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Nuts and Cardiovascular Disease Outcomes: A Review of the Evidence and Future Directions.
Glenn, AJ, Aune, D, Freisling, H, Mohammadifard, N, Kendall, CWC, Salas-Salvadó, J, Jenkins, DJA, Hu, FB, Sievenpiper, JL
Nutrients. 2023;(4)
Abstract
Nuts are nutrient-rich foods that contain many bioactive compounds that are beneficial for cardiovascular health. Higher consumption of nuts has been associated with a reduced risk of several cardiovascular diseases (CVD) in prospective cohort studies, including a 19% and 25% lower risk of CVD incidence and mortality, respectively, and a 24% and 27% lower risk of coronary heart disease incidence and mortality, respectively. An 18% lower risk of stroke mortality, a 15% lower risk of atrial fibrillation, and a 19% lower risk of total mortality have also been observed. The role of nuts in stroke incidence, stroke subtypes, peripheral arterial disease and heart failure has been less consistent. This narrative review summarizes recommendations for nuts by clinical practice guidelines and governmental organizations, epidemiological evidence for nuts and CVD outcomes, nut-containing dietary patterns, potential mechanisms of nuts and CVD risk reduction, and future research directions, such as the use of biomarkers to help better assess nut intake. Although there are still some uncertainties around nuts and CVD prevention which require further research, as summarized in this review, there is a substantial amount of evidence that supports that consuming nuts will have a positive impact on primary and secondary prevention of CVD.
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Relation of fruit juice with adiposity and diabetes depends on how fruit juice is defined: a re-analysis of the EFSA draft scientific opinion on the tolerable upper intake level for dietary sugars.
Chen, V, Khan, TA, Chiavaroli, L, Ahmed, A, Lee, D, Kendall, CWC, Sievenpiper, JL
European journal of clinical nutrition. 2023;(7):699-704
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Combination of Multiple Low-Risk Lifestyle Behaviors and Incident Type 2 Diabetes: A Systematic Review and Dose-Response Meta-analysis of Prospective Cohort Studies.
Khan, TA, Field, D, Chen, V, Ahmad, S, Mejia, SB, Kahleová, H, Rahelić, D, Salas-Salvadó, J, Leiter, LA, Uusitupa, M, et al
Diabetes care. 2023;(3):643-656
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Abstract
OBJECTIVE Combined low-risk lifestyle behaviors (LRLBs) have been associated with a reduction in type 2 diabetes risk. This relationship has not been systematically quantified. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS A systematic review and meta-analysis was conducted to assess the association of combined LRLBs with type 2 diabetes. Databases were searched up to September 2022. Prospective cohort studies reporting the association between a minimum of three combined LRLBs (including healthy diet) with incident type 2 diabetes were included. Independent reviewers extracted data and assessed study quality. Risk estimates of extreme comparisons were pooled using a random-effects model. Global dose-response meta-analysis (DRM) for maximum adherence was estimated using a one-stage linear mixed model. The certainty of the evidence was assessed using GRADE (Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development and Evaluations). RESULTS Thirty cohort comparisons (n = 1,693,753) involving 75,669 incident type 2 diabetes cases were included. LRLBs, with author-defined ranges, were healthy body weight, healthy diet, regular exercise, smoking abstinence or cessation, and light alcohol consumption. LRLBs were associated with 80% lower risk of type 2 diabetes (relative risk [RR] 0.20; 95% CI 0.17-0.23), comparing the highest with lowest adherence. Global DRM for maximum adherence to all five LRLBs reached 85% protection (RR 0.15; 95% CI 0.12-0.18). The overall certainty of the evidence was graded as high. CONCLUSIONS There is a very good indication that a combination of LRLBs that includes maintaining a healthy bodyweight, healthy diet, regular exercise, smoking abstinence or cessation, and light alcohol consumption is associated with a lower risk of incident type 2 diabetes.
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Nuts in the Prevention and Management of Type 2 Diabetes.
Nishi, SK, Viguiliouk, E, Kendall, CWC, Jenkins, DJA, Hu, FB, Sievenpiper, JL, Atzeni, A, Misra, A, Salas-Salvadó, J
Nutrients. 2023;(4)
Abstract
Diabetes is a continuously growing global concern affecting >10% of adults, which may be mitigated by modifiable lifestyle factors. Consumption of nuts and their inclusion in dietary patterns has been associated with a range of beneficial health outcomes. Diabetes guidelines recommend dietary patterns that incorporate nuts; however, specific recommendations related to nuts have been limited. This review considers the epidemiological and clinical evidence to date for the role of nut consumption as a dietary strategy for the prevention and management of type 2 diabetes (T2D) and related complications. Findings suggest nut consumption may have a potential role in the prevention and management of T2D, with mechanistic studies assessing nuts and individual nut-related nutritional constituents supporting this possibility. However, limited definitive evidence is available to date, and future studies are needed to elucidate better the impact of nuts on the prevention and management of T2D.
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Relation of Change or Substitution of Low- and No-Calorie Sweetened Beverages With Cardiometabolic Outcomes: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis of Prospective Cohort Studies.
Lee, JJ, Khan, TA, McGlynn, N, Malik, VS, Hill, JO, Leiter, LA, Jeppesen, PB, Rahelić, D, Kahleová, H, Salas-Salvadó, J, et al
Diabetes care. 2022;(8):1917-1930
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Abstract
BACKGROUND Adverse associations of low- and no-calorie sweetened beverages (LNCSB) with cardiometabolic outcomes in observational studies may be explained by reverse causality and residual confounding. PURPOSE To address these limitations we used change analyses of repeated measures of intake and substitution analyses to synthesize the association of LNCSB with cardiometabolic outcomes. DATA SOURCES MEDLINE, Embase, and the Cochrane Library were searched up to 10 June 2021 for prospective cohort studies with ≥1 year of follow-up duration in adults. STUDY SELECTION Outcomes included changes in clinical measures of adiposity, risk of overweight/obesity, metabolic syndrome, type 2 diabetes (T2D), cardiovascular disease, and total mortality. DATA EXTRACTION Two independent reviewers extracted data, assessed study quality, and assessed certainty of evidence using GRADE. Data were pooled with a random-effects model and expressed as mean difference (MD) or risk ratio (RR) and 95% CI. DATA SYNTHESIS A total of 14 cohorts (416,830 participants) met the eligibility criteria. Increase in LNCSB intake was associated with lower weight (5 cohorts, 130,020 participants; MD -0.008 kg/year [95% CI -0.014, -0.002]). Substitution of LNCSB for sugar-sweetened beverages (SSB) was associated with lower weight (three cohorts, 165,579 participants; MD, -0.12 [-0.14, -0.10,] kg/y) and lower incidence of obesity (OB) (one cohort, 15,765 participants; RR 0.88 [95% CI 0.88, 0.89]), coronary heart disease (six cohorts, 233,676 participants; 0.89 [0.81, 0.98]), cardiovascular disease mortality (one cohort, 118,363 participants; 0.95 [0.90, 0.99]), and total mortality (one cohort, 118,363 participants; 0.96 [0.94, 0.98]) with no adverse associations across other outcomes. Substitution of water for SSB showed lower weight (three cohorts, 165,579 participants; MD -0.10 kg/year [-0.13, -0.06]), lower waist circumference (one cohort, 173 participants; -2.71 cm/year [-4.27, -1.15]) and percent body fat (one cohort, 173 participants; -1.51% per year [-2.61, -0.42]), and lower incidence of OB (one cohort, 15,765 participants; RR 0.85 [0.75, 0.97]) and T2D (three cohorts, 281,855 participants; 0.96 [0.94, 0.98]). Substitution of LNCSB for water showed no adverse associations. LIMITATIONS The evidence was low to very low certainty owing to downgrades for imprecision, indirectness, and/or inconsistency. CONCLUSIONS LNCSB were not associated with cardiometabolic harm in analyses that model the exposure as change or substitutions. The available evidence provides some indication that LNCSB in their intended substitution for SSB may be associated with cardiometabolic benefit, comparable with the standard of care, water.
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Effect of Important Food Sources of Fructose-Containing Sugars on Inflammatory Biomarkers: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Controlled Feeding Trials.
Qi, X, Chiavaroli, L, Lee, D, Ayoub-Charette, S, Khan, TA, Au-Yeung, F, Ahmed, A, Cheung, A, Liu, Q, Blanco Mejia, S, et al
Nutrients. 2022;(19)
Abstract
BACKGROUND Fructose-containing sugars as sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs) may increase inflammatory biomarkers. Whether this effect is mediated by the food matrix at different levels of energy is unknown. To investigate the role of food source and energy, we conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of controlled trials on the effect of different food sources of fructose-containing sugars on inflammatory markers at different levels of energy control. METHODS MEDLINE, Embase, and the Cochrane Library were searched through March 2022 for controlled feeding trials ≥ 7 days. Four trial designs were prespecified by energy control: substitution (energy matched replacement of sugars); addition (excess energy from sugars added to diets); subtraction (energy from sugars subtracted from diets); and ad libitum (energy from sugars freely replaced). The primary outcome was C-reactive protein (CRP). Secondary outcomes were tumour necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) and interleukin-6 (IL-6). Independent reviewers extracted data and assessed risk of bias. GRADE assessed certainty of evidence. RESULTS We identified 64 controlled trials (91 trial comparisons, n = 4094) assessing 12 food sources (SSB; sweetened dairy; sweetened dairy alternative [soy]; 100% fruit juice; fruit; dried fruit; mixed fruit forms; sweetened cereal grains and bars; sweets and desserts; added nutritive [caloric] sweetener; mixed sources [with SSBs]; and mixed sources [without SSBs]) at 4 levels of energy control over a median 6-weeks in predominantly healthy mixed weight or overweight/obese adults. Total fructose-containing sugars decreased CRP in addition trials and had no effect in substitution, subtraction or ad libitum trials. No effect was observed on other outcomes at any level of energy control. There was evidence of interaction/influence by food source: substitution trials (sweetened dairy alternative (soy) and 100% fruit juice decreased, and mixed sources (with SSBs) increased CRP); and addition trials (fruit decreased CRP and TNF-α; sweets and desserts (dark chocolate) decreased IL-6). The certainty of evidence was moderate-to-low for the majority of analyses. CONCLUSIONS Food source appears to mediate the effect of fructose-containing sugars on inflammatory markers over the short-to-medium term. The evidence provides good indication that mixed sources that contain SSBs increase CRP, while most other food sources have no effect with some sources (fruit, 100% fruit juice, sweetened soy beverage or dark chocolate) showing decreases, which may be dependent on energy control. CLINICALTRIALS gov: (NCT02716870).
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Are fatty nuts a weighty concern? A systematic review and meta-analysis and dose-response meta-regression of prospective cohorts and randomized controlled trials.
Nishi, SK, Viguiliouk, E, Blanco Mejia, S, Kendall, CWC, Bazinet, RP, Hanley, AJ, Comelli, EM, Salas Salvadó, J, Jenkins, DJA, Sievenpiper, JL
Obesity reviews : an official journal of the International Association for the Study of Obesity. 2021;(11):e13330
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Abstract
Nuts are recommended for cardiovascular health, yet concerns remain that nuts may contribute to weight gain due to their high energy density. A systematic review and meta-analysis of prospective cohorts and randomized controlled trials (RCTs) was conducted to update the evidence, provide a dose-response analysis, and assess differences in nut type, comparator and more in subgroup analyses. MEDLINE, EMBASE, and Cochrane were searched, along with manual searches. Data from eligible studies were pooled using meta-analysis methods. Interstudy heterogeneity was assessed (Cochran Q statistic) and quantified (I2 statistic). Certainty of the evidence was assessed by Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluation (GRADE). Six prospective cohort studies (7 unique cohorts, n = 569,910) and 86 RCTs (114 comparisons, n = 5873) met eligibility criteria. Nuts were associated with lower incidence of overweight/obesity (RR 0.93 [95% CI 0.88 to 0.98] P < 0.001, "moderate" certainty of evidence) in prospective cohorts. RCTs presented no adverse effect of nuts on body weight (MD 0.09 kg, [95% CI -0.09 to 0.27 kg] P < 0.001, "high" certainty of evidence). Meta-regression showed that higher nut intake was associated with reductions in body weight and body fat. Current evidence demonstrates the concern that nut consumption contributes to increased adiposity appears unwarranted.
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Dietary Glycaemic Index Labelling: A Global Perspective.
Barclay, AW, Augustin, LSA, Brighenti, F, Delport, E, Henry, CJ, Sievenpiper, JL, Usic, K, Yuexin, Y, Zurbau, A, Wolever, TMS, et al
Nutrients. 2021;(9)
Abstract
The glycaemic index (GI) is a food metric that ranks the acute impact of available (digestible) carbohydrates on blood glucose. At present, few countries regulate the inclusion of GI on food labels even though the information may assist consumers to manage blood glucose levels. Australia and New Zealand regulate GI claims as nutrition content claims and also recognize the GI Foundation's certified Low GI trademark as an endorsement. The GI Foundation of South Africa endorses foods with low, medium and high GI symbols. In Asia, Singapore's Healthier Choice Symbol has specific provisions for low GI claims. Low GI claims are also permitted on food labels in India. In China, there are no national regulations specific to GI; however, voluntary claims are permitted. In the USA, GI claims are not specifically regulated but are permitted, as they are deemed to fall under general food-labelling provisions. In Canada and the European Union, GI claims are not legal under current food law. Inconsistences in food regulation around the world undermine consumer and health professional confidence and call for harmonization. Global provisions for GI claims/endorsements in food standard codes would be in the best interests of people with diabetes and those at risk.
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Destigmatizing Carbohydrate with Food Labeling: The Use of Non-Mandatory Labelling to Highlight Quality Carbohydrate Foods.
Marinangeli, CPF, Harding, SV, Glenn, AJ, Chiavaroli, L, Zurbau, A, Jenkins, DJA, Kendall, CWC, Miller, KB, Sievenpiper, JL
Nutrients. 2020;(6)
Abstract
Dietary carbohydrates are components of healthy foods, but many carbohydrate foods have recently been stigmatized as primary causes of diet-related risk factors for chronic disease. There is an opportunity to enhance efforts within the food landscape to encourage the consumption of higher quality carbohydrate foods. The use of labelling is one strategy that permits consumers to identify healthy carbohydrate foods at the point-of-purchase. This review discusses the regulatory frameworks and examples of associated non-mandatory food labelling claims that are currently employed to highlight healthy carbohydrate foods to consumers. The existing labelling frameworks discussed here align with established measures of carbohydrate quality, such as 1. dietary fibre nutrient content claims and associated dietary fibre-based health claims; 2. the presence of whole carbohydrate foods and ingredients that are intact or reconstituted, such as whole grains; and 3. low glycemic index and glycemic response claims. Standards from Codex Alimentarius, and regulations from Australia and New Zealand, Canada, Europe, and the United States will be used to illustrate the means by which food labelling can be used by consumers to identify quality carbohydrate foods.
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Effect of pasta in the context of low-glycaemic index dietary patterns on body weight and markers of adiposity: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials in adults.
Chiavaroli, L, Kendall, CWC, Braunstein, CR, Blanco Mejia, S, Leiter, LA, Jenkins, DJA, Sievenpiper, JL
BMJ open. 2018;(3):e019438
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Carbohydrate staples such as pasta have been implicated in the obesity epidemic. It is unclear whether pasta contributes to weight gain or like other low-glycaemic index (GI) foods contributes to weight loss. We synthesised the evidence of the effect of pasta on measures of adiposity. DESIGN Systematic review and meta-analysis using the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluation (GRADE) approach. DATA SOURCES MEDLINE, Embase, CINAHL and the Cochrane Library were searched through 7 February 2017. ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA FOR SELECTING STUDIES We included randomised controlled trials ≥3 weeks assessing the effect of pasta alone or in the context of low-GI dietary patterns on measures of global (body weight, body mass index (BMI), body fat) and regional (waist circumference (WC), waist-to-hip ratio (WHR), sagittal abdominal diameter (SAD)) adiposity in adults. DATA EXTRACTION AND SYNTHESIS Two independent reviewers extracted data and assessed risk of bias. Data were pooled using the generic inverse-variance method and expressed as mean differences (MDs) with 95% CIs. Heterogeneity was assessed (Cochran Q statistic) and quantified (I2 statistic). GRADE assessed the certainty of the evidence. RESULTS We identified no trial comparisons of the effect of pasta alone and 32 trial comparisons (n=2448 participants) of the effect of pasta in the context of low-GI dietary patterns. Pasta in the context of low-GI dietary patterns significantly reduced body weight (MD=-0.63 kg; 95% CI -0.84 to -0.42 kg) and BMI (MD=-0.26 kg/m2; 95% CI -0.36 to -0.16 kg/m2) compared with higher-GI dietary patterns. There was no effect on other measures of adiposity. The certainty of the evidence was graded as moderate for body weight, BMI, WHR and SAD and low for WC and body fat. CONCLUSIONS Pasta in the context of low-GI dietary patterns does not adversely affect adiposity and even reduces body weight and BMI compared with higher-GI dietary patterns. Future trials should assess the effect of pasta in the context of other 'healthy' dietary patterns. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER NCT02961088; Results.