Background: Periodontal disease and diabetes mellitus are common, chronic diseases worldwide. Epidemiologic and biologic evidence suggests periodontal disease may affect diabetes. Objective: To systematically review non-experimental, epidemiologic evidence for effects of periodontal disease on diabetes control, complications, and incidence. Data sources: Electronic bibliographic databases, supplemented by hand searches of recent and future issues of relevant journals. Study eligibility...

Background: It is currently unclear whether altering the carbohydrate-to-protein ratio of low-fat, energy-restricted diets augments weight loss and cardiometabolic risk markers. Objective: The objective was to conduct a systematic review and meta-analysis of studies that compared energy-restricted, isocaloric, high-protein, low-fat (HP) diets with standard-protein, low-fat (SP) diets on weight loss, body composition, resting energy expenditure (REE), satiety and appetite, and...

The Jewish majority and Arab minority populations in Israel exhibit disparities in nutrition-related chronic diseases, but comparative population-based dietary studies are lacking. We evaluated ethnic differences in dietary patterns in a population-based cross-sectional study of Arab and Jewish urban adults (n=1,104; aged 25-74 y). Dietary intake was assessed with an interviewer-administered quantified FFQ. We used principal-component analysis to identify 4 major dietary patterns: Ethnic,...

Dr. Carl (Chip) Lavie, Professor of Medicine in the Department of Cardiovascular Diseases at the John Ochsner Heart & Vascular Institute, Ochsner Clinical School and University of Queensland School of Medicine in New Orleans, LA, discusses his article coauthored with Dr. Enrique G. Artero and others, appearing in the October 2012 issue of Mayo Clinic Proceedings, where he reviews the 7 American Heart Association’s 2020 goals for ideal cardiovascular health as seen in a middle-aged,...

In 2006 New York City issued its unprecedented restrictions on the use of trans fats in fast food restaurants. Now the first study reporting the results of this restriction is being published in the Annals of Internal Medicine.

Whole-grain and high fiber intakes are routinely recommended for prevention of vascular diseases; however, there are no comprehensive and quantitative assessments of available data in humans. The aim of this study was to systematically examine longitudinal studies investigating whole-grain and fiber intake in relation to risk of type 2 diabetes (T2D), cardiovascular disease (CVD), weight gain, and metabolic risk factors. We identified 45 prospective cohort studies and 21...

Over the last several years, national programs to lower the content of industrially produced (IP) C18:1 and C18:2 trans fatty acids in foods have been implemented, but whether this has resulted in lower blood trans fatty acid levels is unknown. Likewise, an increased perception of the health benefits of fish oils rich in EPA and DHA may have resulted in an increase in consumption and blood levels of these fatty acids. To explore these issues, we analyzed the changes in RBC fatty acid...

Dr. Carl (Chip) Lavie, a cardiologist from Ochsner Clinic in New Orleans, LA, discusses an article appearing in the May 2012 issue of Mayo Clinic Proceedings, which provides further evidence for the validation of the obesity paradox. Previous study results may be misleading if fitnessof the patient is not also considered.
Available at: http://www.mayoclinicproceedings.org/article/S0025-6196(12)00266-2/fulltext

Background: A Step I diet with lean beef compared with lean white meat both decrease LDL cholesterol. To our knowledge, no studies have evaluated a low–saturated fatty acid (SFA) (<7% calories) diet that contains lean beef. Objective: We studied the effect on LDL cholesterol of cholesterol-lowering diets with varying amounts of lean beef [ie, Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH): 28 g beef/d; Beef in an Optimal Lean Diet (BOLD): 113 g beef/d; and Beef in an Optimal Lean Diet...

Background: Low vitamin D status may increase mortality risk. OBJECTIVE: We used nonparametric ("highest compared with lowest" categories) and parametric (>2 categories) statistical models to evaluate associations of 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D] serum concentrations and mortality in observational studies among general populations. DESIGN: We searched PubMed, EMBASE, Web of Science, and reference lists for relevant articles. We included studies that contained data on relative risks (RRs)...