Submit to Special Issue Submit Abstract to Special Issue Review for Nutrients Propose a Special Issue

Journal Browser

Mediterranean Diet, Plant-Based Diet, Low-Fat Diet and Human Health

Print Special Issue Flyer
Special Issue Editors
Special Issue Information
Keywords
Published Papers

A special issue of Nutrients (ISSN 2072-6643). This special issue belongs to the section "Nutrition and Public Health".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 25 May 2024 | Viewed by 13609

Share This Special Issue

Special Issue Editors

Prof. Dr. Yeganeh Manon Khazrai

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor

Research Unit of Food Science and Human Nutrition, Department of Science and Technology for Sustainable Development and One Health, Università Campus Bio-Medico di Roma, Rome, Italy
Interests: nutrition; obesity; metabolism; person-centred counselling; motivational interviewing

Dr. Claudia Di Rosa

E-Mail Website
Co-Guest Editor

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The Mediterranean diet is considered one of the healthiest dietary patterns worldwide to such an extent that in 2010, UNESCO recognized it as an “intangible cultural heritage of humanity”. Studies have shown that its ingredients based on plant foods, such as fruits, vegetables, unrefined cereals, legumes, olive oil, seeds, and small amounts of fish, cheese and poultry are beneficial in lowering the risk of cardiovascular disease and in preventing many other chronic pathological and non-communicable conditions such as obesity, type 2 diabetes mellitus, hypertension, metabolic syndrome, and certain types of cancer.

Plant-based diets have recently become very popular too, both for ethical and health reasons. These types of diets can include the consumption of high glycaemic index foods (e.g. rice, potatoes, bread, pasta), which increase glycemia and induce a vicious cycle leading to overeating.

The “planetary health diet” has been supported by the EAT-Lancet Commission as sustainable and able to feed the planet and reduce malnutrition. In this nutritional pattern, the main food should comprise fruits, vegetables, nuts, and legumes, with a reduced weekly amount of animal products (e.g., no more than 98 g of red meat, 203 g of poultry and 196 g of fish per person per week).

These diets all tend to decrease the intake of red and processed meats and animal fats. However, how low in fat should a healthy diet be? Are all fats equally bad for cardiovascular health and all other chronic conditions?

For this Special Issue, we welcome the submission of studies that evaluate the outcomes of diets in children and adults of all ages, as well as literature reviews.

Prof. Dr. Yeganeh Manon Khazrai
Dr. Claudia Di Rosa
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Nutrients is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2900 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

Mediterranean diet
nutrition education
plant-based diets
low fat diet
planetary diet

Published Papers (4 papers)

Download All Papers

Research

Jump to: Review

13 pages, 506 KiB

Open AccessArticle

A Plant-Based Cholesterol-Lowering Diet Score Correlates with Serum LDL-Cholesterol Levels

by Jerry Polesel, Matteo Di Maso, Giovanna Esposito, Sara Vitale, Elvira Palumbo, Giuseppe Porciello, Ilaria Calabrese, Anita Minopoli, Bruna Grilli, Ernesta Cavalcanti, Diego Serraino, Egidio Celentano, David J. A. Jenkins and Livia S. A. Augustin

Nutrients 2024, 16(4), 495; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/nu16040495 - 08 Feb 2024

Viewed by 1468

Abstract

Background: A cholesterol-lowering diet score was previously developed for epidemiological studies; its association with serum lipid profile was not confirmed yet. Methods: The score was developed as an adaptation of the dietary portfolio for cholesterol reduction, assigning one point for adherence to seven dietary indicators and ranging from 0 (null adherence) to 7 (highest adherence). The score was calculated for breast cancer patients enrolled in the DEDiCa study using a 7-day food record; serum lipid profile, including total and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), was evaluated in serum at baseline. Results: Patients with the highest adherence to the cholesterol-lowering diet (i.e., score ≥ 4) reported lower LDL-C level than women with score 0–1 (median: 107 mg/dL and 122 mg/dL, respectively; p < 0.01). The proportion of women with LDL-C above the recommended limit of 116 mg/dL was 60.0% with score 0–1 and 42.6% with score ≥4. Although the score directly correlates with consumption of foods from vegetal sources, it was mildly associated with the healthful plant-based diet index (r-Spearman = 0.51) and the Mediterranean Diet Adherence Screener (r-Spearman = 0.30) Conclusions: These results provide experimental evidence that the cholesterol-lowering diet score is capable of detecting a specific plant-based dietary pattern that affects circulating cholesterol levels. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Mediterranean Diet, Plant-Based Diet, Low-Fat Diet and Human Health)

► Show Figures

Figure 1

Review

Jump to: Research

22 pages, 698 KiB

Open AccessReview

Cardiovascular Disease and the Mediterranean Diet: Insights into Sex-Specific Responses

by Anushriya Pant, Derek P. Chew, Mamas A. Mamas and Sarah Zaman

Nutrients 2024, 16(4), 570; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/nu16040570 - 19 Feb 2024

Viewed by 1714

Abstract

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is a leading cause of mortality and disease burden in women globally. A healthy diet is important for the prevention of CVD. Research has consistently favoured the Mediterranean diet as a cardio-protective diet. Several studies have evaluated associations between the Mediterranean diet and cardiovascular outcomes, including traditional risk factors like hypertension, type 2 diabetes mellitus, and obesity. In addition, consistent evidence suggests that the components of the Mediterranean diet have a synergistic effect on cardiovascular risk due to its anti-inflammatory profile and microbiome effects. While the benefits of the Mediterranean diet are well-established, health advice and dietary guidelines have been built on largely male-dominant studies. Few studies have investigated the beneficial associations of the Mediterranean diet in sex-specific populations, including those with non-traditional risk factors that are specific to women, for instance polycystic ovarian syndrome and high-risk pregnancies, or more prevalent in women, such as chronic inflammatory diseases. Therefore, this review aims to provide a comprehensive overview of the current evidence regarding the Mediterranean diet in women in relation to cardiovascular health outcomes. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Mediterranean Diet, Plant-Based Diet, Low-Fat Diet and Human Health)

► Show Figures

Figure 1

15 pages, 366 KiB

Open AccessReview

Exploring Benefits and Barriers of Plant-Based Diets: Health, Environmental Impact, Food Accessibility and Acceptability

by Giulia Viroli, Aliki Kalmpourtzidou and Hellas Cena

Nutrients 2023, 15(22), 4723; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/nu15224723 - 08 Nov 2023

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 5793

Abstract

Unhealthy dietary patterns are directly linked to the current Global Syndemic consisting of non-communicable diseases, undernutrition and climate change. The dietary shift towards healthier and more sustainable plant-based diets is essential. However, plant-based diets have wide intra differences; varying from vegan diets that totally exclude meat and animal products to traditional ones such as the Mediterranean diet and the new Nordic diet. It is acknowledged that plant-based diets may contribute simultaneously to improving population health as well as to decreasing the environmental impact of food systems. Evidence from cohort and randomized-controlled trials suggests that plant-based dietary patterns have beneficial effects on bodyweight control, cardiovascular health and diabetes prevention and treatment. On the other hand, micronutrient requirements may not be met, if some plant-based diets are not well-planned. Additionally, studies showed that lower consumption of meat and animal products results in lower environmental impacts. Consequently, plant-based diets could be a key factor to increase diet sustainability. This narrative review addresses the advantages of adherence to plant-based diets on human and planetary health considering strains and barriers to achieve this dietary transition, including cultural acceptability and affordability factors. Finally, potential intervention and policy recommendations are proposed, focusing on the update of current national food-based dietary guidelines. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Mediterranean Diet, Plant-Based Diet, Low-Fat Diet and Human Health)

► Show Figures

Graphical abstract

21 pages, 756 KiB

Open AccessReview

Effects of Animal and Vegetable Proteins on Gut Microbiota in Subjects with Overweight or Obesity

by Claudia Di Rosa, Ludovica Di Francesco, Chiara Spiezia and Yeganeh Manon Khazrai

Nutrients 2023, 15(12), 2675; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/nu15122675 - 08 Jun 2023

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 4143

Abstract

The gut microbiota plays a pivotal role in the balance between host health and obesity. The composition of the gut microbiota can be influenced by external factors, among which diet plays a key role. As the source of dietary protein is important to achieve weight loss and gut microbiota modulation, in the literature there is increasing evidence to suggest consuming more plant proteins than animal proteins. In this review, a literature search of clinical trials published until February 2023 was conducted to examine the effect of different macronutrients and dietary patterns on the gut microbiota in subjects with overweight and obesity. Several studies have shown that a higher intake of animal protein, as well as the Western diet, can lead to a decrease in beneficial gut bacteria and an increase in harmful ones typical of obesity. On the other hand, diets rich in plant proteins, such as the Mediterranean diet, lead to a significant increase in anti-inflammatory butyrate-producing bacteria, bacterial diversity and a reduction in pro-inflammatory bacteria. Therefore, since diets rich in fiber, plant protein, and an adequate amount of unsaturated fat may help to beneficially modulate the gut microbiota involved in weight loss, further studies are needed. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Mediterranean Diet, Plant-Based Diet, Low-Fat Diet and Human Health)

► Show Figures