Caprara G. Mediterranean-Type Dietary Pattern and Physical Activity: The Winning Combination to Counteract the Rising Burden of Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs).
Nutrients 2021;
13:429. [PMID:
33525638 PMCID:
PMC7910909 DOI:
10.3390/nu13020429]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/30/2020] [Revised: 01/22/2021] [Accepted: 01/25/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Non-communicable diseases (NCDs) (mainly cardiovascular diseases, cancers, chronic respiratory diseases and type 2 diabetes) are the main causes of death worldwide. Their burden is expected to rise in the future, especially in less developed economies and among the poor spread across middle- and high-income countries. Indeed, the treatment and prevention of these pathologies constitute a crucial challenge for public health. The major non-communicable diseases share four modifiable behavioral risk factors: unhealthy diet, physical inactivity, tobacco usage and excess of alcohol consumption. Therefore, the adoption of healthy lifestyles, which include not excessive alcohol intake, no smoking, a healthy diet and regular physical activity, represents a crucial and economical strategy to counteract the global NCDs burden. This review summarizes the latest evidence demonstrating that Mediterranean-type dietary pattern and physical activity are, alone and in combination, key interventions to both prevent and control the rise of NCDs.
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