Scientific news

A 3-year longitudinal study assessed the association between tomato intake and PREDIMED clinical trial involving 7056 participants. Tomato intake was assessed using a food frequency questionnaire and subdivided into 4 groups, depending on the amounts consumed. Statistical analysis showed that high tomato consumption reduced the risk of hypertension by 36%. Moderate consumption reduced blood pressure, particularly in participants with grade 1 hypertension. Therefore, tomato consumption, including tomato-based products, appears to be beneficial for the prevention and management of hypertension.

Epidemiological studies on the prevalence of fruit allergies remain limited. To provide more evidence, a systematic review analyzed the existing literature over the period 2009 to 2023. This work presents the main allergenic molecules found in foods of plant origin. According to this study, the mechanism underlying fruit allergies results from a cross-reaction between aeroallergens and food allergens. Indeed, these two categories of allergens have structurally similar epitopes, and their interaction could lead to oral allergy syndrome. To conclude, the authors provide recommendations for improving the clinical understanding and management of fruit allergy.

A study tested the effectiveness of an intervention designed to improve adherence to nutritional recommendations for cancer prevention. During a 20-week follow-up, 42 participants completed a self-regulation skills curriculum based on 4 components targeting changes in purchasing behavior. Results showed significant reductions in the consumption of highly processed foods, red and processed meat and sweetened beverages. These changes in behavior were significantly more pronounced among participants with household support. Moreover, individuals who benefited from coach monitoring improved their consumption of fruit and vegetables compared to others. Thus, this study demonstrates feasibility and preliminary signals of efficacy of a remotely delivered intervention to facilitate adherence to dietary guidelines.

A cross-sectional study examined the associations between diet, culinary skills and health outcomes. The study sample included 18,460 adults who participated in the Canadian Community Health Survey. Data on diet and health status were collected by self-report. Results show that adults with poor cooking skills are less likely to consume enough fruit and vegetables, to be healthy, but are also less at risk of obesity than those who can cook. Similar observations were made for adults cooking with highly processed foods. They are also more likely to be obese than those who cook with unprocessed or low-processed foods. These observations suggest that culinary skills alone are not enough to reduce the risk of obesity. The quality of the food used also matters.

Water footprint is one of the main indicators of the environmental impact of diets. For the first time, a study assessed the water footprint of recommended dietary patterns in Italy. The data reported show that the recommended dietary patterns have a low water footprint, partly related to the replacement of animal foods with plant foods. This work also demonstrates that consumer choice in the consumption of specific products within a food group could further reduce the water footprint of the diet. Such data underlines the need to inform not only consumers, but also farmers and all players in the food chain, to encourage them to make water-saving food choices.