Changes in Dietary Patterns through a Nutritional Intervention with a Traditional Atlantic Diet: The Galiat Randomized Controlled Trial

Effect of meal replacements formula on lipid profiles: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials

BACKGROUND

Although some evidence shows the beneficial effects of meal replacements (MRs) on dyslipidaemias, it is not completely clear. Therefore, we investigate the possible effects of total and partial MRs on lipid profiles.

METHODS

For this systematic review and meta-analysis, we searched MEDLINE, Web of Science, SCOPUS, and Embase. We included randomized controlled trials (RCTs) that evaluated the effect of MRs on lipid profiles. A random-effects meta-analysis model was used to combine studies and calculate weighted mean difference and 95 % confidence intervals (95 % CI). Subgroup analysis was realized using intervention type, duration and average participant age.

RESULTS

Fifty-one studies were included. The pooled findings showed that total and partial MRs significantly reduced triglycerides (TG) (WMD: -12.20 mg/dl, 95 % CI -17.46 to -6.93) and increased high-density lipoprotein (HDL) (WMD: 1.06 mg/dl, 95 % CI 0.35-1.77) compared to controls. However, total cholesterol (TC) (WMD: -1.40 mg/dl, 95 % CI: -3.90-1.10) and low-density lipoprotein (LDL) (WMD: -0.85 mg/dl, 95 % CI: -3.05-1.35) were not significant. In addition, the subgroup analysis shows a greater effect on TG reduction and HDL increase in the type of intervention with total MRs compared to partial MRs and during the intervention >24 weeks compared to ≤24 weeks.

CONCLUSIONS

MRs lead to significant improvements in TG and HDL levels. These results may help strengthen programs for dyslipidaemias prevention/management.

Nutritional and Culinary Habits to Empower Families (n-CHEF): a feasibility study to increase consumption and home cooking of plant-based foods

OBJECTIVE

To analyse the feasibility and acceptability of a culinary nutritional intervention aimed at increasing plant-based foods consumption in the context of the Mediterranean diet in parent-child dyads.

DESIGN

The Nutritional and Culinary Habits to Empower Families (n-CHEF) is a 9-month feasibility study that included four culinary nutritional workshops (two face to face, two online) led by a chef and a dietitian-nutritionist. These workshops combined cooking with plant-based foods, with nutritional advice and experimental activities. The main outcomes were retention, quality of the intervention (monitoring workshops, acceptability and perceived impact) and changes in dietary and cooking habits.

SETTING

Parent-child dyads, Spain.

PARTICIPANTS

Parent-child (aged 10-14 years) dyads.

RESULTS

Fifteen parent-child dyads were recruited, of which thirteen were retained during the 6-month follow-up. All but one parent-child dyads attended the four workshops. The overall assessment of the workshops was positive, although the online workshops were rated lower than the face to face. In general, parent-child dyads reported benefits in terms of nutrition and cooking aspects. Parents significantly increased their adherence to the Mediterranean diet, but non-significant changes were observed in children. However, children increased their consumption of vegetables and legumes and reduced snacks and ready meals. Parents also changed some of their culinary habits and increased their confidence in cooking at home.

CONCLUSIONS

The n-CHEF showed that the culinary nutritional intervention had good levels of recruitment, retention and acceptability among parent-child dyads. In addition, dietary and culinary knowledge and habits can be improved, although further studies are needed to know the long-term effects in larger populations.

Traditional Atlantic Diet and Its Effect on Health and the Environment: A Secondary Analysis of the GALIAT Cluster Randomized Clinical Trial

Importance

The universal call to action for healthier and more sustainable dietary choices is the framework of the United Nations's Sustainable Development Goals. The Atlantic diet, originating from the northwest of the Iberian Peninsula, represents an example of a traditional diet that aligns with these principles.

Objective

To explore a 6-month intervention based on the Atlantic diet's effects on metabolic and environmental health, assessing metabolic syndrome (MetS) incidence and the carbon footprint.

Design, Setting, and Participants

The Galician Atlantic Diet study was a 6-month randomized clinical trial designed to assess the effects of this regional traditional diet on families' eating habits. The study was conducted from March 3, 2014, to May 29, 2015, at a local primary health care center in the rural town of A Estrada in northwestern Spain and involved a multisectoral collaboration. Families were randomly selected from National Health System records and randomized 1:1 to an intervention or control group. This secondary analysis of the trial findings was performed between March 24, 2021, and November 7, 2023.

Interventions

Over 6 months, families in the intervention group received educational sessions, cooking classes, written supporting material, and foods characteristic of the Atlantic diet, whereas those randomized to the control group continued with their habitual lifestyle.

Main Outcomes and Measures

The main outcomes were MetS incidence, defined per National Cholesterol Education Program Adult Treatment Panel III guidelines, and carbon footprint emissions as an environmental metric using life cycle assessment with daily dietary intake as the functional unit.

Results

Initially, 250 families were randomized (574 participants; mean [SD] age, 46.8 [15.7] years; 231 males [40.2%] and 343 females [59.8%]). The intervention group included 126 families (287 participants) and the control group, 124 families (287 participants). Ultimately, 231 families completed the trial. The intervention significantly reduced the risk of incident cases of MetS (rate ratio, 0.32; 95% CI, 0.13-0.79) and had fewer MetS components (proportional odds ratio, 0.58; 95% CI, 0.42-0.82) compared with the control condition. The intervention group did not have a significantly reduced environmental impact in terms of carbon footprint emissions compared with the control group (-0.17 [95% CI, -0.46 to 0.12] kg CO2 equivalents/person/d).

Conclusions and Relevance

These findings provide important evidence that a family-focused dietary intervention based on a traditional diet can reduce the risk of incident MetS. Further research is needed to understand the underlying mechanisms and determine the generalizability to other populations, taking into account regional cultural and dietary variations.

Trial Registration

ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT02391701.

The Southern European Atlantic Diet and Its Supplements: The Chemical Bases of Its Anticancer Properties

Scientific evidence increasingly supports the strong link between diet and health, acknowledging that a well-balanced diet plays a crucial role in preventing chronic diseases such as obesity, diabetes, cardiovascular issues, and certain types of cancer. This perspective opens the door to developing precision diets, particularly tailored for individuals at risk of developing cancer. It encompasses a vast research area and involves the study of an expanding array of compounds with multilevel "omics" compositions, including genomics, transcriptomics, proteomics, epigenomics, miRNomics, and metabolomics. We review here the components of the Southern European Atlantic Diet (SEAD) from both a chemical and pharmacological standpoint. The information sources consulted, complemented by crystallographic data from the Protein Data Bank, establish a direct link between the SEAD and its anticancer properties. The data collected strongly suggest that SEAD offers an exceptionally healthy profile, particularly due to the presence of beneficial biomolecules in its foods. The inclusion of olive oil and paprika in this diet provides numerous health benefits, and scientific evidence supports the anticancer properties of dietary supplements with biomolecules sourced from vegetables of the brassica genus. Nonetheless, further research is warranted in this field to gain deeper insights into the potential benefits of the SEAD's bioactive compounds against cancer.