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Mediterranean Diet and Lifestyle Linked with Less Depression

A Mediterranean lifestyle encompasses much more than just red wine and olive oil; physical movement and social connection are also important as well. To this point, researchers followed 11,800 Spanish adults for 8.5 years monitoring their eating patterns, lifestyle, and health outcomes. Those most closely following a Mediterranean Diet were 18% less likely to develop depression over the 8.5-year study. Similarly, those with the most physical activity and social activity were 19% and 23% less likely to develop depression, respectively. However, a Mediterranean lifestyle, which encompasses diet, physical activity, and social activity, seemed to be most effective, as it was linked with a 50% lower risk of depression. 
Clinical Psychological Science. 2016 Nov. 4(6):1085-10093. (Sanchez-Villegas A et al.)

Switching to Whole Grains Improves Blood Pressure

In a small study, researchers assigned overweight and obese adults in Ohio to one of two diets for 8 weeks, one with whole grains, one with refined grains. After going back to their normal diet for 10 weeks as a washout, the 33 participants then switched diets, serving as their own control. Both diet groups lost weight and body fat, and lowered their systolic blood pressure (the top number in a blood pressure reading), total cholesterol, and LDL (“bad”) cholesterol. The scientists also found that the whole grain diet reduced diastolic blood pressure (the bottom number in the blood pressure reading) by 5.8 mm Hg, “or an additional 4.2 mm Hg beyond any change attributable to weight loss.” According to the researchers, this improvement, which was 3-fold greater in the whole grain group than the refined grain group, “approximates to a 40% lower risk of dying from stroke and a 30% lower risk of dying from ischemic heart disease or other vascular causes.”  
The Journal of Nutrition. 2016 Oct 19. pii: jn230508. [Epub ahead of print] (Kirwan JP et al.)

Pulses Can be More Filling than Meat

Plant-based diets are shown to be more sustainable, but nutrition researchers want to know if they are as satiating as meat-centric meals. In a randomized, double-blind study, 43 healthy young men were given a patty made from either veal and pork (high protein), fava beans and split peas (high protein), or fava beans and potatoes (low protein). The participants rotated through each of the 3 meals (with a 2-week washout in between each one), serving as their own controls. Although the fava and split pea patty was rated as less palatable than the other two meals, it proved to be the most satiating, with participants reporting less hunger and appetite afterwards, and participants didn’t need to eat as much at the following meal to feel full. While both the fava/pea patty and veal/pork patty were both high protein, the additional fiber in the fava/pea patty could also have contributed to the fullness.
Food and Nutrition Research. 2016 Oct 19;60:32634. (Kristensen MD et al.)

Regular Fat Cheese Doesn’t Appear to Affect Cholesterol Differently than Low Fat Cheese or Bread

Animal fats are often linked with high cholesterol, but traditional cheeses appear to behave differently than other sources of animal fat, like red meat or butter. To evaluate cheese’s relationship with cholesterol, Danish researchers assigned more than 130 adults to one of three diet groups: regular diet with 2.8 oz (80g) full fat Danbo and cheddar cheese daily, regular diet with 2.8 oz (80g) reduced fat Danbo and cheddar cheese daily, or regular diet with 3.2 oz (90g) white bread and 0.9 oz (25g) sweet jam daily. At the end of the 12-week study, there was no significant difference in LDL (“bad” cholesterol), HDL (“good” cholesterol), or other metabolic syndrome risk factors between the three groups.
American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. 2016 Oct;104(4):973-981. (Raziani F et al.)

Mediterranean Diet Linked with Lower Risk of Heart Disease & Death from Heart Disease

Even if you don’t live in the Mediterranean, you can still benefit from a Mediterranean style diet. To see how the Mediterranean diet relates to heart disease in England, European researchers analyzed the eating habits and health outcomes of 23,902 adults (age 40-79) in Eastern England. Those most closely following a Mediterranean diet were significantly less likely to develop heart disease. Based on these data, the researchers estimate that 1-6% of all heart disease cases, and 2-14% of all stroke cases can be prevented by following a Mediterranean diet.
BMC Medicine. 2016 Sep 29;14(1):135. (Tong TY et al.)

More Fish, Less Meat, Moderate Alcohol Intake Linked with Lower Heart Failure Risk

The Mediterranean diet is well known for its role in heart health, so researchers wanted to know if the foundations of a Mediterranean diet specifically reduced the risk of heart failure. German researchers analyzed the diets of 24,008 middle aged European adults, and followed their health outcomes for 8 years. While a strong adherence to a Mediterranean diet was not significantly related to lower heart failure risk after adjusting for other risk factors, many components of the Mediterranean diet were linked with a lower risk of heart failure, including high fish intake, moderate alcohol intake, and low meat intake. The researchers conclude that “Minor dietary changes could be valuable primary prevention measures, particularly the increase of fish consumption while reducing the intake of meat.”
European Journal of Clinical Nutrition. 2016 Sep;70(9):1015-21. (Wirth J et al.)

Whole Grains, Pasta Linked with Lower Breast Cancer Risk

An estimated 1 in 8 women in the US will develop invasive breast cancer over her lifetime, so preventive lifestyle choices are an important area of research. To see how diet plays a role, Harvard scientists analyzed the grain food choices of 90,516 pre-menopausal women, and monitored their health outcomes for 22 years. After adjusting for known breast cancer risk factors, those eating 1.5 servings of whole grains per day were 18% less likely to get pre-menopausal breast cancer than those eating hardly any whole grains (0.2 servings/day). This relationship was no longer significant after adjusting for fiber, suggesting that the fiber in whole grains may play a protective role. When looking at individual grain foods, brown rice and pasta (white or whole grain) were associated with a lower risk of overall breast cancer risk, while white bread was linked with a higher risk of overall breast cancer.
Breast Cancer Research and Treatment. 2016 Sep;159(2):335-45. (Farvid MS et al.)

3-4 Extra Servings of Fruits & Veggies Daily Can Improve Blood Pressure, Lower Drug Expenses

If an apple a day can keep the doctor away, imagine what even more fruits and veggies can do! In a study of 108 patients with kidney disease, researchers randomly assigned patients to one of three treatment groups: receiving a sodium bicarbonate drug (standard treatment for kidney patients to neutralize lingering acid), receiving 3-4 servings of fruits and vegetables per day, and receiving no treatment. After 5 years, the systolic blood pressure (the top number in a blood pressure reading) of those in the fruit and vegetable group was 125 mm Hg, compared to 135 mm Hg in the sodium bicarbonate group, and 134 mm Hg in the no treatment group. Because those in the fruit and vegetable group were less dependent on blood pressure medication, their total spending on blood pressure drugs over the 5 year study was $80,000, compared to more than $153,000 for each of the other two groups.
Presented at the American Heart Association Council on Hypertension Scientific Sessions 2016. Orlando, FL. September 15, 2016.

Fruits, Vegetables, Legumes, Whole Grains Linked with Less Pre-Diabetes

Pre-diabetes can increase the risk of diabetes and heart disease, so understanding lifestyle factors is important. To see how diet relates to pre-diabetes, scientists analyzed the eating habits of 150 pre-diabetic adults in Iran, and 150 healthy, matched controls. Two distinct eating patterns emerged: the “vegetable, fruit, legume” pattern, with lots of plant foods including produce, whole grains, nuts, low fat dairy, and fish, and the “sweet, solid fat, meat, and mayonnaise” pattern, with lots desserts, red meat, fried potatoes, and solid fats. Those whose diets more aligned with the “vegetable, fruit, legume” pattern were significantly less likely to be pre-diabetic than those whose diets more closely resembled the “sweet, solid fat, meat, and mayonnaise” pattern.
British Journal of Nutrition. 2016 Sep;116(5):874-81. (Bagheri F et al.)

Traditional Fermentation May Help Improve Bread Shelf Life

Fermented foods are gaining popularity throughout the food industry, and research is showing the benefits extend well beyond their unique flavors. To see how fermentation and probiotics might benefit common food products, scientists in Spain fermented breads with yeast and various strains of lactic acid bacteria (a popular probiotic) then exposed them to A. Parasiticus (a mold that can produce dangerous aflatoxins) and monitored their freshness for 15 days. In the breads treated with lactic acid bacteria, the mold produced 84.1-99.9% fewer dangerous aflotoxins, and some of the breads’ shelf life was improved by 3-4 days compared to breads without the lactic acid bacteria, demonstrating how traditional culinary techniques (such as long sourdough fermentation) might be applied to modern food problems and products.
Food Control. 2016 Sept;67:273-277. (Saladino et al.)

Healthy Diet Linked with Better Reading Skills in Children

To help set your kids up for academic success, don’t overlook the importance of a healthy diet. Scientists analyzed the eating habits of 161 Finnish children in first grade, then monitored their academic performance in grades 1-3. Kids with healthier diets that emphasized fruits, vegetables, whole grains, fish, nuts, and low fat dairy, had better reading fluency and reading comprehension than those whose diets ranked more poorly. There were no statistically significant differences in math performance related to diet.
European Journal of Nutrition. 2016 Sep 9. [Epub ahead of print] (Haapala EA et al.)

Mediterranean Diet Linked with Lower Death Risk in Those with History of Heart Disease

The Mediterranean diet is well known for its role in heart disease prevention, but new research suggests that it may also be beneficial for people who already have a history of heart disease. In a preliminary study, researchers followed 1197 Italian adults who had a history of heart disease and analyzed their eating patterns and health outcomes. Those most closely following a Mediterranean diet were 37% less likely to die during the 7-year study period than those not following a Mediterranean diet. In fact, each 2-point increase on the Mediterranean diet score (on a scale of 0-9) was linked with a 21% lower risk of death. This is greater than the risk reduction seen by taking statins (18%), common cholesterol lowering drugs.
Presentation at the European Society of Cardiology. Rome, Italy. August 28, 2016.

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