Unit:
Κατεύθυνση ΒιοστατιστικήLibrary of the School of Health Sciences
Author:
Spiropoulou Eleni
Supervisors info:
Bασιλική Μπενέτου, Αναπληρώτρια καθηγήτρια, Ιατρική, ΕΚΠΑ
Ευαγγελία Σαμόλη, Αναπληρώτρια καθηγήτρια, Ιατρική, ΕΚΠΑ
Φώτιος Σιάννης, Επίκουρος καθηγητής, Μαθηματικό, ΕΚΠΑ
Original Title:
Dietary patterns and food groups in relation to functionality: a systematic review and meta-analysis
Translated title:
Dietary patterns and food groups in relation to functionality: a systematic review and meta-analysis
Summary:
Background & Aim
Many lines of evidence have established the important role of diet in disease etiology and
prevention. Dietary patterns, more specifically the combinations and quantities in which foods are consumed by the people, represent the totality of diet that most probably possesses synergistic and cumulative effects on health and disease, compared to individual foods and nutrients. Currently, the study of dietary patterns in relation to health has become a fundamental step in the process of formulating food-based dietary guidelines. Functionality is a broad term concerning the interactions between the physiological and anatomical structure of the body’s system, the ability to accomplish a
specific task in a standardized environment and the engagement in everyday life situations. Maintaining functional ability is an important component of the quality of life and healthy ageing. Studies investigating the association between dietary patterns and/or food groups and functionality,
measured through functional impairment, are limited. Therefore, the aim of this systematic review
and meta- analysis was to summarize the available literature regarding adherence to a priori and a
posteriori dietary patterns or specific food groups with domains of physical functioning impairment.
To our knowledge, this is the first systematic review and meta-analysis investigating this relationship
so broadly.
Methods & Results
Α search of scientific literature was carried out in PubMed for studies without a limit in the year of
their publication. Fifteen papers were finally included according to the following eligibility criteria:
they had a prospective cohort or case-control design or they were randomized-clinical trials. Τhe
minimum size of the study population was 100 and the length of follow up in cohorts was over six
months. Additionally, the study population had to be aged 18+ and to be presumably healthy.
Βoth at fixed effects and random effects model, a protective pooled effect estimate of adherence to
ahealthy dietary pattern in overall functionality is observed. The pooled fixed effects estimate was
0.86 (95% C.I. 0.83, 0.89) while the random effects estimate was 0.82 (95% C.I. 0.75, 0.90) for overall
functional decline comparing the highest vs the lowest compliance to healthy dietary patterns.
Conclusions
Our findings indicate that individuals with a higher adherence to healthy diets show a better
functionality, in comparison to those with a lower adherence, irrespective of their sex, age and other
possible confounders. Findings related to individual food groups are not consistent. Based on the
above, and acknowledging the importance of maintaining functionality there is a need for further high-quality research in this area in the future.
Main subject category:
Health Sciences
Keywords:
dietary patterns, food groups, mediterranean diet, functionality, physical functioning, ADL, IADL, mobility disability
