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Several observational and intervention studies have concluded that the replacement of dietary saturated fatty acids (SFAs) with either polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) or monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFAs) has cardio-protective effects, mainly by lowering low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDLc). However, such beneficial effects do not always translate into improvements in other cardiovascular risk factors. In south European countries, olive oil is the most dominant source of MUFAs. In this sense, a crossover double-blind randomized-controlled trial was conducted to evaluate the effect of substituting dietary MUFAs from olive oil for SFAs from lard on in vivo kinetics of apolipoprotein (apo)B-containing lipoproteins and on the plasma lipidomic profile in individuals with insulin resistance-induced dyslipidaemia. Substituting MUFAs for SFAs decreased very low-density lipoprotein (VLDL) apoB-100 pool size, LDLc, non-high density lipoprotein cholesterol (non-HDLc), and LDL apoB-100 pool size. Following the olive oil MUFAs diet also reduced sphingolipid concentrations and elevated glycerophospholipid levels compared with the lard SFAs diet. The authors concluded that substituting dietary MUFAs from olive oil for SFAs from lard decreases LDLc and LDL pool size and improves plasma lipidomic profile among adults with dyslipidaemia associated with insulin resistance.
In recent years, the term “well-being” has emerged as a central concept in discussions about health and quality of life. Well-being is not just the absence of disease, but a complex combination of a person’s physical, mental, emotional, and social health. Among other factors, there is evidence that diet may affect wellbeing. In this context, a cross-sectional study in a Mediterranean population (Greek and Cypriot adults) assessed associations between subjective dimensions of well-being and adherence to the Mediterranean diet and other lifestyle habits. The authors found statistically significant differences between low and high Mediterranean diet adherence for subjective well-being. Specifically, the results showed significant associations between higher adherence to the Mediterranean diet and higher scores of “Feeling happy”, “Satisfied with life”, and “Life worthwhile” and with lower “Feeling worried” and “Feeling depressed” dimensions. Additionally, other lifestyles closely related to the Mediterranean dietary pattern such as spending time with friends and family, spending time in nature, and engaging in physical activity were also associated with a higher subjective well-being.
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