Metabolic syndrome (MetS) is characterized by an association of cardiovascular and diabetes mellitus type 2 risk factors. Although the definition of MetS slightly differs depending on the society that described it, its central diagnostic criteria include impaired fasting glucose, low HDL-cholesterol, elevated triglycerides levels and high blood pressure. Insulin resistance (IR) is believed to be the main cause of MetS and is connected to the level of visceral or intra-abdominal adipose tissue, which could be assessed either by calculating body mass index or by measuring waist circumference. Most recent studies revealed that IR may also be present in non-obese patients, and considered visceral adiposity to be the main effector of MetS’ pathology. Visceral adiposity is strongly linked with hepatic fatty infiltration also known as non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), therefore, the level of fatty acids in the hepatic parenchyma is indirectly linked with MetS, being both a cause and a consequence of this syndrome. Taking into consideration the present pandemic of obesity and its tendency to drift towards a progressively earlier onset due to the Western lifestyle, it leads to an increased NAFLD incidence. Novel therapeutic resources are lifestyle intervention with physical activity, Mediterranean diet, or therapeutic surgical respective metabolic and bariatric surgery or drugs such as SGLT-2i, GLP-1 Ra or vitamin E. NAFLD early diagnosis is important due to its easily available diagnostic tools such as non-invasive tools: clinical and laboratory variables (serum biomarkers): AST to platelet ratio index, fibrosis-4, NAFLD Fibrosis Score, BARD Score, fibro test, enhanced liver fibrosis; imaging-based biomarkers: Controlled attenuation parameter, magnetic resonance imaging proton-density fat fraction, transient elastography (TE) or vibration controlled TE, acoustic radiation force impulse imaging, shear wave elastography, magnetic resonance elastography; and the possibility to prevent its complications, respectively, fibrosis, hepato-cellular carcinoma or liver cirrhosis which can develop into end-stage liver disease.

Hop plant (Humulus lupulus L.) has been used by humans for ages, presumably first as a herbal remedy, then in the manufacturing of different products, from which beer is the most largely consumed. Female hops cones have different useful chemical compounds, an important class being antioxidants, mainly polyphenols. This narrative review describes the main antioxidants in hops, their bioavailability and biological effects, and the results obtained by now in the primary and secondary prevention of several non-communicable diseases, such as the metabolic syndrome related diseases and oncology. This article presents in vitro and in vivo data in order to better understand what was accomplished in terms of knowledge and practice, and what needs to be clarified by additional studies, mainly regarding xantohumol and its derivates, as well as regarding the bitter acids of hops. The multiple protective effects found by different studies are hindered up to now by the low bioavailability of some of the main antioxidants in hops. However, there are new promising products with important health effects and perspectives of use as food supplements, in a market where consumers increasingly search for products originating directly from plants.

There is increasing presence of fructose in food and drinks, and some evidence suggests that its higher consumption increases cardiovascular risk, although the mechanisms still remain not fully elucidated. Cardiovascular diseases (CVD) are still responsible for one-third of deaths worldwide, and therefore, their prevention should be assessed and managed comprehensively and not by the evaluation of individual risk factor components. Lifestyle risk factors for CVD include low degree of physical activity, high body mass index, alcohol consumption, smoking, and nutritional factors. Indeed, nutritional risk factors for CVD include unhealthy dietary behaviors, such as high intake of refined foods, unhealthy fats, added sugars, and sodium and a low intake of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, fiber, fish, and nuts. Even though there is no definitive association between CVD incidence and high consumption of total sugar, such as sucrose and fructose, there is, however, evidence that total sugars, added sugars, and fructose are harmfully associated with CVD mortality. Since high fructose intake is associated with elevated plasma triglyceride levels, as well as insulin resistance, diabetes hyperuricemia, and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, further longitudinal studies should be conducted to fully elucidate the potential association between certain sugars and CVD.

Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus (T2DM) and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) are part of metabolic syndrome and share multiple causal associations. Both conditions have an alarmingly increasing incidence and lead to multiple complications, which have an impact on a variety of organs and systems, such as the kidneys, eyes, and nervous and cardiovascular systems, or may cause metabolic disruptions. Sodium-glucose cotransporter 2-inhibitors (SGLT2-i), as an antidiabetic class with well-established cardiovascular benefits, and its class members have also been studied for their presumed effects on steatosis and fibrosis improvement in patients with NAFLD or non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH). The MEDLINE and Cochrane databases were searched for randomized controlled trials examining the efficacy of SGLT2-i on the treatment of NAFLD/NASH in patients with T2DM. Of the originally identified 179 articles, 21 articles were included for final data analysis. Dapagliflozin, empagliflozin, and canagliflozin are some of the most used and studied SGLT2-i agents which have proven efficacy in treating patients with NAFLD/NASH by addressing/targeting different pathophysiological targets/mechanisms: insulin sensitivity improvement, weight loss, especially visceral fat loss, glucotoxicity, and lipotoxicity improvement or even improvement of chronic inflammation. Despite the considerable variability in study duration, sample size, and diagnostic method, the SGLT2-i agents used resulted in improvements in non-invasive markers of steatosis or even fibrosis in patients with T2DM. This systematic review offers encouraging results that place the SGLT2-i class at the top of the therapeutic arsenal for patients diagnosed with T2DM and NAFLD/NASH.

(1) Background: The World Health Organization Disability Assessment Schedule 2.0 (WHODAS 2.0) is a tool designed to measure disability in accordance with the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health. Measuring disability is becoming increasingly important due to its high prevalence, which continues to rise. Rehabilitation interventions can reduce disability and enhance functioning. (2) Objective: The present study aims to assess the impact of rehabilitation interventions on reducing disability, as measured by the WHODAS 2.0 questionnaire. It also seeks to identify which specific rehabilitation interventions are more effective and to explore other disability assessment questionnaires. (3) Methods: Following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) methodology, we conducted a systematic review, with the protocol registered with the identifier CRD42023495309, focused on “WHODAS” and “rehabilitation” using PubMed and Web of Science electronic databases. (4) Results: We identified 18 articles from various regions encompassing patients with various health conditions, related to stroke, the cardiovascular system (cardiovascular disease, chronic heart failure), the pulmonary system (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease), the neurologic system (Parkinson’s disease, cerebral palsy, neurodegenerative disease), the musculoskeletal system (orthopaedic surgery), cancer, and chronic pain, and among frail elderly. These patients have received a wide range of rehabilitation interventions: from conventional therapy to virtual reality, robot-assisted arm training, exergaming, and telerehabilitation. (5) Discussion and Conclusions: A wide range of rehabilitation techniques can effectively improve disability with various comorbidities, offering numerous benefits. The WHODAS 2.0 questionnaire proves to be an efficient and reliable tool for measuring disability, and scores have a tendency to decrease after rehabilitation.

Background: Sarcopenia is a syndrome characteristic in elderly patients and is also associated with a significant proportion of chronic disorders such as inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). In this case, it can lead to a worse prognosis of the disease and a decreased quality of life. Study Aim: This study aims to identify the best ways to diagnose sarcopenia in patients with IBD, establish its impact on the course of the disease, and find preventive methods to counteract the effects of sarcopenia in the outcome of patients with IBD and, therefore, minimize disabilities and increase the health-related quality of life (HRQoL). Material and Methods: A systematic review with the Prospero registration number CRD42023398886 was performed in PubMed and Web of Science databases, evaluating all original articles published in the last 10 years (clinical trials and randomized control trials) that describe sarcopenia and IBD in the human adult population. Results: From the 16 articles that were included, 5 articles defined sarcopenia by the skeletal muscle index (SMI) and reported data regarding its correlation with body composition: BMI; visceral fat (VF); subcutaneous fat (SC); and VF/SC index. Other articles evaluated the link between sarcopenia and the total psoas muscle area, thigh circumference, calf circumference, subjective global assessment, hand grip strength, and appendicular SMI, alongside inflammatory markers such as IL-6 and C-reactive protein, level of disability, malnutrition, frailty, resistance training alone and in combination with whey protein, and infliximab treatment. Discussions and Conclusions: There is a great heterogeneity regarding the assessment criteria and methods used to diagnose sarcopenia due to the variability of population characteristics, both anthropometric and socio-cultural, alongside the high variability in the cut-offs. Therefore, any method which identifies sarcopenia in IBD patients, thus enabling intervention, may provide good results for patient quality of life and outcomes.