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Health Technology Assessment... Dec 2023The aim of the study was to investigate the potential effect of different structural interventions for preventing cardiovascular disease.
BACKGROUND
The aim of the study was to investigate the potential effect of different structural interventions for preventing cardiovascular disease.
METHODS
Medline and EMBASE were searched for peer-reviewed simulation-based studies of structural interventions for prevention of cardiovascular disease. We performed a systematic narrative synthesis.
RESULTS
A total of 54 studies met the inclusion criteria. Diet, nutrition, tobacco and alcohol control and other programmes are among the policy simulation models explored. Food tax and subsidies, healthy food and lifestyles policies, palm oil tax, processed meat tax, reduction in ultra-processed foods, supplementary nutrition assistance programmes, stricter food policy and subsidised community-supported agriculture were among the diet and nutrition initiatives. Initiatives to reduce tobacco and alcohol use included a smoking ban, a national tobacco control initiative and a tax on alcohol. Others included the NHS Health Check, WHO 25 × 25 and air quality management policy.
FUTURE WORK AND LIMITATIONS
There is significant heterogeneity in simulation models, making comparisons of output data impossible. While policy interventions typically include a variety of strategies, none of the models considered possible interrelationships between multiple policies or potential interactions. Research that investigates dose-response interactions between numerous modifications as well as longer-term clinical outcomes can help us better understand the potential impact of policy-level interventions.
CONCLUSIONS
The reviewed studies underscore the potential of structural interventions in addressing cardiovascular diseases. Notably, interventions in areas such as diet, tobacco, and alcohol control demonstrate a prospective decrease in cardiovascular incidents. However, to realize the full potential of such interventions, there is a pressing need for models that consider the interplay and cumulative impacts of multiple policies. Rigorous research into holistic and interconnected interventions will pave the way for more effective policy strategies in the future.
STUDY REGISTRATION
The study is registered as PROSPERO CRD42019154836.
FUNDING
This article presents independent research funded by the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) Health Technology Assessment programme as award number 17/148/05.
PubMed: 38140927
DOI: 10.3310/NMFG0214 -
Nature Communications Sep 2019Agriculture has been implicated as a potential driver of human infectious diseases. However, the generality of disease-agriculture relationships has not been... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis
Agriculture has been implicated as a potential driver of human infectious diseases. However, the generality of disease-agriculture relationships has not been systematically assessed, hindering efforts to incorporate human health considerations into land-use and development policies. Here we perform a meta-analysis with 34 eligible studies and show that people who live or work in agricultural land in Southeast Asia are on average 1.74 (CI 1.47-2.07) times as likely to be infected with a pathogen than those unexposed. Effect sizes are greatest for exposure to oil palm, rubber, and non-poultry based livestock farming and for hookworm (OR 2.42, CI 1.56-3.75), malaria (OR 2.00, CI 1.46-2.73), scrub typhus (OR 2.37, CI 1.41-3.96) and spotted fever group diseases (OR 3.91, CI 2.61-5.85). In contrast, no change in infection risk is detected for faecal-oral route diseases. Although responses vary by land-use and disease types, results suggest that agricultural land-uses exacerbate many infectious diseases in Southeast Asia.
Topics: Agriculture; Animals; Asia, Southeastern; Communicable Diseases; Databases, Factual; Ecosystem; Humans; Risk Factors
PubMed: 31541099
DOI: 10.1038/s41467-019-12333-z -
Nutrition Reviews Jun 2024Vitamin E, a well-known antioxidant with numerous positive effects on human health, encompasses tocotrienol-rich fraction (TRF), a natural variant abundant in palm oil.
CONTEXT
Vitamin E, a well-known antioxidant with numerous positive effects on human health, encompasses tocotrienol-rich fraction (TRF), a natural variant abundant in palm oil.
OBJECTIVE
This systematic review analyzed findings from randomized controlled trials published until 2022 to evaluate the health impacts of palm TRF.
DATA SOURCES
A literature search was performed in Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL), PubMed, OVID Medline, SCOPUS, and Web of Science from inception until December 2022. Thirty studies involving 2646 patients, including both healthy individuals and those with underlying conditions, were identified.
RESULTS
This review shows palm TRF to be a promising natural supplement against inflammation and lipid peroxidation and that can significantly enhance overall health. Additionally, the study underscores the necessity for further research to ascertain the optimal dosage, formulation, and duration of supplementation, maximizing the potential health advantages.
CONCLUSION
This systematic review provides evidence supporting the health benefits associated with palm TRF.
SYSTEMATIC REVIEW REGISTRATION
PROSPERO registration no. CRD42020204070.
PubMed: 38916919
DOI: 10.1093/nutrit/nuae061 -
Environmental Science and Pollution... May 2022
PubMed: 35389171
DOI: 10.1007/s11356-022-19547-7 -
Food & Function Feb 2023With a long history in traditional Asian medicine, () is a mushroom species suggested to improve health and extend life. Its medicinal reputation has merited it with...
With a long history in traditional Asian medicine, () is a mushroom species suggested to improve health and extend life. Its medicinal reputation has merited it with numerous attributes and titles, and it is evidenced to be effective in the prevention and treatment of various metabolic disorders owing to its unique source of bioactive metabolites, primarily polysaccharides, triterpenoids, and polyphenols, attributed with antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anticancer, hepatoprotective, antidiabetic activities, . These unique potential pharmaceutical properties have led to its demand as an important resource of nutrient supplements in the food industry. It is reported that the variety of therapeutic/pharmacological properties was mainly due to its extensive prebiotic and immunomodulatory functions. All literature summarized in this study was collated based on a systematic review of electronic libraries (PubMed, Scopus databases, Web of Science Core Collection, and Google Scholar) from 2010-2022. This review presents an updated and comprehensive summary of the studies on the immunomodulatory therapies and nutritional significance of , with the focus on recent advances in defining its immunobiological mechanisms and the possible applications in the food and pharmaceutical industries for the prevention and management of chronic diseases. In addition, toxicological evidence and the adoption of standard pharmaceutical methods for the safety assessment, quality assurance, and efficacy testing of -derived compounds will be the gateway to bringing them into health establishments.
Topics: Antioxidants; Dietary Supplements; Ganoderma; Pharmaceutical Preparations; Reishi; Triterpenes
PubMed: 36734035
DOI: 10.1039/d2fo01683d -
Nutrients Feb 2020Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the leading cause of death worldwide. Squalene (SQ), an intermediate for the cholesterol biosynthesis, has been proposed to act similarly...
INTRODUCTION
Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the leading cause of death worldwide. Squalene (SQ), an intermediate for the cholesterol biosynthesis, has been proposed to act similarly to statins via inhibition of 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl coenzyme A (HMG-CoA) reductase in the liver.
PURPOSE
This paper explores the effects of SQ in CVD.
METHODS
A systematic review of the literature was performed to identify relevant studies about SQ and CVD. A comprehensive search in Medline and Scopus for relevant studies published between the years 1946 and 2019 was performed. The main inclusion criteria were that the study was published in English; that the study reported association or effect of SQ and CVD; and that CVD should be related to lifestyle variables, aging, or experimentally induced conditions.
RESULTS
The literature searches identified 5562 potentially relevant articles, whereby 21 studies met the inclusion criteria. There were three human studies and 18 animal experimental studies included in this paper. Only one human study reported positive outcome of SQ in CVD. The remaining two studies reported inconsistent and/or no effect. For animal studies, 15 studies reported positive effect while the remaining reported negative and/or no effect of SQ on various related parameters.
CONCLUSIONS
This evidence-based review emphasizes the potential of SQ being used for cardiovascular-related diseases. The effect of SQ, especially of plant-based warrants further exploration. Controlled human observational studies should be performed to provide comprehensive evidence.
Topics: Animals; Cardiovascular Diseases; Humans; Hydroxymethylglutaryl CoA Reductases; Liver; Primary Prevention; Risk Factors; Squalene
PubMed: 32033387
DOI: 10.3390/nu12020414 -
Nutrients Sep 2018Blood fatty acids (FAs) are derived from endogenous and dietary routes. Metabolic abnormalities from kidney dysfunction, as well as cross-cultural dietary habits, may...
Blood fatty acids (FAs) are derived from endogenous and dietary routes. Metabolic abnormalities from kidney dysfunction, as well as cross-cultural dietary habits, may alter the FA profile of dialysis patients (DP), leading to detrimental clinical outcomes. Therefore, we aimed to (i) summarize FA status of DP from different countries, (ii) compare blood FA composition between healthy controls and DP, and (iii) evaluate FA profile and clinical endpoints in DP. Fifty-three articles from 1980 onwards, reporting FA profile in hemodialysis and peritoneal DP, were identified from PubMed, Embase, and the Cochrane library. Studies on pediatric, predialysis chronic kidney disease, acute kidney injury, and transplant patients were excluded. Moderate to high levels of -3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) were reported in Japan, Korea, Denmark, and Sweden. Compared to healthy adults, DP had lower proportions of -3 and -6 PUFA, but higher proportion of monounsaturated fatty acids. Two studies reported inverse associations between -3 PUFAs and risks of sudden cardiac death, while one reported eicosapentaenoic acid + docosahexaenoic acid)/arachidonic acid ratio was inversely associated with cardiovascular events. The relationship between all-cause mortality and blood FA composition in DP remained inconclusive. The current evidence highlights a critical role for essential FA in nutritional management of DP.
Topics: Arachidonic Acid; Diet; Fatty Acids, Monounsaturated; Fatty Acids, Omega-3; Fatty Acids, Omega-6; Humans; Renal Dialysis; Renal Insufficiency, Chronic
PubMed: 30248953
DOI: 10.3390/nu10101353