Gluten-free-rendered products contribute to imbalanced diets in children and adolescents with celiac disease.

PURPOSE: As well as adhering to the safe limit for gluten intake, a suitable gluten-free (GF) diet must also be nutritionally balanced. However, malnutrition has been observed in the population with celiac disease (CD). This is even more important in the case of children and adolescents, whose GF diet must also ensure their proper growth. The aim of the present study was to assess the diet quality of children and adolescents with CD to attain optimal nutritional status, determining the most relevant factors that affect a balanced diet. METHODS: Eighty-three children and adolescents with CD (9.2 ± 3.8 years) took part in the study. Height, weight and body composition were measured. An analysis of energy consumption and of the macronutrient distribution of their diet was carried out. Adherence to Mediterranean diet by KIDMED index was analyzed, and energy and nutrients intake. RESULTS: The diet of participants was not balanced, containing more fat and less carbohydrate than recommended. Most children and adolescents revealed adequate body mass index and suitable body fat percentage. Two-thirds of them showed moderate or poor KIDMED index, the case of girls being remarkable. When the GF diet, containing GF-rendered foodstuffs, was compared to a similar type of diet but substituting GF products with their analogs containing gluten, important nutritional differences were revealed. CONCLUSIONS: Even though celiac children and adolescents' diet is unhealthy due to its inappropriate dietary pattern, following a diet based on GF products raises extra difficulty in complying with the nutritional recommendations.

Comparative effect of two Mediterranean diets versus a low-fat diet on glycaemic control in individuals with type 2 diabetes.

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: Although benefits have been attributed to the Mediterranean diet, its effect on glycaemic control has not been totally elucidated. The aim of this work was to compare the effect of two Mediterranean diets versus a low-fat diet on several parameters and indices related to glycaemic control in type 2 diabetic subjects. SUBJECTS/METHODS: A multicentric parallel trial was conducted on 191 participants (77 men and 114 women) of the PREDIMED study in order to compare three dietary interventions: two Mediterranean diets supplemented with virgin olive oil (n=67; body mass index (BMI)=29.4±2.9) or mixed nuts (n=74; BMI=30.1±3.1) and a low-fat diet (n=50; BMI=29.8±2.8). There were no drop-outs. Changes in body weight and waist circumference were determined. Insulin resistance was measured by HOMA-IR index, adiponectin/leptin and adiponectin/HOMA-R ratios after 1 year of follow-up. RESULTS: Increased values of adiponectin/leptin ratio (P=0.043, P=0.001 and P<0.001 for low-fat, olive oil and nut diets, respectively) and adiponectin/HOMA-IR ratio (P=0.061, P=0.027 and P=0.069 for low-fat, olive oil and nut diets, respectively) and decreased values of waist circumference (P=0.003, P=0.001 and P=0.001 for low-fat, olive oil and nut diets, respectively) were observed in the three groups. In both Mediterranean diet groups, but not in the low-fat diet group, this was associated with a significant reduction in body weight (P=0.347, P=0.003 and P=0.021 for low-fat, olive oil and nut diets, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: Mediterranean diets supplemented with virgin olive oil or nuts reduced total body weight and improved glucose metabolism to the same extent as the usually recommended low-fat diet.