Sarcopenia is a prevalent condition in older adults that involves the progressive loss of muscle mass and function, affecting their autonomy and quality of life. Balanced nutrition, especially adequate protein intake, is essential for preventing and managing this condition. This narrative review analyzes the importance of both the quantity and quality of protein in the diet of older adults to preserve muscle mass and prevent age-related functional decline. It is emphasized that general protein recommendations may be insufficient for this population, requiring higher doses of protein, appropriately distributed throughout the day, to optimally stimulate muscle protein synthesis. It also highlights the importance of the essential amino acid profile, particularly leucine, which plays a key role in activating anabolic pathways and improves the muscular anabolic response. Animal proteins offer greater bioavailability and a more complete amino acid profile, although strategic combinations of plant proteins can also be effective in meeting amino acid requirements. Other dietary supplements such as creatine, vitamin D, collagen, and omega-3 fatty acids may further complement nutritional interventions to improve muscle mass and function. These nutritional approaches, along with physical activity, particularly resistance training, form a comprehensive strategy for maintaining muscle function and overall wellbeing in older adults.

Objective: To evaluate the association between adherence to the Mediterranean Diet (MedDiet) and the risk of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2D) in an urban Ecuadorian population, with emphasis on the protective role of specific dietary components and body composition. Methods: A cross-sectional analytical study was conducted with 1373 adults aged 18–75 years. Adherence to the MedDiet was assessed using the 14-item Mediterranean Diet Adherence Screener (MEDAS-14), while T2D risk was estimated using the Finnish Diabetes Risk Scale (FINDRISC). Anthropometric and body composition parameters were measured using standardized procedures. Adjusted associations between exposure variables and T2D risk were estimated using Poisson regression with robust variance, and prevalence ratios were calculated after controlling for sociodemographic and lifestyle factors. Results: Most participants showed low adherence to the MedDiet (85.2%), which was significantly associated with higher T2D risk. Multivariate analysis of individual dietary components showed relevant associations. Regular consumption of sofrito was associated with lower T2D risk (PR = 0.817; 95% CI: 0.682–0.979; p = 0.028). Similarly, low fruit consumption was associated with a substantially higher T2D risk (PR = 1.350; 95% CI: 1.146–1.589; p = 0.001). In addition, higher body mass index (BMI) and waist circumference (WC) were consistently related to greater T2D risk. Conclusions: Greater adherence to the MedDiet, particularly consumption of key components such as sofrito and fruits, was associated with lower T2D risk. These findings highlight the importance of preventive lifestyle interventions adapted to the Latin American context.

Certain foods rich in bioactive compounds could have dietotherapeutic properties, allowing their use in treating and preventing diseases, including cancer. Popularly, pumpkin seeds, almonds, and honey are used for managing prostate inflammation, which can lead to carcinogenesis. Sambo seeds (Cucurbita ficifolia) and almonds (P. dulcis) have a nutrient-rich composition that includes unsaturated fatty acids and bioactive components such as vitamins, pigments, and polyphenols, which have been linked to beneficial effects on health and cancer. Currently, more studies exist on cucurbit seeds, such as those from the species Cucurbita pepo; however, C. ficifolia is abundant in the Andean region, which is why we have focused our study on the effects of Cucurbita ficifolia. This review aims to identify the bioactive components and nutrients of the ingredients in sambo seeds, almonds, and honey that are relevant to cancer. It was recognized that linoleic acid and oleic acid present in sambo seeds could prevent and reduce prostate growth; likewise, studies have determined that almonds and sambo seeds possess apoptotic and antiproliferative activity in prostate cancer cells, suggesting that the intake of this food mixture could have more excellent beneficial effects on cancer.

Objective. To evaluate the association between adherence to the Mediterranean Diet (MedDiet) and the risk of developing type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2D) in an urban Ecuadorian population, with emphasis on the protective effect of specific dietary components and body composition. Methods. A cross-sectional analytical study was conducted with 1,373 adults aged 18–75 years. Adherence to the MedDiet was assessed using the MEDAS-14 questionnaire, while the risk of developing T2D was estimated using the Finnish Diabetes Risk Scale (FINDRISC). Anthropometric and body composition parameters were measured using standardized procedures. Adjusted associations between exposure variables and T2D risk were estimated using Poisson regression with robust variance, calculating prevalence ratios and controlling for sociodemographic and lifestyle factors. Results. The majority of participants showed low adherence to the MedDiet (85.2%), which was significantly associated with the risk of T2D. Multivariate analysis of individual dietary components showed relevant associations. Regular consumption of sofrito was associated with a lower risk (PR=0.817; 95% CI: 0.682–0.979; p = 0.028). Similarly, low fruit consumption was associated with a substantially higher risk of T2D (PR = 1.350; 95% CI: 1.146–1.589; p = 0.001). In addition, higher body mass index (BMI) and waist circumference (WC) were consistently related to greater T2D risk. Conclusions. Adherence to the Med Diet and the consumption of key components such as sofrito and fruits are associated with a lower risk of developing T2D, highlighting the importance of preventive lifestyle interventions adapted to the Latin American context.

Introducción: Los SNP en genes implicados en la absorción, disponibilidad, metabolismo y excreción de componentes bioactivos contribuyen a la variabilidad interindividual de sus mecanismos fisiológicos que pueden intervenir en la salud y enfermedad del paciente. Objetivo: Elaborar una matriz de recomendaciones sobre el consumo de bioactivos dietéticos de potencial interés en el control de la obesidad y sus comorbilidades. Método: El artículo se basó en una búsqueda bibliográfica empleando dos ecuaciones de búsqueda que permitieron identificar criterios relevantes sobre la influencia de los polimorfismos en las recomendaciones dietéticas de componentes bioactivos. Resultados: La búsqueda bibliográfica permitió encontrar 25 interacciones de 8 tipos de bioactivos/extractos con 20 polimorfismos de nucleótido único (SNPs) en 14 genes. Estas interacciones se registraron en una matriz para facilitar la comprensión sobre la influencia de las variantes genéticas en la respuesta a bioactivos en la obesidad. Discusión: Entre las interacciones identificadas, se destaca el papel protector frente a enfermedades cardiovasculares de la quercetina en el genotipo de la apolipoproteína E, la relación de la ingesta de esteroles vegetales, los haplotipos del gen NPC1L1 y la disminución de colesterol LDL así como la respuesta al extracto Bofutsushoan en la disminución de la grasa abdominal. Conclusiones: Aunque los estudios sobre las diferentes interacciones son limitados, la integración del estudio de la expresión génica como parte de la evaluación del estado de nutrición de los pacientes podría ser de utilidad para la personalización de las recomendaciones que se brindan durante la consulta por parte de los profesionales de salud y nutrición.