KLONIZAKIS, Markos, ROGERSON, David, MILNER, M., KONONEN, H., MCNEILL, S. and LIU, Y. (2019). Exploring the short-term, physiological, micro-circulatory effects of regional diets in sedentary, older, adult populations [Abstract only]. Acta Physiologica, 227 (S718), p. 13. [Article]
Abstract
Cardiovascular Disease (CVD) is the biggest
preventable cause of mortality in the Western world.
Lifestyle interventions based on the Mediterranean
(MD) and New Nordic (NND) diets have been proposed
to provide cardiovascular benefits in clinical and
healthy-but-at- risk populations. Although the benefits
are undeniable, it is not known as of whether their
physiological effects are greater in the long-term to
those observed following a short-term consumption.
This is important, as such knowledge will influence
clinical recommendations and public health planning
involving regional diets, as it will determine their optimal
implementation duration. It will also help determining as
of whether there are limitations to the benefits offered
by them alone and if additional lifestyle arms (e.g.,
exercise, sedentary behaviour reduction etc.), would be
necessary to achieve a greater CVD risk-reduction
target. Therefore, we explored the physiological, microcirculatory
effects of MD and NND diets, following a 4-
week implementation period, in sedentary, older, adult
populations. We conducted a series of studies,
involving the consumption of the MD and NND in
previously unaccustomed, sedentary populations. We
observed a statistically-significant, short-term
improvement on axon-mediated microvascular
vasodilation and endothelial- mediated nitric oxide
synthesis, following the consumption of NND, but not
with MD. Our findings suggest that different regional
diets offer physiological benefits at different timelines.
Therefore, clinicians and policy-makers should not
recommend identical durations when making dietary
prescriptions. Further work is required to identify the
optimal implementation periods for different age and clinical groups, as expectations in physiological
improvement differ.
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