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- Olive oil consumption confers protective effects on maternal-fetal outcomes: A systematic review of the evidencePublication . Cortez-Ribeiro, Anna Carolina; Meireles, Manuela; Ferro-Lebres, Vera; Almeida-de-Souza, JulianaBecause of the maternal diet's importance, numerous studies have examined the effects of olive oil on pregnancy outcomes. This study provides a systematic review that evaluates the evidence between olive oil consumption and maternal-fetal outcomes. We hypothesized that olive oil reduced the risk of adverse pregnancy complications. We searched Web of Science, Scopus, PubMed, and Biblioteca Virtual em Saúde electronic databases (October and November 2021). The keywords used were pregnancy, olive oil, and pregnancy outcomes. This review included all the available studies in English and Portuguese. The exclusion criteria were (1) unrelated to olive oil consumption, (2) other outcomes, and (3) animal studies. The review included 9 articles (6 experimental and 3 observational). In the maternal outcome studies (n = 6), a higher olive oil consumption was associated with a lower prevalence of gestational diabetes mellitus, preeclampsia, and cardiovascular risk. In the fetal outcome studies (n = 8), olive oil consumption was associated with a lower risk for small- or large-for-gestational-age infants. Olive oil consumption confers protective effects on pregnancy outcomes; however, further studies are needed that are specifically designed for the impact of olive oil consumption on maternal-fetal outcomes.
- Estimated dietary flavonoid intake and major food contributors in the Portuguese population: results from the national food, nutrition and physical activity survey (IAN-AF 2015–2016)Publication . Martins, Sofia; Meireles, Manuela; Caetano, Estela; Correia, Daniela; Carvalho, Catarina; Silva, Catarina Campos; Magalhães, Vânia; Vilela, Sofia; Lopes, Carla; Torres, DuarteFlavonoids are a key class of polyphenols, i.e., phytochemical compounds present in foods and beverages, which have been described as having health benefits in preventing several chronic diseases. Estimating flavonoid intake has already been conducted in several countries but has yet to be performed in Portugal. This study included 5005 participants aged 3–84 years and aimed to estimate dietary flavonoid intake in the Portuguese population, using data from the National Food and Physical Activity Survey 2015–2016, providing information on intake, main food contributors and the socio-demographic factors associated with the intake. Food intake data from the survey was converted to flavonoid intake using a database built to include the most updated USDA databases on flavonoids, isoflavones and proanthocyanidins and the Phenol-Explorer database. The rationale for combining food consumption data and different flavonoid databases using the FoodEx2 classification system was established. Linear regressions assessed the associations between socio-demographic factors and dietary flavonoid intake. The total flavonoid intake of the Portuguese population was estimated to be 107·3 mg/d. Flavanols were the most representative subclass, followed by flavonols, anthocyanidins, flavanones, flavones and isoflavones. Fruits and vegetables were the primary food contributors, providing 31·5 % and 12·4 % of the total flavonoid intake. Adolescents had the lowest total flavonoid intake, and older adults had the highest. This study provides information on the Portuguese population’s dietary flavonoids, allowing for international comparisons. It can also streamline forthcoming investigations into the link between flavonoid consumption and its impact on health, contributing to the future establishment of dietary reference values.
- Sustainability dimensions of the mediterranean diet: a systematic review of the indicators used and its resultsPublication . Boto, Joana Margarida; Rocha, Ada; Migueis, Vera; Meireles, Manuela; Neto, BelmiraThe concern about sustainability is growing and the Mediterranean diet has been extensively identified as a promising model, with benefits for human and environmental health. This systematic review aims to identify and describe the indicators that have been used to evaluate the sustainability of the Mediterranean diet and the results from their application. A methodology using PRISMA guidelines was followed, and searches were performed in Web of Science, PubMed, Scopus, and GreenFile. A total of 32 studies assessing the sustainability of the Mediterranean diet were identified. Twenty-five of these studies quantified the environmental impact, 7 studies evaluated the nutritional quality, and 12 studies assessed the daily cost of this dietary pattern. A total of 33 distinct indicators were identified, of which 10 were used to assess the environmental dimension (mainly, carbon, water, and ecological footprint), 8 were used to assess the nutritional dimension (mainly Health score and Nutrient Rich Food Index), 1 was used to assess the economic dimension (dietary cost), and 8 used combined indicators. The remaining 6 indicators for the assessment of sociocultural dimension were only identified in 1 study but were not measured. The Mediterranean diet had a lower environmental impact than Western diets and showed a carbon footprint between 0.9 and 6.88 kg CO2/d per capita, a water footprint between 600 and 5280 m3/d per capita, and an ecological footprint between 2.8 and 53.42 m2/d per capita. With regard to the nutritional dimension, the Mediterranean diet had a high nutritional quality and obtained 122 points on the Health score and ranged between 12.95 and 90.6 points on the Nutrient Rich Food Index. The cost of the Mediterranean diet is similar to other diets and varied between 3.33 and 14.42€/d per capita. These findings show that no uniformity in assessing the MDiet's sustainability exists.
- Olive oil consumption and maternal-fetal outcomes: a systematic review of the evidencePublication . Cortez-Ribeiro, Anna Carolina; Meireles, Manuela; Ferro-Lebres, Vera; Almeida-de-Souza, JulianaNutrition plays a significant role during pregnancy. The risk of maternal-fetal complications decreases with a balanced eating pattern. For instance, the Mediterranean diet is correlated with improved health status and reduced risk of gestational diabetes, preeclampsia, hypertension, and pre-term birth. Olive oil is an essential component of this dietary pattern. Thus, the aim of this study was to systematically review the evidence between olive oil consumption and the risk of adverse maternal-fetal outcomes. Methodology: The study was guided by the
- Postprandial glycemia after a high-rich carbohydrate meal: a randomized cross-over clinical trial on olive leaf tea effectPublication . Meireles, Manuela; Polck, Denise; Cortez-Ribeiro, Anna Carolina; Almeida-de-Souza, Juliana; Ferro-Lebres, VeraInfusions of olive leaves have been used in traditional herbal medicine as a way to treat and prevent many diseases, including diabetes. Olive leaves are naturally rich in oleuropein, and previous studies have shown the potential of oleuropein in mitigating diabetes and diabetes complications in vitro and in vivo. This study aimed to investigate the effect of natural olive leaves tea on postprandial glycemia in healthy volunteers, when ingested with a high-carbohydrate meal comparing with a placebo tea. The hypothesis present was that olive leaf tea would improve glycemic control and modulate postprandial glycaemia.
- Olive leaf tea impact on postprandial glycemia: a randomized cross-over trialPublication . Meireles, Manuela; Cortez-Ribeiro, A.C.; Polck, Denise; Almeida-de-Souza, Juliana; Ferro-Lebres, VeraThis study investigates the effect of olive leaf tea (OLT) on postprandial glycemia in healthy volunteers when ingested with a high-carbohydrate meal, compared with a placebo tea (CON). Healthy adults participated in a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled, and cross-over design trial receiving a high-rich carbohydrate meal with either 250 mL of OLT or CON at two different times after a washout period. The sequence order was randomized at a ratio of 1:1. Capillary blood glucose was measured in a 2 h period after ingestion. Eighteen participants were initially randomized. Of these, thirteen completed the trial and were analyzed. The consumption of OLT resulted in a delay in peak time (48.5 +/- 4.2 min vs. 35.7 +/- 4.0 min, p = 0.03) and a significant increase in glucose area under the curve compared to placebo (14,502.7 +/- 640.8 vs. 13,633.3 +/- 869.4 mg/dL center dot min, p = 0.03). Results are depicted as mean +/- SEM. The OLT and CON palatability were generally well accepted. No adverse effects were reported. OLT did not ameliorate a glycemic curve induced by carbohydrate-rich meal ingestion, suggesting that at least when ingested acutely in a single meal, OLT does not have antihyperglycemic effects. Future studies should account for chronic consumption providing a better understanding of glycemic regulation over time.
- Historical and cultural perspectives on obesity and body image in PortugalPublication . Meireles, Manuela; Ferro-Lebres, Vera; Almeida-de-Souza, Juliana; Podestá, Olívia Galvão de; Machado, Ana; Ferreira, Jessica; Pereira, Fernando A.Portuguese adolescents and young people are subject to normative discontentment related to body image perception. This perception is subjective and influenced by several factors including mass media communication or social media messages. To aggravate this situation, we live in a pro-obesogenic era. Advertising for unhealthy food facilitates excess body weight which in turn contributes to body dissatisfaction and to the manifestation of eating disorders. We analyzed the covers of printed magazines from the last 13 months to understand how body image is portrayed in actuality. Of the total magazines, 29% have messages related to beauty culture. Some of them were related to weight or body shape such as “body in shape” (“Corpo em forma”), and “prepare the body for summer” (“prepare o corpo para o verão”). Only 15 (9.4%) of those magazines are assisting the slenderness culture: “Easter without gaining weight” (“Páscoa sem engordar”), “After holidays lose weight” (“depois das férias perder peso”), “do not come back with more weight from holidays” (“não volte com mais peso das férias”), “loose weight for once” (“emagreça de vez”), and “loose x kg in y weeks (“emagreça x kg em y semanas”). From the total of magazines, 8.5% (14 magazines) were identified as having body shaming, inducing that a change was necessary to have a desirable body. Despite these results, excess body weight is still a target of social stigma and bullying at scholarly levels. However, movements of body positivity and TV shows increasing awareness of how stigma affects people suffering from obesity and eating disorders are becoming more common opening space for improvements in the next years, that will undoubtedly need a multidisciplinary integrated approach to succeed.
- Local Report - PortugalPublication . Ribeiro, Anna Carolina; Meireles, Manuela; Galvão, Olivia; Machado, Ana; Silva, Diana; Almeida-de-Souza, Juliana; Ferro-Lebres, VeraObesity represents one of the main public health problems worldwide. In Portugal, more than half of the adult population has overweight and obesity reached 1,5 million people aged more than 18 years-old. At the heart of these numbers is an unbalanced lifestyle: inadequate eating habits and physical inactivity. When analyzing childhood obesity, all Portuguese regions showed a decrease in the prevalence of overweight (including obesity), although it’s still an alarming situation. It’s believed that underlining this positive trend is the increase in food policy and outstanding national programs in recent years. Portugal presents its own food guide: Portuguese Food Wheel and guidelines aimed at improving the nutritional status of the population. In addition to public policies, such as campaigns, label decoder and food product reformulation, there are regional and local initiatives, to promote healthy eating habits and an active lifestyle.
- Consumo de azeite e adesão ao padrão alimentar mediterrânico entre académicos de origem lusófonaPublication . Graça, Tânia; Bôto, Joana; Almeida-de-Souza, Juliana; Rodrigues, Nuno; Ferro-Lebres, Vera; Meireles, ManuelaO azeite muito apreciado pelos consumidores pelas suas propriedades nutricionais e pelos seus aromas e sabores, é um dos pilares da Dieta Mediterrânica (DM). Este padrão alimentar, característico dos países mediterrânicos, é considerado um dos padrões alimentares mais saudáveis que existem. Muitos dos seus benefícios estão associados ao consumo de alimentos com propriedades benéficas para a saúde, como é o caso do azeite. Objetivo: Avaliar a adesão ao padrão alimentar mediterrânico e o consumo de azeite, numa amostra de estudantes e investigadores portugueses e de origem lusófona. Material e Métodos: De forma a avaliar a adesão à Dieta Mediterrânica foi utilizado o questionário MEDAS (Mediterranean Diet Adherence Screener) previamente traduzido e validado para a população portuguesa, que inclui 14 questões relacionadas com a frequência do consumo de alimentos típicos e não típicos do padrão alimentar mediterrânico, incluindo azeite. Este estudo teve como principal foco estudantes e investigadores portugueses e estrangeiros. Resultados: Observou-se que 94,4% dos estudantes e investigadores portugueses e 86,5% dos estrangeiros utilizam azeite como principal gordura culinária, apresentando médias (DP) de ingestão diária de 2,9 (2.3) e 3,9 (2,9) colheres de sopa respetivamente. A mediana (P25-P75) de adesão à DM foi de 8,0 (6,0-9,0) nos participantes nacionais sendo significativamente superior dos internacionais 6,0 (4,5-7,5) (p=0,009). Conclusões: Este estudo revelou que apesar do azeite ser a gordura de eleição mesmo entre estudantes e investigadores estrangeiros, várias medidas podem ser tomadas para aumentar a adesão à Dieta Mediterrânica, em particular nestes últimos.
- Insegurança alimentar em académicos de origem lusófona: impacto no consumo de azeitePublication . Meireles, Manuela; Almeida-de-Souza, Juliana; Ferro-Lebres, VeraOs meses vividos em plena pandemia COVID-19, juntamente com as medidas restritivas inerentes, trouxeram desafios a vários níveis para a população. Há um crescendo de preocupação com situações de insegurança alimentar, ou seja, de incapacidade de garantir o acesso a alimentos suficientes, seguros e nutricionalmente adequados que permitam satisfazer as necessidades nutricionais e preferências alimentares para uma vida ativa e saudável (Health, 2020). Os estudantes, em particular quando deslocados de outro país podem estar mais vulneráveis a situações de insegurança alimentar. Por outro lado, o azeite é um alimento que apesar de dispendioso quando comparado com outras gorduras, é altamente nutritivo. Este estudo teve como objetivo (i) avaliar a insegurança alimentar em membros da comunidade académica nacionais e internacionais da rede lusófona e (ii) perceber de que forma o consumo de azeite se associa a situações de insegurança alimentar. Os participantes foram recrutados entre a comunidade do IPB entre junho e julho de 2021. A insegurança alimentar referente aos últimos três meses foi avaliada usando uma escala psicométrica, constituída por 14 questões, adaptada e validada para português (Gregório et al., 2014) e o consumo de azeite de acordo com os critérios de adesão à Dieta Mediterrânica (Martínez-González et al., 2012). Os dados foram analisados pelo SPSS® e os resultados comparados pelo teste de Qui Quadrado de Pearson. Foi inquirida uma amostra aleatória de 74 participantes dos quais 36 nacionais e 38 internacionais: 86,8% dos nacionais reportaram segurança alimentar e 13,2 % uma insegurança leve. Entre os migrantes apenas 53,8% reportou uma situação de segurança alimentar, enquanto 13 participantes (33,3%) reportaram insegurança alimentar leve e 5 (12,8%) insegurança alimentar moderada. A prevalência de insegurança alimentar em membros internacionais é significativamente maior (p = 0,002). O consumo de azeite revelou ser independente da insegurança alimentar nesta amostra. Este estudo piloto revelou que a insegurança alimentar é uma realidade entre a comunidade académica do IPB, em particular a internacional. Torna-se premente uma avaliação sistemática desta realidade, de forma a detetar a verdadeira dimensão do problema e delinear estratégias que visem colmatar eventuais dificuldades no acesso à alimentação.