Background: Pregnancy is a crucial stage in a woman’s life and can be affected by epigenetic and environmental factors. Diet also plays a key role in gestation. This study aimed to evaluate how a greater or lesser adherence to the Mediterranean Diet (MD) influences specific parameters of mother and newborn. Methods: After delivery, the women participating in the study answered a questionnaire: demographic information; anthropometric data (pre-pregnancy weight, height, and gestational weight gain); dietary habits information (adherence to MD before and during pregnancy, using the validated Mediterranean Diet Adherence Screener (MEDAS), quality of protein intake); pregnancy information (onset of complications, cesarean/vaginal delivery, gestational age at birth, birth weight, birth length); and clinical practitioner for personalized dietary patterns during pregnancy. Results: A total of 501 respondents have been included in the study, and 135 were excluded for complications. Women who followed the advice of clinical nutritionists showed better adherence to MD (p = 0.02), and the baby’s birth weight was higher (p = 0.02). Significant differences in gestational weight gain (p < 0.01) between groups with dissimilar diet adherence were demonstrated. Conclusion: Our data demonstrate a significant relationship between adherence to MD and birthweight.
The Mediterranean Diet (MedDiet) is associated with beneficial effects against chronic non-communicable diseases (CNCDs). In particular, the content of micronutrients leads to an improvement of the oxidative and inflammatory profiles. A randomized, parallel, controlled study, on 24 subjects, was conducted to evaluate if 2-week supplementation with a mixed apple and bergamot juice (MAB juice), had a positive impact on the body composition, the biochemical profile, and oxidative and inflammatory gene expression (Superoxide dismutase (SOD1), Peroxisome Proliferator-Activated Receptor γ (PPARγ), catalase (CAT), chemokine C-C motif ligand 5 (CCL5), Nuclear Factor Kappa B Subunit 1 (NFKB1), Vitamin D Receptor (VDR), and Macrophage Migration Inhibitory Factor (MIF)), respect to a MedDiet. Body composition evaluation analysis showed a gain in lean mass (p < 0.01). Moreover, a significant reduction in total cholesterol/HDL index (p < 0.01) was pointed out between the two groups. Gene expression analysis highlighted an increase in MIF (p ≤ 0.05), PPARγ (p < 0.001), SOD1 (p ≤ 0.05), and VDR (p ≤ 0.05) expressions when comparing MedDiet and MedDiet + MAB juice groups. These data based on the nutrigenomics approach demonstrated that supplementing 2 weeks of MAB juice to the MedDiet could contribute to a reduction in the risk of CNCDs.
The microbiota can be regarded as a "functional organ" since it is similar among individuals.Some people have the same amount of bacterial genes involved in various metabolic pathways [1].Like all our organs, the microbiota performs essential functions.Its proper functioning, on which our state of health depends, is related directly to maintaining balance among the microbes that compose it (condition of aerobiosis).The factors that can lead to an intestinal imbalance ecosystem (dysbiosis) are many: diet, infectious diseases, meeting with pathogens, medications, and lifestyle.Several studies recently recognised the fundamental role of microbiota in the pathogenesis of many pathologies, including celiac disease (CD).CD [2] is an immune-mediated condition triggered by the ingestion of gluten.In genetically predisposed subjects, it causes inflammation of the small intestine and atrophy of the intestinal villi with consequent malabsorption [3] of nutrients and extraintestinal symptoms.In particular, in the predisposed subjects, ingestion of gluten determines the activation of tissue T lymphocytes, which recognise peptides resulting from the enzymatic digestion of gliadin.Gliadin deamidated by tissue transglutaminase binds to molecules DQ2/DQ8 of the antigen-presenting cells (APC) and activates CD4 T lymphocytes located in the lamina of the intestinal mucosa.Activated CD4s reach the intestinal submucosa, stimulating the production of pro-inflammatory cytokines interferon-γ (IFN-γ), interleukin-2 (IL-2), and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), which, in turn, determine apoptosis and cell detachment of enterocytes and lymphocytes hyperproliferation and atrophy of villi.Recently, a factor directly involved in the etiopathogenesis of CD has been identified: mutation of the gene that codes for an intercellular adhesion protein, zonulin, with a regulatory action on enterocytes tight junctions.The mutated form of this protein binds to a specific receptor on the intestinal epithelium.It triggers a cascade of biochemical reactions that cause a reduction in adhesion between enterocytes and increased permeability of the intestinal barrier (leaky gut syndrome).Consequently, some molecules and/or substances, which, in physiological conditions, would be confined to the luminal side of the intestinal epithelium, manage to cross it, triggering a series of autoimmune reactions in tissues.The fact that the 30% of the world population is a carrier of susceptibility genes for celiac disease and that only 2-5% of these
The aim of the present study was to evaluate the anthropometric parameters and the body composition through bioelectrical impedance analysis on paediatric subjects with dental agenesis.The study was conducted on 144 subjects (58.3% females and 41.7% males), aged 7-14 years (average age 10.22±2.53 years). Each patient underwent a dental check-up at the Paediatric Dentistry Unit, University of Rome Tor Vergata (Italy) and a nutritional evaluation, aimed at analysing the anthropometric characteristics and evaluating the indices of body composition through bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA) at the Human Nutrition Unit, University of Rome Tor Vergata. The sample was divided into three groups: a group with single agenesis (Group 1), a group with multiple agenesis (Group 2) and a control group (Group A). Using the predictive equations, the following values were evaluated: resistance (R), reactance (Xc), phase angle (PHA), body cell mass index (BCMI), body cell mass (BCM), total body water (TBW), intracellular water (ICW), extracellular water (ECW), fat mass (FM), fat free mass (FFM).The Excel environment and the SAS System, version 9.3, were used for statistical analysis, providing a descriptive and parametric analysis of the sample. The values of the anthropometric parameters were expressed as mean ± standard deviation. For the statistical analysis of anthropometric parameters and body composition, analysis of variance (1-way ANOVA) was used, which allowed us to find differences and the Student's t-test to compare Groups 1, 2, and A.There is a significant difference in the resistance R value between the case group with single agenesis (Group 1) and the control group (Group A) (R, 710.28±72.46 vs 667.4±104.16, p=0.028), and the phase angle PHA between the case group with multiple agenesis (Group 2) and the control group (Group A) (PHA, 5.18±0.48 vs 5.85±1.05, p=0.028). The BCM% value shows a significant difference between both Group 1 and Group A (BCM%, 50.53 ± 3.29 vs 52.68 ± 4.74, p=0.016) and between Group 2 and Group A (BCM%, 49.25± 2.86 vs 52.68 ± 4.74, p=0.035). The TBW, ICW, ECW, FM, FFM values showed no significant differences between the various groups analysed.Body composition in subjects with dental agenesis presents a higher R, a consequently lower PHA and a lower BCM% compared to the control group. For the first time, the results highlighted the possible relationship between dental agenesis and body composition, measured through BIA.
Background: Obesity is now recognized as a worldwide health issue and has reached epidemic proportions, affecting both developed and developing countries. The World Obesity Federation stated that “Obesity is a chronic relapsing disease process”: as a result, obesity has been recognized internationally as a chronic disease. : The primary cause of the metabolic syndrome and increase of the cardiovascular risk have been identified in "sick fat", a condition then defined as adiposopathy. Heart attacks, strokes and renal failures are pathologies that have mid-risk factors such as dyslipidemia, hypertension and diabetes, which in turn are caused by obesity, whose primary risk factor is represented by the diet. The aim of the present review is to consider the importance of body composition, together with chronic inflammation and a new gut microbiota data that may turn out to be crucial elements of some target treatment of human obesity. Methods: In this review, we performed research using PubMed database reviewing the evidence in the literature of evidence information regarding the link between obesity and body composition in the development of metabolic disease via inflammation markers and in particular, the new role exerted by gut microbiota. Results: Several papers were evaluated searching for differences in fat mass and disease risk. We also identified the same papers dealing with differences in body composition and metabolic syndrome. Our attention focuses also on a new frontier of gut microbiota composition in the body weight decrease and anti-inflammatory effects. Conclusion: To the saving of lean mass, for the prevention of cardiometabolic diseases, also considering the relationship with obesity, it is necessary to reduce the inflammatory state, acting on the gut-microbiota and on the intestinal permeability. To improve the health of the intestinal flora, we propose a 4P medicine and treatment with probiotics, prebiotics, postbiotics, and polyphenols.
