The Association Between the Mediterranean Lifestyle Index and All-Cause Mortality in the Seguimiento Universidad de Navarra Cohort.

INTRODUCTION: Overall lifestyle patterns rather than individual factors may exert greater reductions on chronic disease risk and mortality. The objective is to study the association between a Mediterranean lifestyle index and all-cause and cause-specific mortality. METHODS: Investigators analyzed data from 20,494 participants in the Seguimiento Universidad de Navarra cohort in 2019. The Mediterranean lifestyle index is composed of 28 items on food consumption, dietary habits, physical activity, rest, and social interactions that score 0 or 1 point; scores theoretically could range from 0 to 28 points. RESULTS: After a median follow-up of 12.1 years, 407 deaths were observed. In the multivariable-adjusted model, high adherence (>14 points) to the Mediterranean lifestyle was associated with a 41% relative reduction in all-cause mortality (hazard ratio=0.59, 95% CI=0.42, 0.83) compared with low adherence (3-10 points, p<0.001 for trend). For each additional point, the multivariable hazard ratios for all-cause mortality were 0.95 (95% CI=0.89, 1.02) for food consumption; 1.00 (95% CI=0.92, 1.08) for dietary habits; and 0.73 (95% CI=0.66, 0.80) for physical activity, rest, social habits, and conviviality. Significant interaction with age at last contact (p<0.001) suggested a lower risk for each additional point among participants aged ≥50 years (hazard ratio=0.50, 95% CI=0.34, 0.74), whereas no association was found for participants aged <50 years (hazard ratio=1.15, 95% CI=0.54, 2.44). CONCLUSIONS: Adherence to a Mediterranean lifestyle may reduce the risk of mortality in a Spanish cohort of university graduates. Inverse associations were found for the overall Mediterranean lifestyle score and lifestyle block, whereas no associations were observed for the dietary blocks. Future research should consider the Mediterranean lifestyle beyond the Mediterranean diet in different populations for the promotion of healthy longevity. TRIAL REGISTRATION: This study is registered at www.clinicaltrials.gov NCT02669602.

Cured ham consumption and incidence of hypertension: The "Seguimiento Universidad de Navarra" (SUN) cohort / Consumo de jamón serrano e incidencia de hipertensión: cohorte "Seguimiento Universidad de Navarra" (SUN)

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Cured ham is one of the most characteristic foods in the Spanish diet. Because it is a red processed meat and due to its nutritional composition, including high sodium content, a potential association between cured ham consumption and a higher risk of hypertension could be expected. However, epidemiological studies evaluating this association are scarce. We prospectively assessed the association between cured ham consumption and the incidence of hypertension. METHODS: The "Seguimiento Universidad de Navarra" (SUN) study is a cohort of Spanish middle-aged adult university graduates (average age: 38 (SD: 12) years, 60% women). We included 13,900 participants of the SUN cohort free of hypertension at baseline. One serving of cured ham is 50g. They were classified into 4 categories of cured ham consumption: <1; 1; 2-4 and ≥5servs/week. Multivariable-adjusted Cox regression models were fitted to assess the association between cured ham consumption and subsequent hypertension risk using the category of lowest consumption as the reference. RESULTS: After a median follow-up of 10.9 years, 1465 incident self-reported cases of hypertension were identified. After adjusting for potential confounders, including dietary confounders, a high consumption of cured ham (≥5servs/week vs. <1serv/week) was not significantly associated with hypertension risk in this prospective cohort (HR=0.88, 95% CI: 0.70-1.10, p linear trend=0.40). CONCLUSIONS: Our results showed that cured ham consumption was not associated with a significantly higher or lower risk of hypertension in a prospective cohort of Spanish middle-aged adult university graduates. Further longitudinal and experimental studies are needed to disentangle the association between cured ham consumption and the risk of hypertension

INTRODUCCIÓN Y OBJETIVO: El jamón serrano es uno de los alimentos más característicos de la dieta española. Debido a que es una carne procesada y a su alto contenido en sodio, podría esperarse un mayor riesgo de hipertensión arterial (HTA). Sin embargo, los estudios epidemiológicos que evalúan esta asociación son escasos. Se evaluó prospectivamente la asociación entre el consumo de jamón serrano y la incidencia de HTA. MÉTODOS: El estudio Seguimiento Universidad de Navarra (SUN) es una cohorte de graduados universitarios españoles (edad promedio: 38 (DE:12) años, 60% mujeres). Incluimos a 13.900 participantes sin hipertensión prevalente. Una ración de jamón serrano equivale a 50g. Se clasificaron en 4 categorías de consumo: <1; 1; 2-4 y ≥5 raciones/semana. Se utilizaron modelos de regresión de Cox para evaluar la asociación entre el consumo de jamón serrano y el riesgo de HTA, utilizando la categoría de menor consumo como referencia. RESULTADOS: Después de una mediana de seguimiento de 10,9 años, se identificaron 1.465 casos auto-referidos incidentes de HTA. Tras ajustar por potenciales factores de confusión, se observó que un alto consumo de jamón serrano (≥5 raciones/semana frente a <1 ración/semana) no se asoció significativamente al riesgo de HTA (HR: 0,88; IC 95%: 0,70-1,10; p tendencia lineal=0,40). CONCLUSIONES: Nuestros resultados muestran que el consumo de jamón serrano no se asoció a un riesgo significativamente mayor o menor de HTA en una cohorte prospectiva de graduados universitarios españoles. Se necesitan más estudios longitudinales y de intervención para evaluar la asociación entre el consumo de jamón serrano y el riesgo de HTA

Lifestyle behavior and the risk of type 2 diabetes in the Seguimiento Universidad de Navarra (SUN) cohort.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: We prospectively assessed the association between a healthy lifestyle score (HLS) and the risk of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) in a Mediterranean cohort. METHODS AND RESULTS: We followed up 11,005 participants initially free of diabetes diagnosis in the "Seguimiento Universidad de Navarra" (SUN) cohort. We evaluated the influence of lifestyle-related factors based on a score previously related to a lower risk of cardiovascular disease. Only one incident case of T2DM was found among those with a baseline BMI ≤22 kg/m2. Therefore, we excluded the BMI item and restricted the analysis to participants with a baseline BMI >22 kg/m2. We measured the baseline adherence of a HLS that included: never smoking, physical activity, Mediterranean diet adherence, moderate alcohol consumption, avoidance of binge drinking, low television exposure, taking a short nap, spending time with friends and working hours. Incident cases of T2DM were self-reported by participants and confirmed by a physician. Cox proportional-hazards regression models were fitted to assess the association between HLS and the incidence of T2DM. After a median follow-up of 12 years, 145 incident cases of T2DM were observed. Among participants with a BMI >22 kg/m2, the highest category of HLS adherence (7-9 points) showed a significant 46% relatively decreased hazard of T2DM compared with the lowest category (0-4 points) (multivariable adjusted HR: 0.54; 95% CI: 0.30-0.99). CONCLUSIONS: Higher adherence to a HLS, including some factors not typically studied, may reduce T2DM risk. Preventive efforts should preferentially focus on weight control. However, this score may promote a comprehensive approach to diabetes prevention beyond weight reduction.

Lifestyle-Related Factors and Total Mortality in a Mediterranean Prospective Cohort.

INTRODUCTION: Lifestyle-related habits have a strong influence on morbidity and mortality worldwide. This study investigates the association between a multidimensional healthy lifestyle score and all-cause mortality risk, including in the score some less-studied lifestyle-related factors. METHODS: Participants (n=20,094) of the Seguimiento Universidad de Navarra cohort were followed up from 1999 to 2018. The analysis was conducted in 2019. A 10-point healthy lifestyle score previously associated with a lower risk of major cardiovascular events was applied, assigning 1 point to each of the following items: never smoking, moderate-to-high physical activity, moderate-to-high Mediterranean diet adherence, healthy BMI, moderate alcohol consumption, avoidance of binge drinking, low TV exposure, short afternoon nap, time spent with friends, and working ≥40 hours per week. RESULTS: During a median follow-up of 10.8 years, 407 deaths were documented. In the multivariable adjusted analysis, the highest category of adherence to the score (7-10 points) showed a 60% lower risk of all-cause mortality than the lowest category (0-3 points) (hazard ratio=0.40, 95% CI=0.27, 0.60, p<0.001 for trend). In analyses of the healthy lifestyle score as a continuous variable, for each additional point in the score, a 18% relatively lower risk of all-cause mortality was observed (adjusted hazard ratio=0.82, 95% CI=0.76, 0.88). CONCLUSIONS: Adherence to a healthy lifestyle score, including some less-studied lifestyle-related factors, was longitudinally associated with a substantially lower mortality rate in a Mediterranean cohort. Comprehensive health promotion should be a public health priority.

Low Dietary Magnesium and Overweight/Obesity in a Mediterranean Population: A Detrimental Synergy for the Development of Hypertension. The SUN Project.

Hypertension is the strongest independent modifiable risk factor for cardiovascular disease. We aimed to investigate the association of magnesium intake with incident hypertension in a Mediterranean population, and the potential modification of this association by body mass index BMI. We assessed 14,057 participants of the SUN (Seguimiento Universidad de Navarra) prospective cohort (67.0% women) initially free of hypertension. At baseline, a validated 136-item food frequency questionnaire was administered. We used Cox models adjusted for multiple socio-demographic, anthropometric, and lifestyle factors, and prevalent conditions present at baseline. Among a mean 9.6 years of follow-up we observed 1406 incident cases of medically diagnosed hypertension. An inverse association in multivariable-adjusted models was observed for progressively higher magnesium intake up to 500 mg/d vs. intake < 200 mg/d, which was greater among those with a BMI > 27 kg/m2. Lean participants with magnesium intake < 200 mg/d vs. >200 mg/d also had a higher risk of incident hypertension. Adherence to the Mediterranean diet did not modify these associations. In conclusion, dietary magnesium intake < 200 mg/d was independently associated with a higher risk of developing hypertension in a Mediterranean cohort, stronger for overweight/obese participants. Our results emphasize the importance of encouraging the consumption of magnesium-rich foods (vegetables, nuts, whole cereals, legumes) in order to prevent hypertension.

Cured ham consumption and incidence of hypertension: The "Seguimiento Universidad de Navarra" (SUN) cohort.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Cured ham is one of the most characteristic foods in the Spanish diet. Because it is a red processed meat and due to its nutritional composition, including high sodium content, a potential association between cured ham consumption and a higher risk of hypertension could be expected. However, epidemiological studies evaluating this association are scarce. We prospectively assessed the association between cured ham consumption and the incidence of hypertension. METHODS: The "Seguimiento Universidad de Navarra" (SUN) study is a cohort of Spanish middle-aged adult university graduates (average age: 38 (SD: 12) years, 60% women). We included 13,900 participants of the SUN cohort free of hypertension at baseline. One serving of cured ham is 50g. They were classified into 4 categories of cured ham consumption: <1; 1; 2-4 and ≥5servs/week. Multivariable-adjusted Cox regression models were fitted to assess the association between cured ham consumption and subsequent hypertension risk using the category of lowest consumption as the reference. RESULTS: After a median follow-up of 10.9 years, 1465 incident self-reported cases of hypertension were identified. After adjusting for potential confounders, including dietary confounders, a high consumption of cured ham (≥5servs/week vs. <1serv/week) was not significantly associated with hypertension risk in this prospective cohort (HR=0.88, 95% CI: 0.70-1.10, p linear trend=0.40). CONCLUSIONS: Our results showed that cured ham consumption was not associated with a significantly higher or lower risk of hypertension in a prospective cohort of Spanish middle-aged adult university graduates. Further longitudinal and experimental studies are needed to disentangle the association between cured ham consumption and the risk of hypertension.

Lifestyles and the risk of depression in the "Seguimiento Universidad de Navarra" cohort.

BACKGROUND: Lifestyles are involved in the pathogenesis of depression and many of these factors can be modified for the potential prevention of depression. Our aim was to assess the association between a healthy-lifestyle score, that includes some less-studied lifestyle indicators, and the risk of depression. METHODS: We followed 14,908 participants initially free of any history of depression in the "Seguimiento Universidad de Navarra" (SUN) cohort. Information was collected biennially from 1999 to December 2016. We calculated a healthy-lifestyle score (0-10 points), previously associated with cardioprotection, by giving one point to each of the following components: never smoking, physical activity (> 20 METs-h/week), Mediterranean diet adherence (≥ 4 points), healthy body mass index (≤ 22  kg/m2), moderate alcohol consumption (women 0.1-5 g/d; men 0.1-10 g/d of ethanol), avoidance of binge drinking (never more than 5 alcoholic drinks in a row), low television exposure (≤ 2 h/d), short afternoon nap (≤ 30 min/day), time spent with friends (>1 h/d) and working at least 40  h/week. RESULTS: During a median follow-up of 10.4 years, we observed 774 new cases of major depression among participants initially free of depression. The highest category (8-10 factors) showed a significant inverse association with a 32% relative risk reduction for depression compared to the lowest category (0-3 factors) (multivariable-adjusted hazard ratio: 0.68; 95% CI:0.49-0.95) (p for trend = 0.010). CONCLUSIONS: Adopting a healthy-lifestyle was associated with a lower risk of incident depression in the SUN cohort. This index, including ten simple healthy lifestyle habits, may be useful for a more integrative approach to depression prevention.

The role of lifestyle behaviour on the risk of hypertension in the SUN cohort: The hypertension preventive score.

Lifestyles may influence the risk of hypertension. Our objective was to assess the association between a healthy-lifestyle score and the incidence of hypertension. The SUN Project is a dynamic, prospective cohort of Spanish university graduates (1999-2014). Among 14,057 participants initially free of hypertension, we assessed the influence of lifestyle-related factors based on a 10-item score that we previously reported to be associated with lower risk of major cardiovascular events. However, we focused on factors related to hypertension risk according to previous scientific evidence and international clinical guidelines and constructed a 6-item score including: no smoking, moderate-to-high physical activity, Mediterranean diet adherence, healthy body mass index, moderate alcohol intake and no binge drinking. We fitted Cox regression models to adjust for potential confounders. During a median follow-up of 10.2 years, we identified 1406 incident cases of medically diagnosed hypertension. The risk of developing hypertension was linearly reduced as participants better adhered to a healthy lifestyle pattern built by summing up these 6 factors (p for trend<0.001). The highest category (5-6 factors) exhibited a significant 46% relative reduction in the risk of developing hypertension compared to the lowest category (0-1 factors) (multivariable-adjusted hazard ratio = 0.54; 95% CI: 0.42-0.68). Among the components of the score, BMI was apparently the main factor driving the association between the HLS and lower risk of hypertension. A healthy-lifestyle score including six simple healthy habits was longitudinally and linearly associated with a substantially reduced risk of hypertension. This index may be a useful tool for hypertension prevention.

Use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, aspirin and the risk of depression: The "Seguimiento Universidad de Navarra (SUN)" cohort.

BACKGROUND: The potential effect of Non-Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs (NSAIDs) to prevent depression remains largely unknown, in spite of the implication of inflammation in depression. This study aimed to investigate whether the habitual intake of aspirin and other NSAIDs was prospectively associated with a reduction in the observed incidence of depression. METHODS: A dynamic cohort including 22,564 Spanish university graduates (mean age: 37 years) initially free of depression was followed during an average of 8.7 years. Exposure to NSAIDs was assessed with specific repeated questionnaires throughout follow-up, starting in the 2-year follow-up questionnaire. Incident cases of depression were defined as either a new validated medical diagnosis of depression or reporting the initiation of habitual use of antidepressants. RESULTS: We identified 772 incident cases of depression. Regular intake of aspirin and other NSAIDs was not associated with depression risk. Only in secondary sensitivity analyses using a definition of the outcome with higher specificity (a validated medical diagnosis of depression), an inverse association of aspirin with depression was found [HR (95%CI): 0.20 (0.04-0.87)]. However, these results were non-significant after adjustment for multiple testing. LIMITATIONS: A possible underestimation of incident depression and a limited ability to detect all possible residual confounding. CONCLUSIONS: Regular use of NSAIDs was not associated with the incidence of depression. Further longitudinal controlled studies are necessary to clarify a potential role of aspirin use in depression risk.

Coffee Consumption and the Risk of Depression in a Middle-Aged Cohort: The SUN Project.

Coffee is one of the most widely consumed drinks around the world, while depression is considered the major contributor to the overall global burden of disease. However, the investigation on coffee consumption and depression is limited and results may be confounded by the overall dietary pattern. We assessed the relationship between coffee intake and the risk of depression, controlling for adherence to the Mediterranean diet. We studied 14,413 university graduates of the 'Seguimiento Universidad de Navarra' (SUN) cohort, initially free of depression. We evaluated coffee consumption using a validated food-frequency questionnaire (FFQ). Incident depression cases were adjudicated only if the participant met two criteria simultaneously: (a) validated physician-diagnosed depression together with (b) new onset of habitual antidepressant use. Both criteria were needed; participants meeting only one of them were not classified as cases. Participants who drank at least four cups of coffee per day showed a significantly lower risk of depression than participants who drank less than one cup of coffee per day (HR: 0.37 (95% CI 0.15⁻0.95)). However, overall, we did not observe an inverse linear dose⁻response association between coffee consumption and the incidence of depression (p for trend = 0.22).

Healthy Lifestyle and Incidence of Metabolic Syndrome in the SUN Cohort.

We assessed the relationship between a healthy lifestyle and the subsequent risk of developing metabolic syndrome. The "Seguimiento Universidad de Navarra" (SUN) Project is a prospective cohort study, focused on nutrition, lifestyle, and chronic diseases. Participants (n = 10,807, mean age 37 years, 67% women) initially free of metabolic syndrome were followed prospectively for a minimum of 6 years. To evaluate healthy lifestyle, nine habits were used to derive a Healthy Lifestyle Score (HLS): Never smoking, moderate to high physical activity (>20 MET-h/week), Mediterranean diet (≥4/8 adherence points), moderate alcohol consumption (women, 0.1⁻5.0 g/day; men, 0.1⁻10.0 g/day), low television exposure (<2 h/day), no binge drinking (≤5 alcoholic drinks at any time), taking a short afternoon nap (<30 min/day), meeting up with friends >1 h/day, and working at least 40 h/week. Metabolic syndrome was defined according to the harmonizing definition. The association between the baseline HLS and metabolic syndrome at follow-up was assessed with multivariable-adjusted logistic regressions. During follow-up, we observed 458 (4.24%) new cases of metabolic syndrome. Participants in the highest category of HLS adherence (7⁻9 points) enjoyed a significantly reduced risk of developing metabolic syndrome compared to those in the lowest category (0⁻3 points) (adjusted odds ratio (OR) = 0.66, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.47⁻0.93). Higher adherence to the Healthy Lifestyle Score was associated with a lower risk of developing metabolic syndrome. The HLS may be a simple metabolic health promotion tool.

Efectividad de los estudios preoperatorios en pacientes sanos sometidos a cirugías de bajo-moderado riesgo

Introducción: los exámenes preoperatorios están indicados según los hallazgos obtenidos en la historia clínica y el examen físico. Se realizan con el propósito de optimizar las condiciones clínicas previas a la cirugía y disminuir las complicaciones perioperatorias. Objetivos: determinar los resultados de exámenes realizados en la evaluación preoperatoria de pacientes sanos sometidos a cirugías de bajo-moderado riesgo y la relación de dichos resultados con las complicaciones perioperatorias. Materiales y métodos: fueron reclutados 113 varones y mujeres menores a 50 años, sanos, admitidos en las salas de Cirugía y de Traumatología del Hospital Nacional (Itauguá) y sometidos a evaluación preoperatoria por la autora en el período de enero a noviembre de 2014. Los estudios evaluados fueron todos solicitados por los médicos tratantes como parte de su rutina. Resultados: los procedimientos quirúrgicos más frecuentes fueron la colecistectomía crónica calculosa y la hernioplastia. El examen laboratorial que reveló más alteraciones fue el hepatograma (15,79%), seguido del hematocrito y la glicemia. En cuanto a la radiografía de tórax y el electrocardiograma, no hubo hallazgos anormales significativos relevantes. Se constató un porcentaje mínimo de complicaciones perioperatorias (5,31%). Conclusión: de todos los estudios realizados en el preoperatorio, se observó por lo menos un resultado anormal en 18,58%. Ningún resultado anormal modificó el manejo perioperatorio ni se relacionó con las complicaciones ocurridas.

Introduction: The pre-operatory studies are indicated according to the clinical history and clinical examination. They are performed in order to optimize the clinical conditions before a surgery and decrease peri-operative complications. Objectives: To determine the results of the studies performed in the pre-operative evaluation of healthy patients subjected to low and moderate risk surgeries and the relationship of these results with the peri-operatory complications. Materials and methods: One hundred thirteen healthy men and women younger than 50 years old admitted into the rooms of Surgery and Traumatology of the National Hospital (Itauguá) were subjected to pre-operative evaluation from January to November 2014. The evaluated studies were requested by the treating medical doctors as part of the routine procedure. Results: The most frequent surgical procedures were the chronic calculous cholecystectomy and the hernioplasty. The laboratory exam that revealed most alterations was the hepatogram (15.79%), followed by the hematocrit and the glycemia. In relation to the chest radiograph and the electrocardiogram, there were not significant relevant abnormal findings. A minimum percentage of peri-operative complications were found (5.31%). Conclusion: At least one abnormal result was found in 18.58% of all the studies performed in the pre-operative stage. None of the abnormal results modified the peri-operative handling nor was related to the complications that occurred.