23 November 2011
The consumption of fish is linked to lower glucose concentrations and a smaller risk of developing diabetes in populations with high cardiovascular disease risk, suggests a new Spanish study.
The observational study analyzed the dietary patterns of 945 Spanish adults between 55 and 80 years of age with a high cardiovascular risk to understand the correlation between the Mediterranean diet and its association with cardiovascular risk factors (1). The study results showed that the participants ate a large amount of red meat and fish. The high intake of saturated fats from red and cured meat consumption (7.4 to 4.7 times a week) was more frequent for men. Women ate more white meat, especially chicken and turkey. As for fish consumption (4.5 to 2.6 times a week), no significant differences were found between men and women. In general, women scored higher for healthy dietary patterns or healthy diets compared to men.
The researchers commented that eating red meat in excess can been linked to higher cardiovascular risk, higher blood pressure, diabetes, and a moderate decrease in life expectancy, mainly due to cancer or heart disease. In contrast, fish, which is more frequent in the Mediterranean diet, is reported to have health benefits for the heart. In the study, fish, both white and, to an even greater degree, oily fish was associated with a lower risk of developing diabetes type 2. According to a hypothesis, the increase of omega-3 fatty acids in the cells of the skeletal muscles may improve insulin sensitivity.
20 October 2011
A recently published study puts forward the hypothesis that older women who take dietary supplements have a higher risk of death.
1 April 2013
It is difficult to prove an unequivocal link between dietary habits and the avoidance of specific diseases, especially when the disease can be influenced by several factors. The sum of multi-factorial risks and protective mechanisms affects the development and prevention of diseases like cancer and cardiovas-cular disease over decades. Hence the positive effects of micronutrients on health, as well as the negative consequences of a slight but long-term insufficiency, are often only detectable after a long period of time. Although numerous scientific studies in recent years have shown that there is no significant association between the diet – for example the consumption of fruit and vegetables – and the incidence of certain cancers, there is much to indicate that the regular intake of sufficient amounts of vitamins, minerals and trace elements can contribute to the prevention of cancer and other lifestyle diseases.
4 April 2012
Many children and adolescents in Germany and the US are adherent to a western diet, which is typically low in beta-carotene, vitamins A, C, D, E, K and folate.
