About this Research Topic
Within the context of healthy aging, research has been carried out on the Mediterranean dietary (MD) pattern or its food components, due to the harmonic combination of many elements with antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. Additionally, there is a growing interest in other MD components, the so-called bioactives. These non-nutrient micro-constitutes, mainly phytochemicals, are not essential to life, but they can exert great benefits for human health, particularly against chronic diseases. Several studies have revealed potential anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, anti-hyperglycemic, anti-hypertensive, and antilipidemic perspectives of non-nutrient microconstituents. To this point, adherence to MD along with consumption of local foods or natural products with known bioactive compounds exert beneficial effects on inflammation and metabolic health in adults, accompanied by ameliorations in physical and mental health. Human research towards the association of MD or its components with parameters of aging, including disease biomarkers, oxidative stress/inflammatory indices, anthropometry, cognitive abilities, mental health, and overall quality of life, has been constantly increasing during the last decades.
Therefore, the goal of the present topic is to gather the latest outcomes from human research and shed light on the possible effects of MD or its components on healthy aging.
This Research Topic will bring together original randomized controlled studies, population-based surveys (cross-sectional, perspective, or retrospective), comprehensive reviews, and metanalyses conducted on humans that deal with recent advances in “Mediterranean Diet for Healthy Aging”. Topics of interest for this Research Topic include the following:
1. Association of MD with longevity.
2. Association of MD adherence with aging parameters (disease biomarkers, oxidative stress/inflammatory indices, anthropometry, cognitive abilities, mental health, and overall quality of life).
3. The effects of specific food group(s) of MD on aging parameters.
4. The effects of MD bioactive compounds on aging parameters.
Keywords: Mediterranean Diet, Phytochemicals, Bioactive Compounds, Aging, Elderly
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