In December 2019, the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-Cov2) emerged in Wuhan, China, sparking the Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. The high prevalence of nutrition-related COVID-19 risk factors including obesity, type 2 diabetes, and hypertension, suggests that healthy dietary approaches may mitigate COVID-19 related outcomes and possibly SARS-CoV-2 infection. Based on the fundamental role of nutrition in immune function and the well-documented association between Mediterranean diet consumption and risk reduction for chronic diseases that are comorbidities in COVID-19 patients, we hypothesized that there would be a relationship between Mediterranean diet adherence and COVID-19 cases and related deaths. In this perspective, we examined the association between regional adherence to a Mediterranean diet and COVID-19 cases and deaths using an ecological study design. We observed that Mediterranean diet adherence was negatively associated with both COVID-19 cases and related deaths across 17 regions in Spain and that the relationship remained when adjusted for factors of well-being. We also observed a negative association between Mediterranean diet adherence and COVID-19 related deaths across 23 countries when adjusted for factors of well-being and physical inactivity. The anti-inflammatory properties of the Mediterranean diet - likely due to the polyphenol content of the diet - may be a biological basis to explain our findings. However, there are confounding factors unrelated to dietary factors driving COVID-19 cases and related deaths across the regions in Spain and the 23 countries examined in our analysis. Our findings will need to be confirmed and further explored in cohort studies.

Background: Colorectal cancer in adults 50 years old and younger is increasing in incidence worldwide. Diet may be a modifiable risk factor. The objective of this study was to examine evidence regarding the association between diet and the risk of developing early-onset colorectal cancer (EOCRC) and early-onset colorectal adenomas in young adults. Methods: PUBMED, Web of Science, and Embase were systematically searched for studies examining dietary intake as a risk factor for EOCRC and early-onset colorectal adenomas. Results were synthesized narratively due to the heterogeneity of the studies. Results: Of the 415 studies identified, ten met the inclusion criteria. Of these ten studies, four provided data on dietary risk factors for early-onset colorectal adenomas and six provided data on dietary risk factors for EOCRC. The four studies that measured colorectal adenoma occurrence reported an increased incidence with high sugar sweetened beverage intake, a higher pro-inflammatory diet, a higher Western diet score and higher sulfur microbial diet score. A protective effect against early-onset colorectal adenomas was observed in those who had a higher Prudent diet score or higher adherence to other health dietary approaches (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension, Alternative Healthy Eating Index-2010, or the alternative Mediterranean diet). Those who consumed large amounts of deep-fried foods, refined foods, followed a high fat diet, consumed large amounts of sugary drinks and desserts, and had low folate and fiber consumption had a significantly higher occurrence of EOCRC. A protective effect against EOCRC was observed for those who consumed more fruits and vegetables, high amounts of micronutrients and those who adhered to a vegetarian diet. Conclusions: The results of this study reveal various dietary habits may be risk factors or protective against early-onset colorectal cancer and adenomas. Future research should focus on large prospective cohort studies with long-term follow-up to confirm published results and further examine whether differences in diet quality are associated with EOCRC risk.

Objective: Altering the gut microflora may produce health benefits in individuals suffering from mood disorders. The purpose of this review was to evaluate the efficacy of probiotics, prebiotics, or synbiotics as a potential treatment for symptoms of depression, anxiety, and stress (as psychobiotics). Methods: Google Scholar, PubMed, PsychINFO, and Web of Science were utilized to identify and evaluate studies through October 31, 2019. Studies were included if subjects were evaluated for altered mood or stress levels at start of the study and consumed probiotics, prebiotics, and/or synbiotics for intervention. Results: Search results yielded 142 articles, while only 12 studies met all inclusion criteria. Nine of the 12 studies identified evaluated the efficacy of various probiotic strains, while only two evaluated synbiotics and one evaluated prebiotics. Six out of 12 studies found probiotics to reduce depression, while two studies found probiotics to reduce anxiety. Discussion: Translational research in this field is limited and further investigation of the efficacy of psychobiotics in mood disorders is warranted.

The study by Mesquita et al. confirms that 10 weeks of resistance training increases markers of mitochondrial density as well as affects markers of mitochondrial dynamics.