A healthy lifestyle pattern and the risk of symptomatic gallstone disease

The combined role of diet and other lifestyle factors on symptomatic gallstones has not been widely studied. Research published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that adopting a healthy lifestyle, which included moderate alcohol consumption, can help to prevent a considerable proportion of symptomatic gallstone diseases.
60,768 women from the Nurses’ Health Study (NHS) and 40,744 men from the Health Professionals Follow-up Study (HPFS) were followed from baseline (1986) until 2012. Symptomatic gallstone disease was self-reported and validated by review of medical records. The association between the healthy lifestyle (HLS) (including healthy diet, moderate alcohol and regular coffee intakes, never smoking, physical activity, and normal weight) and the risk of symptomatic gallstone disease was investigated using Cox proportional hazards regression.
During 1,156,079 and 769,287 person-years of follow-up, respectively, 6,946 women and 2,513 men reported symptomatic gallstone disease. Comparing 6 with 0 points of the HLS, the Endothelial dysfunction tends to be the initial indicator in proinflammatory state and macro-and microvascular complications, such as atherosclerosis and cardiovascular diseases. It has been shown that certain compounds in diet can generate beneficial effects on cardiovascular disease due to its interactions with endothelial cells. A review investigated whether certain polyphenols present in the Mediterranean diet, specifically catechin, quercetin, resveratrol, and urolithin, could exert positive effects on endothelial dysfunction.
After analysis of numerous papers, the researchers found that polyphenols aiding endothelial function is beneficial not only for patients with cardiovascular disease, diabetes, or endothelial dysfunction but for all people as it can improve the effects of aging on the endothelia. The additional benefit of these polyphenols on weight loss further improves health and lowers the risk of several diseases, including those caused by endothelial dysfunction. However, it is important to note that the dosages in the majorities of the studies mentioned in this review were of supplemental rather than nutritionally relevant quantities, and therefore, the recommended dosages are difficult to determine.
Source: Stromsnes K, Mas-Bargues C, Gambini J, Gimeno- Mallench L. Protective Effects of Polyphenols Present in Mediterranean Diet on Endothelial Dysfunction. Oxid Med Cell Longev. 2020;2020:2097096. Published 2020 Aug 6.