A cross-sectional study examined the impact of fruit, vegetables, cereals, legumes and nut consumption on the blood sugar levels of patients with type 2 diabetes in Pak Phun, Thailand. Dietary intakes of 135 participants were collected in hospital using a food frequency questionnaire. According to this work, there was a significant association between the consumption of certain fruit, vegetables and legumes and lower fasting blood glucose levels in people with type 2 diabetes. In addition, the consumption of nuts and seeds was associated with a 76.3% reduction in the risk of type 2 diabetes. These results demonstrate the potential efficacy of diet modulation on glycemic control in patients with type 2 diabetes. Further work is needed to explore strategies for preventing metabolic disorders through nutritional interventions.
The Mediterranean diet has become a “model” of a healthy diet regarding its numerous health benefits. However, are these effects linked to a simple panel of foods highly present in the mediterranean dietary pattern? A narrative review traces the history of the Mediterranean diet and related scientific research. While most studies focus on the benefits of this dietary pattern on human and environmental health, many aspects remain unexplored. Indeed, the authors consider it reductive to limit the Mediterranean diet to the foods consumed. Neglected aspects include cooking methods, food quality and lifestyle (sleep, physical activity, social and cultural habits, geographical context). To conclude, the authors invite future studies to adopt a more holistic approach to the Mediterranean diet, to better understand its effects and move towards the definition of a global diet.
A meta-analysis assessed the association between cruciferous vegetable consumption and the risk of ovarian cancer. To this end, PubMed, Web of Science, Embase and Cochrane Library databases were searched between database creation and October 2023 according to PRISMA guidelines. A total of 7 cohort and 7 case-control studies involving 742,952 subjects were included in this work. Statistical analyses showed a linear correlation between cruciferous vegetable consumption and the risk of ovarian. In addition, this study shows that adding 15 grams of cruciferous vegetables to the diet every day reduces by 4% the probability of developing ovarian cancer.
A recent study evaluated the influence of adhering to the Mediterranean diet for a year on several environmental impacts. Data were collected from 5,800 participants of the PREDIMED-Plus study. Dietary intakes were estimated using food frequency questionnaires, and adherence to the Mediterranean diet using the Dietary Score Index. The diet’s influence on environmental impact was assessed using the EAT-Lancet Commission tables. Results show that after one year, the daily amount of kcal consumed and the environmental impact of diet were significantly reduced. Greater adherence to the Mediterranean diet was associated with lower environmental impact, both at baseline and after one year of intervention. Meat products were the biggest contributors to the environmental impacts studied. This work shows that promoting the Mediterranean diet is an effective strategy to significantly reduce the environmental impacts associated with diet.
A recent study compared the differences in dietary and nutritional intakes of Japanese adults according to their compliance with daily vegetable recommendations. The dietary intakes of 21,606 Japanese individuals from the National Health and Nutrition Survey were collected using food records. According to the results, individuals who met the vegetable recommendation had significantly higher intakes for all the food groups studied, except for cereals, eggs, salty snacks, sweets and beverages. Nevertheless, sodium intake was higher among high vegetable consumers. The conclusions of this study demonstrate that compliance with vegetable recommendations is associated with a healthier, more diversified diet, although salt consumption remains a concern.
