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Plant derivatives such as carotenoids and phytosterols enrich foods have been shown to reduce plasma triglyceride (TG), low‐density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol, and cholesterol concentrations. The aim of this systematic review and meta‐analyses study was to investigate the effects of saffron on lipid profiles, reported in randomized controlled trials (RCTs). We performed a systematic electronic search in PubMed/MEDLINE, Cochrane, and SCOPUS to identify RCTs and screening of relevant articles references up to October 12, 2018. There were no language restrictions. We performed this systematic review and meta‐analysis according to the Preferred Items for Reporting of Systematic Reviews and Meta‐Analyses guidelines. We identified and analyzed 14 eligible studies in this meta‐analysis. Our study found a significant reduction in cholesterol and TG following saffron intervention (weighted mean difference [WMD]: −6.36 mg/dl, 95% confidence interval, CI, [−10.58, −2.18] and WMD: −5.37 mg/dl, 95% CI [−10.25, −0.48], respectively). There was no significant effect on weight and LDL concentration. A meta‐regression analysis showed that long‐term saffron intervention can increase the high‐density lipoprotein (HDL) levels. In conclusions, our study findings indicate some benefits of saffron on cholesterol, HDL, and TG compared with placebo. However, we recommend the conduct of adequately powered, high‐quality RCTs with short‐ and long‐term follow‐up, evaluating relevant clinical outcomes to allow for making definitive recommendations.

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Cocoa/DC supplementation does not reduce anthropometric measures significantly. However subgroup analysis regarding dose (≥ 30 g/day) and duration (between 4 to 8 weeks) revealed significant reduction of body weight and BMI.

Summary The relationship between body mass index (BMI) and risk of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is controversial. We performed a dose‐response meta‐analysis to investigate the association between BMI and risk of incident ulcerative colitis (UC) and Crohn's disease (CD) using prospective cohort studies. A systematic search was conducted in MEDLINE/PubMed, SCOPUS, Cochrane, and Web of Science databases from inception to January 2019. DerSimonian and Laird random‐effects model was used to estimate combined hazard ratios (HRs). Overall, 882 articles were screened, and 42 full‐text articles were reviewed for inclusion using the study eligibility criteria. Five studies evaluated the association between BMI and IBD with 1 044 517 participants. Pooled results showed a significant association between participants affected by obesity and risk of CD (HR: 1.42, 95% CI: 1.18‐1.71, I2: 0.00). There was a significant nonlinear association between BMI and risk of CD (P = .01, coeff = 0.5024). Pooled results did not show any significant association between being underweight and risk of UC (HR: 1.07, 95% CI: 0.96‐1.19, I2: 0.00) or CD (HR: 1.11, 95% CI: 0.93‐1.31, I2: 12.8). There was no difference in the risk for UC among participants affected by obesity compared with participants categorized as having normal BMI (HR: 0.96, 95% CI: 0.80‐1.14, I2: 8.0). This systematic review and meta‐analysis identified significant dose‐response relationship between being affected by obesity, as a risk factor, and incidence of CD.

This trial suggests that in overweight and obese women, a weight loss diet rich in whole grains may have a more beneficial effect on CVD risk factors than diets rich in fruits and vegetables or a combination of whole grains and fruits and vegetables.