corresponded to a "Mediterranean-type" dietary pattern (MDP). During follow-up, 328 participants died. After controlling for potential confounders, higher baseline adherence to the MDP was associated with lower risk of CVD (adjusted HR for fourth vs. first quartile: 0.52; 95% CI (Confidence Interval): 0.36, 0.74; p-trend <0.001) and all-cause mortality (adjusted HR: 0.53; 95% CI: 0.38, 0.75; p-trend <0.001), regardless of the allocated arm of the trial. An increasing mortality rate was found across increasing quartiles of the WDP in the control group (allocated to a low-fat diet), though the linear trend was not statistically significant (p = 0.098)., Conclusions: Higher adherence to an empirically-derived MDP at baseline was associated with a reduced risk of CVD and mortality in the PREDIMED trial regardless of the allocated arm. The WDP was not associated with higher risk of mortality or cardiovascular events., (Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd and European Society for Clinical Nutrition and Metabolism. All rights reserved.)

Objective: The aim of this study was to assess the association between nut consumption and all-cause mortality after 5-y follow-up in a Spanish cohort., Methods: The SUN (Seguimiento Universidad de Navarra, University of Navarra Follow-up) project is a prospective cohort study, formed by Spanish university graduates. Information is gathered by mailed questionnaires collected biennially. In all, 17 184 participants were followed for up to 5 y. Baseline nut consumption was collected by self-reported data, using a validated 136-item semi-quantitative food frequency questionnaire. Information on mortality was collected by permanent contact with the SUN participants and their families, postal authorities, and the National Death Index. The association between baseline nut consumption and all-cause mortality was assessed using Cox proportional hazards models to adjust for potential confounding. Baseline nut consumption was categorized in two ways. In a first analysis energy-adjusted quintiles of nut consumption (measured in g/d) were used. To adjust for total energy intake the residuals method was used. In a second analysis, participants were categorized into four groups according to pre-established categories of nut consumption (servings/d or servings/wk). Both analyses were adjusted for potential confounding factors., Results: Participants who consumed nuts ≥2/wk had a 56% lower risk for all-cause mortality than those who never or almost never consumed nuts (adjusted hazard ratio, 0.44; 95% confidence intervals, 0.23-0.86)., Conclusion: Nut consumption was significantly associated with a reduced risk for all-cause mortality after the first 5 y of follow-up in the SUN project., (Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Nuts are rich in many bioactive compounds that can exert beneficial effects on cardiovascular health. We reviewed the evidence relating nut consumption and the metabolic syndrome (MetS) and its components. Nuts reduce the postprandial glycemic response; however, long-term trials of nuts on insulin resistance and glycemic control in diabetic individuals are inconsistent. Epidemiologic studies have shown that nuts may lower the risk of diabetes incidence in women. Few studies have assessed the association between nuts and abdominal obesity, although an inverse association with body mass index and general obesity has been observed. Limited evidence suggests that nuts have a protective effect on blood pressure and endothelial function. Nuts have a cholesterol-lowering effect, but the relation between nuts and hypertriglyceridemia and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol is not well established. A recent pooled analysis of clinical trials showed that nuts are inversely related to triglyceride concentrations only in subjects with hypertriglyceridemia. An inverse association was found between the frequency of nut consumption and the prevalence and the incidence of MetS. Several trials evaluated the effect of nuts on subjects with MetS and found that they may have benefits in some components. Compared with a low-fat diet, a Mediterranean diet enriched with nuts could be beneficial for MetS management. The protective effects on metabolism could be explained by the modulation of inflammation and oxidation. Further trials are needed to clarify the role of nuts in MetS prevention and treatment., (© 2014 American Society for Nutrition.)

Background: Vegetarian diets have been associated with reduced mortality. Because a pure vegetarian diet might not easily be embraced by many individuals, consuming preferentially plant-derived foods would be a more easily understood message. A provegetarian food pattern (FP) emphasizing preference for plant-derived foods might reduce all-cause mortality., Objective: The objective was to identify the association between an a priori-defined provegetarian FP and all-cause mortality., Design: We followed 7216 participants (57% women; mean age: 67 y) at high cardiovascular risk for a median of 4.8 y. A validated 137-item semiquantitative food-frequency questionnaire was administered at baseline and yearly thereafter. Fruit, vegetables, nuts, cereals, legumes, olive oil, and potatoes were positively weighted. Added animal fats, eggs, fish, dairy products, and meats or meat products were negatively weighted. Energy-adjusted quintiles were used to assign points to build the provegetarian FP (range: 12-60 points). Deaths were confirmed by review of medical records and the National Death Index., Results: There were 323 deaths during the follow-up period (76 from cardiovascular causes, 130 from cancer, 117 for noncancer, noncardiovascular causes). Higher baseline conformity with the provegetarian FP was associated with lower mortality (multivariable-adjusted HR for ≥ 40 compared with <30 points: 0.59; 95% CI: 0.40, 0.88). Similar results were found with the use of updated information on diet (RR: 0.59; 95% CI: 0.39, 0.89)., Conclusions: Among omnivorous subjects at high cardiovascular risk, better conformity with an FP that emphasized plant-derived foods was associated with a reduced risk of all-cause mortality. This trial was registered at www.controlled-trials.com as ISRCTN35739639., (© 2014 American Society for Nutrition.)

Introduction: The dietary behavior (DB) establishes the relationship between the human being and foods and has an influence on nutrient intake and, therefore, it contributes to the health or disease status of a population, even among college students. There exit some validated instruments to assess food and nutrients intake, but there are very few assessing DB., Objective: To design and validate a questionnaire to assess DB in Mexican college students., Methods: According to the literature and Reasoned Theory, a questionnaire assessing DB was designed. Its logic and content validity was determined by expert assessment. It was applied on two occasions with a 4-week interval to 333 students from the University of Guadalajara coursing the sixth semester of Medicine or Nutrition. The reproducibility was assessed by means of the interclass correlation coefficient. The construct validity and the internal consistency were calculated by Rasch analysis, for both the difficulty of the items and the subjects' capability., Results: The questionnaire finally included 31 questions with multiple choice answers. The interclass correlation coefficient of the instrument was 0.76. The Cronbach alpha was 0.50 for the subjects' capability and 0.98 for the internal consistency of the items. 87.1% of the subjects and 89.8% of the items had INFIT and OUTFIT values within acceptable limits., Conclusions: The present questionnaire has the potentiality of measuring at low cost and in a practical way aspects related with DB in college student with the aim of establishing or following-up corrective or preventive actions., (Copyright AULA MEDICA EDICIONES 2014. Published by AULA MEDICA. All rights reserved.)

Dietary guidelines to promote good health are usually based on foods, nutrients, and dietary patterns predictive of chronic disease risk in epidemiologic studies. However, sound nutritional recommendations for cardiovascular prevention should be based on the results of large randomized clinical trials with "hard" end-points as the main outcome. Such evidence has been obtained for the Mediterranean diet from the PREDIMED (Prevención con Dieta Mediterránea) trial and the Lyon Heart Study. The traditional Mediterranean diet was that found in olive growing areas of Crete, Greece, and Southern Italy in the late 1950s. Their major characteristics include: a) a high consumption of cereals, legumes, nuts, vegetables, and fruits; b) a relatively high-fat consumption, mostly provided by olive oil; c) moderate to high fish consumption; d) poultry and dairy products consumed in moderate to small amounts; e) low consumption of red meats, and meat products; and f) moderate alcohol intake, usually in the form of red wine. However, these protective effects of the traditional Mediterranean diet may be even greater if we upgrade the health effects of this dietary pattern changing the common olive oil used for extra-virgin olive oil, increasing the consumption of nuts, fatty fish and whole grain cereals, reducing sodium intake, and maintaining a moderate consumption of wine with meals., (© 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

The effects of bread consumption change over time on anthropometric measures have been scarcely studied. We analysed 2213 participants at high risk for CVD from the PREvención con DIeta MEDiterránea (PREDIMED) trial to assess the association between changes in the consumption of bread and weight and waist circumference gain over time. Dietary habits were assessed with validated FFQ at baseline and repeatedly every year during 4 years of follow-up. Using multivariate models to adjust for covariates, long-term weight and waist circumference changes according to quartiles of change in energy-adjusted white and whole-grain bread consumption were calculated. The present results showed that over 4 years, participants in the highest quartile of change in white bread intake gained 0·76 kg more than those in the lowest quartile (P for trend = 0·003) and 1·28 cm more than those in the lowest quartile (P for trend < 0·001). No significant dose-response relationships were observed for change in whole-bread consumption and anthropometric measures. Gaining weight (>2 kg) and gaining waist circumference (>2 cm) during follow-up was not associated with increase in bread consumption, but participants in the highest quartile of changes in white bread intake had a reduction of 33 % in the odds of losing weight (>2 kg) and a reduction of 36 % in the odds of losing waist circumference (>2 cm). The present results suggest that reducing white bread, but not whole-grain bread consumption, within a Mediterranean-style food pattern setting is associated with lower gains in weight and abdominal fat.

Background: Prospective studies in non-Mediterranean populations have consistently related increasing nut consumption to lower coronary heart disease mortality. A small protective effect on all-cause and cancer mortality has also been suggested. To examine the association between frequency of nut consumption and mortality in individuals at high cardiovascular risk from Spain, a Mediterranean country with a relatively high average nut intake per person., Methods: We evaluated 7,216 men and women aged 55 to 80 years randomized to 1 of 3 interventions (Mediterranean diets supplemented with nuts or olive oil and control diet) in the PREDIMED ('PREvención con DIeta MEDiterránea') study. Nut consumption was assessed at baseline and mortality was ascertained by medical records and linkage to the National Death Index. Multivariable-adjusted Cox regression and multivariable analyses with generalized estimating equation models were used to assess the association between yearly repeated measurements of nut consumption and mortality., Results: During a median follow-up of 4.8 years, 323 total deaths, 81 cardiovascular deaths and 130 cancer deaths occurred. Nut consumption was associated with a significantly reduced risk of all-cause mortality (P for trend<0.05, all). Compared to non-consumers, subjects consuming nuts>3 servings/week (32% of the cohort) had a 39% lower mortality risk (hazard ratio (HR) 0.61; 95% CI 0.45 to 0.83). A similar protective effect against cardiovascular and cancer mortality was observed. Participants allocated to the Mediterranean diet with nuts group who consumed nuts>3 servings/week at baseline had the lowest total mortality risk (HR 0.37; 95% CI 0.22 to 0.66)., Conclusions: Increased frequency of nut consumption was associated with a significantly reduced risk of mortality in a Mediterranean population at high cardiovascular risk.Please see related commentary: http://www.biomedcentral.com/1741-7015/11/165., Trial Registration: Clinicaltrials.gov. International Standard Randomized Controlled Trial Number (ISRCTN): 35739639. Registration date: 5 October 2005.

Introduction: Prospective studies have consistently suggested that nut consumption is inversely related to fatal and non-fatal coronary heart disease. Limited data are available on the epidemiological associations between nut intake and cardiometabolic risk factors., Objective: To evaluate associations between frequency of nut consumption and prevalence of cardiometabolic risk factors [obesity, metabolic syndrome (MetS), type-2 diabetes, hypertension, and dyslipidemia] in a Mediterranean population at high cardiovascular risk., Materials and Methods: Cross-sectional study of 7,210 men and women (mean age, 67 y) recruited into the PREDIMED study. MetS was defined by the harmonized ATPIII and IDF criteria. Diabetes and hypertension were assessed by clinical diagnosis and dyslipidemia (high triglycerides, low HDL-cholesterol, and hypercholesterolemia) by lipid analyses. Nut consumption was assessed using a validated food frequency questionnaire and categorized as <1, 1-3, and >3 servings/wk. Control of confounding was done with multivariate logistic regression., Results: Compared to participants consuming <1 serving/wk of nuts, those consuming >3 servings/wk had lower adjusted odds ratios (OR) for obesity (0.61, 95% confidence interval 0.54 to 0.68; P-trend <0.001), MetS (0.74, 0.65 to 0.85; P-trend<0.001), and diabetes (0.87, 0.78 to 0.99; P-trend = 0.043). Higher nut consumption was also associated with lower risk of the abdominal obesity MetS criterion (OR 0.68, 0.60 to 0.79; P-trend<0.001). No significant associations were observed for the MetS components high blood pressure, dyslipidemia, or elevated fasting glucose., Conclusions: Nut consumption was inversely associated with the prevalence of general obesity, central obesity, MetS, and diabetes in subjects at high cardiovascular risk.

Background and Aims: The aim of this study is to validate a semi-quantitative Food Frequency Questionnaire (FFQ) used for general population in Spain, in patients with familial hypercholesterolaemia (FH)., Subjects and Methods: Subjects with genetic diagnosis of FH were randomly selected from the Spanish FH Registry. They completed an FFQ based in 113 food items at inclusion (FFQ1) and after 1 year (FFQ2), and a 3-day dietary records (DR) every 3 months. Detailed instruction about how to register foods and beverages was given by a trained nutritionist. Each DR and FFQ was systematically coded, and the daily nutrients intake in absolute, percentage and nutrient density terms were estimated using a software system based on food composition tables. Pearson correlation coefficient was calculated with correction-repeated measurements to assess the reproducibility of both FFQ and the four 3-day DRs, as well as the validity of FFQ comparing to the mean of 3 days' DR., Results: A total of 112 subjects (58 females and 54 males, aged 43 ± 16 years) finished the study. There were no differences between FFQ1, FFQ2 and mean FFQ (FFQa) in mean absolute and percentage values of selected daily nutrients' intake. Comparison between FFQ1, FFQ2, FFQa and the mean of four 3-day DRs was statistically significant in all absolute values, but not in percentage or nutrient density terms. Corrected Pearson correlation coefficient ranged from 0.470 to 0.952 for mean values of all nutrients, except alcohol., Conclusion: This study demonstrated that FFQ is a reliable tool to assess the dietary pattern in FH patients., (Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Background and Aims: Little is known about the role that red meat and processed red meat (RM) consumption plays in the development of the metabolic syndrome (MetS). The aim was to assess the relationship between RM consumption and the prevalence or incidence of the MetS and its components in a Mediterranean population at high risk of cardiovascular disease., Methods and Results: Cross-sectional analyses were carried out at baseline and at 1-year follow-up and longitudinal analysis were conducted in a cohort of individuals at high risk of cardiovascular disease from the PREDIMED study. A 137-item validated semi-quantitative food frequency questionnaire, anthropometric measurements, blood pressure, fasting plasma glucose and lipid profile were evaluated both at baseline and after 1-year follow-up. The MetS was defined in accordance with the updated ATP III criteria. Subjects in the upper quartile of RM consumption were more likely to meet the criteria for the MetS at baseline (OR, 2.3; 95% CI, 1.4-3.9; P-trend = 0.001) and after 1-year follow-up (OR, 2.2; 95% CI, 1.3-3.7; P-trend = 0.034) compared with those in the quartile of reference, even after adjusting for potential confounders. The longitudinal analyses showed that individuals in the fourth quartile of RM consumption had an increased risk of MetS (OR, 2.7; 95% CI, 1.1-6.8; P-trend = 0.009) or central obesity incidence (OR, 8.1; 95% CI, 1.4-46.0; P-trend = 0.077) at the end of the follow-up compared to the lowest quartile., Conclusions: Higher RM consumption is associated with a significantly higher prevalence and incidence of MetS and central obesity in individuals at high risk of cardiovascular disease., (Copyright © 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Objective: Independently of total caloric intake, a better quality of the diet (for example, conformity to the Mediterranean diet) is associated with lower obesity risk. It is unclear whether a brief dietary assessment tool, instead of full-length comprehensive methods, can also capture this association. In addition to reduced costs, a brief tool has the interesting advantage of allowing immediate feedback to participants in interventional studies. Another relevant question is which individual items of such a brief tool are responsible for this association. We examined these associations using a 14-item tool of adherence to the Mediterranean diet as exposure and body mass index, waist circumference and waist-to-height ratio (WHtR) as outcomes., Design: Cross-sectional assessment of all participants in the "PREvención con DIeta MEDiterránea" (PREDIMED) trial., Subjects: 7,447 participants (55-80 years, 57% women) free of cardiovascular disease, but with either type 2 diabetes or ≥ 3 cardiovascular risk factors. Trained dietitians used both a validated 14-item questionnaire and a full-length validated 137-item food frequency questionnaire to assess dietary habits. Trained nurses measured weight, height and waist circumference., Results: Strong inverse linear associations between the 14-item tool and all adiposity indexes were found. For a two-point increment in the 14-item score, the multivariable-adjusted differences in WHtR were -0.0066 (95% confidence interval, -0.0088 to -0.0049) for women and -0.0059 (-0.0079 to -0.0038) for men. The multivariable-adjusted odds ratio for a WHtR>0.6 in participants scoring ≥ 10 points versus ≤ 7 points was 0.68 (0.57 to 0.80) for women and 0.66 (0.54 to 0.80) for men. High consumption of nuts and low consumption of sweetened/carbonated beverages presented the strongest inverse associations with abdominal obesity., Conclusions: A brief 14-item tool was able to capture a strong monotonic inverse association between adherence to a good quality dietary pattern (Mediterranean diet) and obesity indexes in a population of adults at high cardiovascular risk.

Type 2 diabetes mellitus is an important preventable disease and a growing public health problem. Epidemiologic and interventional studies suggest that weight loss is the main driving force to reduce diabetes risk. Landmark clinical trials of lifestyle changes in subjects with prediabetes have shown that diet and exercise leading to weight loss consistently reduce the incidence of diabetes. However, from these studies it cannot be established whether dietary changes alone play a significant role in preventing diabetes. Here we review epidemiologic and clinical trial evidence relating nutrients, foods and dietary patterns to diabetes risk and the possible mechanisms involved. The differential effects of carbohydrate and fat quantity and quality, and those of specific foods and whole diets are discussed. Importantly, most dietary components influencing diabetes risk have similar effects on biomarkers of cardiovascular risk and inflammation. The conclusion is that there is no universal dietary strategy to prevent diabetes or delay its onset. Together with the maintenance of ideal body weight, the promotion of the so-called prudent diet (characterized by a higher intake of food groups that are generally recommended for health promotion, particularly plant-based foods, and a lower intake of red meat, meat products, sweets, high-fat dairy and refined grains) or a Mediterranean dietary pattern rich in olive oil, fruits and vegetables, including whole grains, pulses and nuts, low-fat dairy, and moderate alcohol consumption (mainly red wine) appears as the best strategy to decrease diabetes risk, especially if dietary recommendations take into account individual preferences, thus enabling long-time adherence., (Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Background: Nutritional characteristics of the mediterranean diet, with a high intake of complex carbohydrates, fibre, monounsatured fatty acids and vegetables, are related to a lower prevalence of some nutritional associated diseases. The aim of our study was to perform a longitudinal analysis of the evolution of food intake in a mediterranean population in order to observe its influence on the energy and nutritional intake and their balance. The latter could have some effects on health status., Methods: Dietary intake was evaluated using the 24 hours recall method in a representative sample (n = 941, age range = 10-69) of a Reus population. This longitudinal study consisted of 70% of the samples studied in 1983 using identical methodology., Results: During this decade (1983-1993), energy intake decreased significantly 180 kcal/day for men and 158 kcal/day for women, carbohydrates being the main cause for this drop (132 and 84 kcal/day less for men and women, respectively). Protein intake decreased significantly in both sexes, 5.6% for men and 8.0% for women. However, the evolution of fat intake was different for men (no changes) and for women (a significant decrease of 5.7%). Saturated and monounsatured fatty acids did not show significant changes in this decade. Cholesterol intake decreased significantly in both sexes. Energy percents obtained from lipids, saturated and monounsaturated fatty acids significantly increased. However, in absolute values very little changes in fat intake in both sexes were observed., Conclusions: The dietary pattern evolved to a lower energy intake with an increment of the percentage of dietary lipids, but this feature was did not reflect a greater fat intake in absolute values. Moreover, the main characteristics of the typical mediterranean diet (which is basically different to the usual diet of other non mediterranean european countries mainly due to its richness in monounsaturated fatty acids) did not change in the period analyzed.