Browsing by Author "Massaro, M."
Now showing 1 - 3 of 3
Results Per Page
Sort Options
- Association between Mediterranean lifestyle and perception of well-being and distress in a sample population of university Italian studentsPublication . Quarta, S.; Siculella, L.; Levante, A.; Carluccio, M.A.; Calabriso, N.; Scoditti, E.; Damiano, F.; Lecciso, F.; Pinto, Paula; García-Conesa, M.T.; Pollice, F.; Massaro, M.We investigated the extent to which adherence to the Mediterranean diet (MD) in combination with Mediterranean lifestyle factors influenced students’ perceptions of subjective well-being (SWB) and distress. 939 undergraduates completed a survey to assess sociodemographic and lifestyle characteristics, including adherence to the MD, depression, anxiety, stress, and SWB. Data were analysed with correlation, logistic, and multiple linear regression models. Higher adherence to MD correlated with better SWB. Fruit, red meat, sweet and caffeinated beverages contributed significantly. However, it was the combination of adherence to MD with other factors, including quality of social relationships, income, smoking, sleep, and physical activity that better predicted SWB. Our results confirm the positive influence of MD on SWB. However, they also suggest the need to consider perceptions of well-being by a more holistic approach that considers physical and social factors simultaneously to improve the development of more effective educational and motivational programmes.
- Exploring the relationship between mediterranean diet adherence and subjective well-being among Greek and Cypriot adultsPublication . Deligiannidou, G.E.; Philippou, E.; Vasiari, E.; Andrade, Vanda; Massaro, M.; Chervenkov, M.; Ivanova, T.; Jorge, Rui; Dimitrova, D.; Ruskovska, T.; Miloseva, L.; Maksimova, V.; Smilkov, K.; Ackova, D.G.; García-Conesa, M.T.; Pinto, Paula; Kontogiorgis, C.A.Associations between subjective well-being (SWB) and dietary habits, employment status, and habitual activities are increasingly capturing the focus of researchers as well as policymakers worldwide. This study aimed to explore these associations in a sample of the population in Greece and Cyprus via an online survey. In total, 936 questionnaires (470: Cyprus, 466: Greece) were analyzed to study the associations between the Mediterranean Diet (MD) (using the 14-item MEDAS score, (14-MEDAS)), subjective well-being (SWB), and several socioeconomic factors. Key remarks of this survey highlight the positive impact of MD adherence on some well-being items. Namely, statistically significant differences were found on the following items: Satisfied with life (p < 0.001), Life worthwhile (p < 0.001), Feeling happy (p < 0.001), worried (p = 0.005), and depressed (p = 0.001), when comparing Low MD adherence (14-MEDAS < 5) to High MD adherence (14-MEDAS > 10). Other lifestyle habits such as spending time with friends and family, spending time in nature, and habitual physical activity were associated with aspects of SWB such as Life satisfaction, Life worthwhile, Feeling happy, and energetic. The findings support adherence to the MD, since it is associated with higher life satisfaction and self-reported happiness in this sample and should be considered when developing health policies on well-being.
- A systematic review and meta-analysis of the effects of flavanol-containing tea, cocoa and apple products on body composition and blood lipids: exploring the factors responsible for variability in their efficacyPublication . González-Sarrías, A.; Combet, E.; Pinto, Paula; Mena, P.; Dall’Asta, M.; Garcia-Aloy, M.; Rodríguez-Mateos, A.; Gibney, E. R.; Dumont, J.; Massaro, M.; Sánchez-Meca, J.; Morand, C.; García-Conesa, M. T.Several randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and meta-analyses support the benefits of flavanols on cardiometabolic health, but the factors affecting variability in the responses to these compounds have not been properly assessed. The objectives of this meta-analysis were to systematically collect the RCTs-based-evidence of the effects of flavanol-containing tea, cocoa and apple products on selected biomarkers of cardiometabolic risk and to explore the influence of various factors on the variability in the responses to the consumption of these products. A total of 120 RCTs were selected. Despite a high heterogeneity, the intake of the flavanol-containing products was associated using a random model with changes (reported as standardized difference in means (SDM)) in body mass index (−0.15, p < 0.001), waist circumference (−0.29, p < 0.001), total-cholesterol (−0.21, p < 0.001), LDL-cholesterol (−0.23, p < 0.001), and triacylglycerides (−0.11, p = 0.027), and with an increase of HDL-cholesterol (0.15, p = 0.005). Through subgroup analyses, we showed the influence of baseline-BMI, sex, source/form of administration, medication and country of investigation on some of the outcome measures and suggest that flavanols may be more effective in specific subgroups such as those with a BMI ≥ 25.0 kg/m2, non-medicated individuals or by specifically using tea products. This meta-analysis provides the first robust evidence of the effects induced by the consumption of flavanol-containing tea, cocoa and apple products on weight and lipid biomarkers and shows the influence of various factors that can affect their bioefficacy in humans. Of note, some of these effects are quantitatively comparable to those produced by drugs, life-style changes or other natural products. Further, RCTs in well-characterized populations are required to fully comprehend the factors affecting inter-individual responses to flavanol and thereby improve flavanols efficacy in the prevention of cardiometabolic disorders