Do adults who consume a traditional Western diet have a higher incidence of cancer than adults who consume a Mediterranean diet?

Diet is a modifiable component of lifestyle that could influence breast cancer development. The Mediterranean dietary pattern is considered one of the healthiest of all dietary patterns. Adherence to the Mediterranean diet protects against diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and cancer. Reported consumption of a Mediterranean diet pattern was associated with lower breast cancer risk for women with all subtypes of breast cancer, and a Western diet pattern was associated with greater risk. In this review, we contrast the available epidemiological breast cancer data, comparing the impact of consuming a Mediterranean diet to the Western diet. Furthermore, we will review the preclinical data highlighting the anticancer molecular mechanism of Mediterranean diet consumption in both cancer prevention and therapeutic outcomes. Diet composition is a major constituent shaping the gut microbiome. Distinct patterns of gut microbiota composition are associated with the habitual consumption of animal fats, high-fiber diets, and vegetable-based diets. We will review the impact of Mediterranean diet on the gut microbiome and inflammation. Outside of the gut, we recently demonstrated that Mediterranean diet consumption led to distinct microbiota shifts in the mammary gland tissue, suggesting possible anticancer effects by diet on breast-specific microbiome. Taken together, these data support the anti-breast-cancer impact of Mediterranean diet consumption.

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Skeletal Muscle Mitochondrial Respiration Is Elevated in Female Cynomolgus Macaques Fed a Western Compared with a Mediterranean Diet

Journal of Nutrition ◽

10.1093/jn/nxz092 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 149 (9) ◽

pp. 1493-1502 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Jenny L Gonzalez-Armenta ◽

Zhengrong Gao ◽

Susan E Appt ◽

Mara Z Vitolins ◽

Kristofer T Michalson ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Skeletal Muscle ◽

Mediterranean Diet ◽

Dietary Patterns ◽

Mitochondrial Respiration ◽

Complex I ◽

Western Diet ◽

Cardiometabolic Health ◽

Mitochondrial Bioenergetics ◽

Macronutrient Composition ◽

Cynomolgus Macaques

ABSTRACT Background Western diets are associated with increased incidences of obesity, hypertension, diabetes, and hypercholesterolemia, whereas Mediterranean diets, richer in polyphenols, monounsaturated fats, fruits, vegetables, poultry, and fish, appear to have cardiometabolic health benefits. Previous work has included population-based studies with limited evidence for causation or animal studies focused on single macro- or micronutrients; therefore, primate animal models provide an opportunity to determine potential mechanisms underlying the effects of dietary patterns on health and disease. Objective The aim of this study was to determine the effects of whole dietary patterns, either a Western or Mediterranean diet, on skeletal muscle mitochondrial bioenergetics in cynomolgus macaques. Methods In this study, 22 adult female cynomolgus macaques (∼11–14 y by dentition) were fed either a Western or Mediterranean diet for 30 mo. The Western diet was designed to mimic the diet of a middle-aged American woman and the Mediterranean diet included key aspects of Mediterranean diets studied in humans, such as plant-based proteins and fat, complex carbohydrates, and fiber. Diets were matched on macronutrient composition (16% protein, 54% carbohydrate, and 31% fat) and cholesterol content. Skeletal muscle was collected for high-resolution respirometry, citrate synthase activity, and western blot measurements. Pearson correlation analysis between respirometry measures and measures of carbohydrate metabolism was also performed. Results We found that consumption of a Western diet resulted in significantly higher mitochondrial respiration with fatty acid oxidation (FAO) (53%), FAO + complex I (52%), complex I + II (31%), max electron transport system (ETS) (31%), and ETS rotenone sensitive (31%) than did consumption of a Mediterranean diet. In addition, measures of respiration in response to fatty acids were significantly and positively correlated with both insulin resistance and plasma insulin concentrations. Conclusions This study highlights the importance of dietary composition in mitochondrial bioenergetics and that diet can influence skeletal muscle mitochondrial respiration independently of other factors such as macronutrient composition.

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A MEDITERRANEAN DIET INTERVENTION ALTERS AGE-ASSOCIATED PHYSIOLOGY IN A NOVEL NON-HUMAN PRIMATE MODEL

Innovation in Aging ◽

10.1093/geroni/igz038.264 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 3 (Supplement_1) ◽

pp. S68-S68

Author(s):

Noah Snyder-Mackler ◽

Carol Shively ◽

Corbin Johnson ◽

Kristopfer Michalson ◽

Susan Appt ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Mediterranean Diet ◽

Acute Stress ◽

Western Diet ◽

Autonomic Response ◽

Biological Aging ◽

Physiological Measures ◽

Primate Model ◽

Biological Similarity ◽

Associated Function

Abstract Diet modifications are some of the most well-established aging interventions. For decades we have known that caloric restriction can dramatically increase lifespan and healthspan in organisms ranging from yeast to primates. More recently, other dietary modifications, including varying nutrient composition, have been experimentally shown to alter healthspan and lifespan. However, limitations inherent in human trials, such as diet adherence and heterogeneity of other lifestyle factors, mitigate our ability to identify the mechanisms through which diet alters healthspan and lifespan. Here, we conducted a randomized, long-term, whole-diet manipulation in a nonhuman primate, where cynomolgus macaques consumed either a Mediterranean or Western diet for 15 months. We hypothesized that individuals fed a Western diet would exhibit accelerated rates of cellular and physiological aging relative to their Mediterranean-fed counterparts. Indeed, we found that Western diet-fed animals exhibited increases in physiological measures that also increase with age, including body weight, fasting insulin, and triglycerides. Animals eating a Mediterranean diet, on the other hand, had a more sensitive and tuned autonomic response, and reduced HPA responses to an acute stress challenge. Probing further, we found that diet strongly affected monocyte function, altering the expression of 40% of expressed genes, leading to a more proinflammatory monocyte phenotype in Western diet fed animals. Experiments are underway to explore effects of diet on other markers of biological aging. Together, these data provide the first controlled evidence that Western and Mediterranean diets can alter aging-associated function in a species with clear biological similarity and relevance to humans.

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Diet, psychosocial stress, and Alzheimer’s disease-related neuroanatomy in female nonhuman primates

10.1101/2020.09.25.313593 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Brett M. Frye ◽

Suzanne Craft ◽

Thomas C. Register ◽

Rachel N. Andrews ◽

Susan E. Appt ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Mediterranean Diet ◽

Nonhuman Primate ◽

Psychosocial Stress ◽

Western Diet ◽

List Type ◽

Nonhuman Primate Model ◽

Primate Model ◽

Brain Volumes ◽

Increase Risk ◽

The Brain

ABSTRACTINTRODUCTIONAssociations between diet, psychosocial stress, and neurodegenerative disease, including Alzheimer’s disease (AD), have been reported, but causal relationships are difficult to determine in human studies.METHODSWe used structural magnetic resonance imaging in a well-validated nonhuman primate model of AD-like neuropathology to examine the longitudinal effects of diet (Mediterranean versus Western) and social subordination stress on brain anatomy, including global volumes, cortical thicknesses and volumes, and twenty individual regions of interest (ROIs).RESULTSWestern diet resulted in greater cortical thicknesses, total brain volumes and gray matter, and diminished cerebrospinal fluid and white matter volumes. Socially stressed subordinates had smaller whole brain volumes but larger ROIs relevant to AD than dominants.DISCUSSIONThe observation of increased size of AD-related brain areas is consistent with similar reports of mid-life volume increases predicting increased AD risk later in life. While the biological mechanisms underlying the findings require future investigation, these observations suggest that Western diet and psychosocial stress instigate pathologic changes that increase risk of AD-associated neuropathologies, whereas Mediterranean diet may protect the brain.RESEARCH IN CONTEXTSystematic review: The authors reviewed the literature with PubMed and Google Scholar and found a number of publications which are cited that suggest that AD pathogenesis begins well before the onset of symptoms.Interpretation: Our findings support the hypothesis that Western diet and psychosocial stress may instigate neuroinflammatory responses that increase risk of later developing AD-like neuropathologies, whereas the structural stasis in the Mediterranean diet group may represent a resilient phenotype.Future directions: The manuscript serves as a critical first step in describing risk and resilient phenotypes during middle age in a nonhuman primate model of AD-like neuropathology. This report lays the groundwork for ongoing efforts to determine whether neuroinflammatory profiles differed across diet and stress groups. Future studies should aim to understand the temporal emergence of functional disparities associated with the changes in brain structure observed here.HIGHLIGHTSGlobal brain volumes changed in response to Western, but not Mediterranean, diet.Western diet increased cortical thickness in multiple regions relevant to AD.Mediterranean diet did not alter cortical thicknesses relevant to AD.Brain regions associated with AD risk differed between low and high stress monkeys.Psychosocial stress may modulate the effects of diet on the brain.

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Mediterranean Diet Reduces Monocyte Inflammatory Gene Expression and Influences Social Behavior in Nonhuman Primates

10.1101/2020.01.27.917567 ◽

2020 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Corbin S.C. Johnson ◽

Carol A. Shively ◽

Kristofer T. Michalson ◽

Amanda J. Lea ◽

Ryne J. DeBo ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Gene Expression ◽

Mediterranean Diet ◽

Molecular Mechanisms ◽

Expression Profiles ◽

Western Diet ◽

Primate Model ◽

Inflammatory Gene Expression ◽

Inflammatory Gene ◽

Increased Risk ◽

Diet Manipulation

AbstractWestern diet consumption is associated with inflammation, cardiometabolic disease, and mortality in humans, while Mediterranean diet consumption confers protective effects. One likely pathway for this association is through environmentally induced changes in monocyte function, yet the underlying mechanisms remain elusive. We conducted the first randomized, long-term diet manipulation in a non-human primate model to determine whether Western- or Mediterranean-like diets alter monocyte polarization and health. Monocyte gene expression profiles differed markedly between the two diet groups, with significant differences in over 40% of expressed genes. The Western diet induced a more proinflammatory monocyte phenotype overall and upregulated specific monocyte polarization genes. Diet also disrupted the coexpression of numerous gene pairs, including small RNAs and transcription factors associated with metabolism and adiposity in humans. Diet altered affiliative and anxiety-associated behaviors and mediation analysis showed that the diet-altered behaviors contributed significantly (∼50% of the effect of diet on gene expression) to 25% of the differentially expressed genes, suggesting that diet effects on central mechanisms also modulate monocyte gene expression. Together, these results identify both behavioral and molecular mechanisms underlying the health benefits of a Mediterranean diet regimen.Significance StatementSome of our largest public health burdens are driven by dietary changes associated with industrialization, but we still know very little about the molecular mechanisms underlying this link. Characteristic “Western diets” have been associated with increased risk for diseases related to chronic inflammation, while Mediterranean diets have anti-inflammatory benefits. Here, we identify causal effects of diet on inflammatory gene expression where consumption of the Mediterranean diet reduced inflammatory gene expression in monocytes. Additionally, our diet manipulation induced behavioral changes associated with anxiety and social integration, where Mediterranean-fed animals exhibited more positive affiliative behaviors and reduced anxiety. These behaviors were associated with 25% of the diet-affected genes, suggesting an important behavioral route through which diet can impact immune function.

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Developing Mediterranean and Western Diets for an Anti-Inflammatory Feeding Trial (P12-017-19)

Current Developments in Nutrition ◽

10.1093/cdn/nzz035.p12-017-19 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 3 (Supplement_1) ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Amy Schweitzer ◽

Bobbie Barron ◽

Nga Barron ◽

Meredith McCormack ◽

Emily Brigham

Keyword(s):

Mediterranean Diet ◽

Healthy Eating Index ◽

Western Diet ◽

Omega 3 ◽

Feeding Study ◽

Funding Sources ◽

Omega 6 ◽

Strict Diet ◽

The Mediterranean ◽

Anti Inflammatory

Abstract Objectives Design a research diet that can be used to evaluate the relationship between nutrition and inflammation in a randomized, cross-over study in adults. Methods Dietary components were established for a Mediterranean menu and a Western menu based on a literature review. Three-day menu cycles were planned using the established components. Recipes were developed and adapted to meet menu goals at the 2000 calorie level. Proportional increments of menu items at the 2000 kcal level were used to establish 2500, 3000, and 3500 daily kcal levels to allow for varying energy requirements of participants. Meal plans were analyzed using Nutrition Data System for Research 2017 (NDSR). Healthy Eating Index was calculated using NDSR data. Results 100% of grains in the Mediterranean diet, none in the Western diet, were whole grains. Sweets and pastries were included in the Western diet daily but not the Intervention diet. Mean HEI score for the three-day menu cycle was 91.1 and 37.2 for the Mediterranean and Western diet, respectively. Preliminary results from three participants fed both diets for 6 days: All three participants consumed within 5% of the planned diet with the exception of one participant, who, during the Mediterranean diet cycle, consumed 64%. Mean HEI calculated for actual participant intake (n = 3, 6 days each) was: 89.7 Mediterranean, 36.4 Western Conclusions The Mediterranean diet had a 10-fold higher ratio of omega-6: omega-3 fat than Western. A three-day menu cycle was planned and met goals for an anti-inflammatory feeding study. Recruitment is ongoing to study the feasibility of providing a Mediterranean style and Western style diet to adults with asthma in Baltimore City. Mean HEI for the first three recruits was similar to that of the planned menu, indicating that lack of strict diet adherence did not alter HEI goal of the diet. Although diet design was successful, there were challenges to feeding study participants that must be considered in future feeding studies. Adequate freezer space is key in food preparation and delivery. Acceptability of foods in the Mediterranean diet may effect diet compliance in those who typically eat a Western diet. Dietary restrictions and allergies excluded potential study subjects. Funding Sources This publication was made possible by the Johns Hopkins Institute for Clinical and Translational Research (ICTR) which is funded in part by Grant Number UL1 TR001079 from the National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences (NCATS) a component of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), and NIH Roadmap for Medical Research. Its contents are solely the responsibility of the authors and do not necessarily represent the official view of the Johns Hopkins ICTR, NCATS or NIH. Supporting Tables, Images and/or Graphs

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P4-440: WESTERN DIET MAY ATTENUATE THE BENEFICIAL EFFECT OF MODERATE ADHERENCE OF MEDITERRANEAN DIET ON COGNITIVE DECLINE

Alzheimer s & Dementia ◽

10.1016/j.jalz.2019.06.4112 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 15 ◽

pp. P1472-P1472

Author(s):

Puja Agarwal ◽

Yamin Wang ◽

Lisa L. Barnes ◽

Thomas M. Holland ◽

Denis A. Evans ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Beneficial Effect ◽

Cognitive Decline ◽

Mediterranean Diet ◽

Western Diet

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Diet and Stress Impair Ovarian Function in Mid-life, Increasing Risk of Chronic Diseases of Aging in Primates

Innovation in Aging ◽

10.1093/geroni/igab046.2547 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 5 (Supplement_1) ◽

pp. 682-682

Author(s):

Brett Frye ◽

Suzanne Craft ◽

Thomas Register ◽

Susan Appt ◽

Mara Vitolins ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Chronic Diseases ◽

Mediterranean Diet ◽

Repeated Measures ◽

Psychosocial Stress ◽

Cycle Length ◽

Ovarian Function ◽

Western Diet ◽

Middle Aged ◽

Ovarian Dysfunction ◽

Increasing Risk

Abstract Ovarian dysfunction increases risk for chronic diseases of aging including cardiovascular disease, depression, cognitive impairment, and bone and muscle loss which promote frailty. Psychosocial stress disrupts ovarian function and recent observations suggest that Western diet may also. Determination of causal relationships among diet, psychosocial stress, and ovarian physiology is difficult in humans. Nonhuman primates provide relevant opportunities to investigate diet and psychosocial effects on ovarian physiology and aging because, like humans, they have monthly menstrual cycles and recapitulate many aging-related processes similar to humans. We examined ovarian function in 38 socially housed, middle-aged females fed either a Western or Mediterranean diet for 26 months (~ an 8-year period for humans). During the last 12 months, we examined cycle length, peak progesterone per cycle, and frequency of anovulatory cycles using blood sampling (3/week) and vaginal swabbing (6/week). Repeated measures analysis revealed that like middle-aged women, cycle length increased, and progesterone levels fell over time, suggesting that ovarian dysfunction generally increased in our sample with time. In addition, both Western diet and the stress of low social status reduced progesterone levels, disrupting ovarian function, and increasing risk of chronic diseases of aging. This study demonstrates the additive negative effects of poor diet and psychosocial stress on ovarian physiology in mid-life and lays the groundwork for future investigations to uncover associated metabolic signatures of accelerated aging. The results also suggest that a Mediterranean diet may exert a protective influence against ovarian dysfunction and its pathologic sequelae.

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Inverse Association Between the Mediterranean Diet and COVID-19 Risk in Lebanon: A Case-Control Study

Frontiers in Nutrition ◽

10.3389/fnut.2021.707359 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 8 ◽

Author(s):

Christine N. El Khoury ◽

Sofi G. Julien

Keyword(s):

Dietary Intake ◽

Mediterranean Diet ◽

Dietary Patterns ◽

Case Control Study ◽

Case Control ◽

Western Diet ◽

Control Groups ◽

The Mediterranean ◽

And Control ◽

Control Study

Background: Since 2019, the world is confronting the COVID-19 public health crisis that deeply impacted all aspects of life, from the health sector to economy. Despite the advancement of research targeting pandemic containment measures, more strategies are still needed to alleviate the burden caused by this novel disease. In particular, optimal nutrition was proposed as a possible mitigating factor in the context of COVID-19. Indeed, the light is shed on balanced diets, such as the Mediterranean diet, which present the finest nutritional quality to support the immune system and other physiologic functions. In contrast, less varied diets that lack the needed nutrients and favor inflammation have been correlated with adverse health effects, including a hindered immune response, such as the western diet.Methods: This observational case control study aimed at exploring the possible associations between the different dietary patterns present among a sample of the Lebanese population and the COVID-19 occurrence and outcomes. An online survey collected information about the sociodemographic characteristics, health status, lifestyle, and dietary habits through the Mediterranean diet questionnaire and a semi-quantitative fod frequency questionnaire, and the COVID-19 infection and its burden. The sample consisted of 399 respondents divided into the case and control groups (37.6 and 62.4%, respectively) on the basis of the presence or absence of a COVID-19 infection history.Results: The participants in the case and control groups had average adherence to the Mediterranean diet and their dietary intake was closer to the western diet. However, the cases had a lower mean of the MedDiet score (p = 0.009). Food groups consumption analysis showed that this significant difference within the overall similar dietary patterns was due to a higher consumption of poultry and a trend toward decreased consumption of olive oil and increased read meat and alcohol intake among the cases. Additionally, gender influenced the levels of different foods' consumption. Nonetheless, the dietary intake did not impact the COVID-19 burden.Conclusion: It is recommended to adopt healthy food choices within the different dietary patterns for a better protection against COVID-19. These findings should be validated in larger-scale studies.

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Dietary Patterns and Metabolic Syndrome Among Adults with Overweight and Obesity (FS18-03-19)

Current Developments in Nutrition ◽

10.1093/cdn/nzz041.fs18-03-19 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 3 (Supplement_1) ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Claire Cheng ◽

Sharon Thompson ◽

Caitlyn Edwards ◽

Naiman Khan ◽

Hannah Holscher

Keyword(s):

Blood Pressure ◽

Metabolic Syndrome ◽

Mediterranean Diet ◽

Dietary Patterns ◽

Dietary Habits ◽

Overweight And Obesity ◽

Western Diet ◽

Portion Size ◽

Added Sugar ◽

Diet Pattern

Abstract Objectives Metabolic syndrome (MetS) is a cluster of risk factors that are highly correlated with obesity, cardiovascular disease, and type 2 diabetes. Studies suggest that a Western diet high in fat, red meat, and added sugar is predictive of MetS, but connections between dietary patterns high in fruits, vegetables and seafoods, such as the Mediterranean diet, with this condition remain under-investigated. We aimed to assess the relation of Western and Mediterranean diet patterns with MetS among overweight or obese adults. Methods Adults (n = 151, 25–45y) with body mass index ≥25.0 kg/m2 were included in this study. MetS was evaluated using International Diabetes Federation guidelines. Waist circumference was measured with inelastic tape. Lipid and glucose concentrations were assessed with a chemical analyzer. Blood pressure was evaluated with an automatic blood pressure monitor. Habitual diet was evaluated with the National Cancer Institute's Diet History Questionnaire II (DHQII, Past Year with Portion Size). Diet variables were selected from the Food Patterns Equivalents Database. Statistical analyses included Mann-Whitney U tests and principal component analysis (PCA). Results MetS was present among 30% of the sample. Meat (P = 0.03) and added sugar (P = 0.04) intakes were greater among those with MetS, while seafood (P = 0.03) and alcohol (P = 0.02) were lower. Four components comprising 64% of dietary pattern variation included: 1) High in starchy vegetables, meat, and cheese; 2) High in non-starchy vegetables, seafood, and alcohol; 3) High in milk and added sugar but low in vegetables; and 4) High in alcohol and sodium, but low in protein and vegetables. PCA biplot grouped by prevalence of MetS indicated that seafood and non-starchy vegetables were inversely related to MetS, whereas meat, starchy vegetables, cheese, milk, added sugar, and sodium were positively correlated with MetS. Conclusions A Western diet pattern high in meat, starchy vegetables, dairy, sodium, and added sugar was related to MetS, while a Mediterranean diet pattern characterized by seafood, non-starchy vegetables, and moderate alcohol was protective against MetS. These findings highlight the links between dietary habits and MetS among adults with overweight or obesity. Funding Sources The Hass Avocado Board and the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture, Hatch project 1009249.

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