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The use of phytosterols (or plant sterols) for the control of plasma cholesterol concentrations has recently gained traction because their efficacy is acknowledged by scientific authorities and leading guidelines. Phytosterols, marketed as supplements or functional foods, are formally classified as food in the European Union, are freely available for purchase, and are frequently used without any health professional advice; therefore, they are often self-prescribed, either inappropriately or in situations in which no significant advantage can be obtained. For this reason, a panel of experts with diverse medical and scientific backgrounds was convened by NFI—Nutrition Foundation of Italy—to critically evaluate and summarize the literature available on the topic, with the goal of providing medical doctors and all health professionals useful information to actively govern the use of phytosterols in the context of plasma cholesterol control. Some practical indications to help professionals identify subjects who will most likely benefit from the use of these products, optimizing the therapeutic outcomes, are also provided. The panel concluded that the use of phytosterols as supplements or functional foods to control Low Density Lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol levels should be preceded by the assessment of some relevant individual characteristics: cardiovascular risk, lipid profile, correct understanding of how to use these products, and willingness to pay for the treatment.
Andrea Poli; Franca Marangoni; Alberto Corsini; Enzo Manzato; Walter Marrocco; Daniela Martini; Gerardo Medea; Francesco Visioli. Phytosterols, Cholesterol Control, and Cardiovascular Disease. Nutrients 2021, 13, 2810 .
AMA StyleAndrea Poli, Franca Marangoni, Alberto Corsini, Enzo Manzato, Walter Marrocco, Daniela Martini, Gerardo Medea, Francesco Visioli. Phytosterols, Cholesterol Control, and Cardiovascular Disease. Nutrients. 2021; 13 (8):2810.
Chicago/Turabian StyleAndrea Poli; Franca Marangoni; Alberto Corsini; Enzo Manzato; Walter Marrocco; Daniela Martini; Gerardo Medea; Francesco Visioli. 2021. "Phytosterols, Cholesterol Control, and Cardiovascular Disease." Nutrients 13, no. 8: 2810.
A debate is ongoing on the significance and appropriateness of the NOVA classification as a tool for categorizing foods based on their degree of processing. As such, the role of ultra-processed food (UPF) on human health is still not completely understood. With this review, we aimed to investigate the actual level of consumption of UPF across countries and target populations to determine the impact in real contexts. Suitable articles published up to March 2021 were sourced through the PubMed and SCOPUS databases. Overall, 99 studies providing data on the level of UPF consumption expressed as the percentage of total energy intake were identified, for a total of 1,378,454 participants. Most of them were published in Brazil (n = 38) and the United States (n = 15), and the 24 h recall was the most-used tool (n = 63). Analysis of the results revealed that the United States and the United Kingdom were the countries with the highest percent energy intake from UPF (generally >50%), whereas Italy had the lowest levels (about 10%); the latter was inversely associated with adherence to the Mediterranean diet. High variability was also observed based on sex, age, and body mass index, with men, young people, and overweight/obese subjects generally having higher levels of consumption compared to older subjects. Overall, our findings underline the large differences in UPF intake. Since most of the observations derived from studies conducted with food questionnaires are not specifically validated for UPF, further efforts are essential to confirm the results previously obtained and to investigate further the association between UPF consumption and health status, also considering the actual contribution within different dietary patterns, which has been less investigated to date.
Mirko Marino; Federica Puppo; Cristian Del Bo’; Valentina Vinelli; Patrizia Riso; Marisa Porrini; Daniela Martini. A Systematic Review of Worldwide Consumption of Ultra-Processed Foods: Findings and Criticisms. Nutrients 2021, 13, 2778 .
AMA StyleMirko Marino, Federica Puppo, Cristian Del Bo’, Valentina Vinelli, Patrizia Riso, Marisa Porrini, Daniela Martini. A Systematic Review of Worldwide Consumption of Ultra-Processed Foods: Findings and Criticisms. Nutrients. 2021; 13 (8):2778.
Chicago/Turabian StyleMirko Marino; Federica Puppo; Cristian Del Bo’; Valentina Vinelli; Patrizia Riso; Marisa Porrini; Daniela Martini. 2021. "A Systematic Review of Worldwide Consumption of Ultra-Processed Foods: Findings and Criticisms." Nutrients 13, no. 8: 2778.
The effect of coffee and cocoa on oxidative damage to macromolecules has been investigated in several studies, often with controversial results. This study aimed to investigate the effect of one-month consumption of different doses of coffee or cocoa-based products containing coffee on markers of DNA damage and lipid peroxidation in young healthy volunteers. Twenty-one volunteers were randomly assigned into a three-arm, crossover, randomized trial. Subjects were assigned to consume one of the three following treatments: one cup of espresso coffee/day (1C), three cups of espresso coffee/day (3C), and one cup of espresso coffee plus two cocoa-based products containing coffee (PC) twice per day for 1 month. At the end of each treatment, blood samples were collected for the analysis of endogenous and H2O2-induced DNA damage and DNA oxidation catabolites, while urines were used for the analysis of oxylipins. On the whole, four DNA catabolites (cyclic guanosine monophosphate (cGMP), 8-OH-2′-deoxy-guanosine, 8-OH-guanine, and 8-NO2-cGMP) were detected in plasma samples following the one-month intervention. No significant modulation of DNA and lipid damage markers was documented among groups, apart from an effect of time for DNA strand breaks and some markers of lipid peroxidation. In conclusion, the consumption of coffee and cocoa-based confectionery containing coffee was apparently not able to affect oxidative stress markers. More studies are encouraged to better explain the findings obtained and to understand the impact of different dosages of these products on specific target groups.
Daniela Martini; Raúl Domínguez-Perles; Alice Rosi; Michele Tassotti; Donato Angelino; Sonia Medina; Cristian Ricci; Alexandre Guy; Camille Oger; Letizia Gigliotti; Thierry Durand; Mirko Marino; Hans Gottfried-Genieser; Marisa Porrini; Monica Antonini; Alessandra Dei Cas; Riccardo Bonadonna; Federico Ferreres; Francesca Scazzina; Furio Brighenti; Patrizia Riso; Cristian Del Bo’; Pedro Mena; Angel Gil-Izquierdo; Daniele Del Rio. Effect of Coffee and Cocoa-Based Confectionery Containing Coffee on Markers of DNA Damage and Lipid Peroxidation Products: Results from a Human Intervention Study. Nutrients 2021, 13, 2399 .
AMA StyleDaniela Martini, Raúl Domínguez-Perles, Alice Rosi, Michele Tassotti, Donato Angelino, Sonia Medina, Cristian Ricci, Alexandre Guy, Camille Oger, Letizia Gigliotti, Thierry Durand, Mirko Marino, Hans Gottfried-Genieser, Marisa Porrini, Monica Antonini, Alessandra Dei Cas, Riccardo Bonadonna, Federico Ferreres, Francesca Scazzina, Furio Brighenti, Patrizia Riso, Cristian Del Bo’, Pedro Mena, Angel Gil-Izquierdo, Daniele Del Rio. Effect of Coffee and Cocoa-Based Confectionery Containing Coffee on Markers of DNA Damage and Lipid Peroxidation Products: Results from a Human Intervention Study. Nutrients. 2021; 13 (7):2399.
Chicago/Turabian StyleDaniela Martini; Raúl Domínguez-Perles; Alice Rosi; Michele Tassotti; Donato Angelino; Sonia Medina; Cristian Ricci; Alexandre Guy; Camille Oger; Letizia Gigliotti; Thierry Durand; Mirko Marino; Hans Gottfried-Genieser; Marisa Porrini; Monica Antonini; Alessandra Dei Cas; Riccardo Bonadonna; Federico Ferreres; Francesca Scazzina; Furio Brighenti; Patrizia Riso; Cristian Del Bo’; Pedro Mena; Angel Gil-Izquierdo; Daniele Del Rio. 2021. "Effect of Coffee and Cocoa-Based Confectionery Containing Coffee on Markers of DNA Damage and Lipid Peroxidation Products: Results from a Human Intervention Study." Nutrients 13, no. 7: 2399.
Diet is an important contributor to human health and public health bodies are issuing guidelines aimed at favouring healthy food choices. The aim of our paper is to discuss the aspects underlying the concept of nutrient profiles, that is, defining levels of energy, some macronutrients, or salt which should not be exceeded in individual foods, according to the available evidence, to help in understanding to what extent such approach may actually be useful for improving nutrition and quality of life of European consumers. We list several pitfalls and oversimplifications of the current approaches to nutrient profiling and of the dichotomic classification of foods into “healthy” and “unhealthy” products. In view of the current “Facilitating healthier food choices – establishing nutrient profiles” EU initiative, we believe that further debate among all stakeholders is warranted and must consider all the limitations outlined in this paper.
Francesco Visioli; Franca Marangoni; Andrea Poli; Andrea Ghiselli; Daniela Martini. Nutrition and health or nutrients and health? International Journal of Food Sciences and Nutrition 2021, 1 -8.
AMA StyleFrancesco Visioli, Franca Marangoni, Andrea Poli, Andrea Ghiselli, Daniela Martini. Nutrition and health or nutrients and health? International Journal of Food Sciences and Nutrition. 2021; ():1-8.
Chicago/Turabian StyleFrancesco Visioli; Franca Marangoni; Andrea Poli; Andrea Ghiselli; Daniela Martini. 2021. "Nutrition and health or nutrients and health?" International Journal of Food Sciences and Nutrition , no. : 1-8.
Food choices and eating behaviours have a large impact on both human and planetary health. Recently, the Food and Agricultural Organisation (FAO) of the United Nations and the World Health Organisation have developed a list of 16 guiding principles to achieve sustainable healthy diets (SHDs). They proposed that development of food-based dietary guidelines (FBDGs) should be a core element in the implementation of these SHDs in each country. The objective of this review is to explore the degree of alignment of current FBDGs to these guiding principles. A total of 43 FBDGs, written or translated into English, were collected from the online repository developed by the FAO and were analysed for their adherence to each of the guiding principles. Results were stratified for period of publication and geographical macro-area. Overall, there were high levels of inclusion of the factors related to health outcomes, especially in the most recent FBDGs. Conversely, environmental impact and socio-cultural aspects of diet were considered less frequently, especially in the older FBDGs. These results highlight the importance of revising FBDGs, especially to include emerging topics which represent the areas with the highest scope for improvement in the future versions of FBDGs. Replication of the present study in the coming years will be worthwhile to monitor improvements in the adherence of global FBDGs to the guiding principles of SHDs. The attainment of such a goal could promote a more rapid transition towards SHDs, as well as highlighting pivotal research trajectories to increase adoption and evaluate the impact on the food system.
Daniela Martini; Massimiliano Tucci; James Bradfield; Antonio Di Giorgio; Mirko Marino; Cristian Del Bo'; Marisa Porrini; Patrizia Riso. Principles of Sustainable Healthy Diets in Worldwide Dietary Guidelines: Efforts So Far and Future Perspectives. Nutrients 2021, 13, 1827 .
AMA StyleDaniela Martini, Massimiliano Tucci, James Bradfield, Antonio Di Giorgio, Mirko Marino, Cristian Del Bo', Marisa Porrini, Patrizia Riso. Principles of Sustainable Healthy Diets in Worldwide Dietary Guidelines: Efforts So Far and Future Perspectives. Nutrients. 2021; 13 (6):1827.
Chicago/Turabian StyleDaniela Martini; Massimiliano Tucci; James Bradfield; Antonio Di Giorgio; Mirko Marino; Cristian Del Bo'; Marisa Porrini; Patrizia Riso. 2021. "Principles of Sustainable Healthy Diets in Worldwide Dietary Guidelines: Efforts So Far and Future Perspectives." Nutrients 13, no. 6: 1827.
The use of DNA damage as marker of oxidative stress, metabolic dysfunction and age-related diseases is debated. The present study aimed at assessing the level of DNA damage (evaluated as DNA strand-breaks, endogenous and oxidatively-induced DNA damage) in a group of older subjects with intestinal permeability enrolled within the MaPLE (Gut and Blood Microbiomics for Studying the Effect of a Polyphenol-Rich Dietary Pattern on Intestinal Permeability in the Elderly) intervention trial, to evaluate its association with clinical, metabolic and dietary markers. DNA damage in peripheral blood mononuclear cells was assessed by the comet assay in 49 older subjects participating in the study. Clinical and metabolic markers, markers of inflammation, vascular function and intestinal permeability were determined in serum. Food intake was estimated by weighted food diaries. On the whole, a trend towards higher levels of DNA damage was observed in men compared to women (p = 0.071). A positive association between DNA damage and clinical/metabolic markers (e.g., uric acid, lipid profile) and an inverse association with dietary markers (e.g., vitamin C, E, B6, folates) were found and differed based on sex. By considering the importance of DNA stability during aging, the results obtained on sex differences and the potential role of dietary and metabolic factors on DNA damage underline the need for further investigations in a larger group of older adults to confirm the associations found and to promote preventive strategies.
Cristian Del Bo’; Daniela Martini; Stefano Bernardi; Letizia Gigliotti; Mirko Marino; Giorgio Gargari; Tomas Meroño; Nicole Hidalgo-Liberona; Cristina Andres-Lacueva; Paul Kroon; Antonio Cherubini; Simone Guglielmetti; Marisa Porrini; Patrizia Riso. Association between Food Intake, Clinical and Metabolic Markers and DNA Damage in Older Subjects. Antioxidants 2021, 10, 730 .
AMA StyleCristian Del Bo’, Daniela Martini, Stefano Bernardi, Letizia Gigliotti, Mirko Marino, Giorgio Gargari, Tomas Meroño, Nicole Hidalgo-Liberona, Cristina Andres-Lacueva, Paul Kroon, Antonio Cherubini, Simone Guglielmetti, Marisa Porrini, Patrizia Riso. Association between Food Intake, Clinical and Metabolic Markers and DNA Damage in Older Subjects. Antioxidants. 2021; 10 (5):730.
Chicago/Turabian StyleCristian Del Bo’; Daniela Martini; Stefano Bernardi; Letizia Gigliotti; Mirko Marino; Giorgio Gargari; Tomas Meroño; Nicole Hidalgo-Liberona; Cristina Andres-Lacueva; Paul Kroon; Antonio Cherubini; Simone Guglielmetti; Marisa Porrini; Patrizia Riso. 2021. "Association between Food Intake, Clinical and Metabolic Markers and DNA Damage in Older Subjects." Antioxidants 10, no. 5: 730.
Pasta is a carbohydrate-rich food with a low glycemic index (GI) and is one of the main sources of slowly digestible starch (SDS). The presence of bran fractions (BFs) in pasta may enhance its health potential, owing to the content of fiber, micronutrients, and bioactive compounds; however, at the same time, BF may affect starch digestibility. In this study, the bioaccessibility of starch in pasta made with BF-enriched semolina (BF pasta), or only with micronized debranned kernel (DK pasta), and a control pasta made with traditional semolina was evaluated by applying two different in vitro models. The control pasta showed a percentage of SDS about four-fold higher than that of the BF pasta and 1.5-fold higher than that of the DK pasta (p < 0.05). The amount of starch released during simulated gastrointestinal digestion was slightly lower, but not significantly different, for the control pasta than for both the BF and DK pasta. These results suggest that the presence of a higher amount of dietary fiber in BF pasta can affect the structure of the food matrix, interfering with the formation of the gluten network, water absorption, and starch granule accessibility, while micronization could enhance starch digestibility due to starch gelatinization. These findings emphasize the need to optimize the process for producing fiber-rich pasta without affecting its low starch digestibility and, consequently, its GI.
Rossella Dodi; Letizia Bresciani; Beatrice Biasini; Marta Cossu; Francesca Scazzina; Federica Taddei; Maria D’Egidio; Margherita Dall’Asta; Daniela Martini. Traditional and Non-Conventional Pasta-Making Processes: Effect on In Vitro Starch Digestibility. Foods 2021, 10, 921 .
AMA StyleRossella Dodi, Letizia Bresciani, Beatrice Biasini, Marta Cossu, Francesca Scazzina, Federica Taddei, Maria D’Egidio, Margherita Dall’Asta, Daniela Martini. Traditional and Non-Conventional Pasta-Making Processes: Effect on In Vitro Starch Digestibility. Foods. 2021; 10 (5):921.
Chicago/Turabian StyleRossella Dodi; Letizia Bresciani; Beatrice Biasini; Marta Cossu; Francesca Scazzina; Federica Taddei; Maria D’Egidio; Margherita Dall’Asta; Daniela Martini. 2021. "Traditional and Non-Conventional Pasta-Making Processes: Effect on In Vitro Starch Digestibility." Foods 10, no. 5: 921.
There is an urgent need to promote healthy and sustainable diets that are tailored to the preferences and cultures of different populations. The present study aimed to (i) define a Mediterranean dietary pattern in line with the EAT-Lancet Commission reference diet (ELCRD), based on 2500 kcal/day and adapted to the Italian food habits (EAT-IT); (ii) develop a mid/long-term dietary plan based on EAT-IT and a dietary plan based on the Italian Dietary Guidelines (IDG); (iii) compare the two dietary plans in terms of portions, frequencies of consumption, and nutritional adequacy based on the nutrient and energy recommendations for the Italian adult population. The main differences between the two plans were related to the higher amount of fruit and vegetables in the IDG compared to the EAT-IT, while the EAT-IT plan was higher in nuts and legumes, which represent the main protein sources in the ELCRD. Differences in the protein sources, especially milk and derivatives, and for cereal-based foods, were also found. Dietary plans were comparable for most nutrients, except for higher energy from lipids and vegetal protein, a higher amount of fiber, and lower levels of calcium that were evidenced for the EAT-IT dietary plan compared to the IDG-based one. In conclusion, the analysis of the EAT-IT demonstrated certain nutritional issues. It remains to be determined whether this may represent a health concern in further studies aimed at investigating the feasibility of sustainable dietary patterns.
Massimiliano Tucci; Daniela Martini; Cristian Del Bo’; Mirko Marino; Alberto Battezzati; Simona Bertoli; Marisa Porrini; Patrizia Riso. An Italian-Mediterranean Dietary Pattern Developed Based on the EAT-Lancet Reference Diet (EAT-IT): A Nutritional Evaluation. Foods 2021, 10, 558 .
AMA StyleMassimiliano Tucci, Daniela Martini, Cristian Del Bo’, Mirko Marino, Alberto Battezzati, Simona Bertoli, Marisa Porrini, Patrizia Riso. An Italian-Mediterranean Dietary Pattern Developed Based on the EAT-Lancet Reference Diet (EAT-IT): A Nutritional Evaluation. Foods. 2021; 10 (3):558.
Chicago/Turabian StyleMassimiliano Tucci; Daniela Martini; Cristian Del Bo’; Mirko Marino; Alberto Battezzati; Simona Bertoli; Marisa Porrini; Patrizia Riso. 2021. "An Italian-Mediterranean Dietary Pattern Developed Based on the EAT-Lancet Reference Diet (EAT-IT): A Nutritional Evaluation." Foods 10, no. 3: 558.
NOVA is a classification that divides foods into four groups according to processing. Since no questionnaires have been validated to assess the consumption of foods with different levels of processing in the general adult population, we tested the reliability and validity of a 94-item Food Frequency Questionnaire (NFFQ) designed to estimate the intake (g/day) and the weight ratio (%) of the NOVA food groups in Italian adults. Time reliability and validity were tested by administrating the NFFQ to 110 subjects on two different occasions and comparing it with a weighed dietary record (WDR). Strong correlations between NFFQs (r > 0.7, p < 0.001) and intraclass correlation coefficients (ICC) of 0.851–0.940 indicated good test-retest reliability. Moderate correlations between the NFFQ and the WDR (0.6
Monica Dinu; Marialaura Bonaccio; Daniela Martini; Maria Pia Madarena; Marilena Vitale; Giuditta Pagliai; Simona Esposito; Cinzia Ferraris; Monica Guglielmetti; Alice Rosi; Donato Angelino. Reproducibility and validity of a food-frequency questionnaire (NFFQ) to assess food consumption based on the NOVA classification in adults. International Journal of Food Sciences and Nutrition 2021, 72, 861 -869.
AMA StyleMonica Dinu, Marialaura Bonaccio, Daniela Martini, Maria Pia Madarena, Marilena Vitale, Giuditta Pagliai, Simona Esposito, Cinzia Ferraris, Monica Guglielmetti, Alice Rosi, Donato Angelino. Reproducibility and validity of a food-frequency questionnaire (NFFQ) to assess food consumption based on the NOVA classification in adults. International Journal of Food Sciences and Nutrition. 2021; 72 (6):861-869.
Chicago/Turabian StyleMonica Dinu; Marialaura Bonaccio; Daniela Martini; Maria Pia Madarena; Marilena Vitale; Giuditta Pagliai; Simona Esposito; Cinzia Ferraris; Monica Guglielmetti; Alice Rosi; Donato Angelino. 2021. "Reproducibility and validity of a food-frequency questionnaire (NFFQ) to assess food consumption based on the NOVA classification in adults." International Journal of Food Sciences and Nutrition 72, no. 6: 861-869.
Consumption of nuts and legumes has been associated with several health benefits. The aim of this study was to systematically review existing meta-analyses of observational studies on nut and legume intake and non-communicable diseases, and assess the level of evidence. Out of the six meta-analyses focussed on legume and 15 on nut intake, a possible association with decreased risk of colorectal adenoma and coronary heart disease was found for higher legume consumption, and a decreased risk of cardiovascular and cancer mortality, colon cancer, hypertension and ischaemic stroke for higher nut consumption. The association between legume consumption and cardiovascular diseases (CVDs), as well as nut consumption and risk of cancer, CVD incidence and all-cause mortality, was deemed as “limited” due to heterogeneity between results and/or potential confounding factors. General benefit towards better health can be observed for nut and legume consumption. Further studies are needed to better elucidate potential confounding factors.
Daniela Martini; Justyna Godos; Stefano Marventano; Maria Tieri; Francesca Ghelfi; Lucilla Titta; Alessandra Lafranconi; Helena Trigueiro; Angelo Gambera; Elena Alonzo; Salvatore Sciacca; Silvio Buscemi; Sumantra Ray; Fabio Galvano; Daniele Del Rio; Giuseppe Grosso. Nut and legume consumption and human health: an umbrella review of observational studies. International Journal of Food Sciences and Nutrition 2021, 1 -8.
AMA StyleDaniela Martini, Justyna Godos, Stefano Marventano, Maria Tieri, Francesca Ghelfi, Lucilla Titta, Alessandra Lafranconi, Helena Trigueiro, Angelo Gambera, Elena Alonzo, Salvatore Sciacca, Silvio Buscemi, Sumantra Ray, Fabio Galvano, Daniele Del Rio, Giuseppe Grosso. Nut and legume consumption and human health: an umbrella review of observational studies. International Journal of Food Sciences and Nutrition. 2021; ():1-8.
Chicago/Turabian StyleDaniela Martini; Justyna Godos; Stefano Marventano; Maria Tieri; Francesca Ghelfi; Lucilla Titta; Alessandra Lafranconi; Helena Trigueiro; Angelo Gambera; Elena Alonzo; Salvatore Sciacca; Silvio Buscemi; Sumantra Ray; Fabio Galvano; Daniele Del Rio; Giuseppe Grosso. 2021. "Nut and legume consumption and human health: an umbrella review of observational studies." International Journal of Food Sciences and Nutrition , no. : 1-8.
Food labels are the first informative tool found by the customers during shopping, and are informative in terms of ingredients, nutrient content, and the presence of allergens of the selected product
Daniela Martini; Davide Menozzi. Food Labeling: Analysis, Understanding, and Perception. Nutrients 2021, 13, 268 .
AMA StyleDaniela Martini, Davide Menozzi. Food Labeling: Analysis, Understanding, and Perception. Nutrients. 2021; 13 (1):268.
Chicago/Turabian StyleDaniela Martini; Davide Menozzi. 2021. "Food Labeling: Analysis, Understanding, and Perception." Nutrients 13, no. 1: 268.
Pasta represents a staple food in many populations and, in recent years, an increasing number of pasta items has been placed on the market to satisfy needs and trends. The aims of this work were: (i) to investigate the nutritional composition of the different types of pasta currently sold in Italy by collecting the nutrition facts on their packaging; (ii) to compare energy, nutrient and salt content per 100 g and serving in fresh and dried pasta; (iii) to compare the nutrition declaration in pairs of products with and without different declarations (i.e., gluten free (GF), organic, and nutrition claims (NC)). A total of 756 items, made available by 13 retailers present on the Italian market, were included in the analysis. Data showed a wide difference between dried and fresh pasta, with high inter-type variability. A negligible amount of salt was observed in all types of pasta, except for stuffed products, which had a median high quantity of salt (>1 g/100 g and ~1.5 g/serving). Organic pasta had higher fibre and lower protein contents compared to conventional pasta. GF products were higher in carbohydrate and fat but lower in fibre and protein than not-GF products, while only a higher fibre content was found in pasta with NC compared to products not boasting claims. Overall, the results show high variability in terms of nutrition composition among the pasta items currently on the market, supporting the importance of reading and understanding food labels for making informed food choices.
Marika Dello Russo; Carmela Spagnuolo; Stefania Moccia; Donato Angelino; Nicoletta Pellegrini; Daniela Martini; on behalf of the Italian Society of Human Nutrition (SINU) Young Working Group. Nutritional Quality of Pasta Sold on the Italian Market: The Food Labelling of Italian Products (FLIP) Study. Nutrients 2021, 13, 171 .
AMA StyleMarika Dello Russo, Carmela Spagnuolo, Stefania Moccia, Donato Angelino, Nicoletta Pellegrini, Daniela Martini, on behalf of the Italian Society of Human Nutrition (SINU) Young Working Group. Nutritional Quality of Pasta Sold on the Italian Market: The Food Labelling of Italian Products (FLIP) Study. Nutrients. 2021; 13 (1):171.
Chicago/Turabian StyleMarika Dello Russo; Carmela Spagnuolo; Stefania Moccia; Donato Angelino; Nicoletta Pellegrini; Daniela Martini; on behalf of the Italian Society of Human Nutrition (SINU) Young Working Group. 2021. "Nutritional Quality of Pasta Sold on the Italian Market: The Food Labelling of Italian Products (FLIP) Study." Nutrients 13, no. 1: 171.
Bread is one of the most common staple foods, despite the increasing consumption of the so-called “bread substitutes”. The aim of the present work is to survey the nutritional quality intended as a nutrition declaration of 339 pre-packed bread products and 1020 bread substitutes sold in the major retailers present on the Italian market. Comparisons of energy, macronutrient, and salt content within product types, and between regular and gluten-free (GF) products and products with or without nutrition claim (NC) and health claim (HC) declarations, were performed. A high inter-product variability was detected. The median energy contents were 274 (interquartile range 255–289) and 412 (380–437) kcal/100 for bread products and substitutes, respectively. Irrespective of the category, GF products had lower amounts of energy than their gluten-containing counterpart (p< 0.001), whereas products carrying NC had lower energy, sugar and salt amounts than the products without these declarations on the pack (p< 0.001 for all). A strong positive correlation was observed between energy and carbohydrate in bread (rho = 0.73, p< 0.001), but not in substitutes (rho = 0.033, p = 0.29). The present work highlighted a high variability in the apparent nutritional quality of bread products and substitutes sold on the Italian market, and suggested that bread alternatives should not be considered tout court as substitutes from a nutritional point of view.
Donato Angelino; Alice Rosi; Emilia Ruggiero; Daniele Nucci; Gaetana Paolella; Veronica Pignone; Nicoletta Pellegrini; Daniela Martini; on behalf of the SINU Young Working Group. Analysis of Food Labels to Evaluate the Nutritional Quality of Bread Products and Substitutes Sold in Italy: Results from the Food Labelling of Italian Products (FLIP) Study. Foods 2020, 9, 1905 .
AMA StyleDonato Angelino, Alice Rosi, Emilia Ruggiero, Daniele Nucci, Gaetana Paolella, Veronica Pignone, Nicoletta Pellegrini, Daniela Martini, on behalf of the SINU Young Working Group. Analysis of Food Labels to Evaluate the Nutritional Quality of Bread Products and Substitutes Sold in Italy: Results from the Food Labelling of Italian Products (FLIP) Study. Foods. 2020; 9 (12):1905.
Chicago/Turabian StyleDonato Angelino; Alice Rosi; Emilia Ruggiero; Daniele Nucci; Gaetana Paolella; Veronica Pignone; Nicoletta Pellegrini; Daniela Martini; on behalf of the SINU Young Working Group. 2020. "Analysis of Food Labels to Evaluate the Nutritional Quality of Bread Products and Substitutes Sold in Italy: Results from the Food Labelling of Italian Products (FLIP) Study." Foods 9, no. 12: 1905.
In recent years, the increasing number of studies on polyphenol demonstrates the efforts in elucidating the potential role of these bioactives on human health. This study reviews the main topics and characteristics of clinical trials on polyphenols registered over the last 20 years, in order to track past and current efforts as well as to highlight the main research gaps in this field. The review was conducted by collecting trials registered in ClinicalTrials.gov and International Standard Randomised Controlled Trial Number (ISRCTN) registry. Overall, 750 clinical trials were selected and included in the final evaluation. Most of the trials were performed on extracts or pure compounds followed by studies conducted on polyphenol-rich foods, in particular berries. A total of 520 clinical trials focused on health effects, 55 on bioavailability, and 175 on both. Regarding outcomes, 139 registered intervention studies had the lipid profile and blood pressure as primary outcomes. The overview provided by this analysis also emphasizes the emerging interest in new outcomes related to polyphenols intervention such as microbiota composition and the evaluation of inter-individual variability in response to the intake of polyphenols. Our review underlines the need of further trials covering unexplored or debated research aspects and provides insights for the design and development of future intervention studies and related research areas.
Mirko Marino; Cristian Del Bo’; Daniela Martini; Marisa Porrini; Patrizia Riso. A Review of Registered Clinical Trials on Dietary (Poly)Phenols: Past Efforts and Possible Future Directions. Foods 2020, 9, 1606 .
AMA StyleMirko Marino, Cristian Del Bo’, Daniela Martini, Marisa Porrini, Patrizia Riso. A Review of Registered Clinical Trials on Dietary (Poly)Phenols: Past Efforts and Possible Future Directions. Foods. 2020; 9 (11):1606.
Chicago/Turabian StyleMirko Marino; Cristian Del Bo’; Daniela Martini; Marisa Porrini; Patrizia Riso. 2020. "A Review of Registered Clinical Trials on Dietary (Poly)Phenols: Past Efforts and Possible Future Directions." Foods 9, no. 11: 1606.
To the best of our knowledge, no specific questionnaires on sports nutrition knowledge (NK) have been validated so far in Italian early adolescents. The aim of the present study was to validate a short (26-item) general and sports NK questionnaire in a group of Italian early adolescents. To this aim, the questionnaire was administered to 264 subjects for analysis of internal consistency, and in a subgroup (n = 39) for evaluating the reliability over time. The questionnaire revealed good overall internal consistency and reliability (Cronbach’s α = 0.684) and a highly significant correlation over time (r = 0.977, p < 0.001). Comparison with other validated questionnaires is tricky, because the previous questionnaires were validated in different populations, such as middle or late adolescents or adults, with a higher number of items compared to our questionnaire. Furthermore, data on adolescent NK in Italy are very limited. This study provides a brief, feasible, and validated questionnaire that can be used for investigating sports NK in young subjects. It could be used for evaluating the efficacy of education on general and sports nutrition in both the general population and athletes, and for investigating the relationship between NK and different sports in early adolescence.
Alice Rosi; Cinzia Ferraris; Monica Guglielmetti; Erika Meroni; Melanie Charron; Roberto Menta; Federica Manini; Vito Di Gioia; Daniela Martini; Daniela Erba. Validation of a General and Sports Nutrition Knowledge Questionnaire in Italian Early Adolescents. Nutrients 2020, 12, 3121 .
AMA StyleAlice Rosi, Cinzia Ferraris, Monica Guglielmetti, Erika Meroni, Melanie Charron, Roberto Menta, Federica Manini, Vito Di Gioia, Daniela Martini, Daniela Erba. Validation of a General and Sports Nutrition Knowledge Questionnaire in Italian Early Adolescents. Nutrients. 2020; 12 (10):3121.
Chicago/Turabian StyleAlice Rosi; Cinzia Ferraris; Monica Guglielmetti; Erika Meroni; Melanie Charron; Roberto Menta; Federica Manini; Vito Di Gioia; Daniela Martini; Daniela Erba. 2020. "Validation of a General and Sports Nutrition Knowledge Questionnaire in Italian Early Adolescents." Nutrients 12, no. 10: 3121.
An adequate calcium and vitamin D intake may play a role in preventing osteoporosis, but the contribution of the different food sources of calcium with regards to the risk of osteoporosis been barely explored. This observational study evaluated the calcium intake through a food frequency questionnaire in 126 adult women with not previously diagnosed osteoporosis undergoing Dual-energy X-ray Absorptiometry (DXA) to screen for osteoporosis, and to correlate the calcium intake with parameters of bone density, measured by DXA. Total daily calcium intake and daily intake from food were similar among women found to have osteoporosis, osteopenia or normal condition. The main food source was milk and dairy products, while calcium supplementation was consumed by only 14% of subjects, irrespectively from osteoporosis conditions. DXA parameters were not significantly correlated with total daily calcium intake and calcium from food. The present study highlighted no qualitative and quantitative differences in the consumption of food groups contributing to calcium intakes in women with and without osteoporosis.
Daniela Martini; Alice Rosi; Donato Angelino; Giovanni Passeri. Calcium intake from different food sources in Italian women without and with non-previously diagnosed osteoporosis. International Journal of Food Sciences and Nutrition 2020, 72, 418 -427.
AMA StyleDaniela Martini, Alice Rosi, Donato Angelino, Giovanni Passeri. Calcium intake from different food sources in Italian women without and with non-previously diagnosed osteoporosis. International Journal of Food Sciences and Nutrition. 2020; 72 (3):418-427.
Chicago/Turabian StyleDaniela Martini; Alice Rosi; Donato Angelino; Giovanni Passeri. 2020. "Calcium intake from different food sources in Italian women without and with non-previously diagnosed osteoporosis." International Journal of Food Sciences and Nutrition 72, no. 3: 418-427.
The evaluation of food intake in older subjects is crucial in order to be able to verify adherence to nutritional recommendations. In this context, estimation of the intake of specific dietary bioactives, such as polyphenols, although particularly challenging, is necessary to plan possible intervention strategies to increase their intake. The aims of the present study were to: (i) evaluate the nutritional composition of dietary menus provided in a residential care setting; (ii) estimate the actual intake of nutrients and polyphenols in a group of older subjects participating in the MaPLE study; and (iii) investigate the impact of an eight-week polyphenol-rich dietary pattern, compared to an eight-week control diet, on overall nutrient and polyphenol intake in older participants. The menus served to the participants provided ~770 mg per day of total polyphenols on average with small variations between seasons. The analysis of real consumption, measured using weighed food diaries, demonstrated a lower nutrient (~20%) and polyphenol intake (~15%) compared to that provided by the menus. The feasibility of dietary patterns that enable an increase in polyphenol intake with putative health benefits for age-related conditions is discussed, with a perspective to developing dietary guidelines for this target population.
Daniela Martini; Stefano Bernardi; Cristian Del Bo’; Nicole Hidalgo Liberona; Raul Zamora-Ros; Massimiliano Tucci; Antonio Cherubini; Marisa Porrini; Giorgio Gargari; Raúl González-Domínguez; Gregorio Peron; Benjamin Kirkup; Paul A. Kroon; Cristina Andres-Lacueva; Simone Guglielmetti; Patrizia Riso. Estimated Intakes of Nutrients and Polyphenols in Participants Completing the MaPLE Randomised Controlled Trial and Its Relevance for the Future Development of Dietary Guidelines for the Older Subjects. Nutrients 2020, 12, 2458 .
AMA StyleDaniela Martini, Stefano Bernardi, Cristian Del Bo’, Nicole Hidalgo Liberona, Raul Zamora-Ros, Massimiliano Tucci, Antonio Cherubini, Marisa Porrini, Giorgio Gargari, Raúl González-Domínguez, Gregorio Peron, Benjamin Kirkup, Paul A. Kroon, Cristina Andres-Lacueva, Simone Guglielmetti, Patrizia Riso. Estimated Intakes of Nutrients and Polyphenols in Participants Completing the MaPLE Randomised Controlled Trial and Its Relevance for the Future Development of Dietary Guidelines for the Older Subjects. Nutrients. 2020; 12 (8):2458.
Chicago/Turabian StyleDaniela Martini; Stefano Bernardi; Cristian Del Bo’; Nicole Hidalgo Liberona; Raul Zamora-Ros; Massimiliano Tucci; Antonio Cherubini; Marisa Porrini; Giorgio Gargari; Raúl González-Domínguez; Gregorio Peron; Benjamin Kirkup; Paul A. Kroon; Cristina Andres-Lacueva; Simone Guglielmetti; Patrizia Riso. 2020. "Estimated Intakes of Nutrients and Polyphenols in Participants Completing the MaPLE Randomised Controlled Trial and Its Relevance for the Future Development of Dietary Guidelines for the Older Subjects." Nutrients 12, no. 8: 2458.
Purpose Coffee is an important source of bioactive compounds, including caffeine, trigonelline, and phenolic compounds. Several studies have highlighted the preventive effects of coffee consumption on major cardiometabolic (CM) diseases, but the impact of different coffee dosages on markers of CM risk in a real-life setting has not been fully understood. This study aimed to investigate the effect of coffee and cocoa-based confectionery containing coffee consumption on several CM risk factors in healthy subjects. Methods In a three-arm, crossover, randomized trial, 21 volunteers were assigned to consume in a random order for 1 month: 1 cup of espresso coffee/day, 3 cups of espresso coffee/day, and 1 cup of espresso coffee plus 2 cocoa-based products containing coffee, twice per day. At the last day of each treatment, blood samples were collected and used for the analysis of inflammatory markers, trimethylamine N-oxide, nitric oxide, blood lipids, and markers of glucose/insulin metabolism. Moreover, anthropometric parameters and blood pressure were measured. Finally, food consumption during the interventions was monitored. Results After 1 month, energy intake did not change among treatments, while significant differences were observed in the intake of saturated fatty acids, sugars, and total carbohydrates. No significant effect on CM markers was observed following neither the consumption of different coffee dosages nor after cocoa-based products containing coffee. Conclusions The daily consumption of common dosages of coffee and its substitution with cocoa-based products containing coffee showed no effect on CM risk factors in healthy subjects. Trial registration number Registered at clinicaltrials.gov as NCT03166540, May 21, 2017.
Daniela Martini; Alice Rosi; Michele Tassotti; Monica Antonini; Margherita Dall’Asta; Letizia Bresciani; Federica Fantuzzi; Valentina Spigoni; Raúl Domínguez-Perles; Donato Angelino; Cristian Ricci; Soledad Del Pozo-Luengo; Pedro Luis Tornel; Francesca Scazzina; Angel Gil-Izquierdo; Alessandra Dei Cas; Furio Brighenti; Riccardo Bonadonna; Daniele Del Rio; Pedro Mena. Effect of coffee and cocoa-based confectionery containing coffee on markers of cardiometabolic health: results from the pocket-4-life project. European Journal of Nutrition 2020, 60, 1453 -1463.
AMA StyleDaniela Martini, Alice Rosi, Michele Tassotti, Monica Antonini, Margherita Dall’Asta, Letizia Bresciani, Federica Fantuzzi, Valentina Spigoni, Raúl Domínguez-Perles, Donato Angelino, Cristian Ricci, Soledad Del Pozo-Luengo, Pedro Luis Tornel, Francesca Scazzina, Angel Gil-Izquierdo, Alessandra Dei Cas, Furio Brighenti, Riccardo Bonadonna, Daniele Del Rio, Pedro Mena. Effect of coffee and cocoa-based confectionery containing coffee on markers of cardiometabolic health: results from the pocket-4-life project. European Journal of Nutrition. 2020; 60 (3):1453-1463.
Chicago/Turabian StyleDaniela Martini; Alice Rosi; Michele Tassotti; Monica Antonini; Margherita Dall’Asta; Letizia Bresciani; Federica Fantuzzi; Valentina Spigoni; Raúl Domínguez-Perles; Donato Angelino; Cristian Ricci; Soledad Del Pozo-Luengo; Pedro Luis Tornel; Francesca Scazzina; Angel Gil-Izquierdo; Alessandra Dei Cas; Furio Brighenti; Riccardo Bonadonna; Daniele Del Rio; Pedro Mena. 2020. "Effect of coffee and cocoa-based confectionery containing coffee on markers of cardiometabolic health: results from the pocket-4-life project." European Journal of Nutrition 60, no. 3: 1453-1463.
Objective:The present study aimed at surveying the nutritional quality of prepacked biscuits and sweet snacks sold on the Italian market, and at identifying whether the product type and other information reported on the pack could discriminate the overall quality of products analysed.Design:Data on energy, nutrient and salt content of the products from two different categories of prepacked sweet cereal products (i.e. biscuits and sweet snacks) were collected from thirteen retailers present on the Italian market. Based on the product type, nutrition and health claim (NHC) and gluten-free (GF) declaration, a comparison of nutrient profile within each category was performed.Setting:This work is part of the Food Labelling of Italian Products (FLIP) study that aims at systematically investigating the overall quality of the prepacked foods sold on the Italian market.Results:A total of 1290 products were analysed (63 % biscuits and 37 % sweet snacks). After comparing different product types within each category, a high intra-type product variability was evidenced, which was more pronounced for biscuits. Overall, NHC-carrying products seemed to have a better nutrition profile than those without claims, except for salt content. Conversely, a comparison between GF and gluten-containing products did not show consistent results within the two categories analysed.Conclusions:Due to the high intra-type variability within each category, the different characteristics and regulated information reported on the pack do not seem to be a clear marker of the overall nutritional quality of biscuits and snacks.
M Dall’Asta; A Rosi; D Angelino; N Pellegrini; D Martini. Evaluation of nutritional quality of biscuits and sweet snacks sold on the Italian market: the Food Labelling of Italian Products (FLIP) study. Public Health Nutrition 2020, 23, 2811 -2818.
AMA StyleM Dall’Asta, A Rosi, D Angelino, N Pellegrini, D Martini. Evaluation of nutritional quality of biscuits and sweet snacks sold on the Italian market: the Food Labelling of Italian Products (FLIP) study. Public Health Nutrition. 2020; 23 (15):2811-2818.
Chicago/Turabian StyleM Dall’Asta; A Rosi; D Angelino; N Pellegrini; D Martini. 2020. "Evaluation of nutritional quality of biscuits and sweet snacks sold on the Italian market: the Food Labelling of Italian Products (FLIP) study." Public Health Nutrition 23, no. 15: 2811-2818.
Plant-based drinks represent a heterogeneous class of beverages, made from several vegetal sources, with a market rapidly expanding around the world. These beverages are mainly drunk in the replacement of milk. Thus, aims of the present study were to: (i) evaluate the nutritional declaration of 330 plant-based drinks currently available on the Italian market; (ii) compare their nutrition facts based on type, presence or not of organic certification and nutrition (NC) or health claims (HC), and of specific claims (“no added sugars” and “source of calcium”); (iii) compare their nutrition composition with cow’s milk. A high variability in terms of nutrient profile among products was observed. Limited difference was found between products belonging to both organic and NC categories, while products carrying HC showed lower energy, carbohydrates, sugar, and higher protein contents than the related counterparts. Compared to cow’s milk, plant-based drinks showed differences in terms of nutrient profile, mostly regarding the lower protein content (except for soy drinks). Overall, due to the variability, findings from the present survey show that plant-based drinks sold in Italy cannot be considered tout court as milk substitutes and support the importance of improving knowledge towards food labeling to make conscious food choices.
Donato Angelino; Alice Rosi; Giorgia Vici; Marika Dello Russo; Nicoletta Pellegrini; Daniela Martini; on behalf of the SINU Young Working Group. Nutritional Quality of Plant-Based Drinks Sold in Italy: The Food Labelling of Italian Products (FLIP) Study. Foods 2020, 9, 682 .
AMA StyleDonato Angelino, Alice Rosi, Giorgia Vici, Marika Dello Russo, Nicoletta Pellegrini, Daniela Martini, on behalf of the SINU Young Working Group. Nutritional Quality of Plant-Based Drinks Sold in Italy: The Food Labelling of Italian Products (FLIP) Study. Foods. 2020; 9 (5):682.
Chicago/Turabian StyleDonato Angelino; Alice Rosi; Giorgia Vici; Marika Dello Russo; Nicoletta Pellegrini; Daniela Martini; on behalf of the SINU Young Working Group. 2020. "Nutritional Quality of Plant-Based Drinks Sold in Italy: The Food Labelling of Italian Products (FLIP) Study." Foods 9, no. 5: 682.