High Adherence to Mediterranean Diet Is Not Associated with an Improved Sodium and Potassium Intake

Adherence to mediterranean diet and aromatic plants intake are related with gustatory function: A case-study from a Portuguese region

The Mediterranean Diet has been recognized as one of the healthiest and most sustainable dietary patterns and is flavor rich due to the use of different seasonings, such as aromatic plants, in dish confection. Based on the hypotheses that: 1) gustatory function will affect food choices; 2) seasoning flavors may be differently accepted according to individuals' gustatory functions; the aim of the present study was to assess the association between taste sensitivity and/or preference with Mediterranean Diet adherence and seasoning consumption. A total of 383 adults (18-59 years old; 198 female, 185 male) from North Alentejo region of Portugal were enrolled in this study, with 291 (145 female and 146 male) also evaluated for gustatory function. Recognition thresholds were obtained for four tastes (sweet, sour, salty, and bitter) and astringency, as well as preference level for the highest concentration of each stimulus tested. A validated Food Frequency Questionnaire was filled out, and MD adherence was extrapolated from the answers of the Food Frequency Questionnaire according to the Mediterranean Diet Adherence Screener (MEDAS) score. In total, 20.8% of the individuals presented low, 58.2% medium, and 21.0% high adherence. Adherence was higher in women than men and in older individuals than younger adults. Adherence to the Mediterranean Diet was positively correlated with aromatic plants consumption but not spices. Seasonings were associated with gustatory function, and the cluster with higher consumption presented higher preferences for bitter and salty tastes. Total sodium intake was also higher in this cluster, suggesting that these individuals prefer stronger oral sensations. In conclusion, this study shows that MD adherence is not high, even in regions with rural characteristics. The observed association of MD and seasoning intake with gustatory function do underline the usefulness of this information in strategies aimed at promoting healthy and sustainable eating patterns.

Adherence to the Mediterranean Diet, Sodium and Potassium Intake in People at a High Risk of Dementia

Adequate sodium and potassium intake, along with adherence to the Mediterranean diet (MedDiet), are key factors for preventing hypertension and cerebrovascular diseases. However, data on the consumption of these nutrients within the MedDiet are scarce. This cross-sectional study aims to assess the association between MedDiet adherence and sodium/potassium intake in the MIND-Matosinhos randomized controlled trial, targeting Portuguese adults at a high risk of dementia. Good adherence to the MedDiet was defined using the Portuguese Mediterranean Diet Adherence Screener questionnaire (≥10 points), and both sodium/potassium intakes were estimated from 24-hour urine collections. The association between MedDiet adherence and these nutrients' intake (dichotomized by the median) was quantified by calculating odds ratios (OR) and respective 95% confidence intervals (95% CI) using a logistic regression. A total of 169 individuals (60.9% female; median age: 70 years; range: 36-85 years) were included. Good adherence to the MedDiet was observed among 18.3% of the sample. After adjusting for sex, age, education and using antihypertensive drugs, good MedDiet adherence was associated with higher sodium (OR = 3.11; 95% CI: 1.27-7.65) and potassium intake (OR = 9.74; 95% CI: 3.14-30.26). Increased adherence to the MedDiet may contribute to a higher potassium intake but seems to have limited effects on the adequacy of sodium levels.

Dietary Salt Restriction and Adherence to the Mediterranean Diet: A Single Way to Reduce Cardiovascular Risk?

The dietary restriction of salt intake and the adhesion to Mediterranean dietary patterns are among the most recommended lifestyle modifications for the prevention of cardiovascular diseases. A large amount of evidence supports these recommendations; indeed, several studies show that a higher adherence to Mediterranean dietary patterns is associated with a reduced risk of cardiovascular disease. Likewise, findings from observational and clinical studies suggest a causal role of excess salt intake in blood pressure increase, cardiovascular organ damage, and the incidence of cardiovascular diseases. In this context, it is also conceivable that the beneficial effects of these two dietary patterns overlap because Mediterranean dietary patterns are typically characterized by a large consumption of plant-based foods with low sodium content. However, there is little data on this issue, and heterogeneous results are available on the relationship between adherence to salt restriction and to Mediterranean dietary patterns. Thus, this short review focuses on the epidemiological and clinical evidence of the relationship between the adherence to Mediterranean dietary patterns and dietary salt restriction in the context of cardiovascular risk.

Systematic review of mediterranean diet interventions in menopausal women

The increasing lifespan of women and their extended time spent in menopause pose significant challenges for health care systems, primarily due to the impacts of postmenopausal estrogen deficiency and aging on health. Menopause's onset is linked to a heightened prevalence of obesity, metabolic syndrome, cardiovascular disease, and osteoporosis. Diet is particularly relevant during menopause given its impact on quality of life and longevity and its modifiability. Because the Mediterranean diet is currently regarded as one of the healthiest dietary models in the world, the aim of this systematic review was to assess current evidence regarding the effectiveness of studies on the Mediterranean diet as an intervention for menopausal women. A systematic review of intervention-based studies involving the Mediterranean diet among menopausal women was performed in Scopus, PubMed, and Web of Science. The results of seven that met the inclusion criteria suggests that adherence to the Mediterranean diet can have beneficial impacts on menopausal women's health, including reductions in weight, blood pressure, blood ω6: ω3 ratio, triglycerides, total cholesterol, and LDL levels. Those results seem to be relevant for public health interventions aimed at improving menopausal women's quality of life.

The Mediterranean Diet for Adolescents with Type 1 Diabetes: A Prospective Interventional Study

The Mediterranean diet (MED) is highly recommended. Medical nutrition therapy is the cornerstone of diabetes treatment. The primary outcome was to evaluate the change in micronutrient intake of youth with type 1 diabetes before and after a 6-month MED intervention; we also assessed adherence and glycemic control. Twenty adolescents, median age 18 years (interquartile range: 15.5-21), median diabetes duration 9 years (7-14), using continuous glucose monitoring devices, received personalized diet regimes based on MED. At 6 months post-intervention, the caloric intake remained unchanged; however, the carbohydrate proportion was lower (p = 0.058), and the intakes of some monounsaturated fats increased (p = 0.049). Sodium intake exceeded the recommended daily allowance by 250% (p = 0.653), before and after the intervention. For blood glucose, the percent TIR (time-in-range, 70-180 mg/dL) improved from 52% (38-60) to 63% (47-71) (p = 0.047). The total insulin dose decreased marginally, from 0.76 u/kg (0.64-0.97) to 0.72 u/kg (0.61-0.89) (p = 0.067). BMI z-score and waist circumference did not change (p = 0.316 and p = 0.161, respectively). Diastolic blood pressure percentile decreased from 73% (68-88) to 69% (50-79) (p = 0.028), and LDL cholesterol from 114 mg/dL (105-134) to 104 mg/dL (96-124) (p = 0.059). The Israeli Mediterranean diet screener score increased, from 8 (7-11) to 13 points (12-14) (p < 0.001). The MED-based intervention in youth with type 1 diabetes is feasible and leads to improvement in monounsaturated fat intake, TIR, and diastolic blood pressure. Other parameters show no change (caloric intake, BMI, and HbA1c).

Does the Mediterranean Dietary Pattern Promote Lower Sodium Urinary Excretion in Children?

An adequate sodium intake is related to various health benefits. Parallelly, the Mediterranean diet (MD) is a dietary pattern known for its many positive impacts on health. Nonetheless, the association between adherence to the MD and sodium urinary excretion is scarce, even more in children. This study aimed to assess the association between MD adherence and the excretion of sodium, as a proxy of intake. This cross-sectional analysis comprised 295 children (46.8% females, aged 7-11 years, mean age: 8.53 ± 0.73 years) from 20 schools within Porto, Portugal. MD adherence was evaluated utilizing the alternate Mediterranean score (aMED). Higher scores denote a healthier dietary pattern (0-8). Sodium excretion was estimated by 24-h urine collection. The association between adherence to MD and Na excretion was estimated by logistic regression, adjusting for confounders. Children in the higher sodium excretion group had a higher intake of legumes, a higher body mass index and parents with lower education levels compared to children in the lower sodium excretion group. In logistic regression analysis, sodium urinary excretion was not associated with higher MD adherence, even after adjustment for confounders. High MD adherence could not be associated with lower sodium excretion in children.