The effect of alternate-day caloric restriction on the metabolic consequences of 8 days of bed rest in healthy lean men: a randomized trial

Intermittent fasting as a treatment for obesity in young people: a scoping review

Intermittent fasting focuses on the timing of eating rather than diet quality or energy intake, with evidence supporting its effects on weight loss and improvements in cardiometabolic outcomes in adults with obesity. However, there is limited evidence for its feasibility and efficacy in young people. To address this, a scoping review was conducted to examine intermittent fasting regimens in individuals aged 10 to 25 for the treatment of obesity focusing on methodology, intervention parameters, outcomes, adherence, feasibility, and efficacy. Due to the paucity of evidence in this age group, to adequately assess feasibility and adherence, all published studies of intermittent fasting in this age category, regardless of weight status and treatment intention, were included in the review. The review included 34 studies (28 interventional studies and 6 observational studies) with 893 participants aged 12 to 25. Interventions varied with 9 studies in cohorts with obesity utilizing intermittent fasting as an obesity treatment. Thirteen studies utilized 8-h time-restricted eating. Primary outcomes included cardiometabolic risk factors (7/28), anthropometric measurements (7/28), body composition (5/28), muscular performance (4/28), feasibility (1/28), and others (4/28). All 9 studies conducted in young people with obesity reported some degree of weight loss, although the comparator groups varied significantly. This review underscores the various utilizations of intermittent fasting in this age group and highlights its potential in treating obesity. However, the findings emphasize the need for rigorous studies with standardized frameworks for feasibility to ensure comparability and determine intermittent fasting's practicality in this age group depending on the treatment outcome of interest.

Intermittent Fasting in Youth: A Scoping Review

Intermittent fasting (IF) focuses on the timing of eating rather than diet quality or energy intake, with evidence supporting its effects on weight loss and cardiometabolic outcomes in adults. However, there is limited evidence for its efficacy in adolescents and emerging adults. To address this, a scoping review examined IF regimens in individuals aged 10 to 25, focusing on methodology, intervention parameters, outcomes, adherence, feasibility, and efficacy. The review included 39 studies with 731 participants aged 15 to 25. Methodologies varied, with 18 studies on time-restricted eating and others requiring caloric restriction. Primary outcomes included cardiometabolic risk factors (11/29), body composition (9/29), anthropometric measurements (8/29), and feasibility (2/29). Most studies reported significant weight loss. This review underscores IF's potential in treating obesity in this age group but highlights the need for rigorous studies with standardized frameworks for feasibility to ensure comparability and determine IF's practicality in this age group.

A new perspective on special effective interventions for metabolic syndrome risk factors: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Metabolic syndrome (MetS) has the largest global burden of all noncommunicable diseases. Owing to the clinical heterogeneity of MetS, wide variations have been reported in the efficacy of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) and intermittent fasting (IF) for improving MetS. We searched five databases for randomized controlled trials published through December 2021, and 372 participants from 11 studies were included in this meta-analysis. Compared with MVPA alone, IF combined with MVPA had a more significant effect on improving body mass and levels of fasting blood glucose and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol; however, it was ineffective in improving triglycerides level, systolic blood pressure, and diastolic blood pressure. Subgroup analysis showed that, except for blood pressure, time-restricted fasting combined with MVPA had a better effect than alternate-day fasting with MVPA. Meanwhile, when the intervention lasted longer than 8 weeks, the effect of the combined intervention was significantly better than that of MVPA alone. This finding provides a basis for clinicians to manage the health of overweight individuals. This study also showed that Caucasians may be more suitable for the combined intervention than Asians. And the combined intervention may provide a preventive effect for MetS risk factors in healthy populations, although this may be due to the small sample size. In general, this study provides a novel perspective on special interventions for MetS traits.

Exercise modulates the immune system in cardiorespiratory disease patients: Implications for clinical practice during the COVID-19 pandemic

BACKGROUND

Patients with cardiorespiratory problems often suffer from systemic inflammation. Stress due to the disease and continuous inflammation can undermine the success of the rehabilitation program.

OBJECTIVE

This review has been undertaken primarily to understand the effectiveness of exercise training on the immune system in individuals undergoing cardiorespiratory rehabilitation and its implications for further management during the COVID-19 pandemic.

METHODS

Assessors analyzed related studies identified in the MEDLINE, PROQUEST, PUBMED, Cochrane Library, CINAHL, EMBASE, Google Scholar, Physiotherapy Evidence, and Science Direct databases. The studies were divided into groups focused on the effect of exercise on blood leukocytes, the anti-inflammatory effect, and the role of nutrition and exercise in resolving inflammation.

RESULTS

Twenty-eight studies were included in this review. The number of studies included in each section was as follows: the effects of exercise training on leukocytes in cardiorespiratory conditions (n = 8), anti-inflammatory effect (n = 6), and the role of nutrition and exercise in resolving inflammation (n = 14). The bias risk assessment showed poor internal validity; most included studies were assigned no and unclear descriptors.

CONCLUSIONS

Substantive evidence is presented that emphasizes the role of moderate-intensity exercise in boosting the immune system in patients with cardiorespiratory diseases. Exercise has anti-inflammatory effects that are vital for overall well-being and resolving longstanding inflammation. Individuals with an active lifestyle had a better pathogen immune response than more sedentary individuals. Our findings highlight the current need to investigate the long-term effects of cardiorespiratory rehabilitation programs.

Contributions of physical inactivity and sedentary behavior to metabolic and endocrine diseases

Physical inactivity is the fourth leading global cause of death and is a major contributor to metabolic and endocrine diseases. In this review we provide a current update of the past 5 years in the field as it pertains to the most prevalent and deadly chronic diseases. Despite the prevalence of physical inactivity in modern society, it remains largely overlooked relative to other comparable risk factors such as obesity, and our molecular understanding of how physical inactivity impacts metabolism is still partially unknown. Therefore, we discuss current clinical inactivity models along with their most recent findings regarding health outcomes along with any discrepancies that are present in the field. Lastly, we discuss future directions and the need for translatable animal models of physical inactivity to discover novel molecular targets for the prevention of chronic disease.

Life-long dietary restrictions have negligible or damaging effects on late-life cognitive performance: A key role for genetics in outcomes

Several studies report that caloric restriction (CR) or intermittent fasting (IF) can improve cognition, while others report limited or no cognitive benefits. Here, we compare the effects of 20% CR, 40% CR, 1-day IF, and 2-day IF feeding paradigms to ad libitum controls on Y-maze working memory (WM) and contextual fear memory (CFM) in a large population of Diversity Outbred mice that model the genetic diversity of humans. While CR and IF interventions improve lifespan, we observed no enhancement of working memory or CFM in mice on these feeding paradigms, and report 40% CR to be damaging to recall of CFM. Using Quantitative Trait Loci mapping, we identified the gene Slc16a7 to be associated with CFM outcomes in aged mice on lifespan promoting feeding paradigms. Limited utility of dieting and fasting on memory in mice that recapitulate genetic diversity in the human population highlights the need for anti-aging therapeutics that promote cognitive function, with the neuronal monocarboxylate transporter MCT2 encoded by Slc16a7 highlighted as novel target.

The Effectiveness of Intermittent Fasting, Time Restricted Feeding, Caloric Restriction, a Ketogenic Diet and the Mediterranean Diet as Part of the Treatment Plan to Improve Health and Chronic Musculoskeletal Pain: A Systematic Review

Food strategies are currently used to improve inflammation and oxidative stress conditions in chronic pain which contributes to a better quality of life for patients. The main purpose of this systematic review is to analyze the effectiveness of different dietary strategies as part of the treatment plan for patients suffering from chronic pain and decreased health. PubMed, Web of Science, ProQuest, Scopus, Cumulative Index to Nursing & Allied Health Literature (CINAHL), Cambridge Core, and Oxford Academy databases were used to review and to appraise the literature. Randomized clinical trials (RCT), observational studies, and systematic reviews published within the last 6 years were included. The Physiotherapy Evidence Database (PEDro) scale, the PEDro Internal Validity (PVI), the Standard Quality Assessment Criteria for Evaluating Primary Research Papers from a variety of fields (QUALSYT), and the Quality Assessment Tool of Systematic Reviews scale were used to evaluate the risk of bias of the included studies. A total of 16 articles were included, of which 11 were RCTs and 5 were observational studies. Six of them showed an improvement in pain assessment, while two studies showed the opposite. Inflammation was shown to be decreased in four studies, while one did not show a decrease. The quality of life was shown to have improved in five studies. All of the selected studies obtained good methodological quality in their assessment scales. In the PVI, one RCT showed good internal validity, five RCTs showed moderate internal quality, while five of them were limited. Current research shows that consensus on the effects of an IF diet on pain improvement, in either the short or the long term, is lacking. A caloric restriction diet may be a good long term treatment option for people suffering from pain. Time restricted food and ketogenic diets may improve the quality of life in chronic conditions. However, more studies analyzing the effects of different nutritional strategies, not only in isolation but in combination with other therapies in the short and the long term, are needed.

Research gaps in Ramadan fasting studies in health and disease

BACKGROUND AND AIM

Ramadan fasting is a religious fasting of Muslims and has many effects on health and disease. This study aim was to analyze Ramadan fasting research output during the past five years and identify research gaps in this field.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

A systematic search was performed in Web of Science, pubmed, Scopus, EMBASE and Cochrane databases by appropriate keywords. Documents published between January 2015 and January 2020 with English language were included. After removing duplicates, remained documents were screened and classified.

RESULTS

Finally, after screening, 393 documents remained and were classified. Of these documents, 53 were review article and 338 original articles. More than 96% of studies were clinical study while basic science studies were too limited. Among the study topics, diabetes mellitus with 31% was the most common topic followed by metabolic disorders and nutrition, respectively.

CONCLUSION

Ramadan fasting is an important religious issue that needs more attention. Research should be directed to clinical and basic studies in different health and disease conditions other than nutrition and metabolic disorders.

Ceramide Biomarkers Predictive of Cardiovascular Disease Risk Increase in Healthy Older Adults After Bed Rest

Acute bed rest places older adults at risk for health complications by disrupting homeostasis in many organ systems, including the cardiovascular system. Circulating ceramides are emerging biomarkers predictive of cardiovascular and metabolic health and have recently been shown to be sensitive indices of cardiovascular (CV) risk. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to characterize the time course of changes in circulating ceramides in healthy younger and older adults after 5 days of bed rest and to determine whether short-term bed rest alters CV-related circulating ceramides. We hypothesized that circulating ceramides predictive of poor cardiometabolic outcomes would increase following 5 days of bed rest. Thirty-five healthy younger and older men and women (young: n = 13, old: n = 22) underwent 5 days of controlled bed rest. Fasting blood samples collected daily during the course of bed rest were used to measure circulating ceramides, lipoproteins, adiponectin, and fibroblast growth factor 21 (FGF21) levels. The primary findings were that circulating ceramides decreased while ceramide ratios and the cardiac event risk test 1 score were increased primarily in older adults, and these findings were independent of changes in circulating lipoprotein levels. Additionally, we found that changes in circulating adiponectin, FGF21 and the 6-minute walk test (6MW) inversely correlated with CV-related circulating ceramides after bed rest. The results of this study highlight the sensitivity of circulating ceramides to detect potential CV dysfunction that may occur with acute physical disuse in aging.

Intermittent fasting for the prevention of cardiovascular disease

BACKGROUND

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the leading cause of death worldwide. Lifestyle changes are at the forefront of preventing the disease. This includes advice such as increasing physical activity and having a healthy balanced diet to reduce risk factors. Intermittent fasting (IF) is a popular dietary plan involving restricting caloric intake to certain days in the week such as alternate day fasting and periodic fasting, and restricting intake to a number of hours in a given day, otherwise known as time-restricted feeding. IF is being researched for its benefits and many randomised controlled trials have looked at its benefits in preventing CVD.

OBJECTIVES

To determine the role of IF in preventing and reducing the risk of CVD in people with or without prior documented CVD.

SEARCH METHODS

We conducted our search on 12 December 2019; we searched CENTRAL, MEDLINE and Embase. We also searched three trials registers and searched the reference lists of included papers. Systematic reviews were also viewed for additional studies. There was no language restriction applied.

SELECTION CRITERIA

We included randomised controlled trials comparing IF to ad libitum feeding (eating at any time with no specific caloric restriction) or continuous energy restriction (CER). Participants had to be over the age of 18 and included those with and without cardiometabolic risk factors. Intermittent fasting was categorised into alternate-day fasting, modified alternate-day fasting, periodic fasting and time-restricted feeding.

DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS

Five review authors independently selected studies for inclusion and extraction. Primary outcomes included all-cause mortality, cardiovascular mortality, stroke, myocardial infarction, and heart failure. Secondary outcomes include the absolute change in body weight, and glucose. Furthermore, side effects such as headaches and changes to the quality of life were also noted. For continuous data, pooled mean differences (MD) (with 95% confidence intervals (CIs)) were calculated. We contacted trial authors to obtain missing data. We used GRADE to assess the certainty of the evidence.  MAIN RESULTS: Our search yielded 39,165 records after the removal of duplicates. From this, 26 studies met our criteria, and 18 were included in the pooled analysis. The 18 studies included 1125 participants and observed outcomes ranging from four weeks to six months. No studies included data on all-cause mortality, cardiovascular mortality, stroke, myocardial infarction, and heart failure at any point during follow-up. Of quantitatively analysed data, seven studies compared IF with ab libitum feeding, eight studies compared IF with CER, and three studies compared IF with both ad libitum feeding and CER. Outcomes were reported at short term (≤ 3 months) and medium term (> 3 months to 12 months) follow-up. Body weight was reduced with IF compared to ad libitum feeding in the short term (MD -2.88 kg, 95% CI -3.96 to -1.80; 224 participants; 7 studies; low-certainty evidence). We are uncertain of the effect of IF when compared to CER in the short term (MD -0.88 kg, 95% CI -1.76 to 0.00; 719 participants; 10 studies; very low-certainty evidence) and there may be no effect in the medium term (MD -0.56 kg, 95% CI -1.68 to 0.56; 279 participants; 4 studies; low-certainty evidence). We are uncertain about the effect of IF on glucose when compared to ad libitum feeding in the short term (MD -0.03 mmol/L, 95% CI -0.26 to 0.19; 95 participants; 3 studies; very-low-certainty of evidence) and when compared to CER  in the short term: MD -0.02 mmol/L, 95% CI -0.16 to 0.12; 582 participants; 9 studies; very low-certainty; medium term: MD 0.01, 95% CI -0.10 to 0.11; 279 participants; 4 studies; low-certainty evidence). The changes in body weight and glucose were not deemed to be clinically significant. Four studies reported data on side effects, with some participants complaining of mild headaches. One study reported on the quality of life using the RAND SF-36 score. There was a modest increase in the physical component summary score.

AUTHORS' CONCLUSIONS

Intermittent fasting was seen to be superior to ad libitum feeding in reducing weight. However, this was not clinically significant. There was no significant clinical difference between IF and CER in improving cardiometabolic risk factors to reduce the risk of CVD. Further research is needed to understand the safety and risk-benefit analysis of IF in specific patient groups (e.g. patients with diabetes or eating disorders) as well as the effect on longer-term outcomes such as all-cause mortality and myocardial infarction.

Muscle-Organ Crosstalk: The Emerging Roles of Myokines

Physical activity decreases the risk of a network of diseases, and exercise may be prescribed as medicine for lifestyle-related disorders such as type 2 diabetes, dementia, cardiovascular diseases, and cancer. During the past couple of decades, it has been apparent that skeletal muscle works as an endocrine organ, which can produce and secrete hundreds of myokines that exert their effects in either autocrine, paracrine, or endocrine manners. Recent advances show that skeletal muscle produces myokines in response to exercise, which allow for crosstalk between the muscle and other organs, including brain, adipose tissue, bone, liver, gut, pancreas, vascular bed, and skin, as well as communication within the muscle itself. Although only few myokines have been allocated to a specific function in humans, it has been identified that the biological roles of myokines include effects on, for example, cognition, lipid and glucose metabolism, browning of white fat, bone formation, endothelial cell function, hypertrophy, skin structure, and tumor growth. This suggests that myokines may be useful biomarkers for monitoring exercise prescription for people with, for example, cancer, diabetes, or neurodegenerative diseases.

Cognitive Impact of Calorie Restriction: A Narrative Review

The impairment of cognitive function can cause substantial emotional and financial burdens. A recent global increasing trend in cognitive impairment and associated disorders has been observed, which will continue to grow as the population ages rapidly. As a nonpharmaceutical approach, calorie restriction (CR) has received extensive research interests due to its health benefits, including maintaining cognitive function. In this narrative review, we first briefly introduce the role of cognitive function in activities of daily living and CR as a part of healthy lifestyle behaviors to protect against cognitive decline. Second, we present results from human studies demonstrating that CR might be beneficial for improving age-related cognitive decline and cognitive impairment in the clinical population such as obesity and type 2 diabetes. Third, the potential mechanisms regarding the protective effects of CR on cognition are discussed. Fourth, specific suggestions are highlighted to be considered in future human studies. Overall, although there are few data available from human studies, CR appears to be beneficial for cognitive protection for both healthy and clinical populations. Further scientific investigations are needed before a firm conclusion can be made.

Intermittent Fasting and Metabolic Health: From Religious Fast to Time-Restricted Feeding

Over the past 10 to 15 years, intermittent fasting has emerged as an unconventional approach to reduce body weight and improve metabolic health beyond simple calorie restriction. In this review, we summarize findings related to Ramadan and Sunnah fasting. We then discuss the role of caloric restriction not only as an intervention for weight control, but importantly, as a strategy for healthy aging and longevity. Finally, we review the four most common intermittent fasting (IF) strategies used to date for weight management and to improve cardiometabolic health. Weight loss is common after IF but does not appear to be different than daily caloric restriction when compared directly. IF may also provide additional cardiometabolic benefit, such as insulin sensitization, that is independent from weight loss. While no specific fasting regimen stands out as superior at this time, there is indeed heterogeneity in responses to these different IF diets. This suggests that one dietary regimen may not be ideally suited for every individual. Future studies should consider strategies for tailoring dietary prescriptions, including IF, based on advanced phenotyping and genotyping prior to diet initiation.

Bed rest and accelerated aging in relation to the musculoskeletal and cardiovascular systems and frailty biomarkers: A review

Prolonged bed rest and lifelong physical inactivity cause deleterious effects to multiple physiological systems that appear to hasten aging processes. Many such changes are similar to those seen with microgravity in space, but at a much faster rate. Head down tilt bed rest models are used to study whole-body changes that occur with spaceflight. We propose that bed rest can be used to quantify accelerated human aging in relation to frailty. In particular, frailty as a measure of the accumulation of deficits estimates the variability in aging across systems, and moves away from the traditional single-system approach. Here, we provide an overview of the impact of bed rest on the musculoskeletal and cardiovascular systems as well as frailty-related biological markers and inflammatory cytokines. We also propose future inquiries to study the accumulation of deficits with head down bed rest and bed rest in the clinical setting, specifically to understand how unrepaired and unremoved subclinical and subcellular damage give rise to clinically observable health problems.

Intermittent Fasting: Is the Wait Worth the Weight?

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

We review the underlying mechanisms and potential benefits of intermittent fasting (IF) from animal models and recent clinical trials.

RECENT FINDINGS

Numerous variations of IF exist, and study protocols vary greatly in their interpretations of this weight loss trend. Most human IF studies result in minimal weight loss and marginal improvements in metabolic biomarkers, though outcomes vary. Some animal models have found that IF reduces oxidative stress, improves cognition, and delays aging. Additionally, IF has anti-inflammatory effects, promotes autophagy, and benefits the gut microbiome. The benefit-to-harm ratio varies by model, IF protocol, age at initiation, and duration. We provide an integrated perspective on potential benefits of IF as well as key areas for future investigation. In clinical trials, caloric restriction and IF result in similar degrees of weight loss and improvement in insulin sensitivity. Although these data suggest that IF may be a promising weight loss method, IF trials have been of moderate sample size and limited duration. More rigorous research is needed.

Low fitness is associated with abdominal adiposity and low-grade inflammation independent of BMI

OBJECTIVE

Up to 30% of obese individuals are metabolically healthy. Metabolically healthy obese (MHO) individuals are characterized by having low abdominal adiposity, low inflammation level and low risk of developing metabolic comorbidity. In this study, we hypothesize that cardiorespiratory fitness (fitness) is a determinant factor for the MHO individuals and aim to investigate the associations between fitness, abdominal adiposity and low-grade inflammation within different BMI categories.

METHOD

Data from 10,976 individuals from the general population, DANHES 2007-2008, on waist circumference, fitness and C-reactive protein (hsCRP) were analysed using multiple linear and median quantile regressions.

RESULTS

In men, an inverse association between fitness (+5 mL min-1 kg-1) and waist circumference (-1.45 cm; 95% CI: -1.55 to -1.35 cm; p<0.001), and an inverse association between fitness (+5 mL min-1 kg-1) and hsCRP (-0.22 mg/L; 95% CI: -0.255 to -0.185 mg/L; p<0.001) was found, all independent of BMI. Similarly in women, an inverse association between fitness (+5 mL min-1 kg-1) and waist circumference (-1.15 cm; 95% CI: -1.25 to -1.0 cm; p<0.001), and an inverse association between fitness (+5 mL min-1 kg-1) and hsCRP (-0.26 mg/L; 95% CI: -0.3 to -0.22 mg/L; p<0.001) was found, all independent of BMI. Additionally, significant positive associations between waist circumference and hsCRP were found for both men and women, independently of BMI.

CONCLUSION

Fitness was found to be inversely associated with both abdominal adiposity and low-grade inflammation independent of BMI. These data suggest that, in spite of BMI, high fitness levels lead to a reduction in abdominal fat mass and low-grade inflammation.

Effects of strict prolonged bed rest on cardiorespiratory fitness: systematic review and meta-analysis

The aim of this systematic review and meta-analysis [International Prospective Register of Systematic Reviews (PROSPERO) CRD42017055619] was to assess the effects of strict prolonged bed rest (without countermeasures) on maximal oxygen uptake (V̇o2max) and to explore sources of variation therein. Since 1949, 80 studies with a total of 949 participants (>90% men) have been published with data on strict bed rest and V̇o2max. The studies were conducted mainly in young participants [median age (interquartile range) 24.5 (22.4–34.0) yr]. The duration of bed rest ranged from 1 to 90 days. V̇o2max declined linearly across bed rest duration. No statistical difference in the decline among studies reporting V̇o2max as l/min (−0.3% per day) compared with studies reporting V̇o2max normalized to body weight (ml·kg−1·min−1; −0.43% per day) was observed. Although both total body weight and lean body mass declined in response to bed rest, we did not see any associations with the decline in V̇o2max. However, 15–26% of the variation in the decline in V̇o2max was explained by the pre-bed-rest V̇o2max levels, independent of the duration of bed rest (i.e., higher pre-bed-rest V̇o2max levels were associated with larger declines in V̇o2max). Furthermore, the systematic review revealed a gap in the knowledge about the cardiovascular response to extreme physical inactivity, particularly in older subjects and women of any age group. In addition to its relevance to spaceflight, this lack of data has significant translational implications because younger women sometimes undergo prolonged periods of bed rest associated with the complications of pregnancy and the incidence of hospitalization including prolonged periods of bed rest increases with age.

NEW & NOTEWORTHY Large interindividual responses of maximal oxygen uptake (V̇o2max) to aerobic exercise training exist. However, less is known about the variability in the response of V̇o2max to prolonged bed rest. This systematic review and meta-analysis showed that pre-bed-rest V̇o2max values were inversely associated with the change in V̇o2max independent of the duration of bed rest. Moreover, we identified a large knowledge gap about the causes of decline in V̇o2max, particularly in postmenopausal women, which may have clinical implications.

Anti-inflammatory effects of exercise: role in diabetes and cardiovascular disease

BACKGROUND

Persistent inflammation is involved in the pathogenesis of chronic diseases such as type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and cardiovascular disease (CVD).

AIMS

The aim of this review was to provide the reader with an update of the mechanisms whereby exercise-induced cytokines may impact cardiometabolic diseases.

RESULTS

Evidence exists that interleukin (IL)-1β is involved in pancreatic β-cell damage, whereas TNF-α is a key molecule in peripheral insulin resistance. In addition, TNF-α appears to be involved in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis and heart failure. A marked increase in IL-6 and IL-10 is provoked by exercise and exerts direct anti-inflammatory effects by an inhibition of TNF-α and by stimulating IL-1ra, thereby limiting IL-1β signalling. Moreover, muscle-derived IL-6 appears to have direct anti-inflammatory effects and serves as a mechanism to improve glucose tolerance. In addition, indirect anti-inflammatory effects of long-term exercise are mediated via improvements in body composition.

CONCLUSION

Physical activity represents a natural, strong anti-inflammatory strategy with minor side effects and should be integrated in the management of patients with cardiometabolic diseases.

NutrimiRAging: Micromanaging Nutrient Sensing Pathways through Nutrition to Promote Healthy Aging

Current sociodemographic predictions point to a demographic shift in developed and developing countries that will result in an unprecedented increase of the elderly population. This will be accompanied by an increase in age-related conditions that will strongly impair human health and quality of life. For this reason, aging is a major concern worldwide. Healthy aging depends on a combination of individual genetic factors and external environmental factors. Diet has been proved to be a powerful tool to modulate aging and caloric restriction has emerged as a valuable intervention in this regard. However, many questions about how a controlled caloric restriction intervention affects aging-related processes are still unanswered. Nutrient sensing pathways become deregulated with age and lose effectiveness with age. These pathways are a link between diet and aging. Thus, fully understanding this link is a mandatory step before bringing caloric restriction into practice. MicroRNAs have emerged as important regulators of cellular functions and can be modified by diet. Some microRNAs target genes encoding proteins and enzymes belonging to the nutrient sensing pathways and, therefore, may play key roles in the modulation of the aging process. In this review, we aimed to show the relationship between diet, nutrient sensing pathways and microRNAs in the context of aging.