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Influence of Mediterranean Diet on Gut Microbiota

A special issue of Nutrients (ISSN 2072-6643). This special issue belongs to the section "Nutritional Epidemiology".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (5 February 2024) | Viewed by 15504

Special Issue Editors


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Guest Editor
1. Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology II, Institute of Nutrition and Food Technology “José Mataix”, Biomedical Research Center, University of Granada, Granada, Spain
2. Instituto de Investigación Biosanitaria ibs.Granada, Granada, Spain
3. RICORS Network: Primary Care Interventions to Prevent Maternal and Child Chronic Diseases of Perinatal and Developmental Origin (RD21/0012/0008), Madrid, Spain
Interests: olive oil; Mediterranean diet; oxidative stress and antioxidants; metabolic syndrome; cardiovascular disease
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology II, Institute of Nutrition and Food Technology “José Mataix”, Biomedical Research Center, University of Granada, Granada, Spain
Interests: olive oil; Mediterranean diet; oxidative stress; cardiovascular disease

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Gut microbiota, influenced by dietary changes, correlate with health status. Evidence demonstrates that dietary patterns such as the 'Western diet' and dysbiosis in the gut microbiome have strong associations with a wide range of human diseases, including obesity, metabolic syndrome, type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular diseases. However, the consumption of Mediterranean-style diets is considered healthy and associated with the prevention of cardiovascular and metabolic diseases, colorectal cancers and many other diseases. Such beneficial effects of the Mediterranean diet might be attributed to its high proportion of fibers, mono- and poly-unsaturated fatty acids, antioxidants and bioactive compounds. Evidence suggests that the Mediterranean diet is able to modulate the gut microbiota, increasing its diversity. This Special Issue of Nutrients welcomes the submission of original research articles, reviews of the scientific literature, and clinical and experimental studies related to the relationship between Mediterranean diet and gut microbiota. 

Dr. Maria D. Mesa
Dr. Estefanía Sanchez-Rodríguez
Guest Editors

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Keywords

  • microbiota
  • cardiovascular disease
  • Mediterranean diet
  • atherosclerosis
  • metabolic syndrome
  • cancer
  • fiber
  • bioactive compounds
  • olive oil
  • physical exercise

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Published Papers (3 papers)

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Research

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18 pages, 5939 KiB  
Article
Impact of the Mediterranean Diet on the Gut Microbiome of a Well-Defined Cohort of Healthy Individuals
by Silvia Vázquez-Cuesta, Nuria Lozano García, Sara Rodríguez-Fernández, Ana I. Fernández-Avila, Javier Bermejo, Francisco Fernández-Avilés, Patricia Muñoz, Emilio Bouza and Elena Reigadas
Nutrients 2024, 16(6), 793; https://doi.org/10.3390/nu16060793 - 11 Mar 2024
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 3754
Abstract
A comprehensive understanding of gut microbiota in a clearly defined group of healthy individuals is essential when making meaningful comparisons with various diseases. The Mediterranean diet (MD), renowned for its potential health benefits, and the influence of adherence thereto on gut microbiota have [...] Read more.
A comprehensive understanding of gut microbiota in a clearly defined group of healthy individuals is essential when making meaningful comparisons with various diseases. The Mediterranean diet (MD), renowned for its potential health benefits, and the influence of adherence thereto on gut microbiota have become a focus of research. Our aim was to elucidate the impact of adherence to the MD on gut microbiota composition in a well-defined cohort. In this prospective study, healthy volunteers completed a questionnaire to provide demographic data, medical history, and dietary intake. Adherence was evaluated using the Med-DQI. The V4 region of the 16S rRNA gene was sequenced. Analysis of sequencing data and statistical analysis were performed using MOTHUR software and R. The study included 60 patients (51.7% females). Adherence correlated with alpha diversity, and higher values were recorded in good adherers. Good adherers had a higher abundance of Paraprevotella and Bacteroides (p < 0.001). Alpha diversity correlated inversely with fat intake and positively with non-starch polysaccharides (NSPs). Evenness correlated inversely with red meat intake and positively with NSPs. Predicted functional analysis highlighted metabolic pathway differences based on adherence to the MD. In conclusion, our study adds useful information on the relationship between the MD and the gut microbiome. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Influence of Mediterranean Diet on Gut Microbiota)
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15 pages, 700 KiB  
Article
Effect of Nutrition Education on Health Science University Students to Improve Cardiometabolic Profile and Inflammatory Status
by Miguel López-Moreno, Marta Garcés-Rimón, Marta Miguel-Castro, Elia Fernández-Martínez and María Teresa Iglesias López
Nutrients 2023, 15(21), 4685; https://doi.org/10.3390/nu15214685 - 5 Nov 2023
Viewed by 2795
Abstract
The inadequate lifestyle associated with university life may have a negative impact on various cardiometabolic factors. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of a one-year nutrition education course on cardiometabolic parameters in undergraduate health science students. During the 2021–22 [...] Read more.
The inadequate lifestyle associated with university life may have a negative impact on various cardiometabolic factors. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of a one-year nutrition education course on cardiometabolic parameters in undergraduate health science students. During the 2021–22 academic year, 1.30 h nutrition sessions were conducted twice a week. Capillary blood samples were collected and centrifuged to measure cardiometabolic and inflammatory biomarkers in serum. The sample studied consisted of 49 students: 20.4% male and 79.6% female. The nutritional intervention resulted in changes in dietary patterns, with increased consumption of vegetables, nuts and legumes. After the course, females showed an increase in HDL-cholesterol levels (p = 0.007) and no change in LDL-cholesterol levels (p = 0.189). On the other hand, males showed significant changes in HDL-cholesterol (p = 0.001) and LDL-cholesterol (p = 0.043) levels. The atherogenic index was also significantly reduced (p < 0.001) in both males (p = 0.009) and females (p = 0.002). Differences were also observed in the increase in vitamin D levels in both males and females, although the magnitude of the increase was greater in the men (Δ = 7.94, p = 0.016 in men vs. Δ = 4.96, p = 0.001 in women). The monocyte-to-HDL ratio (MHR) showed a significant reduction, although these differences were only significant in males. Students with low vitamin D levels had higher LDL-cholesterol values (p = 0.01) and atherogenic index (p = 0.029). Adjusted linear regression analysis showed a significant association between post-course vitamin D MHR (β = −0.42, IC: −0.29, −0.06, p < 0.01). These findings suggest the importance of including nutrition education programs during the university stage for the prevention of long-term health problems. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Influence of Mediterranean Diet on Gut Microbiota)
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Review

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17 pages, 365 KiB  
Review
The Effects of the Mediterranean Diet on Health and Gut Microbiota
by Thomas M. Barber, Stefan Kabisch, Andreas F. H. Pfeiffer and Martin O. Weickert
Nutrients 2023, 15(9), 2150; https://doi.org/10.3390/nu15092150 - 29 Apr 2023
Cited by 33 | Viewed by 8307
Abstract
The Mediterranean Diet (MD) is plant-based and consists of multiple daily portions of vegetables, fruit, cereals, and olive oil. Although there are challenges with isolating the MD from the typical Mediterranean lifestyle and culture (including prolonged ‘social’ meals and siestas), much evidence supports [...] Read more.
The Mediterranean Diet (MD) is plant-based and consists of multiple daily portions of vegetables, fruit, cereals, and olive oil. Although there are challenges with isolating the MD from the typical Mediterranean lifestyle and culture (including prolonged ‘social’ meals and siestas), much evidence supports the health benefits of the MD that include improved longevity, reduced metabolic risk of Diabetes Mellitus, obesity, and Metabolic Syndrome, reduced risk of malignancy and cardiovascular disease, and improved cognitive function. The MD is also associated with characteristic modifications to gut microbiota, mediated through its constituent parts (primarily dietary fibres, extra virgin olive oil, and polyunsaturated fatty acids [including ω-3]). These include enhanced growth of species that produce short-chain fatty acids (butyrate), such as Clostridium leptum and Eubacterium rectale, enhanced growth of Bifidobacteria, Bacteroides, and Faecalibacterium prausnitzii species, and reduced growth of Firmicutes and Blautia species. Such changes in gut microbiota are known to be associated favourably with inflammatory and oxidative status, propensity for malignancy and overall metabolic health. A key challenge for the future is to explore the extent to which the health benefits of the MD are mediated by such changes to gut microbiota. The MD confers both health and environmental benefits. Adoption of the MD should perhaps be encouraged and facilitated more generally and not just restricted to populations from Mediterranean regions. However, there are key challenges to this approach that include limited perennial availability of the constituent parts of the MD in some non-Mediterranean regions, intolerability of a high-fibre diet for some people, and potential cultural disconnects that juxtapose some traditional (including Western) diets with the MD. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Influence of Mediterranean Diet on Gut Microbiota)
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