Metabolic and Neurocognitive Changes Following Lifestyle Modification: Examination of Biomarkers from the ENLIGHTEN Randomized Clinical Trial.

BACKGROUND: Previous studies have demonstrated that aerobic exercise (AE) and the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) diet can improve neurocognition. However, the mechanisms by which lifestyle improves neurocognition have not been widely studied. We examined the associations between changes in metabolic, neurotrophic, and inflammatory biomarkers with executive functioning among participants from the Exercise and Nutritional Interventions for Neurocognitive Health Enhancement (ENLIGHTEN) trial. OBJECTIVE: To examine the association between changes in metabolic function and neurocognition among older adults with cognitive impairment, but without dementia (CIND) participating in a comprehensive lifestyle intervention. METHODS: ENLIGHTEN participants were randomized using a 2×2 factorial design to receive AE, DASH, both AE+DASH, or a health education control condition (HE) for six months. Metabolic biomarkers included insulin resistance (homeostatic model assessment [HOMA-IR]), leptin, and insulin-like growth factor (IGF-1); neurotrophic biomarkers included brain derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF); and inflammatory biomarkers included interleukin-6 (IL-6) and C-Reactive Protein (CRP). RESULTS: Participants included 132 sedentary older adults (mean age = 65 [SD = 7]) with CIND. Results demonstrated that both AE (d = 0.48, p = 0.015) and DASH improved metabolic function (d = 0.37, p = 0.039), without comparable improvements in neurotrophic or inflammatory biomarkers. Greater improvements in metabolic function, including reduced HOMA-IR (B = -2.3 [-4.3, -0.2], p = 0.033) and increased IGF-1 (B = 3.4 [1.2, 5.7], p = 0.004), associated with increases in Executive Function. CONCLUSION: Changes in neurocognition after lifestyle modification are associated with improved metabolic function.

Dietary Patterns in Secondary Prevention of Heart Failure: A Systematic Review.

BACKGROUND: Diet is an important factor in secondary prevention of heart failure (HF) but there is still no consensus as to which dietary model should be adopted by this population. This systematic review aims to clarify the relationship between dietary patterns and secondary prevention in HF. METHODS: We searched the Medline, Embase and Cochrane databases for studies with different dietary patterns and outcomes of secondary prevention in HF. No limitation was used in the search. RESULTS: 1119 articles were identified, 12 met the inclusion criteria. Studies with Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH), Mediterranean, Hyperproteic and Low-carb diets were found. The DASH pattern showed improvement in cardiac function, functional capacity, blood pressure, oxidative stress and mortality. The Mediterranean diet had a correlation with inflammation, quality of life and cardiac function but just on cross-sectional studies. Regarding the Hyperproteic and Low-carb diets only one study was found with each pattern and both were able to improve functional capacity in patients with HF. CONCLUSIONS: DASH pattern may have benefits in the secondary prevention of HF. The Mediterranean diet demonstrated positive correlation with factors of secondary prevention of HF but need more RCTs and cohort studies to confirm these effects. In addition, the Hyperproteic and Low-carb diets, despite the lack of studies, also demonstrated positive effects on the functional capacity in patients with HF.

Dietary patterns are positively associated with semen quality.

OBJECTIVE: To study association of semen quality with a priori whole dietary pattern indexes, which reflect real-world dietary practices and the numerous combinations by which foods are consumed: Healthy Eating Index (HEI), Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH), alternate Mediterranean Diet score (aMED), and Alternative Healthy Eating Index (AHEI). DESIGN: A cross-sectional single-center study. SETTING: Hospital fertility center and university. PATIENT(S): A total of 280 men attending fertility center from 2012 to 2015. INTERVENTION(S): Food frequency questionnaire (FFQ) and semen and sperm analysis. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE(S): Food consumption with the use of FFQ and HEI, AHEI, aMED, DASH nutritional individual scoring indexes. Semen parameters, including semen volume, sperm concentration, motility, total count, and morphology. RESULT(S): Comparing the highest and lowest quartiles of the nutritional indexes, men in the highest quartiles of HEI, AHEI, aMed, and DASH indexes had significantly higher adjusted means of sperm concentration (by 10%, 45%, and 24% for HEI, AHEI, and DASH, respectively), normal sperm morphology (by 21% and 8% for AHEI and DASH, respectively), total sperm count (by 29% for AHEI), and sperm motility (by 6% and 11% for aMed and HEI, respectively). CONCLUSION(S): Adherence to any of the four dietary indexes is associated with better overall sperm quality, with AHEI best associated. Following our novel findings, we recommend using AHEI as a clinical and practical tool for public whole nutritional recommendation for semen quality.

Adherence to a Dash-style diet in relation to depression and aggression in adolescent girls.

The aim of this study was to assess adherence to the Dietary Approach to Stop Hypertension (DASH) dietary pattern in relation to depression and aggression in adolescent girls. The study was carried out among 580 girls aged between 12 and 18 years of age. DASH scores were determined according to the method of Fung et al. A Persian version of the Beck Depression Inventory and Buss-Perry questionnaire were used for the assessment of depression and aggression. We analysed our data using crude and adjusted models. Adjustments were made for age, energy intake, mother's job status, passive smoking, start of menstruation, parental death, parental divorce, physical activity level and body mass index, using three different models. A high adherence to a Dash-style diet (for individuals in the upper quartile) was associated with a lower odds of depression compared with subjects with lower adherence (those in the lowest quartile) (OR 0.47; 95% CI 0.26-0.84, P-value = 0.009); these associations remained significant after adjustments. However, we did not obtain any significant relationship between a DASH-style diet and aggression. We observed a significant inverse relationship between greater adherence to a DASH diet and lower odds of depression. Further prospective studies are needed to confirm these findings.