Chemopreventive Agents
David E. Thurston, Ilona Pysz in Chemistry and Pharmacology of Anticancer Drugs, 2021
It has been speculated for many years that the so-called “Mediterranean Diet” has several health benefits, including reduced risk of heart disease and cancer. This diet, which is commonplace in Mediterranean countries, is characterized by a high consumption of olive oil, legumes, unrefined cereals, fish, fruits and vegetables, dairy products, and wine (particularly red wine), and a low consumption of meat products. Interestingly, a study carried out on 26,000 members of the Greek population suggested that intake of olive oil alone in the diet can reduce the risk of cancer by 9%. In addition to olive oil, the constituents of tomatoes, red peppers, and red wine have all been suggested to act as cancer chemopreventive agents and to have other positive benefits for health. Two components of olive oil, oleic acid and oleocanthal, have been identified as possible cancer chemopreventive agents, along with the carotenoid compounds lycopene and β-cryptoxanthin from tomatoes and red peppers, respectively, and resveratrol found in red wine. These agents are described below in more detail.
Cognitive Aging
Rachael E. Docking, Jennifer Stock in International Handbook of Positive Aging, 2017
Evidence also points to a potential role of proper nutrition in promoting healthy cognitive aging. Much of this work has focused on the consumption of antioxidants, substances that protect against cellular damage by neutralizing reactive molecules known as free-radicals. For example, in a large longitudinal study, Morris and colleagues (2002) examined the potential role of two antioxidants in maintaining cognitive functioning late in life: vitamins E and C. Dietary intake from a large sample of older adults was assessed and cognitive measures were collected at baseline and again about three years later. Individuals who consumed more vitamin E (but not C) experienced less steep cognitive decline across assessment points. Other studies have examined diet type, with a focus on the effects of a Mediterranean diet (MD). A Mediterranean diet includes fish, fruits, vegetable, nuts, cereals, and legumes, and is generally low in saturated fat, red meat, and processed meat. MD foods tend to be high in antioxidants and part of an MD also includes a moderate amount of alcohol consumption. In a longitudinal study of over 500 older adults, MD was associated with better cognition (executive functioning) and a more Western diet was associated with steeper cognitive decline (visuospatial ability, Gardener et al., 2014; see Morris et al., 2015 for additional evidence for the cognitive benefits of a MD-style diet). The number of large-scale human randomized controlled trials examining the effect of diet on late-life cognition is smaller compared to cognitive engagement and physical exercise trials. Some animal work, specifically with dogs, suggests that a diet rich in antioxidants can reduce age-related cognitive decline (Cotman et al., 2002). A recent clinical trial in which participants were randomly assigned to a MD diet that either included nuts or olive oil, or a control diet, suggested some modest cognitive benefits over a four-year period (Valls-Pedret et al., 2015). Another study that explored the effect of a different antioxidant (vitamin B), however, found no benefit (van der Zwaluw et al., 2014). At this point, there is not enough data from large randomized controlled trials to recommend the adoption of specific dietary habits with the sole purpose of improving cognition; however initial results are positive and there are likely to be health benefits in general from adopting a diet that included less processed and red meats.
Traditional and Nontraditional Treatments for Diabetes
Mary J. Marian, Gerard E. Mullin in Integrating Nutrition Into Practice, 2017
Two prominent, national organizations, the American Diabetes Association (ADA) and the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics (The Academy), advise that in the care of adults with diabetes, evidence-based nutritional guidelines individualized to the patient/client (Medical Nutrition Therapy) be utilized [8,25,27]. An individualized eating plan, promoting optimal metabolic control (hemoglobin A1C [A1C], serum lipids, and blood pressure), an ideal/healthy body weight, and delaying/preventing complications is the goal of the dietary intervention [25,27]. The dietary intervention is shaped by the patient’s diabetes type and comorbid conditions. Evidence-based research analysis by the Academy and the ADA advocates the use of specific dietary patterns, such as a Mediterranean diet, dietary approaches to stop hypertension (DASH), and a low-fat or low-carbohydrate diet [25,27]. Clinical studies have demonstrated that a Mediterranean diet is effective in the reduction of insulin resistance and inflammation, resulting in significant weight loss and reduction in the progression to T2DM and related comorbidities. The Mediterranean diet emphasizes fruits and vegetables, nuts, olive oil, legumes, and whole grains. Increasing intake of seafood, lean meats, and low-fat milk products as sources of protein is encouraged, as is moderate amounts of wine with meals. Following this type of diet also increases the intake of fiber. The ADA daily recommendation of 25–35 g of dietary fiber, either as a supplement or in foods, has been shown to improve glycemic control [8,27,28]. Food sources of fiber include chickpeas, beans, peas, lentils, grains, fruits, and vegetables. Though the Mediterranean style of eating is relatively high in total fat as a percentage of total calories (30%–40%), it is higher in the beneficial monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFA), and higher in omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) compared to omega-6 PUFAs, and lower in saturated fatty acids (SFA) [29–32]. Researchers of the Mediterranean diet surmised that altering the macronutrient composition, substituting unsaturated fat for a portion of the carbohydrate, and increasing the omega-3 fatty acids from fish reduces insulin resistance [30,31,33–35].
Mediterranean diet and wellbeing: evidence from a nationwide survey
Published in Psychology & Health, 2019
Darío Moreno-Agostino, Francisco Félix Caballero, Natalia Martín-María, Stefanos Tyrovolas, Pilar López-García, Fernando Rodríguez-Artalejo, Josep Maria Haro, José Luis Ayuso-Mateos, Marta Miret
Objective: Although there is some evidence of the association between specific food groups, such as plant foods, and subjective wellbeing, this is the first study to assess the relationship between adherence to the Mediterranean dietary pattern and subjective wellbeing. Design: Data were collected in 2014–2015, within the Edad con Salud project, a follow-up study of a multistage clustered survey on a representative sample of the population of Spain. The final sample comprised 2397 individuals with ages ranging from 21 to 101 years. Main outcome measures: Experienced wellbeing (positive and negative affect) was measured using the Day Reconstruction Method, and evaluative wellbeing was assessed with the Cantril Self-Anchoring Striving Scale. Results: A higher adherence to the Mediterranean diet showed a small but statistically significant inverse relationship with negative affect (β = −0.076, p=.001), and direct with evaluative wellbeing (β = 0.053, p=.015), whereas it was not related to positive affect. Several components of the Mediterranean diet were independently associated with wellbeing. Conclusion: The results suggest that adherence to a dietary pattern such as the Mediterranean diet, and not only the isolated consumption of its components, is associated with a better subjective wellbeing.
Adherence to Mediterranean diet and risk of prostate cancer
Published in The Aging Male, 2019
Noelia Urquiza-Salvat, Manrique Pascual-Geler, Olga Lopez-Guarnido, Lourdes Rodrigo, Alba Martinez-Burgos, Jose Manuel Cozar, Francisco Manuel Ocaña-Peinado, Maria Jesus Álvarez-Cubero, Ana Rivas
In Europe, countries following the traditional Mediterranean Diet (MeDi), particularly Southern European countries, have lower prostate cancer (PCa) incidence and mortality compared to other European regions. In the present study, we investigated the association between the MeDi and the relative risk of PCa and tumor aggressiveness in a Spanish population. Among individual score components, it has been found that subjects with PCa were less likely to consume olive oil as the main culinary fat, vegetables, fruits and fish than those without. However, these differences were not statistically significative. A high intake of fruit, vegetables and cooked tomato sauce Mediterranean style (sofrito) was related to less PCa aggressiveness. Results showed that there are no differences in the score of adherence to the Mediterranean dietary patterns between cases and controls, with mean values of 8.37 ± 1.80 and 8.25 ± 2.48, respectively. However, MeDi was associated with lower PCa agressiveness according to Gleason score. Hence, relations between Mediterranean dietary patterns and PCa are still inconclusive and merit further investigations. Further large-scale studies are required to clarify the effect of MeDi on prostate health, in order to establish the role of this diet in the prevention of PCa.
Factors Associated with Colorectal Cancer in the Context of the Mediterranean Diet: A Case-Control Study
Published in Nutrition and Cancer, 2014
Giuseppe Grosso, Antonio Biondi, Fabio Galvano, Antonio Mistretta, Stefano Marventano, Silvio Buscemi, Filippo Drago, Francesco Basile
Recent evidence demonstrates that increased adherence to the Mediterranean diet (MD) may prevent colorectal cancer (CRC). The aim of this study was to evaluate the association between health-related characteristics and CRC in the context of the MD. This was a case-control study conducted on a sample of 338 consecutive patients with a first diagnosis of CRC recruited in an urban facility in the city of Catania, southern Italy, and matched with 676 apparently healthy subjects without clinical symptoms or signs of any type of cancer. Data regarding sociodemographic, clinical, and lifestyle characteristics were collected, and adherence to the Mediterranean diet pattern was assessed using the MedDietScore. A significant association between a greater adherence to the MD and lower odds of having cancer (odds ratio = 0.46, 95% confidence interval: 0.28–0.75) was found. Also, smoking status, family history of CRC, obesity, diabetes, physical activity, and high intake of alcohol were significantly associated with CRC, but only among subjects less adherent to the MD. MD was associated with a less detrimental effects of several health-related characteristics associated with CRC, suggesting potential benefits of adherence to this dietary pattern with regards to CRC risk factors.
Related Knowledge Centers
- Diet
- Oleic Acid
- Edible Grain
- Diet Therapy
- Nutritional Support
- Seven Countries Study
- Heart Disease