INSIDE THE JOURNALS
WEIGHING THE BENEFITS OF
THE MEDITERRANEAN DIET
The American Journal of Gastroenterology published two studies in the second half of 2017 which explore the potential health benefits of adherence to a Mediterranean diet (Med-diet). Prior to the first-published study, while diet and lifestyle were known factors in gallstone disease, there was no prospective study that analyzed diet and cholecystectomy risk. In a populationbased, prospective study of more than 64,000 French women and nearly 2,800 cholecystectomy cases, adhering to a diet rich in olive oil, legumes, fruits and vegetables was associated with reduced cholecystectomy risk.
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READ MORE Diet and Risk of Cholecystectomy: A Prospective Study Based on the French E3N Cohort Barré, et al. Am J Gastroenterol 2017;112:1448–1456. doi: 10.1038/ajg.2017.216.
Read the full article: bit.ly/Med-Diet1
The second paper, published online October 24, looked into the relationship between the Med-diet and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). As with cardiometabolic disorders more broadly, the prevalence of NAFLD is increasing in Western countries. Although the Meddiet is effective in preventing certain cardiometabolic disorders, investigation was needed to determine the Meddiet’s relationship with NAFLD. The study determined that “adherence to [Mediterranean diet] is associated with a lower prevalence of NALFD in patients with cardiometabolic disorders,” among other findings. READ MORE Adherence to Mediterranean Diet and Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease: Effect on Insulin Resistance Baratta, et al. Am J Gastroenterol 2017;112(12):1832–1839. doi:10.1038/ajg.2017.371.
Read the full article: bit.ly/Med-Diet2
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