Validation of a food frequency questionnaire for use in Italian adults living in Sicily.

2015

The objective of this study was to validate two interviewer-led food frequency questionnaires (FFQs) of very different lengths: a medium-length FFQ (medium-FFQ) of 36 items and a short-length FFQ (short-FFQ) of 18 items, intending to measure levels of intakes in a local population. Both FFQs were validated against intakes derived from a 3-day dietary record (3-day DR). Sixty-five non-diabetic adults with no known cardiovascular, renal or other systemic diseases were included. High correlation coefficients between the FFQ and the 3-day DR (0.45-0.73) were observed for energy intake, carbohydrates and lipid and protein intake. Bland-Altman plots showed good agreement between the methods. Low …

Red Orange: Experimental Models and Epidemiological Evidence of Its Benefits on Human Health

2013

In recent years, there has been increasing public interest in plant antioxidants, thanks to the potential anticarcinogenic and cardioprotective actions mediated by their biochemical properties. The red (or blood) orange (Citrus sinensis(L.) Osbeck) is a pigmented sweet orange variety typical of eastern Sicily (southern Italy), California, and Spain. In this paper, we discuss the main health-related properties of the red orange that include anticancer, anti-inflammatory, and cardiovascular protection activities. Moreover, the effects on health of its main constituents (namely, flavonoids, carotenoids, ascorbic acid, hydroxycinnamic acids, and anthocyanins) are described. The red orange juice…

Global, Regional, and National Cancer Incidence, Mortality, Years of Life Lost, Years Lived With Disability, and Disability-Adjusted Life-years for 3…

2017

Importance: Cancer is the second leading cause of death worldwide. Current estimates on the burden of cancer are needed for cancer control planning.Objective: To estimate mortality, incidence, years lived with disability (YLDs), years of life lost (YLLs), and disability-adjusted life-years (DALYs) for 32 cancers in 195 countries and territories from 1990 to 2015.Evidence Review: Cancer mortality was estimated using vital registration system data, cancer registry incidence data (transformed to mortality estimates using separately estimated mortality to incidence [MI] ratios), and verbal autopsy data. Cancer incidence was calculated by dividing mortality estimates through the modeled MI ratio…

A review of recent evidence in human studies of n-3 and n-6 PUFA intake on cardiovascular disease, cancer, and depressive disorders: does the ratio r…

2015

AbstractPolyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) have been considered of great interest for human health due to their potential anti-inflammatory action that may protect from a number of chronic-degenerative diseases with an inflammatory pathogenesis. This review aimed to report the most updated evidence of both n-3 and n-6 PUFAs effect on cardiovascular disease, cancer, and depression in humans. Attention has been also paid to those studies exploring the effects of the ratio intake. Results from pooled analyses of human studies reported a general positive effect of n-3 PUFAs intake on all outcomes considered. In contrast, the role of n-6 PUFAs on human health needs to be better assessed in orde…

Heterogeneous contributions of change in population distribution of body mass index to change in obesity and underweight

2021

From 1985 to 2016, the prevalence of underweight decreased, and that of obesity and severe obesity increased, in most regions, with significant variation in the magnitude of these changes across regions. We investigated how much change in mean body mass index (BMI) explains changes in the prevalence of underweight, obesity, and severe obesity in different regions using data from 2896 population-based studies with 187 million participants. Changes in the prevalence of underweight and total obesity, and to a lesser extent severe obesity, are largely driven by shifts in the distribution of BMI, with smaller contributions from changes in the shape of the distribution. In East and Southeast Asia…

Time-Restricted Feeding and Metabolic Outcomes in a Cohort of Italian Adults.

2021

Background: research exploring the effects of food timing and frequency on health and disease is currently ongoing. While there is an increasing body of scientific literature showing the potential health benefits of intermittent fasting (IF) in laboratory settings and in animals, studies regarding IF on humans are limited. Therefore, the objective of this research was to evaluate the relationship between the feeding/fasting time window and metabolic outcomes among adult individuals. Methods: dietary and demographic data of 1936 adult subjects living in the south of Italy were examined. Food frequency questionnaires (FFQ) were administered to determine the period of time between the first an…

Tea Consumption and Risk of Cancer

2020

Tea is one of the most widely consumed beverages, but its association with cancer risk remains controversial and unclear. We performed an umbrella review to clarify and determine the associations between tea consumption and various types of cancer by summarizing and recalculating the existing meta-analyses. Meta-analyses of observational studies reporting associations between tea consumption and cancer risk were searched on PubMed and Embase. Associations found to be statistically significant were further classified into levels of evidence (convincing, suggestive, or weak), based on P value, between-study heterogeneity, prediction intervals, and small study effects. Sixty-four observational…

Consumption of Fish and ω-3 Fatty Acids and Cancer Risk: An Umbrella Review of Meta-Analyses of Observational Studies

2020

Multiple studies have suggested that ω-3 fatty acid intake may have a protective effect on cancer risk; however, its true association with cancer risk remains controversial. We performed an umbrella review of meta-analyses to summarize and evaluate the evidence for the association between ω-3 fatty acid intake and cancer outcomes. We searched PubMed, Embase, and the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews from inception to December 1, 2018. We included meta-analyses of observational studies that examined associations between intake of fish or ω-3 fatty acid and cancer risk (gastrointestinal, liver, breast, gynecologic, prostate, brain, lung, and skin) and determined the level of evidence of…

Impact of lifestyle on metabolic syndrome in apparently healthy people.

2014

Parallel to the increase in obesity, the prevalence of metabolic syndrome (MetS) is continually increasing, with increased risk of diabetes and cardiovascular atherosclerosis diseases. Despite the importance of this public health problem, the relative impact of diet and physical activity on MetS prevalence has yet to be established. We investigated the association between lifestyle, in terms of both habitual dietary pattern and physical activity, and MetS in a cohort of adults without known diabetes and atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease. Four hundred seventy-seven randomly selected adult participants were cross-sectionally investigated. Each participant answered a food frequency questi…

Mediterranean diet and cancer: epidemiological evidence and mechanism of selected aspects

2013

Background: Populations living in the area of the Mediterranean Sea suffered by decreased incidence of cancer compared with those living in the regions of northern Europe and US countries, attributed to healthier dietary habits. Nowadays, we are assisting to a moving away from the traditional Mediterranean dietary pattern, but whether this changing is influencing risk of cancers is still unclear. The aim of the study was to review recent evidence on potential relationship between the adherence to the Mediterranean diet and cancer. Discussion: The most recent pooled analyses of epidemiological studies supported strongly the hypothesis that the Mediterranean diet may play a role in preventing…

Author response: Heterogeneous contributions of change in population distribution of body mass index to change in obesity and underweight

2020

Polyphenol-rich and alcoholic beverages and metabolic status in adults living in Sicily, Southern Italy

2021

Polyphenol-rich beverage consumption is not univocally accepted as a risk modulator for cardio-metabolic risk factors, despite mechanistic and epidemiological evidence suggesting otherwise. The aim of this study was to assess whether an association between polyphenol-rich beverage consumption and metabolic status could be observed in a Mediterranean cohort with relatively low intake of tea, coffee, red and white wine, beer, and fresh citrus juice. Demographic and dietary characteristics of 2044 adults living in southern Italy were analyzed. Multivariate logistic regression analyses were used to calculate odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) of the association between polyphe…

Global burden of 369 diseases and injuries in 204 countries and territories, 1990–2019: a systematic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study …

2020

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Coffee consumption and total mortality in a Mediterranean prospective cohort

2018

Background The relation of coffee consumption with total mortality is controversial, because the available evidence is still inconsistent. Objective This study aimed to assess this association in a highly educated, middle-aged Mediterranean cohort. Design We analyzed data from 201,055 person-years of follow-up arising from 19,888 participants. Coffee consumption was obtained at baseline with the use of a previously validated semiquantitative food-frequency questionnaire. Information on mortality was ascertained by permanent contact with the "Seguimiento Universidad de Navarra" (SUN) participants and their families, postal authorities, and consultation of the National Death Index. We used Co…

Factors Associated with Adherence to the Mediterranean Diet among Adolescents Living in Sicily, Southern Italy

2013

The present study aimed to examine the factors associated with increased Mediterranean diet (MD) adherence among a sample of Italian adolescents. A cross-sectional survey was conducted on 1135 students (13–16 years) attending 13 secondary schools of Sicily, southern Italy. Validated instruments were used for dietary assessment and the KIDMED score to assess adolescents’ adherence to the MD. A higher adherence to the MD was associated with high socioeconomic status (Odds Ratio [OR] 1.53, 95% Confidence Interval [CI]: 1.03–2.26) and high physical activity (OR 1.19, 95% CI: 1.02–1.70), whereas lower adherence was associated with living in an urban environment (OR 0.65, 95% CI: 0.44–0.97) and b…

Global burden of 87 risk factors in 204 countries and territories, 1990–2019: a systematic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2019

2020

Background Rigorous analysis of levels and trends in exposure to leading risk factors and quantification of their effect on human health are important to identify where public health is making progress and in which cases current efforts are inadequate. The Global Burden of Diseases, Injuries, and Risk Factors Study (GBD) 2019 provides a standardised and comprehensive assessment of the magnitude of risk factor exposure, relative risk, and attributable burden of disease. Methods GBD 2019 estimated attributable mortality, years of life lost (YLLs), years of life lived with disability (YLDs), and disability-adjusted life-years (DALYs) for 87 risk factors and combinations of risk factors, at the…

Total, red and processed meat consumption and human health: an umbrella review of observational studies

2022

Meat consumption has represented an important evolutionary step for humans. However, modern patterns of consumption, including excess intake, type of meat and cooking method have been the focus of attention as a potential cause of rise in non-communicable diseases. The aim of this study was to investigate the association between total, red and processed meat with health outcomes and to assess the level of evidence by performing a systematic search of meta-analyses of prospective cohort studies. Convincing evidence of the association between increased risk of (i) colorectal adenoma, lung cancer, CHD and stroke, (ii) colorectal adenoma, ovarian, prostate, renal and stomach cancers, CHD and st…

The global burden of cancer attributable to risk factors, 2010–19 : A systematic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2019

2022

Background: Understanding the magnitude of cancer burden attributable to potentially modifiable risk factors is crucial for development of effective prevention and mitigation strategies. We analysed results from the Global Burden of Diseases, Injuries, and Risk Factors Study (GBD) 2019 to inform cancer control planning efforts globally. Methods: The GBD 2019 comparative risk assessment framework was used to estimate cancer burden attributable to behavioural, environmental and occupational, and metabolic risk factors. A total of 82 risk-outcome pairs were included on the basis of the World Cancer Research Fund criteria. Estimated cancer deaths and disability-adjusted life-years (DALYs) in 20…

Dietary Fats and Cardio-Metabolic Outcomes in a Cohort of Italian Adults

2022

Background: Dietary fats, and especially saturated fatty acid (SFA), have been blamed for being the culprit in the dramatic increase in obesity and its associated diseases. However multiple systematic reviews and recent meta-analyses do not support the association between SFA and cardiovascular diseases. Thus, the objective of this study was to test whether specific types and subtypes of dietary fats are associated with metabolic outcomes in a cohort of Italian adults. Methods: Nutritional and demographic data of 1936 adults living in the south of Italy were examined. Food frequency questionnaires (FFQs) were administered to assess the intake of total dietary fat and each specific class of …

Social disparities, health risk behaviors, and cancer

2013

Background: Overall cancer incidence rates decreased in the most recent time period in both men and women, largely due to improvements in surgical therapeutic approaches (tertiary prevention) and screening programs (secondary prevention), but differences in cancer incidence and survival according to socioeconomic status are documented worldwide. Health risk behaviors, defined as habits or practices that increase an individual’s likelihood of harmful health outcomes, are thought to mediate such inequalities. Discussion: Obesity has been related with increased cancer incidence and mortality due to imbalance of leptin and adiponectin which are connected to activation of PI3K, MAPK, and STAT3 p…

Habitual fish intake and clinically silent carotid atherosclerosis

2014

Background: Fish consumption is recommended as part of a healthy diet. However, there is a paucity of data concerning the relation between fish consumption and carotid atherosclerosis. We investigated the association between habitual fish consumption and asymptomatic carotid atherosclerosis, defined as the presence of plaques and/or increased intima-media thickness (≥ 0.90 mm), in non-diabetic participants. Methods: Nine hundred-sixty-one (range of age: 18–89 yrs; 37.1% males) adult participants without clinically known atherosclerotic disease were randomly recruited among the customers of a shopping mall in Palermo, Italy, and cross-sectionally investigated. Each participant answered a foo…

Psychological and behavioural factors associated with long-term weight maintenance after a multidisciplinary treatment of uncomplicated obesity

2013

Obesity is a multifactorial syndrome and the likelihood of success of a medical nutritional treatment (MNT) over the long term is low. As psychological and behavioural factors have an important role in both pathogenesis and the treatment of obesity, these issues were investigated in individuals with obesity who reported a long-term success or a failure in terms of weight loss following a MNT. Eighty-eight individuals of an original cohort of 251 subjects were re-evaluated 10 years after a MNT with cognitive-behavioural approach for uncomplicated obesity. Fifty-three participants were classified as failure (body weight change ≥0.5 kg) and 35 as a success (10-year body weight change <0.5 kg) …

Nut and legume consumption and human health: an umbrella review of observational studies

2021

Consumption of nuts and legumes has been associated with several health benefits. The aim of this study was to systematically review existing meta-analyses of observational studies on nut and legume intake and non-communicable diseases, and assess the level of evidence. Out of the six meta-analyses focussed on legume and 15 on nut intake, a possible association with decreased risk of colorectal adenoma and coronary heart disease was found for higher legume consumption, and a decreased risk of cardiovascular and cancer mortality, colon cancer, hypertension and ischaemic stroke for higher nut consumption. The association between legume consumption and cardiovascular diseases (CVDs), as well a…

Dairy foods and health: an umbrella review of observational studies

2019

Evidence on consumption of dairy foods and human health is contradictory. This study aimed to summarize the level of evidence of dairy consumption on various health outcomes. A systematic search for meta-analyses was performed: study design, dose–response relationship, heterogeneity and agreement of results over time, and identification of potential confounding factors were considered to assess the level of evidence. Convincing and probable evidence of decreased risk of colorectal cancer, hypertension and cardiovascular disease, elevated blood pressure and fatal stroke, respectively, was found for total dairy consumption; possible decreased risk of breast cancer, metabolic syndrome, stroke …

Repositioning of the global epicentre of non-optimal cholesterol

2020

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Egg consumption and human health: an umbrella review of observational studies

2019

Egg consumption has been an area of controversy regarding its impact on human health largely due to the content in cholesterol and its potential role in cardio-metabolic outcomes. This study aimed to summarise the level of evidence of egg consumption on various health outcomes. A systematic search for meta-analyses was performed: study design, dose-response relationship, heterogeneity and agreement of results over time, and identification of potential confounding factors were considered to assess the level of evidence. Results from this umbrella review showed a substantial no association between egg consumption and a number of health outcomes, including cancer, cardiovascular and metabolic …

Resting Energy expenditure in type 2 diabetic patients and the effect of insulin bolus

2014

Aims: Resting energy expenditure (REE) plays a critical role in the regulation of body weight, with important implications in type 2 diabetes (T2D). However, the relationships between REE and T2D have not been extensively evaluated. We compared REE in persons with diabetes and in persons without diabetes. We also investigated the acute effect of insulin on REE and venous lactate, the latter an indirect measure of neoglucogenetic activity. Methods: REE was measured using indirect calorimetry in 14 newly diagnosed, untreated T2D adults and in 14 non-diabetic age-, gender- and body mass index-matched persons. The REE and lactate venous concentrations were also measured in a subgroup of 5 T2D p…

Fish and human health: an umbrella review of observational studies

2022

Fish represents one of the most important dietary sources of omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids, which are known to be associated with various health benefits. This study aimed to systematically review existing meta-analyses of observational studies exploring the association between fish intake and various health outcomes. A systematic search of electronic databases was conducted to retrieve a total of 63 studies. Evidence was deemed as possible for the association between higher fish intake and decreased risk of the acute coronary syndrome, liver cancer, and depression, and limited for other outcomes (including age-related macular degeneration, Alzheimer’s disease, heart failure, all-caus…

Habitual street food intake and subclinical carotid atherosclerosis.

2013

Street food (SF) is defined as out-of-home food consumption, and generally consists of energy-dense meals rich in saturated fats and poor in fibers, vitamins and antioxidants. Though SF consumption may have unfavorable metabolic and cardiovascular effects, its possible association with atherosclerosis has not been considered. The association between habitual SF consumption and asymptomatic carotid atherosclerosis, defined as the presence of plaques and/or increased intima-media thickness, was therefore investigated. One thousand thirty-five randomly selected adult participants without known diabetes and atherosclerotic cardiovascular diseases were cross-sectionally investigated in Palermo, …

Coffee components and cardiovascular risk: beneficial and detrimental effects

2014

Coffee consists of several biological active compounds, such as caffeine, diterpenes, chlorogenic acids, and melanoidins, which may affect human health. The intake of each compound depends on the variety of coffee species, roasting degree, type of brewing method and serving size. The bioavailability and the distribution of each compound and its metabolites also contribute to coffee mechanisms of action. The health benefits of coffee consumption regarding cardiovascular system and metabolism mostly depend on its antioxidant compounds. In contrast, diterpenes and caffeine may produce harmful effects by raising lipid fraction and affecting endothelial function, respectively. Studying the mecha…

Population-level risks of alcohol consumption by amount, geography, age, sex, and year: a systematic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study …

2022

Background: The health risks associated with moderate alcohol consumption continue to be debated. Small amounts of alcohol might lower the risk of some health outcomes but increase the risk of others, suggesting that the overall risk depends, in part, on background disease rates, which vary by region, age, sex, and year. Methods: For this analysis, we constructed burden-weighted dose-response relative risk curves across 22 health outcomes to estimate the theoretical minimum risk exposure level (TMREL) and non-drinker equivalence (NDE), the consumption level at which the health risk is equivalent to that of a non-drinker, using disease rates from the Global Burden of Diseases, Injuries, and …

Fruit and vegetable consumption and health outcomes: an umbrella review of observational studies

2019

The aim of this study was to provide a comprehensive evaluation of current evidence on fruit and vegetable consumption and health outcomes. A systematic search for quantitative syntheses was performed. Several criteria, including study design, dose-response relationship, heterogeneity and agreement of results over time, and identification of potential confounding factors, were used to assess the level of evidence. The strongest (probable) evidence was found for cardiovascular disease protection; possible evidence for decreased risk of colon cancer, depression and pancreatic diseases was found for fruit intake; and colon and rectal cancer, hip fracture, stroke, depression and pancreatic dise…

Impact of chronic diuretic treatment on glucose homeostasis

2013

Background The use of diuretics for hypertension has been associated with unfavorable changes in cardiovascular risk factors, such as uric acid and glucose tolerance, though the findings in the literature are contradictory. Methods This study investigated whether diuretic use is associated with markers of metabolic and cardiovascular risk, such as insulin-resistance and uric acid, in a cohort of adults without known diabetes and/or atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease. Nine hundred sixty-nine randomly selected participants answered a questionnaire on clinical history and dietary habits. Laboratory blood measurements were obtained in 507 participants. Results Previously undiagnosed type 2 …

Endothelial function and serum concentration of toxic metals in frequent consumers of fish.

2014

BACKGROUND:Endothelial dysfunction is involved in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis. Consumption of fish is associated with reduced cardiovascular risk, but there is paucity of data concerning its effect on endothelial function. Furthermore, investigation of the effects of fish consumption on health must take into account the ingestion of contaminants, including transition metals and some metalloids, which may have unfavorable effects on health, including those on the cardiovascular system. We investigated the association between fish consumption, endothelial function (flow mediated dilation of the brachial artery), and serum concentration of some toxic metals in apparently healthy people…

Total Nut, Tree Nut, and Peanut Consumption and Metabolic Status in Southern Italian Adults.

2021

Background: Nut consumption has been associated with cardio-metabolic health benefits. However, studies conducted in the Southern Italian population, where adherence to the Mediterranean diet has been reported being relatively high, are rather scarce. The aim of this study was to test the association between consumption of total and specific types of nuts and metabolic status among adults living in Sicily, Southern Italy. Methods: Demographic and dietary characteristics of 2044 adults living in Southern Italy were analyzed. Multivariate logistic regression analyses were performed to calculate odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) of the association between nut consumption and…

Whole grain consumption and human health

2020

Whole grains have been associated with a number of health benefits. We systematically reviewed existing meta-analyses of observational studies and evaluated the level of evidence for their putative effects based on pre-selected criteria. Of the 23 included studies, we found convincing evidence of an inverse association between whole grain consumption and risk of type-2 diabetes and colorectal cancer; possible evidence of decreased risk of colon cancer and cardiovascular mortality with increased whole grain intake, as well as increased risk of prostate cancer. Limited or insufficient evidence was available for all other outcomes investigated. Overall findings are encouraging for a positive e…

Factors associated with colorectal cancer in the context of the Mediterranean diet: a case-control study

2014

Recent evidence demonstrates that increased adherence to the Mediterranean diet (MD) may prevent colorectal cancer (CRC). The aim of this study was to evaluate the association between health-related characteristics and CRC in the context of the MD. This was a case-control study conducted on a sample of 338 consecutive patients with a first diagnosis of CRC recruited in an urban facility in the city of Catania, southern Italy, and matched with 676 apparently healthy subjects without clinical symptoms or signs of any type of cancer. Data regarding sociodemographic, clinical, and lifestyle characteristics were collected, and adherence to the Mediterranean diet pattern was assessed using the Me…

Contributions of mean and shape of blood pressure distribution to worldwide trends and variations in raised blood pressure: A pooled analysis of 1018…

2018

Background: Change in the prevalence of raised blood pressure could be due to both shifts in the entire distribution of blood pressure (representing the combined effects of public health interventions and secular trends) and changes in its high-blood-pressure tail (representing successful clinical interventions to control blood pressure in the hypertensive population). Our aim was to quantify the contributions of these two phenomena to the worldwide trends in the prevalence of raised blood pressure. Methods: We pooled 1018 population-based studies with blood pressure measurements on 88.6 million participants from 1985 to 2016. We first calculated mean systolic blood pressure (SBP), mean dia…

Rising rural body-mass index is the main driver of the global obesity epidemic in adults

2019

Body-mass index (BMI) has increased steadily in most countries in parallel with a rise in the proportion of the population who live in cities(.)(1,2) This has led to a widely reported view that urbanization is one of the most important drivers of the global rise in obesity(3-6). Here we use 2,009 population-based studies, with measurements of height and weight in more than 112 million adults, to report national, regional and global trends in mean BMI segregated by place of residence (a rural or urban area) from 1985 to 2017. We show that, contrary to the dominant paradigm, more than 55% of the global rise in mean BMI from 1985 to 2017-and more than 80% in some low- and middle-income regions…

Height and body-mass index trajectories of school-aged children and adolescents from 1985 to 2019 in 200 countries and territories: a pooled analysis…

2020

BACKGROUND: Comparable global data on health and nutrition of school-aged children and adolescents are scarce. We aimed to estimate age trajectories and time trends in mean height and mean body-mass index (BMI), which measures weight gain beyond what is expected from height gain, for school-aged children and adolescents.

Worldwide trends in body-mass index, underweight, overweight, and obesity from 1975 to 2016: a pooled analysis of 2416 population-based measurement s…

2017

© 2017 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Ltd. This is an Open Access article under the CC BY 4.0 licenseBackground Underweight, overweight, and obesity in childhood and adolescence are associated with adverse health consequences throughout the life-course. Our aim was to estimate worldwide trends in mean body-mass index (BMI) and a comprehensive set of BMI categories that cover underweight to obesity in children and adolescents, and to compare trends with those of adults. Methods We pooled 2416 population-based studies with measurements of height and weight on 128·9 million participants aged 5 years and older, including 31·5 million aged 5–19 years. We used a Bayesian hierarchical model …

National trends in total cholesterol obscure heterogeneous changes in HDL and non-HDL cholesterol and total-to-HDL cholesterol ratio : a pooled analy…

2020

Artículo con numerosos autores. Sólo quedan reflejados el primero, los pertenecientes a la UAM y el colectivo

Association of dietary patterns with insulin resistance and clinically silent carotid atherosclerosis in apparently healthy people

2013

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES:Dietary habits are important determinants of individual cardiovascular and metabolic risk. This study investigated the association between dietary patterns and asymptomatic carotid atherosclerosis, defined as the presence of plaques and/or increased intima-media thickness, and metabolic biomarkers of insulin resistance, including the homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) and the trygliceride/high-density lipoprotein (HDL)-cholesterol (Tg/HDL) ratio in a cohort of adults without known diabetes or atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease.SUBJECTS/METHODS:Nine hundred and twenty-nine randomly selected participants were cross-sectionally investigated. …

Protective role of the Mediterranean diet on several cardiovascular risk factors: Evidence from Sicily, southern Italy

2014

Background and aims: Epidemiological studies conducted in European countries demonstrated that the adoption of a Mediterranean diet protect against clustered risk factors but those evaluating such benefits specifically in southern Italy are scarce. Thus, the aim of this study was to assess the association between the adherence to the Mediterranean diet and cardiovascular risk factors obesity, diabetes, and hypertension. Methods and results: A cross-sectional population-based survey including 3090 subjects was conducted in Sicily, southern Italy. Food intake was evaluated through a validated food frequency questionnaire and adherence to the dietary pattern was assessed using the MedDietScore…