Carlotta Suardi

Bio: Carlotta Suardi is an academic researcher from University of Milano-Bicocca. The author has contributed to research in topics: Cross-sectional study & Demography. The author has an hindex of 1, co-authored 1 publications receiving 6 citations.

Link between Viral Infections, Immune System, Inflammation and Diet.

Abstract: The strong spread of COVID-19 and the significant number of deaths associated with it could be related to improper lifestyles, which lead to a low-grade inflammation (LGI) that not only increases the risk of chronic diseases, but also the risk of facing complications relating to infections and a greater susceptibility to infections themselves. Recently, scientific research has widely demonstrated that the microbiota plays a fundamental role in modulating metabolic responses in the immune system. There is, in fact, a two-way interaction between lifestyle, infection, and immunity. The immune response is compromised if nutrition is unbalanced or insufficient, because diet affects the intestinal flora predisposing people to infections and, at the same time, the nutritional state can be aggravated by the immune response itself to the infection. We evaluate the link between balanced diet, the efficiency of the immune system, and microbiota with the aim of providing some practical advice for individuals, with special attention to the elderly. A correct lifestyle that follows the Mediterranean model, which is especially rich in plant-based foods along with the use of extra-virgin olive oil, are the basis of preventing LGI and other chronic pathologies, directly influencing the intestinal microbiota and consequently the immune response.

Health Status and Nutritional Habits in Maldives Pediatric Population: A Cross-Sectional Study

Abstract: Chronic noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) have become the major cause of morbidity and mortality in the Maldives, triggered by the nutrition transition to a “Western diet” that dramatically increases the prevalence of excess weight and hypertension. Our study aimed to evaluate dietary habits, blood pressure (BP) and body mass index in Maghoodoo Public School’s students. A sample of 145 students (72 males and 73 females, age 9.37 ± 2.97 years) was enrolled. Factors causing excess weight were investigated through descriptive statistics. The relationship between blood pressure percentiles and possible influencing factors was investigated by a linear regression model.. Excess weight was present in 15.07% and 12.5% females and males, respectively. 15.18% of the subjects had elevated BP, with a significant difference according to gender detected only in the PAS z-score. Eating habits were investigated through a parent-filled questionnaire; 70.15% of the students consumed less than two portions of fruit per day, with a significant difference between gender (84.06% and 55.38% for boys and girls, respectively, p < 0.0001) and 71.64% ate less than two servings of vegetables per day. An alarming finding emerged for sweet snacks (30.6% of the students consumed 2–3 servings per day) and sugary drinks (2–3 servings per day for 32.84% of students) consumption. Our findings suggest that excess weight and hypertension in this population could be due to energy-rich, packaged-foods consumption. A nutrition education approach might thus help to reduce cardiovascular risk.

Dietary Recommendations for Post-COVID-19 Syndrome

Abstract: At the beginning of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic, global efforts focused on containing the spread of the virus and avoiding contagion. Currently, it is evident that health professionals should deal with the overall health status of COVID-19 survivors. Indeed, novel findings have identified post-COVID-19 syndrome, which is characterized by malnutrition, loss of fat-free mass, and low-grade inflammation. In addition, the recovery might be complicated by persistent functional impairment (i.e., fatigue and muscle weakness, dysphagia, appetite loss, and taste/smell alterations) as well as psychological distress. Therefore, the appropriate evaluation of nutritional status (assessment of dietary intake, anthropometrics, and body composition) is one of the pillars in the management of these patients. On the other hand, personalized dietary recommendations represent the best strategy to ensure recovery. Therefore, this review aimed to collect available evidence on the role of nutrients and their supplementation in post-COVID-19 syndrome to provide a practical guideline to nutritionists to tailor dietary interventions for patients recovering from COVID-19 infections.

Mediterranean Diet In Healthy Aging.

Abstract: The World elderly population is expected to double before 2050. Unhealthy habits and unhealthy lifestyles are commonly associated with age-related diseases or their worsening. Modification in daily lifestyle and diet may help preventing age-related diseases onset and efficiently affecting their evolution, thus promoting the Healthy Aging process, concept recently coined to describe the disease-free aging process. This review highlights the role of nutrition science in promoting healthy aging. Since the Mediterranean Model demonstrated to be a useful style in supporting healthy aging, promotion of this correct lifestyle by health policies seems to be the best approach to achieve this target.

Frailty but not sarcopenia nor malnutrition increases the risk of developing COVID-19 in older community-dwelling adults.

Abstract: The identification of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) risk factors is requested to implement prevention strategies. To explore the associations between the COVID-19 incidence and malnutrition, sarcopenia, and frailty, identified as potential risk factors in previous cross-sectional studies. Malnutrition, sarcopenia, and frailty were assessed at the last available follow-up from the Sarcopenia and Physical Impairments with Advancing Age (SarcoPhAge) cohort (i.e., the fifth year that ended in 2019) according to the Mini-Nutritional Assessment short-form, the European Working Group on Sarcopenia in Older People (EWGSOP2), and the Fried criteria, respectively. Information regarding the COVID-19 was gathered by phone calls interviews in April 2021 to measure its self-declared incidence. Adjusted Cox regressions and Kaplan–Meier curves were performed. The present study included 241 participants [median age 75.6 (73.0–80.6) years, 63.1% women]. Among them, 27 participants (11.2%) developed the non-fatal Covid-19. No significant increased risks of COVID-19 were observed in patients with malnutrition [adjusted HR 1.14 (0.26–5.07)] and sarcopenia [adjusted HR 1.25 (0.35–4.42)]. Nevertheless, the incidence of COVID-19 was significantly higher in frail (44.4%) than in robust participants (8.5%) [Adjusted HR 7.01 (2.69–18.25)], which was confirmed by the Kaplan–Meier curves (p < 0.001). Among the frailty syndrome components, a low physical activity level was the only one significantly associated with an increased risk of COVID-19 [adjusted HR 5.18 (1.37–19.54)]. Despite some limitations in the methodology of this study (i.e., limited sample size, COVID-19 incidence self-reported and not assessed systematically using objective measurements) requiring careful consideration, an increased risk to develop COVID-19 was observed in the presence of the frailty syndrome. Further investigations are needed to elaborate on our findings.

Pandemic Preparedness: Maintaining Adequate Immune Fitness by Attaining a Normal, Healthy Body Weight

Abstract: In addition to developing effective medicines and vaccines, pandemic preparedness also comprises general health-related, behavioral, and psychological aspects related to being more resistant in the case of future pandemics. In the context of the 2019 coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, recent research revealed that reduced perceived immune fitness was the best predictor of reporting more frequent and more severe COVID-19 symptoms. Up until now (June 2022), during the COVID-19 pandemic, the majority of patients who have been hospitalized were characterized as being overweight. It is therefore essential to further evaluate the relationship between body mass index (BMI) and immune fitness. This was performed by analyzing pooled data from previously published studies, conducted among N = 8586 Dutch adults. It was hypothesized that attaining a normal, healthy body weight is associated with optimal perceived immune fitness. The analysis revealed that a deviation from normal weight (i.e., having a BMI outside the range of 18.5 to 24.9 kg/m2) was associated with significantly reduced perceived immune fitness, as assessed with the immune status questionnaire and a single item perceived immune fitness scale. The effects were significant for both underweight and overweight groups and most pronounced for the obese groups. The results suggest that attaining a normal, healthy body weight might significantly contribute to maintaining adequate perceived immune fitness. Therefore, attaining a normal body weight might be an essential component of pandemic preparedness and should be supported by creating awareness and promoting the importance of regular exercise and the consumption of healthy food.

Components of the Mediterranean Diet and Risk of COVID-19

Abstract: Adherence to the traditional Mediterranean diet has been customarily assessed with the Mediterranean diet score (MDS or Trichopolou Index), with values of 0 or 1 assigned to each of the nine elements, and with the use of the sex-specific median as the cutoff. The value of persons whose consumption of the six beneficial items (ratio of monounsaturated to saturated fatty acids, vegetables, legumes, fruits and nuts, cereal, and fish) is at or above the median and is assigned a value of 1. Otherwise they receive 0 points. For detrimental elements (meats and dairy products) persons whose consumption is below the median are assigned a value of 1. An additional ninth point is assigned to moderate ethanol intake. We assessed the effect of each of the nine components of the MDS (replacing the fats ratio with olive oil, the main source of monounsaturated fats in the Mediterranean diet) on the risk of COVID-19 infection, symptomatic and severe COVID-19. From March to December 2020, 9,699 participants of the "Seguimiento Universidad de Navarra" (SUN) cohort answered a COVID-19 questionnaire. After excluding doctors and nurses, 5,194 participants were included in the main statistical analyses. Among them, we observed 382 cases of COVID-19 based on symptoms and clinical diagnosis; 167 of them with test confirmation. For the two COVID-19 definitions used, we found a significant decrease in risk for a higher adherence to the Mediterranean diet (OR = 0.64, 95% CI: 0.42-0.98, p for trend = 0.040; and OR = 0.44, 95% CI: 0.22-0.88, p for trend = 0.020, for test-diagnosed cases). A protective effect was also found for symptomatic COVID-19 (OR = 0.64, 95% CI: 0.41-1.00, p for trend = 0.050). Among the different individual food groups, only the consumption of whole dairy products showed a harmful direct association. The Mediterranean diet as a whole seems more important than each of its components in preventing the infection and symptoms of COVID-19.