High Versus Low Adherence to the Mediterranean Diet for Prevention of Diabetes Mellitus Type 2: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Relationship between diabetic peripheral neuropathy and adherence to the Mediterranean diet in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus: an observational study

PURPOSE

The main study goal is to assess the relationship between adherence to the mediterranean diet (MD) and the presence of diabetic peripheral neuropathy (DPN) in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM).

METHODS

Observational pilot study of 174 patients diagnosed with T2DM. Sociodemographic and anthropometric variables, physical activity, smoking habits, blood biochemical parameters and comorbidities were recorded. The presence of alterations in sensitivity to pressure, pain, thermal and vibration was explored. Good MD adherence was a score  ≥  9 the 14-point MD adherence questionnaire (MEDAS-14).

RESULTS

The study population consisted of 174 patients (61.5% men and 38.5% women), with a mean age of 69.56 ± 8.86 years; 19% of these patients adhered to the MD. The score obtained in the MEDAS-14 was higher in patients who did not present alterations in sensitivity to pressure (p = 0.047) or vibration (p = 0.021). The patients without diabetic peripheral neuropathy were more likely to comply with the MD and had a higher score on the MEDAS-14 (p = 0.047). However, multivariate analysis showed that only altered sensitivity to pressure was associated with adherence to the MD (altered sensitivity OR = 2.9; 95%CI 1.02-8.22; p = 0.045).

CONCLUSIONS

Although the patients with DPN had lower scores on the MEDAS questionnaire and therefore poorer adherence to the mediterranean diet, the only parameter significantly associated with the MD was that of sensitivity to pressure (monofilament test).

Long-Term Adherence to the Mediterranean Diet Reduces 20-Year Diabetes Incidence: The ATTICA Cohort Study (2002-2022)

This study aimed to evaluate the association between adherence to the Mediterranean diet and the 20-year incidence of type II diabetes mellitus (T2DM) among adults from the ATTICA study. This study involved a prospective cohort of 3042 men and women recruited at baseline from the Attica region in Greece. Sociodemographic, anthropometric, lifestyle, and clinical characteristics were evaluated at baseline and follow-up examinations; adherence to the Mediterranean diet was assessed through the MedDietScore (range 0-55); four Mediterranean diet trajectories were identified (i.e., increasing, decreasing, and sustained high and sustained low adherence levels). For the present analysis, data from 2000 individuals with complete information were used (age 43 ± 13 years; 49% men). Over the 20-year period, 26.3% (95%CI 24.4%, 28.3%) of participants developed T2DM; men exhibited a 1.5-times higher incidence compared to women (p < 0.001). Individuals consistently close to the Mediterranean diet throughout the studied period had an improved glycemic and lipidemic profile (at baseline and at 10-y follow-up) (all p-values < 0.001) and showed a 21% reduction in their 20-year risk of developing T2DM compared to those who were consistently away (RR = 0.79, 95%CI 0.47, 0.86). A long-term adherence to the Mediterranean diet is protective against the onset of T2DM and, therefore, could be incorporated in public health actions for the prevention of the disease.

Daily olive oil intake is feasible to reduce trigeminal neuralgia facial pain: A pilot study

Extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) is thought to contribute to neuroprotection and, thus, may influence pain symptoms experienced by adults with demyelination-related trigeminal neuralgia (TN). This study aimed to determine the feasibility of daily intake of EVOO and its potential to alleviate facial pain of TN. Adults, self-reporting as female and affected by TN, were enrolled in a 16-week nonblinded, parallel study. After a 4-week baseline, participants were randomized to 60 mL/day EVOO or control (usual diet and no supplemental EVOO) for 12 weeks. Participants completed a daily questionnaire on pain intensity and compliance, the Penn Facial Pain Scale weekly, the 36-Item Short Form Survey monthly, and dietary assessment during baseline and intervention. Participants (n = 52; 53.3 ± 12.9 years) were recruited nationally; 42 completed the study. The EVOO group, with 90% intake compliance, showed significant decreases in the Penn Facial Pain Scale items of interference with general function, interference with orofacial function, and severity of pain from baseline, whereas the control group showed no improvements. EVOO benefit, compared with control, trended for the interference with orofacial function (P = .05). The 36-Item Short Form Survey items of role limitations resulting from emotional problems and role limitations from physical health favored EVOO. The EVOO group significantly improved their Healthy Eating Index 2015 component scores of fatty acids (primarily from increased oleic acid), sodium, and refined grains. EVOO intake of 60 mL/day was feasible for participants experiencing TN and may mitigate pain and improve quality of life. This trial was registered at clinicaltrials.gov (NCT05032573).

A Mediterranean-Style Diet Improves the Parameters for the Management and Prevention of Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus

Background and Objectives: Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is a chronic condition recognized as the inability to maintain glucose homeostasis, typically presenting with insulin resistance and systemic inflammation. With the prevalence of T2DM and major risk factors, such as prediabetes and obesity, increasing each year, the need to address risk factor reduction strategies is crucial. Materials and Methods: Twenty-two men and women, overweight-to-obese adults (BMI mean: 26.1-31.6) (age range mean: 44.6-51.8) with T2DM, indicators of prediabetes, or who were metabolically healthy, participated in Cal Poly's Nutrition and Exercise in Type 2 Diabetes (CPNET) study. There were no significant differences in terms of age, BMI, or sex distribution among the groups at the baseline. This study's protocol included following a Mediterranean-style diet, the daily consumption of a high-quality whey protein supplement, and physical activity recommendations for 16 weeks. Body composition data, via dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA), and fasting blood samples were collected at the baseline and following the intervention. Due to restrictions associated with the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, only 13 of the 22 participants who started this study were able to return for the second data collection to complete this study following the 16-week intervention. Results: The prediabetic and T2DM groups exhibited reductions in their fasting plasma glucose (12.0 mg/dL reduction in the prediabetic group; 19.6 mg/dL reduction in the T2DM group) to that of normal and prediabetic levels, respectively, while the T2DM group also demonstrated improvement in their hemoglobin A1c (reduced from 6.8% to 6.0%) to prediabetic levels. Additionally, the metabolically healthy, overweight group exhibited significant improvements in adiposity, while the obese prediabetic and T2DM groups showed non-significant improvements in all the measured metrics of body composition. No significant changes were observed in the inflammatory biomarkers (p-values ranged from 0.395 to 0.877). Conclusions: Collectively, our results suggest that adherence to a well-balanced, nutritious diet and activity may improve the parameters of glycemic control and provide benefits to body composition that help to manage and prevent the development of T2DM. Our study was able to yield significant findings signifying that the effects of a Mediterranean-style diet are observed even for a more conservative sample size.