Association between type 2 diabetes and depressive symptoms after a 1-year follow-up in an older adult Mediterranean population.

OBJECTIVES: To examine the cross-sectional association between baseline depressive symptoms and the presence of type 2 diabetes (T2D), and its association with glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) and other metabolic variables, and the prospective association of depressive symptoms and HbA1c after 1 year of follow-up. METHODS: n = 6224 Mediterranean older adults with overweight/obesity and metabolic syndrome (48% females, mean age 64.9 ± 4.9 years) were evaluated in the framework of the PREDIMED-Plus study cohort. Depressive symptoms were assessed using the Beck Depression Inventory-II and HbA1c was used to measure metabolic control. RESULTS: The presence of T2D increased the likelihood of higher levels of depressive symptoms (χ2 = 15.84, p = 0.001). Polynomial contrast revealed a positive linear relationship (χ2 = 13.49, p = 0.001), the higher the depressive symptoms levels, the higher the prevalence of T2D. Longitudinal analyses showed that the higher baseline depressive symptoms levels, the higher the likelihood of being within the HbA1c ≥ 7% at 1-year level (Wald-χ2 = 24.06, df = 3, p < .001, for the full adjusted model). Additionally, depressive levels at baseline and duration of T2D predicted higher HbA1c and body mass index, and lower physical activity and adherence to Mediterranean Diet at 1 year of follow-up. CONCLUSIONS: This study supports an association between T2D and the severity of depressive symptoms, suggesting a worse metabolic control from mild severity levels in the short-medium term, influenced by lifestyle habits related to diabetes care. Screening for depressive symptoms and a multidisciplinary integrative therapeutic approach should be ensured in patients with T2D.

Intensive Weight-Loss Lifestyle Intervention Using Mediterranean Diet and COVID-19 Risk in Older Adults: Secondary Analysis of PREDIMED-Plus Trial.

OBJECTIVES: We tested the effects of a weight-loss intervention encouraging energy-reduced MedDiet and physical activity (PA) in comparison to ad libitum MedDiet on COVID-19 incidence in older adults. DESIGN: Secondary analysis of PREDIMED-Plus, a prospective, ongoing, multicentre randomized controlled trial. SETTING: Community-dwelling, free-living participants in PREDIMED-Plus trial. PARTICIPANTS: 6,874 Spanish older adults (55-75 years, 49% women) with overweight/obesity and metabolic syndrome. INTERVENTION: Participants were randomised to Intervention (IG) or Control (CG) Group. IG received intensive behavioural intervention for weight loss with an energy-reduced MedDiet intervention and PA promotion. CG was encouraged to consume ad libitum MedDiet without PA recommendations. MEASUREMENTS: COVID-19 was ascertained by an independent Event Committee until December 31, 2021. COX regression models compared the effect of PREDIMED-Plus interventions on COVID-19 risk. RESULTS: Overall, 653 COVID-19 incident cases were documented (IG:317; CG:336) over a median (IQR) follow-up of 5.8 (1.3) years (inclusive of 4.0 (1.2) years before community transmission of COVID-19) in both groups. A significantly lowered risk of COVID-19 incidence was not evident in IG, compared to CG (fully-adjusted HR (95% CI): 0.96 (0.81,1.12)). CONCLUSIONS: There was no evidence to show that an intensive weight-loss intervention encouraging energy-reduced MedDiet and PA significantly lowered COVID-19 risk in older adults with overweight/obesity and metabolic syndrome in comparison to ad libitum MedDiet. Recommendations to improve adherence to MedDiet provided with or without lifestyle modification suggestions for weight loss may have similar effects in protecting against COVID-19 risk in older adults with high cardiovascular risks.

Caffeinated coffee consumption and risk of atrial fibrillation in two Spanish cohorts.

AIMS: The association between caffeinated coffee consumption and atrial fibrillation remains unclear. Recent studies suggest an inverse association only between a moderate caffeinated coffee consumption and atrial fibrillation, but others have reported no association. The aim of our study was to prospectively assess the association between caffeinated coffee consumption and atrial fibrillation in two Spanish cohorts, one of adults from a general population and another of elderly participants at high cardiovascular risk. METHODS AND RESULTS: We included 18,983 and 6479 participants from the 'Seguimiento Universidad de Navarra' (SUN) and 'Prevención con Dieta Mediterránea' (PREDIMED) cohorts, respectively. Participants were classified according to their caffeinated coffee consumption in three groups: ≤3 cups/month, 1-7 cups/week, and >1 cup/day. We identified 97 atrial fibrillation cases after a median follow-up of 10.3 years (interquartile range 6.5-13.5), in the SUN cohort and 250 cases after 4.4 years median follow-up (interquartile range 2.8-5.8) in the PREDIMED study. No significant associations were observed in the SUN cohort although a J-shaped association was suggested. A significant inverse association between the intermediate category of caffeinated coffee consumption (1-7 cups/week) and atrial fibrillation was observed in PREDIMED participants with a multivariable-adjusted hazard ratio = 0.53 (95% confidence interval 0.36-0.79) when compared with participants who did not consume caffeinated coffee or did it only occasionally. No association was found for higher levels of caffeinated coffee consumption (>1 cup per day), hazard ratio = 0.79 (95% confidence interval 0.49-1.28). In the meta-analysis of both PREDIMED and SUN studies, the hazard ratio for intermediate consumption of caffeinated coffee was 0.60 (95% confidence interval 0.44-0.82) without evidence of heterogeneity. Similar findings were found for the association between caffeine intake and atrial fibrillation risk. CONCLUSION: Intermediate levels of caffeinated coffee consumption (1-7 cups/week) were associated with a reduction in atrial fibrillation risk in two prospective Mediterranean cohorts.

Health-related quality of life in individuals with metabolic syndrome: A cross-sectional study.

INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVES: Metabolic syndrome (MetS) is a combination of various cardiovascular risk factors with a major impact on morbidity and premature mortality. However, the impact of MetS on self-reported health-related quality of life (HRQoL) is unknown. This study evaluated the HRQoL in a Spanish adult population aged 55 years and older with MetS. METHOD: A cross-sectional analysis was performed with baseline data from the PREDIMED-Plus multicentre randomized trial. The participants were 6430 men and women aged 55-75 years with overweight/obesity (body mass index ≥27 and ≤40kg/m2) and MetS. The SF-36 questionnaire was used as a tool to measure HRQoL. Scores were calculated on each scale of the SF-36 by gender and age. RESULTS: Participants showed higher scores in the social function (mean 85.9, 95% CI; 85.4-86.4) and emotional role scales (mean 86.8, 95% CI; 86.0-87.5). By contrast, the worst scores were obtained in the aggregated physical dimensions. In addition, men obtained higher scores than women on all scales. Among men, the worst score was obtained in general health (mean 65.6, 95% CI; 65.0-66.2), and among women, in body pain (mean 54.3, 95%CI; 53.4-55.2). A significant decrease was found in the aggregated physical dimensions score among participants 70-75 years old, but an increased one in the aggregated mental dimensions, compared to younger participants. CONCLUSIONS: Our results reflect that the MetS may negatively affect HRQoL in the aggregated physical dimensions, body pain in women, and general health in men. However, this adverse association was absent for the psychological dimensions of HRQoL, which were less affected.

Psychometric properties of the Weight Locus of Control Scale (MWLCS): study with Spanish individuals of different anthropometric nutritional status.

INTRODUCTION: The Multidimensional Weight Locus of Control Scale (MWLCS) measures a person's beliefs regarding the locus of control or lack of locus of control over his/her body weight. PURPOSE: We aim to evaluate the factorial structure and psychometric properties of the MWLCS with Spanish normal weight, overweight and obese samples. METHODS: The research was carried out in two different studies. The first included a sample of 140 normal weight participants, selected out of a 274 sample recruited with an online survey. Study 2 was carried out in a sample of 633 participants recruited from the PREDIMED-Plus study. Out of them, 558 participants fulfilled the weight criteria and were categorized into: overweight (BMI 25 - < 29.99; N = 170), obese class I (BMI 30 - < 34.99; N = 266), and obese class II (BMI 35 - < 39.99; N = 122). Exploratory (EFA) and confirmatory (CFA) factor analyses were used to evaluate the factor structure of the MWLCS, and reliabilities and Spearman's correlations were estimated. Invariance measurement was tested across the three subgroups of weight in Study 2. RESULTS: A three-factor structure indicating weight locus of control factors (internal, chance, and powerful others) was supported, both via EFA in the normal weight sample and CFA in the overweight and obese samples. In the normal weight sample, the powerful others dimension was positively related to BMI and the dimensions of the Dutch Eating Behaviors Questionnaire. Additionally, the scale showed evidence of scalar invariance across the groups with different weight conditions. CONCLUSIONS: This scale seems to be a psychometrically appropriate instrument and its use is highly recommended when designing interventions for overweight or obese individuals. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level V, descriptive study.

Longitudinal changes in Mediterranean diet and transition between different obesity phenotypes.

BACKGROUND & AIMS: Little is known about the impact of specific dietary patterns on the development of obesity phenotypes. We aimed to determine the association of longitudinal changes in adherence to the traditional Mediterranean diet (MedDiet) with the transition between different obesity phenotypes. METHODS: Data of 5801 older men and women at high cardiovascular risk from PREDIMED trial were used. Adherence to MedDiet was measured with the validated 14p-Mediterranean Diet Adherence Screener (MEDAS). Using the simultaneous combination of metabolic health- and body size-related parameters participants were categorized into one of four phenotypes: metabolically healthy and abnormal obese (MHO and MAO), metabolically healthy and abnormal non-obese (MHNO and MANO). Cox regression models with yearly repeated measures during 5-year of follow-up were built with use of Markov chain assumption. RESULTS: Each 2-point increase in MEDAS was associated with the following transitions: in MAO participants, with a 16% (95% CI 3-31%) greater likelihood of becoming MHO; in MHO participants with a 14% (3-23%) lower risk of becoming MAO; in MHNO participants with a 18% (5-30%) lower risk of becoming MHO. In MANO women, but not in men, MEDAS was associated with 20% (5-38%) greater likely of becoming MHNO (p for interaction by gender 0.014). No other significant associations were observed. CONCLUSIONS: Better adherence to the traditional MedDiet is associated with transitions to healthier phenotypes, promoting metabolic health improvement in MAO, MANO (only in women), and MHO, as well as protecting against obesity incidence in MHNO subjects.

Non-targeted metabolomic biomarkers and metabotypes of type 2 diabetes: A cross-sectional study of PREDIMED trial participants.

AIM: To characterize the urinary metabolomic fingerprint and multi-metabolite signature associated with type 2 diabetes (T2D), and to classify the population into metabotypes related to T2D. METHODS: A metabolomics analysis using the 1H-NMR-based, non-targeted metabolomic approach was conducted to determine the urinary metabolomic fingerprint of T2D compared with non-T2D participants in the PREDIMED trial. The discriminant metabolite fingerprint was subjected to logistic regression analysis and ROC analyses to establish and to assess the multi-metabolite signature of T2D prevalence, respectively. Metabotypes associated with T2D were identified using the k-means algorithm. RESULTS: A total of 33 metabolites were significantly different (P<0.05) between T2D and non-T2D participants. The multi-metabolite signature of T2D comprised high levels of methylsuccinate, alanine, dimethylglycine and guanidoacetate, and reduced levels of glutamine, methylguanidine, 3-hydroxymandelate and hippurate, and had a 96.4% AUC, which was higher than the metabolites on their own and glucose. Amino-acid and carbohydrate metabolism were the main metabolic alterations in T2D, and various metabotypes were identified in the studied population. Among T2D participants, those with a metabotype of higher levels of phenylalanine, phenylacetylglutamine, p-cresol and acetoacetate had significantly higher levels of plasma glucose. CONCLUSION: The multi-metabolite signature of T2D highlights the altered metabolic fingerprint associated mainly with amino-acid, carbohydrate and microbiota metabolism. Metabotypes identified in this patient population could be related to higher risk of long-term cardiovascular events and therefore require further studies. Metabolomics is a useful tool for elucidating the metabolic complexity and interindividual variation in T2D towards the development of stratified precision nutrition and medicine. Trial registration at www.controlled-trials.com: ISRCTN35739639.

Does the Mediterranean diet counteract the adverse effects of abdominal adiposity?

BACKGROUND AND AIM: We tested the hypothesis that an intervention with a Mediterranean diet (MeDiet) could mitigate the well-known harmful effects of abdominal obesity on cardiovascular health. METHODS AND RESULTS: We assessed the relationship between baseline waist-to-height ratio (WHtR) and major cardiovascular events during a median follow-up of 4.8 years in the Prevention with Mediterranean Diet (PREDIMED) randomized primary prevention trial, which tested a MeDiet against a control diet (advice on a low-fat diet). We also examined whether the MeDiet intervention was able to counteract the detrimental cardiovascular effects of an increased WHtR. The trial included 7447 participants (55-80 years old, 57% women) at high cardiovascular risk but free of cardiovascular disease (CVD) at enrollment. An increased risk of CVD events (myocardial infarction, stroke, or cardiovascular death) was apparent for the highest versus the lowest quartile of WHtR (multivariable-adjusted hazard ratio: 1.98) (95% confidence interval: 1.10-3.57; linear trend: p = 0.019) only in the control-diet group, but not in the two groups allocated to intervention with MeDiet (p for interaction = 0.034). This apparent interaction suggesting that the intervention counterbalanced the detrimental cardiovascular effects of adiposity was also significant for body mass index (BMI) (p = 0.01) and waist circumference (p = 0.043). CONCLUSIONS: The MeDiet may counteract the harmful effects of increased adiposity on the risk of CVD.

Inverse association between habitual polyphenol intake and incidence of cardiovascular events in the PREDIMED study.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Epidemiologic and biological evidence supports an inverse association between polyphenol consumption and the risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD). However, no previous studies have prospectively evaluated the relationship between polyphenol intake and the incidence of CVD in such a comprehensive way. The aim was to evaluate the association between intakes of total polyphenol and polyphenol subgroups, and the risk of major cardiovascular events (myocardial infarction, stroke or death from cardiovascular causes) in the PREDIMED study. METHODS AND RESULTS: The present work is an observational study within the PREDIMED trial. Over an average of 4.3 years of follow-up, there were 273 confirmed cases of CVD among the 7172 participants (96.3%) who completed a validated 137-item food frequency questionnaire (FFQ) at baseline. Polyphenol consumption was calculated by matching food consumption data from the FFQ with the Phenol-Explorer database on polyphenol content of each reported food. After multivariate adjustment, a 46% reduction in risk of CVD risk was observed comparing Q5 vs. Q1 of total polyphenol intake (HR = 0.54; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.33-0.91; P-trend = 0.04). The polyphenols with the strongest inverse associations were flavanols (HR = 0.40; CI 0.23-0.72; P-trend = 0.003), lignans (HR = 0.51; CI 0.30-0.86; P-trend = 0.007), and hydroxybenzoic acids (HR = 0.47; CI 0.26-0.86; P-trend 0.02). CONCLUSION: Greater intake of polyphenols, especially from lignans, flavanols, and hydroxybenzoic acids, was associated with decreased CVD risk. Clinical trials are needed to confirm this effect and establish accurate dietary recommendations.

Efectos a corto plazo en la pérdida de peso de una dieta vegetariana baja en grasa / Short term effects on weight loss of a low-fat vegetarian diet

Introducción: Diversos estudios han demostrado la eficacia de las dietas vegetarianas en la reducción del riesgo de obesidad, aunque se dispone de escasos datos en población mediterránea española acerca del efecto de la dieta vegetariana en la reducción de peso a corto plazo, en individuos previamente no vegetarianos. Objetivo: Nuestro objetivo ha sido estudiar el efecto en población mediterránea de una dieta vegetariana baja en grasas en la reducción del peso corporal y en otras medidas antropométricas y de composición corporal, tras su administración durante 15 días en condiciones estrictas de internado. Métodos: Se ha llevado a cabo un estudio de intervención nutricional en voluntarios administrando un menú completo diario. Para ello, se instauró en régimen de internado estricto durante 15 días una dieta lacto-vegetariana baja en grasa (20%) y que aportaba unas 1900 Kcal/día en una muestra de 168 individuos (44 hombres, 124 mujeres) cuya ingesta basal de grasa era superior al 30%. Se valoró la influencia de esta dieta en los parámetros antropométricos y de composición corporal (peso, talla, IMC, perímetro de cintura y cadera, ICC y masa grasa). Resultados: La intervención dietética produjo reducciones estadísticamente significativas, tanto en hombres como en mujeres, en el peso (2,15+/-1,2 kg), IMC (0,77+/-0,4), perímetro de cintura (2,90+/-2,6 cm), perímetro de cadera (2,04+/-1,9 cm) e ICC (0,01+/-0,0). Conclusión: La dieta lacto-vegetariana a corto plazo produce una pérdida significativa de peso y grasa abdominal y es más saludable que otros tipos de dietas con mayor riesgo cetogénico y menor aporte de antioxidantes (AU)

To study the effect on a Mediterranean population of a low-fat (20%) vegetarian diet on reducing body-weight and other anthropometrical measurements and body composition following a fifteen-day administration in strict interned conditions. Methods: We have carried out a nutritional intervention study in volunteers consisting on the administration of a whole dietary menu. A strict internment was imposed for fifteen days. A low-fat lacto-vegetarian diet of 1900 Kcal per day was administered on a sample of 168 individuals (44 men, 124 women) whose baseline intake of fat was greater than 30% of energy. The influence of this diet was evaluated on the anthropometric parameters and body composition (weight, height, BMI, waist and hip circumference, waist-to-hip ratio and body fat mass). Results: The dietary intervention produced statistically significant reductions both in men and in women, in weight (2,15+/-1,2 kg), BMI (0,77+/ -0,4 kg/m2), waist circumference (2,90+/-2,6 cm), hip circumference (2,04+/-1,9 cm) and waist-to-hip ratio (0,01+/-0,0). Conclusion: The lacto-vegetarian diet model used in this dietary intervention probed useful in tackling overweight and obesity and presents advantages over other types of diet with greater ketogenic risk and lesser antioxidant contribution (AU)

Education modulates the association of the FTO rs9939609 polymorphism with body mass index and obesity risk in the Mediterranean population.

OBJECTIVE: To define whether the rs9939609 FTO (fat mass and obesity associated) single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) is associated with anthropometric measurements and its modulation by educational level in a Mediterranean population. METHODS: We studied 3 independent adult samples: a random sample (n = 1580) from the general population (GP), obese hospital patients (OHP) (n = 203) and elderly subjects (n = 1027) with high cardiovascular risk (HCR). Weight and height were directly measured. Education and physical activity (PA) were measured using questionnaires. RESULTS: The rs9939609 presented heterogeneous associations with BMI. In the GP, the minor A-allele was significantly associated with greater BMI, following a co-dominant pattern (P = 0.009), whereas in the OHP this association was recessive (P = 0.004). Conversely, we did not find a significant association with BMI in the HCR group (P < 0.596). In the GP we found a significant interaction between the FTO SNP and education (P = 0.048). In the stratified analysis, no association of the FTO SNP with greater BMI in university subjects was detected (P = 0.786), whereas the association was observed in non-university subjects (P = 0.001). The FTO × education interaction (P = 0.020) was also observed in determining obesity risk in the GP. A-allele carriers had a greater risk of being obese only if they had no university education (OR: 1.56; 95%CI: 1.09-2.23 for TA and OR: 2.01; 95%CI: 1.27-3.26 for AA subjects). The interaction of the FTO with education remained significant even after adjustment for PA. CONCLUSIONS: The association of the FTO SNP with greater BMI and obesity risk in the GP was strongly modulated by education.

[Meat and fish consumption in a high cardiovascular risk Spanish Mediterranean population]. / Consumo de carne y pescado en población mediterránea española de edad avanzada y alto riesgo cardiovascular.

BACKGROUND: High saturated fat consumption, mostly from red meat and sausage meat has been associated with an increase in cardiovascular risk (CVR) in contrast to the effect of high fish consumption. OBJECTIVE: To get to know the frequency of meat and fish consumption in an elderly high Mediterranean population, their correlations with adherence to the Mediterranean diet (MD) and their association with intermediate CVR phenotypes. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was carried out on 945 people (67.4±6.2 years old) with high CVR recruited in primary care centres of Valencia, and participating in the PREDIMED study. The frequency of meat and fish consumption was determined through a validated questionnaire. We analyzed clinical, biochemical and anthropometric variables using standard methods. RESULTS: Mean red meat consumption was high (7.4±4.7 times/week), being higher in men than in women (P=0.031) and was associated with greater weight (P=0.001) and prevalence of obesity (P=0.025). Fish consumption was also high (4.5±2.6 time/week) and was associated with lower concentrations of fasting plasma glucose (P=0.016) as well as with lower prevalence of diabetes (P=0.017). CONCLUSION: Red meat consumption in this high CVR population is very high and far from the recommendations of MD, needing, therefore, to be reduced. Fish consumption is closer to the recommendations and should be maintained.

The 1258 G>A polymorphism in the neuropeptide Y gene is associated with greater alcohol consumption in a Mediterranean population.

Neuropeptide Y (NPY) is a neurotransmitter widely distributed in the central nervous system. Several studies have demonstrated that increases of NPY are associated with reduced alcohol intake and anxiety manifestations. The Leu7Pro polymorphism in the NPY has been associated with alcohol consumption, but evidence is scarce. In the Spanish Mediterranean population, this variant is not polymorphic. Thus, our aim is to identify novel functional variants in the NPY and to investigate the impact of these markers and others previously described on alcohol consumption in this population. A total of 911 subjects (321 men and 590 women) from the Spanish Mediterranean population were recruited. Alcohol consumption, and demographic and lifestyle variables were measured. Nucleotide sequence determination and SNP analyses were carried out. Only one exonic SNP was detected by direct sequencing (1258 G>A or rs9785023; allele frequency 0.47). From the intronic markers chosen (483 A>G or rs13235938, 2517 A>G or rs4722342, and 7065 A>G or rs4722343), only the two latter ones were polymorphic (allele frequencies 0.46 and 0.04, respectively), and none of them were associated with alcohol consumption. However, the 1258 G>A SNP was associated (recessive pattern) with higher alcohol intake. This association was particularly relevant in men with high alcohol intake (59.1±5.0 g/day in AA as opposed to 40.6±7.5 in the G carriers, P=.022) and women with moderate alcohol intake (7.3±5.5 g/day in AA as opposed to 4.6±3.9g/day in G carriers, P=.048). The 1258 G>A polymorphism in the NPY is associated with higher alcohol consumption in the Mediterranean population.

Association between the APOA2 promoter polymorphism and body weight in Mediterranean and Asian populations: replication of a gene-saturated fat interaction.

OBJECTIVE: The APOA2 gene has been associated with obesity and insulin resistance (IR) in animal and human studies with controversial results. We have reported an APOA2-saturated fat interaction determining body mass index (BMI) and obesity in American populations. This work aims to extend our findings to European and Asian populations. METHODS: Cross-sectional study in 4602 subjects from two independent populations: a high-cardiovascular risk Mediterranean population (n = 907 men and women; aged 67 ± 6 years) and a multiethnic Asian population (n = 2506 Chinese, n = 605 Malays and n = 494 Asian Indians; aged 39 ± 12 years) participating in a Singapore National Health Survey. Anthropometric, clinical, biochemical, lifestyle and dietary variables were determined. Homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance was used in Asians. We analyzed gene-diet interactions between the APOA2 -265T>C polymorphism and saturated fat intake (C polymorphism on body-weight-related measures was modulated by saturated fat in Mediterranean and Asian populations.

[Coffee and tea consumption in a high cardiovascular risk Mediterranean population]. / Consumo de café y té en población mediterránea de alto riesgo cardiovascular.

INTRODUCTION: Coffee and tea consumption recommendations for a healthy diet have been changing in recent years as it has increased the level of evidence on their benefits has increased. OBJECTIVE: To know the frequency of coffee and tea consumption of in a high cardiovascular risk Mediterranean population (CVR) and to analyze whether there are differences between the consumption of these drinks by cardiovascular risk factors. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was carried out on 945 people (340 males, 605 females) (67.4+/-6.2 years old) with high CVR recruited in primary care centres of Valencia, included in the PREDIMED study. Coffee and tea consumption has been determined through a validated questionnaire. We analyzed biochemical, clinical and anthropometric variables by standard methods. RESULTS: Tea consumption is very low in this Mediterranean population (0.4+/-1.6 cups/weeks). By contrast, coffee consumption averaged nearly one cup per day (6.5+/-5.2 cups/weeks). Hypertensive patients showed a lower overall consumption of coffee than in non-hypertensive patients (6.6+/-5.1 vs 7.3+/-5.9; P=0.023 respectively). These differences were greatest when caffeinated coffee consumption is analyzed (2.9+/-4.5 vs 4.3+/-5.3, P<0001). Moreover, diabetics consumed significantly less coffee and tea than non-diabetics (P=0.015 and P=0.022 respectively), these differences being greater for caffeinated coffee (P<0.025). CONCLUSIONS: In conclusion, in this high cardiovascular risk Mediterranean population a coffee consumption pattern, based on traditional recommendations, is observed, that as a result of new scientific evidence should be update.

PPAR-alpha L162V and PGC-1 G482S gene polymorphisms, but not PPAR-gamma P12A, are associated with alcohol consumption in a Spanish Mediterranean population.

BACKGROUND: Peroxisome Proliferator-Activated Receptors (PPARs) and its co-activators are regulatory elements of the cellular lipid homeostasis and have been associated with feeding behavior modulation. Animal models suggest that these genes may be involved in alcohol consumption regulation. However, no studies in humans exist. Our aim is to estimate the possible association between polymorphisms in the PPAR-alpha, PPAR-gamma and PPAR-gamma co-activator 1A (PGC-1A) genes and alcohol consumption in humans. METHODS: We have conducted a cross-sectional study between the PPAR-alpha L162V, PPAR-gamma P12A and PGC-1A G482S polymorphisms, and alcohol consumption in a general Mediterranean Spanish population (303 men and 443 women). RESULTS: We have found an association between the L162V polymorphism and alcohol consumption in which, carriers of the V allele were more prevalent among alcohol consumers (19.4% vs. 9.8%; OR 2.69; 95% CI: 1.31-5.54, p=0.007). The G482S polymorphism showed a significantly higher frequency in the group of high alcohol drinkers than in non-high alcohol drinkers (33.4% vs. 20.6%; OR 2.28; 95% CI: 1.07-4.88, p=0.034). Mean alcohol consumption was higher as the number of G alleles increased (GG 8.6+/-12.8 g/day, GS 6.6+/-9.2 g/day, SS 5.6+/-7.8 g/day, p=0.003). These results remained statistically significant after covariate adjustment. CONCLUSIONS: PPAR-alpha L162V and PGC-1A G482S polymorphisms are associated with alcohol consumption in the Mediterranean population.

Predisposición genética en el consumo de alcohol: el caso de la Alcohol Deshidrogenasa 1C / Genetic predisposition to alcohol consumption: the case of Alcohol Dehydrogenase 1C

Introducción: El consumo de alcohol se presenta frecuentemente asociado a determinados delitos, siendo en unas ocasiones atenuante o eximente, y en otras una infracción penal per se. Se han identificado numerosos factores genéticos y ambientales que predisponen al consumo de alcohol. Nuestro objetivo ha sido estudiar la prevalencia del polimorfismo Ile349Val en la alcohol deshidrogenasa 1C que da lugar a la isoforma gamma 2 (metabolizador lento), y estudiar su asociación con el consumo de alcohol así como reflexionar sobre la dimensión de la implicación de estas variantes genéticas en la Medicina Legal. Material y Métodos: Se ha genotipado el polimorfismo Ile 349Val en 869 individuos procedentes de una población mediterránea española. Se ha estimado su prevalencia y su asociación con el consumo de alcohol tanto de manera contínua como categórica. Resultados: La prevalencia de la variante fue: 41%Ile/Ile, 44,5%Ile/Val y 14%Val/Val. En las mujeres Val/Val (homozigotas para la variante gamma 2), el consumo de alcohol fue superior a las portadoras de la variante gamma 1 (Ile); p=0,013. Además, el riesgo de consumo elevado de alcohol en estas mujeres fue estadísticamente significativo (OR 2,59: IC al 95%: 1,01-6,65; p=0,048). Conclusión: En nuestro estudio, la variante Ile349val en el gen de la Alcohol Deshidrogenasa 1C está asociada con el riesgo de mayor consumo de alcohol en las mujeres. Estos datos hacen pensar en la posibilidad futura de valorar el perfil de genes asociados al consumo de alcohol en personas imputadas en determinados actos en estado de ebriedad, pudiendo matizar potencialmente la voluntariedad e imputabilidad de dicho acto ilícito

Introduction: Alcohol consumption is present in several crimes, being an extenuating or exculpating circumstance. In other cases it represents per se a penal infraction. Several genetic and environmental factors predisposing to alcohol consumption have been identified. Our aim is to study the prevalence of the Ile349Val polymorphism in the Alcohol Dehydrogenase 1C, that generates the gamma 2 isoform (slow metabolizers) and to assess its association with alcohol consumption, and to reflect upon the degree of the dimension of these genetic variants in Legal Medicine. Material and methods: We have genotyped 869 individuals from a Mediterranean Spanish population for the Ile349Val polymorphism in the ADH1C. We estimated the prevalence of this polymorphism and we studied its association with alcohol consumption. Continuous and categorical analysis was carried out. Results: Prevalence of this variant was: 41%Ile/Ile, 44,5%Ile/Val and 14%Val/Val. Women carrying the Val/Val genotype (homozygous for the gamma 2 variant) had greater alcohol consumption than carriers of the gamma 1 (Ile variant); p=0.013. Furthermore, the high alcohol consumption risk was statistically significant (OR 2.59: 95% CI: 1.01-6.65. p=0.048). Conclusions: In our study, the Ile349Val variant in the ADH1C gene is associated with greater risk of having high alcohol consumption in women. This data suggest a future possibility of assessing the genetic profile of alcohol consumption-linked genes in case of individuals involved in committing several acts when drunk, enabling us to potentially clarify the responsibility for this illicit act

Genetic variation at the perilipin (PLIN) locus is associated with obesity-related phenotypes in White women.

Perilipin coats intracellular lipid droplets and modulates adipocyte lipolysis. We have evaluated the association between several polymorphisms at the perilipin (PLIN) locus (PLIN1 : 6209T > C, PLIN4 : 11482G > A, PLIN5 : 13041A > G, and PLIN6 : 14995A > T) with obesity-related phenotypes in 1589 White subjects randomly selected from a general Spanish population. In women (n = 801), the less common alleles of PLIN1 and PLIN4, in strong linkage disequilibrium (D' : 0.96), were significantly associated with lower body mass index. Carriers of the allele 2 (6209C) at the PLIN1 locus weighed significantly less (-2.2 kg; p = 0.007) than women homozygotes for the wild-type genotype. The same was true for 11482A carriers at PLIN4 (p = 0.01). Moreover, the PLIN4 variant was associated with significantly lower waist-to-hip ratio, plasma glucose, and triacylglycerol concentrations. No significant associations with these obesity-related phenotypes were found in men. In agreement with these results, statistically significant gene-gender interactions were obtained when the risk of obesity was estimated (281 subjects were obese and 1308 non-obese). Only in women, PLIN1 and PLIN4 variant alleles (6209C and 11482A) were associated with a lower obesity risk [Odds ratio (OR) = 0.58, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.38-0.93 and OR = 0.56, 95% CI: 0.36-0.89, respectively]. In summary, our data suggest that common alleles at the PLIN locus modulate body weight and metabolic variables in humans.