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Vegetarian and Vegan Diet in Fibromyalgia: A Systematic Review.
Nadal-Nicolás, Y, Miralles-Amorós, L, Martínez-Olcina, M, Sánchez-Ortega, M, Mora, J, Martínez-Rodríguez, A
International journal of environmental research and public health. 2021;18(9)
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Fibromyalgia (FM) is a chronic non-degenerative disease of unknown etiology without effective medical treatment that mostly affects women. The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of mainly plant-based diets in patients with FM compared to omnivorous diets. A secondary aim was to examine the main effects of these diets on patients’ symptoms and the improvement in their quality of life. This study is a systemic review of six studies (n = 4 clinical trials and n = 2 observational cohort studies). The selected studies included 157 FM patients in both the intervention and control groups, and more than 117 were women. Results indicate that a mainly plant-based diet improves biochemical parameters and body inflammation; body weight, sleep quality, quality of life, pain at rest as well as other symptoms of FM and their impact on health. Authors conclude that even though their findings are promising further well-designed clinical trials are needed to consolidate these dietary recommendations in FM patient.
Abstract
Fibromyalgia (FM) is a chronic non-degenerative disease characterized by the presence of multiple symptoms such as chronic pain, which negatively influence the quality of life of sufferers, most of whom are women. Currently, there is no effective treatment to limit the impact of these symptoms. The aim of this research is to review the scientific evidence on the effect of following a vegetarian or vegan diet on fibromyalgia patients. A systematic review included the original articles that answered the research question. These articles were in 2021 in the PubMed, Web of Science and Scopus databases. The research used the PRISMA (preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analyses) guidelines. No time restriction was applied, and grey literature was not included. The evaluation of the methodological quality of the articles was carried out using the following different scales: STROBE (strengthening the reporting of observational studies in epidemiology), PEDro (Physiotherapy Evidence Database), and MMAT (Mixed Methods Appraisal Tool) scales. A total of 88 studies were analyzed, of which 6 investigations were included in this systematic review (n = 4 clinical trials and n = 2 cohort studies). These investigations show significant improvements in biochemical parameters, quality of life, quality of sleep, pain at rest and general health status when following mainly plant-based dietary patterns. In conclusion, these findings are promising but interpretation of the findings is limited due to the methodological quality of the studies. Well-designed clinical trials are needed to consolidate these dietary recommendations in FM patients.
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Consumption of ultra-processed foods and health status: a systematic review and meta-analysis.
Pagliai, G, Dinu, M, Madarena, MP, Bonaccio, M, Iacoviello, L, Sofi, F
The British journal of nutrition. 2021;125(3):308-318
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Ultra-processed foods (UPF) are, according to the NOVA classification, “formulations of ingredients, mostly for industrial use only, derived from a series of industrial processes”. UPF represents an important and growing part of the world’s food supply. The aim of this study was to assess the relationship between UPF consumption as defined by NOVA and health status. This study is systematic review with meta-analysis of all the cross-sectional and cohort studies published to-date. At the end of the selection process, twenty-three articles were included in the qualitative analysis and nineteen in the quantitative analysis. Results indicate the possible association between high UPF consumption, worse cardiometabolic risk profile (reported by an increased risk of overweight/obesity, elevated waist circumference, reduced high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol levels and increased risk of the metabolic syndrome), and greater risk of all-cause mortality, cardiovascular disease, cerebrovascular disease and depression. Authors conclude that their findings have important public health implications, especially for food policymakers who should discourage the consumption of UPF and promote fresh and minimally processed foods to improve health status.
Abstract
Increasing evidence suggests that high consumption of ultra-processed foods (UPF) is associated with an increase in non-communicable diseases, overweight and obesity. The present study systematically reviewed all observational studies that investigated the association between UPF consumption and health status. A comprehensive search of MEDLINE, Embase, Scopus, Web of Science and Google Scholar was conducted, and reference lists of included articles were checked. Only cross-sectional and prospective cohort studies were included. At the end of the selection process, twenty-three studies (ten cross-sectional and thirteen prospective cohort studies) were included in the systematic review. As regards the cross-sectional studies, the highest UPF consumption was associated with a significant increase in the risk of overweight/obesity (+39 %), high waist circumference (+39 %), low HDL-cholesterol levels (+102 %) and the metabolic syndrome (+79 %), while no significant associations with hypertension, hyperglycaemia or hypertriacylglycerolaemia were observed. For prospective cohort studies evaluating a total population of 183 491 participants followed for a period ranging from 3·5 to 19 years, highest UPF consumption was found to be associated with increased risk of all-cause mortality in five studies (risk ratio (RR) 1·25, 95 % CI 1·14, 1·37; P < 0·00001), increased risk of CVD in three studies (RR 1·29, 95 % CI 1·12, 1·48; P = 0·0003), cerebrovascular disease in two studies (RR 1·34, 95 % CI 1·07, 1·68; P = 0·01) and depression in two studies (RR 1·20, 95 % CI 1·03, 1·40; P = 0·02). In conclusion, increased UPF consumption was associated, although in a limited number of studies, with a worse cardiometabolic risk profile and a higher risk of CVD, cerebrovascular disease, depression and all-cause mortality.
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Mobile Apps to Improve Medication Adherence in Cardiovascular Disease: Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.
Al-Arkee, S, Mason, J, Lane, DA, Fabritz, L, Chua, W, Haque, MS, Jalal, Z
Journal of medical Internet research. 2021;23(5):e24190
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A long-term use of cardiovascular medications significantly reduces the risk of morbidity and mortality, but their full therapeutic potential cannot be achieved if patients are nonadherent. Developing interventions to tackle medication nonadherence is important for improving health outcomes. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of app-based interventions on medication adherence in patients with cardiovascular disease (CVD). This study is a systemic review and meta-analysis of 16 randomised controlled trials. The apps used were all different for each study and were developed by different organizations: 8 were academic or government institutions, whereas others were commercial organizations. Results show that a total of 9 trials showed a statistically significant improvement in medication adherence in the intervention arm. Furthermore, the apps used had mixed functionality, including reminders, education or both, however, overall, user engagement and usability were rated positively, demonstrating interest in the concept. Authors conclude that it is difficult to make strong, unrestricted recommendations for practice, especially with the methodological limitations of the trials included in this study. However, mobile apps may enhance medication adherence as part of a package of care.
Abstract
BACKGROUND Adherence rates of preventative medication for cardiovascular disease (CVD) have been reported as 57%, and approximately 9% of all CVD events in Europe are attributable to poor medication adherence. Mobile health technologies, particularly mobile apps, have the potential to improve medication adherence and clinical outcomes. OBJECTIVE The objective of this study is to assess the effects of mobile health care apps on medication adherence and health-related outcomes in patients with CVD. This study also evaluates apps' functionality and usability and the involvement of health care professionals in their use. METHODS Electronic databases (MEDLINE [Ovid], PubMed Central, Cochrane Library, CINAHL Plus, PsycINFO [Ovid], Embase [Ovid], and Google Scholar) were searched for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) to investigate app-based interventions aimed at improving medication adherence in patients with CVD. RCTs published in English from inception to January 2020 were reviewed. The Cochrane risk of bias tool was used to assess the included studies. Meta-analysis was performed for clinical outcomes and medication adherence, with meta-regression analysis used to evaluate the impact of app intervention duration on medication adherence. RESULTS This study included 16 RCTs published within the last 6 years. In total, 12 RCTs reported medication adherence as the primary outcome, which is the most commonly self-reported adherence. The duration of the interventions ranged from 1 to 12 months, and sample sizes ranged from 24 to 412. Medication adherence rates showed statistically significant improvements in 9 RCTs when compared with the control, and meta-analysis of the 6 RCTs reporting continuous data showed a significant overall effect in favor of the app intervention (mean difference 0.90, 95% CI 0.03-1.78) with a high statistical heterogeneity (I2=93.32%). Moreover, 9 RCTs assessed clinical outcomes and reported an improvement in systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure, total cholesterol, and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels in the intervention arm. Meta-analysis of these clinical outcomes from 6 RCTs favored app interventions, but none were significant. In the 7 trials evaluating app usability, all were found to be acceptable. There was a great variation in the app characteristics. A total of 10 RCTs involved health care professionals, mainly physicians and nurses, in the app-based interventions. The apps had mixed functionality: 2 used education, 7 delivered reminders, and 7 provided reminders in combination with educational support. CONCLUSIONS Apps tended to increase medication adherence, but interventions varied widely in design, content, and delivery. Apps have an acceptable degree of usability; yet the app characteristics conferring usability and effectiveness are ill-defined. Future large-scale studies should focus on identifying the essential active components of successful apps. TRIAL REGISTRATION PROSPERO International Prospective Register of Systematic Reviews CRD42019121385; https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/display_record.php?RecordID=121385.
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Egg consumption and risk of cardiovascular disease: three large prospective US cohort studies, systematic review, and updated meta-analysis.
Drouin-Chartier, JP, Chen, S, Li, Y, Schwab, AL, Stampfer, MJ, Sacks, FM, Rosner, B, Willett, WC, Hu, FB, Bhupathiraju, SN
BMJ (Clinical research ed.). 2020;368:m513
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Eggs have a high cholesterol content and have therefore been associated with a risk for heart disease. However, studies to substantiate this have been conflicting, with some studies showing associations and others not. This systematic review and meta-analysis of over five million people and 763 studies aimed to evaluate the association between egg intake and the risk of heart disease. The results showed that higher egg intake was associated with a poor diet. Egg intake was not associated with heart disease and this was evident even in people who ate at least one egg per day. Even in people with other associated diseases, such as type 2 diabetes and high blood pressure, egg intake was not associated with heart disease. It was concluded that egg consumption does not increase an individual’s risk for heart disease. This study could be used by healthcare professionals to justify the recommendation that patients at risk of heart disease or those who have heart disease, can still eat up to one egg per day, without risk of exacerbating their condition.
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To evaluate the association between egg intake and cardiovascular disease risk among women and men in the United States, and to conduct a meta-analysis of prospective cohort studies. DESIGN Prospective cohort study, and a systematic review and meta-analysis of prospective cohort studies. SETTING Nurses' Health Study (NHS, 1980-2012), NHS II (1991-2013), Health Professionals' Follow-Up Study (HPFS, 1986-2012). PARTICIPANTS Cohort analyses included 83 349 women from NHS, 90 214 women from NHS II, and 42 055 men from HPFS who were free of cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, and cancer at baseline. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES Incident cardiovascular disease, which included non-fatal myocardial infarction, fatal coronary heart disease, and stroke. RESULTS Over up to 32 years of follow-up (>5.54 million person years), 14 806 participants with incident cardiovascular disease were identified in the three cohorts. Participants with a higher egg intake had a higher body mass index, were less likely to be treated with statins, and consumed more red meats. Most people consumed between one and less than five eggs per week. In the pooled multivariable analysis, consumption of at least one egg per day was not associated with incident cardiovascular disease risk after adjustment for updated lifestyle and dietary factors associated with egg intake (hazard ratio for at least one egg per day v less than one egg per month 0.93, 95% confidence interval 0.82 to 1.05). In the updated meta-analysis of prospective cohort studies (33 risk estimates, 1 720 108 participants, 139 195 cardiovascular disease events), an increase of one egg per day was not associated with cardiovascular disease risk (pooled relative risk 0.98, 95% confidence interval 0.93 to 1.03, I2=62.3%). Results were similar for coronary heart disease (21 risk estimates, 1 411 261 participants, 59 713 coronary heart disease events; 0.96, 0.91 to 1.03, I2=38.2%), and stroke (22 risk estimates, 1 059 315 participants, 53 617 stroke events; 0.99, 0.91 to 1.07, I2=71.5%). In analyses stratified by geographical location (P for interaction=0.07), no association was found between egg consumption and cardiovascular disease risk among US cohorts (1.01, 0.96 to 1.06, I2=30.8%) or European cohorts (1.05, 0.92 to 1.19, I2=64.7%), but an inverse association was seen in Asian cohorts (0.92, 0.85 to 0.99, I2=44.8%). CONCLUSIONS Results from the three cohorts and from the updated meta-analysis show that moderate egg consumption (up to one egg per day) is not associated with cardiovascular disease risk overall, and is associated with potentially lower cardiovascular disease risk in Asian populations. SYSTEMATIC REVIEW REGISTRATION PROSPERO CRD42019129650.
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Breakfast Skipping, Body Composition, and Cardiometabolic Risk: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Trials.
Bonnet, JP, Cardel, MI, Cellini, J, Hu, FB, Guasch-Ferré, M
Obesity (Silver Spring, Md.). 2020;28(6):1098-1109
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Breakfast has been considered the most important meal of the day. However, despite the fairly consistent association of breakfast consumption with decreased body weight, randomized controlled trials (RCTs) have shown equivocal results. The aim of this study was to conduct a systematic review and meta-analysis of RCTs evaluating the effect of skipping breakfast on body composition and cardiometabolic risk factors over a period of at least 4 weeks. This study is a systematic review and meta-analysis of RCTs. A total of 425 participants were included in the meta-analysis. Participant range of age was 18 to 65 years old, with a mean age of 35 years. This study demonstrates that breakfast skipping compared with breakfast consumption over the short-term (4 to 16 weeks) results in weight loss without significant changes in other body composition parameters. Furthermore, breakfast skipping, as compared with breakfast consumption, led to significant increases in low-density lipoprotein cholesterol. Authors conclude that although breakfast skipping had a modest impact on weight loss in the short term, its long-term impact on body composition and cardiometabolic health requires further study.
Abstract
OBJECTIVE The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of skipping breakfast on body composition and cardiometabolic risk factors. METHODS This study conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) evaluating breakfast skipping compared with breakfast consumption. Inclusion criteria included age ≥ 18, intervention duration ≥ 4 weeks, ≥ 7 participants per group, and ≥ 1 body composition measure. Random-effects meta-analyses of the effect of breakfast skipping on body composition and cardiometabolic risk factors were performed. RESULTS Seven RCTs (n = 425 participants) with an average duration of 8.6 weeks were included. Compared with breakfast consumption, breakfast skipping significantly reduced body weight (weighted mean difference [WMD] = -0.54 kg [95% CI: -1.05 to -0.03], P = 0.04, I2 = 21.4%). Percent body fat was reported in 5 studies and was not significantly different between breakfast skippers and consumers. Three studies reported on low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL), which was increased in breakfast skippers as compared with breakfast consumers (WMD = 9.24 mg/dL [95% CI: 2.18 to 16.30], P = 0.01). Breakfast skipping did not lead to significant differences in blood pressure, total cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol, triglycerides, C-reactive protein, insulin, fasting glucose, leptin, homeostatic model assessment of insulin resistance, or ghrelin. CONCLUSIONS Breakfast skipping may have a modest impact on weight loss and may increase LDL in the short term. Further studies are needed to provide additional insight into the effects of breakfast skipping.
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[Do children and adolescents who consume ultra-processed foods have a worse lipid profile? A systematic review].
Beserra, JB, Soares, NIDS, Marreiros, CS, Carvalho, CMRG, Martins, MDCCE, Freitas, BJESA, Santos, MMD, Frota, KMG
Ciencia & saude coletiva. 2020;25(12):4979-4989
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The increased addition of ultra-processed ingredients to the food of children and adolescents is related to dislipidemia. This is where there are abnormal levels of fats in the blood. This study is a systemic review on the link between consumption of ultra-processed foods and the blood lipid profiles of children and adolescents. 14 studies were included. 9 showed that consuming ultra-processed food is related to increased LDL cholesterol, total cholesterol, triglycerides and a reduction in HDL cholesterol. 3 studies found no relationship and 2 studies demonstrated an improved lipid profile with an increased intake of ready-to-eat cereals. Overall, where there was a high consumption of ultra-processed foods, there was a harmful effect on the blood lipid profiles among children and adolescents. Further studies are needed and interventions such as nutritional education must be considered to reducing the intake of these ultra-processed foods.
Abstract
The increase in the input of ultra-processed ingredients in the food of children and adolescents is related to the development of noncommunicable diseases such as dyslipidemia. The scope of this study was to conduct a systematic review of the literature on the relationship of consumption of ultra-processed foods in the lipid profile of children and adolescents. A search in the PubMed, Scopus, Cochrane and LILACS databases was carried out to locate cross-sectional and longitudinal studies, with or without intervention, in apparently healthy children and/or adolescents, who had the intake of ultra-processed food as an exposure variable and the lipid profile as an outcome. After screening, 14 studies were included, of which nine demonstrated that ultra-processed food consumption was related to increased LDL-c, total cholesterol, triglycerides and a reduction in HDL-c. Three studies found no relationship and two demonstrated that the increased intake of ready-to-eat cereals was related to the decrease in total cholesterol and LDL-c. There was a high consumption of ultra-processed foods and positive relation with blood lipids among children and adolescents, which calls attention to interventions, such as nutritional education, with a view to reducing the intake of these foods. O aumento da participação de alimentos ultraprocessados na alimentação de crianças e adolescentes está relacionado ao desenvolvimento de agravos não transmissíveis, como dislipidemia. Objetivou-se realizar uma revisão sistemática da literatura sobre a relação do consumo de alimentos ultraprocessados e o perfil lipídico de crianças e adolescentes. Realizou-se uma busca nas bases de dados PubMed, Scopus, Cochrane e LILACS por estudos com desenhos transversais e longitudinais, com ou sem intervenção; em crianças e/ou adolescentes aparentemente saudáveis, que tivessem a ingestão de alimento ultraprocessado como variável de exposição e o perfil lipídico como desfecho. Após triagem, 14 estudos foram incluídos, destes, nove demonstraram que o consumo de ultraprocessados estava relacionado com o aumento do LDL-c, colesterol total, triglicerídeos e diminuição do HDL-c. Três estudos não encontraram nenhuma relação e dois demonstraram que a maior ingestão de cereais prontos estava relacionada com a diminuição de colesterol total e LDL-c. Observou-se elevado consumo de alimentos ultraprocessados e relação positiva com lipídios sanguíneos em crianças e adolescentes o que chama atenção para a realização de intervenções, como educação nutricional, com vistas a reduzir a ingestão desses alimentos.
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The Role of Diet and Nutrition in Migraine Triggers and Treatment: A Systematic Literature Review.
Hindiyeh, NA, Zhang, N, Farrar, M, Banerjee, P, Lombard, L, Aurora, SK
Headache. 2020;60(7):1300-1316
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Migraine is a disabling primary headache disorder with 2 major subtypes: migraine without aura and migraine with aura. Certain foods, such as chocolate, caffeine, milk, cheese and alcoholic beverages, have been identified as common triggers of migraine attacks. The aim of this study was to qualitatively summarize data from randomized controlled trials or observational studies on the role of diet patterns, diet-related triggers, and dietary interventions in adults with migraine. This study is a systematic review of forty-three articles. Of the studies included in the review, 11 outlined the evidence on diet patterns, 20 outlined the evidence on diet-related triggers, and 12 outlined evidence on diet as interventions in people with migraine. Results show that evidence regarding the effect of general diet patterns in people with migraine varied in the studies identified. Furthermore, limited high-quality evidence was found. Authors conclude that certain dietary interventions may help to improve clinical outcomes in some people with migraine, but these findings still need to be supported with robust evidence before being recommended for use in clinical practice.
Abstract
BACKGROUND Migraine is a disabling primary headache disorder often associated with triggers. Diet-related triggers are a common cause of migraine and certain diets have been reported to decrease the frequency of migraine attacks if dietary triggers or patterns are adjusted. OBJECTIVE The systematic literature review was conducted to qualitatively summarize evidence from the published literature regarding the role of diet patterns, diet-related triggers, and diet interventions in people with migraine. METHODS A literature search was carried out on diet patterns, diet-related triggers, and diet interventions used to treat and/or prevent migraine attacks, using an a priori protocol. MEDLINE and EMBASE databases were searched to identify studies assessing the effect of diet, food, and nutrition in people with migraine aged ≥18 years. Only primary literature sources (randomized controlled trials or observational studies) were included and searches were conducted from January 2000 to March 2019. The NICE checklist was used to assess the quality of the included studies of randomized controlled trials and the Downs and Black checklist was used for the assessment of observational studies. RESULTS A total of 43 studies were included in this review, of which 11 assessed diet patterns, 12 assessed diet interventions, and 20 assessed diet-related triggers. The overall quality of evidence was low, as most of the (68%) studies assessing diet patterns and diet-related triggers were cross-sectional studies or patient surveys. The studies regarding diet interventions assessed a variety of diets, such as ketogenic diet, elimination diets, and low-fat diets. Alcohol and caffeine uses were the most common diet patterns and diet-related triggers associated with increased frequency of migraine attacks. Most of the diet interventions, such as low-fat and elimination diets, were related to a decrease in the frequency of migraine attacks. CONCLUSIONS There is limited high-quality randomized controlled trial data on diet patterns or diet-related triggers. A few small randomized controlled trials have assessed diet interventions in preventing migraine attacks without strong results. Although many patients already reported avoiding personal diet-related triggers in their migraine management, high-quality research is needed to confirm the effect of diet in people with migraine.
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Systematic review of palm oil consumption and the risk of cardiovascular disease.
Ismail, SR, Maarof, SK, Siedar Ali, S, Ali, A
PloS one. 2018;13(2):e0193533
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Palm oil, the most widely consumed vegetable oil in the world, derives from the palm tree fruit with a balanced ratio of unsaturated and saturated fatty acids. Studies have shown an association between high contents of saturated fats in palm oil with the detrimental atherogenic profile. The review aims at synthesising the available evidence reporting the association of palm oil consumption with cardiovascular disease risk and cardiovascular disease-specific mortality, including specifically Coronary Heart Disease (CHD) and stroke. The authors systematically searched three databases up to June 2017 without restriction on setting or language. Published interventional and observational studies that evaluated palm oil consumption with coronary heart disease or stroke in adults were searched. Separate searches were performed depending on the outcome. The study did not find a clear association between palm oil consumption and risk or mortality of cardiovascular disease, namely coronary heart disease and stroke. The health effects found between association of palm oil consumption and risk of coronary heart disease were not unique to just palm oil consumption as other food items were also included in the analysis. The review could not establish strong evidence for or against palm oil consumption relating to cardiovascular disease risk and cardiovascular disease-specific mortality. A healthy overall diet is suggested for good cardiometabolic health.
Abstract
BACKGROUND The high amount of saturated fatty acids (SFA) coupled with the rising availability and consumption of palm oil have lead to the assumption that palm oil contributes to the increased prevalence of cardiovascular diseases worldwide. We aimed at systematically synthesising the association of palm oil consumption with cardiovascular disease risk and cardiovascular disease-specific mortality. METHODS We systematically searched Central, Medline and Embase databases up to June 2017 without restriction on setting or language. We performed separate searches based on the outcomes: coronary heart disease and stroke, using keywords related to these outcomes and palm oil. We searched for published interventional and observational studies in adults (Age: >18 years old). Two investigators extracted data and a consensus was reached with involvement of a third. Only narrative synthesis was performed for all of the studies, as the data could not be pooled. RESULTS Our search retrieved 2,738 citations for stroke with one included study and 1,777 citations for coronary heart disease (CHD) with four included studies. Palmitic acid was reported to be associated with risk of myocardial infarction (MI) (OR 2.76; 95%CI = 1.39-5.47). Total SFA intake was reported to be not significant for risk of MI. Varying intake of fried foods, highest contributor to total SFA with 36% of households using palm oil for frying, showed no significant associations to risk of MI. Odds of developing first non-fatal acute MI was higher in palm oil compared to soybean oil with 5% trans-fat (OR = 1.33; 95%CI = 1.09-1.62) than palm oil compared to soybean oil with 22% trans-fat (OR = 1.16; 95%CI = 0.86-1.56). Nevertheless, these risk estimates were non-significant and imprecise. The trend amongst those taking staple pattern diet (characterised by higher palm oil, red meat and added sugar consumption) was inconsistent across the factor score quintiles. During the years of 1980 and 1997, for every additional kilogram of palm oil consumed per-capita annually, CHD mortality risk was 68 deaths per 100,000 (95% CI = 21-115) in developing countries and 17 deaths per 100,000 (95%CI = 5.3-29) in high-income countries, whereas stroke was associated with 19 deaths per 100,000 (95%CI = -12-49) and 5.1 deaths per 100,000 (95% CI: -1.2-11) respectively. The evidence for the outcomes of this review were all graded as very low. The findings of this review should be interpreted with some caution, owing to the lack of a pooled effect estimate of the association, significant bias in selection criteria and confounding factors, inclusion of other food items together with palm oil, and the possible out-dated trend in the ecological study. CONCLUSION In view of the abundance of palm oil in the market, quantifying its true association with CVD outcomes is challenging. The present review could not establish strong evidence for or against palm oil consumption relating to cardiovascular disease risk and cardiovascular disease-specific mortality. Further studies are needed to establish the association of palm oil with CVD. A healthy overall diet should still be prioritised for good cardiometabolic health.
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Vegetarian, vegan diets and multiple health outcomes: A systematic review with meta-analysis of observational studies.
Dinu, M, Abbate, R, Gensini, GF, Casini, A, Sofi, F
Critical reviews in food science and nutrition. 2017;57(17):3640-3649
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Vegetarian diet is experiencing a considerable popularity in the general population. The aim of this study was to obtain an estimate of the association between vegetarian, vegan diets, and multiple health outcomes, including risk factors for chronic diseases, risk of all-cause mortality, incidence and mortality from cardio-cerebrovascular diseases, total cancer and specific types of cancer. This study is a comprehensive systematic review with meta-analysis of all cross-sectional and cohort studies. A total of 108 articles were included in the meta-analysis with a total population of over 130,000 vegetarians and 15,000 vegans. Results indicate that: - vegetarians and vegans show significantly lower levels of the most relevant risk factor for chronic disease such as body mass index, lipid variables and fasting glucose, when compared to non-vegetarians and nonvegans. - a significant protection versus ischemic heart disease and cancer is present in vegetarian subjects, however this protection is not significant for overall mortality, cardio and cerebrovascular diseases. - vegan diet seems to be associated with a lower rate of cancer incidence (interpreted with caution due to the small sample size of the study). Authors conclude that their findings may be useful for helping to give correct information to subjects who want to adopt vegetarian or vegan dietary patterns.
Abstract
BACKGROUND Beneficial effects of vegetarian and vegan diets on health outcomes have been supposed in previous studies. OBJECTIVES Aim of this study was to clarify the association between vegetarian, vegan diets, risk factors for chronic diseases, risk of all-cause mortality, incidence, and mortality from cardio-cerebrovascular diseases, total cancer and specific type of cancer (colorectal, breast, prostate and lung), through meta-analysis. METHODS A comprehensive search of Medline, EMBASE, Scopus, The Cochrane Library, and Google Scholar was conducted. RESULTS Eighty-six cross-sectional and 10 cohort prospective studies were included. The overall analysis among cross-sectional studies reported significant reduced levels of body mass index, total cholesterol, LDL-cholesterol, and glucose levels in vegetarians and vegans versus omnivores. With regard to prospective cohort studies, the analysis showed a significant reduced risk of incidence and/or mortality from ischemic heart disease (RR 0.75; 95% CI, 0.68 to 0.82) and incidence of total cancer (RR 0.92; 95% CI 0.87 to 0.98) but not of total cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases, all-cause mortality and mortality from cancer. No significant association was evidenced when specific types of cancer were analyzed. The analysis conducted among vegans reported significant association with the risk of incidence from total cancer (RR 0.85; 95% CI, 0.75 to 0.95), despite obtained only in a limited number of studies. CONCLUSIONS This comprehensive meta-analysis reports a significant protective effect of a vegetarian diet versus the incidence and/or mortality from ischemic heart disease (-25%) and incidence from total cancer (-8%). Vegan diet conferred a significant reduced risk (-15%) of incidence from total cancer.
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Effect of Probiotics on Metabolic Outcomes in Pregnant Women with Gestational Diabetes: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials.
Taylor, BL, Woodfall, GE, Sheedy, KE, O'Riley, ML, Rainbow, KA, Bramwell, EL, Kellow, NJ
Nutrients. 2017;9(5)
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The gut microbiota is an important ecosystem consisting of both residential and pathogenic bacteria. The microbiota produce bioactive compounds shown to benefit host metabolism. A variety of factors influence the gut microbiome, including host genetics, illness, antibiotic use, dietary patterns, weight loss and pregnancy. Throughout pregnancy the gut microbiota undergoes significant changes. The aim of this study is to determine the effect of 6-8-week probiotic supplementation versus placebo on glucose homeostasis, lipid levels and gestational weight gain in pregnant women diagnosed with gestational diabetes mellitus. This study is a systemic review based on four randomised controlled trials involving 288 participants. All studies included healthy pregnant women, age range between 18 – 40 years, who were diagnosed with gestational diabetes mellitus at 24 – 30 weeks gestation by oral glucose tolerance test. The study found that a 6 – 8-week probiotic intervention did not improve fasting blood glucose or LDL-cholesterol levels. However, probiotic supplementation in women with gestational diabetes mellitus was associated with significant reductions in insulin resistance. Authors conclude that while probiotic supplementation resulted in a significant reduction in insulin resistance in pregnant women with gestational diabetes mellitus, there was no significant effect on fasting blood glucose or LDL-cholesterol.
Abstract
The metabolic effects of probiotic administration in women with gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) is unknown. The objective of this review was to investigate the effect of probiotics on fasting plasma glucose (FPG), insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) and LDL-cholesterol levels in pregnant women diagnosed with GDM. Seven electronic databases were searched for RCTs published in English between 2001 and 2017 investigating the metabolic effects of a 6-8 week dietary probiotic intervention in pregnant women following diagnosis with GDM. Eligible studies were assessed for risk of bias and subjected to qualitative and quantitative synthesis using a random effects model meta-analyses. Four high quality RCTs involving 288 participants were included in the review. Probiotic supplementation was not effective in decreasing FBG (Mean Difference = -0.13; 95% CI -0.32, 0.06, p = 0.18) or LDL-cholesterol (-0.16; 95% CI -0.45, 0.13, p = 0.67) in women with GDM. However, a significant reduction in HOMA-IR was observed following probiotic supplementation (-0.69; 95% CI -1.24, -0.14, p = 0.01). There were no significant differences in gestational weight gain, delivery method or neonatal outcomes between experimental and control groups, and no adverse effects of the probiotics were reported. Probiotic supplementation for 6-8 weeks resulted in a significant reduction in insulin resistance in pregnant women diagnosed with GDM. The use of probiotic supplementation is promising as a potential therapy to assist in the metabolic management of GDM. Further high quality studies of longer duration are required to determine the safety, optimal dose and ideal bacterial composition of probiotics before their routine use can be recommended in this patient group.