Diet is considered one of the most important lifestyle factors than can affect health. Although Mediterranean diet has long been celebrated for its beneficial effect against cardiovascular disease and cardiovascular risk factors (i.e., hypertension, dyslipidemia, obesity) the past few years further research worldwide suggests a favorable impact on metabolic parameters and type 2 diabetes as well. It has also shown signs of benefiting children with asthma. This book discusses the effects of the Mediterranean diet on health, and also examines dietary therapies on obesity and metabolic syndrome in adolescents.A\Chapter 1 - Dietary Therapies on Obesity and Metabolic Syndrome in Adolescents: The Role of Nutrigenetic, Nutrigenomic and Food Compounds, by Deborah Cristina Landi Masquio, Barbara Dal Molin Netto, Flavia Campos Corgosinho, Ana R. Damaso, Universidade Federal de Sao Paulo (UNIFESP), Post-Graduate Program of Nutrition, Sao Paulo-SP, Brasil.A\Chapter 2 - Obesity is defined as the excessive accumulation of body fat that represents health consequences. The excessive adipose tissue is associated with chronic inflammation, which is related to metabolic complications. The prevalence of obese patients has increased in recent years, and this is observed even in adolescents. The increase in childhood obesity is one of the most urgent public health problems, affecting about 110 million children in worldwide. The combination of cardiometabolic alterations including elevated triglycerides, reduced high-density lipoprotein, high blood pressure, impaired fasting glucose, and increased abdominal circumference characterize metabolic syndrome. In addition, the prevalence of metabolic syndrome has been associated with increased occurrences of coronary artery disease, stroke, and cardiovascular risks in adults. Recently, there is rising evidence regarding nutrients and bioactive compounds and nutrigenetic/nutrigenomic mechanisms that can trigger obesity and metabolic syndrome control, in order to reduce cardiovascular risk factors and improve quality of life and health in later life. Thus, the present chapter aims to review the role of nutrigenetic, nutrigenomic and food compounds on obesity and metabolic syndrome in adolescents.A\In summary, the importance of nutrition in disease prevention and treatment has gained much attention recently. Weight loss and, as importantly, weight keeping have been demonstrated to be efficiently achieved in obesity treatment by personalized diet planning. Likewise, efforts have been made to identify, through nutritional and lifestyle changes, the ways to establish preventive strategies rather than treating established disease. Thus, this chapter will highlight recent studies examining the effects of bioactive compounds, such as polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fatty acids, antioxidants, prebiotic and probiotic in a nutrigenomic approach in order to control obesity and metabolic syndrome parameters.A\Chapter 3 - Increased arterial stiffness is an independent risk factor for cardiovascular diseases, and it is well known that aging and obesity promote arterial stiffening. However, several previous reports have indicated that certain lifestyle modifications can decrease arterial stiffness in older and/or obese individuals. Arterial stiffness is determined by dietary pattern, nutritional balance, exercise habits, and other lifestyle factors. Given that arterial stiffness contributes to cardiovascular disease, a major cause of mortality, life expectancy could be determined by one's lifestyle patterns. In the nutritional field, improving the balance between energy intake and expenditure, or satisfying the basal metabolic demands play important roles in decreasing arterial stiffness. From the exercise science field, they know that arterial stiffness can be alleviated by changing exercise habits (pattern, intensity, duration, and frequency). In this review, the authors introduce recent reports relating to lifestyle habits and arterial stiffness, and review how improving one's lifestyle can help prevent ca diovascular disease. The authors believe that this information provides an opportunity to commit to a healthier life.A\Chapter 4 - Despite the on-going advances in treatment and management of type 2 diabetes mellitus, the latter remains a chronic condition that achieves rates of an epidemic, worldwide. The dramatic increase of diabetes, not only plays a role in the increase of the risk for cardiovascular disease, but also imposes a serious economic burden to the society, because of its serious consequences. Since no curative treatment exists so far, primary prevention should be the cornerstone of the global response to the disease. There is growing evidence that multi-component interventions, including dietary changes, may delay or even prevent the progression of impaired glucose tolerance to diabetes. Still no consensus exists regarding the optimal dietary approach. Several foods and nutrients have been identified to exert a protective or deleterious effect; yet, this knowledge is not enough, since foods might have synergistic or antagonistic properties, and may bias the true food-health relationship. As a result, dietary patterns' evaluation has arisen. Mediterranean Diet, one of the most popular dietary patterns, has been thoroughly studied in relation to various health outcomes, such as cardiovascular disease, metabolic syndrome and diabetes management, with promising results. However, it remains unclear whether this pattern can efficiently delay diabetes development in the first place. In this Chapter, the role of Mediterranean diet in the primary prevention of diabetes mellitus is discussed, with emphasis on the main proposed pathophysiogical mechanisms and results of recent research studies. The plausible beneficial effect of Mediterranean diet against pre- diabetes development will be also reviewed.A\Chapter 5 - Oleic acid is a monounsaturated fatty acid and natural constituent of a number of foods. Very high levels of oleic acid can be found in olive oil. Due to its high consumption, olive oil is also considered the primary dietary source of oleic acid in Mediterranean countries. Among European Mediterranean countries, the highest daily consumption of olive oil per capita is reported for Greece, although a significant trend of lowering the intake can be observed since 2004. On the contrary, while in Spain and Portugal currently less olive oil is consumed, consumption in those countries is slightly increasing. Modest consumption of olive oil can also be observed in Italy and Cyprus. It is well established that replacing saturated fats in the diet with oleic acid contributes to the maintenance of normal blood cholesterol levels. A series of other effects has also been studied, including the modulation of inflammatory markers, blood pressure, insulin sensitivity, gastrointestinal functions and even various cancers, but further well-performed human intervention studies are needed to substantiate the role of OA in those conditions. These should properly address all possible confounding factors, including the presence of other fatty acids and minor oil constituents in experimental diets. It should be noted that, due to the high-energy content of oils, it is not recommended to increase the consumption of any particular oil, but to substitute other lipids with oleic acid.

Preface vii

Chapter 1 Mediterranean Diet: Benefits on Asthma in Childhood 1

Chapter 2 Dietary Therapies on Obesity and Metabolic Syndrome in Adolescents: The Role of Nutrigenetic, Nutrigenomic and Food Compounds 33

Chapter 3 Your Choice Could Determine Your Life Expectancy: Lifestyle and Arterial Stiffness 91

Chapter 4 Mediterranean Diet and Primary Prevention of Diabetes Mellitus 105

Chapter 5 Consumption of Oleic Acid in Mediterranean Countries and Its Potential Health Effects 127

Index 153

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