Cardiovascular Disease and the Mediterranean Diet: Insights into Sex-Specific Responses

Abstract

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is a leading cause of mortality and disease burden in women globally. A healthy diet is important for the prevention of CVD. Research has consistently favoured the Mediterranean diet as a cardio-protective diet. Several studies have evaluated associations between the Mediterranean diet and cardiovascular outcomes, including traditional risk factors like hypertension, type 2 diabetes mellitus, and obesity. In addition, consistent evidence suggests that the components of the Mediterranean diet have a synergistic effect on cardiovascular risk due to its anti-inflammatory profile and microbiome effects. While the benefits of the Mediterranean diet are well-established, health advice and dietary guidelines have been built on largely male-dominant studies. Few studies have investigated the beneficial associations of the Mediterranean diet in sex-specific populations, including those with non-traditional risk factors that are specific to women, for instance polycystic ovarian syndrome and high-risk pregnancies, or more prevalent in women, such as chronic inflammatory diseases. Therefore, this review aims to provide a comprehensive overview of the current evidence regarding the Mediterranean diet in women in relation to cardiovascular health outcomes.

Prevalence of anemia in patients with rheumatoid arthritis and its association with dietary inflammatory index: A population-based study from NHANES 1999 to 2018

“…[ 6 – 8 ] Research has shown that dietary intake, particularly anti-inflammatory diets, is crucial in managing chronic diseases, such as RA, [ 9 , 10 ] anemia, [ 11 ] and hypertension. [ 12 ] Recent studies have reported that many anti-inflammatory food components, including n-3 fatty acids, [ 13 ] probiotics, [ 14 ] and anti-inflammatory dietary patterns, including the Mediterranean diet [ 14 ] and anti-inflammatory portfolio diet, [ 15 ] can diminish systemic inflammation levels and relieve disease activity. Research indicated that higher consumption of propolis can decrease reactive oxygen species and interleukin-17 production, leading to decreased inflammation in patients with RA.…”