Cardiovascular Risk and Nutrition
Research group
Group Leader
Montserrat Fitó Colomer
The Mediterranean diet, its foods and the interaction of its nutrients, have healthy effects on morbidity and mortality related to chronic degenerative diseases, such as cardiovascular disease. In this context, the main objective of our research is to determine the benefit of a healthy diet pattern and some characteristic foods (including olive oil and wine) on different cardiovascular risk factors. We also focus on lifestyle habits including diet and physical activity on obesity (both in children and adults), diabetes, and cardiovascular disease. The health effects of bariatric surgery are also among our aims.
Based on the knowledge of underlying mechanisms beyond the diet benefits, progress is being made in research of the classical and emerging risk factors for cardiovascular and neurodegenerative diseases. One of our main research lines is focused on HDL- and ApoB-containing particles. Firstly, it is becoming increasingly more accepted that the biological functions of HDL are more indicative of the cardioprotective role of these particles than the quantity of HDL cholesterol. Reduced values of the most relevant HDL function (its ability to pick up cholesterol from peripheral cells, the cholesterol efflux) have been shown to be linked to a high risk of sub-clinical atherosclerosis and high incidence of coronary events. Our group was the first to report the protective effect of a healthy dietary pattern (a Mediterranean Diet enriched in virgin olive oil) and real-life doses of virgin olive oil on HDL functions (Hernáez A et al., Circulation 2017). Secondly, we are also interested in the residual risk factor linked to the atherogenicity of ApopB-containing particles such as LDL and triglyceride-rich lipoproteins.
Members
David Benaiges Boix (Researcher)
Olga Castañer Niño (Researcher)
Juan José Chillarón Jordán (Researcher)
Juana Antonia Flores Le Roux (Researcher)
Alberto Goday Arno (Researcher)
Helmut Schröder (Researcher)
Montserrat Villatoro Moreno (Researcher)
Albert Sanllorente Melenchón (PhD Student)
Gemma Blanchart Cuella (Technician)
Regina Llimona Coronado (Technician)
Dolors Muns Cornellas (Technician)
Daniel Muñoz Aguayo (Technician)
Mireia Quifer Araujo (Technician)
María Dolores Zomeño Fajardo (Technician)
Anna Maria Blasco Lapuente (Research Assistant)
Main Publications
• Hernáez A, Castañer O, Elosua R, Pintó X, Estruch R, Salas-Salvadó J, Corella D, Arós F, Serra-Majem L, Fiol M, Ortega-Calvo M, Ros E, Martínez-González MÁ, de la Torre R, López-Sabater MC, Fitó M. Mediterranean Diet Improves High-Density Lipoprotein Function in High-Cardiovascular-Risk Individuals: A Randomized Controlled Trial. Circulation 2017; 135(7): 633-643. IF 19.309. D1.
• De la Torre R, Corella D, Castañer O, Martínez-González MA, Salas-Salvador J, Vila JS, Estruch R, Sorli JV, Arós F, Fiol M, Ros E, Serra-Majem L, Pintó X, Gómez-Gracia E, Lapetra J, Ruiz-Canela M, Basora J, Asensio EM, Covas MI, Fitó M. Protective effect of homovanillyl alcohol on cardiovascular disease and total mortality: virgin olive oil, wine, and catechol-methylathion. Am J Clin Nutr 2017; 105(6): 1297-1304. IF 6.926. D1.
• Hernáez A, Castañer O, Goday A, Ros E, Pintó X, Estruch R, Salas-Salvadó J, Corella D, Arós F, Serra-Majem L, Martínez-González MÁ, Fiol M, Lapetra J, de la Torre R, López-Sabater MC, Fitó M. The Mediterranean Diet decreases LDL atherogenicity in high cardiovascular risk individuals: a randomized controlled trial. Mol Nutr Food Res 2017; 61(9): 1601015. IF 4.323. D1.
• Martín-Peláez S, Camps-Bossacoma M, Massot-Cladera M, Rigo-Adrover M, Franch À, Pérez-Cano FJ, Castell M. Effect of cocoa's theobromine on intestinal microbiota of rats. Mol Nutr Food Res 2017; 61(10): 1700238. IF 4.323. D1.
• Climent E, Benaiges D, Pedro-Botet J, Flores JA, Ramon-Moros JM, Villatoro M, Fontané L, Chillarón JJ, Goday A. Atherogenic Dyslipidemia Remission 1 Year After Bariatric Surgery. Obes Surg 2017; 27(6): 1548-1553. IF 3.947. D1.
• Goday A, Farré M, Rodríguez-Morató J, Ramon-Moros JM, Pérez-Mañá C, Papaseit E, Civit E, Langohr K, Carbó M, Benaiges D, Castañer O, Flores JA, Pera MR, Grande L, de la Torre R. Pharmacokinetics in Morbid Obesity: Influence of Two Bariatric Surgery Techniques on Paracetamol and Caffeine Metabolism. Obes Surg 2017; 27(12): 3194-3201. IF 3.947. D1.
• Farràs M, Fernández-Castillejo S, Rubió L, Arranz S, Catalán U, Subirana I, Romero MP, Castañer O, Pedret A, Blanchart G, Muñoz D, Schröder H, Covas MI, de la Torre R, Motilva MJ, Solá R, Fitó M. Phenol-enriched olive oils improve HDL antioxidant content in hypercholesterolemic subjects. A randomized, double-blind, cross-over, controlled trial. J Nutr Biochem 2017; 51: 99-104. IF 4.518. Q1.
• Navarro E, Funtikova A, Fitó M, Schröder H. Prenatal nutrition and the risk of adult obesity: Long-term effects of nutrition on epigenetic mechanisms regulating Gene expression. J Nutr Biochem 2017; 39: 1-14. IF 4.518. Q1.
• Martín-Peláez S, Castañer O, Konstantinidou V, Subirana I, Muñoz D, Blanchart G, Gaixas S, de la Torre R, Farré M, Sáez GT, Nyyssönen K, Zunft HJF, Covas MI, Fitó M. Effect of olive oil phenolic compounds on the expression of blood pressure-related genes in healthy individuals. Eur J Nutr 2017; 56(2): 663-670. IF 4.37. Q1.
• Martín-Peláez S, Mosele JI, Pizarro N, Farràs M, de la Torre R, Subirana I, Pérez-Cano FJ, Castañer O, Solà R, Fernández-Castillejo S, Heredia S, Farré M, Motilva MJ, Fitó M. Effect of virgin olive oil and thyme phenolic compounds on blood lipid profile: implications of human gut microbiota. Eur J Nutr 2017; 56(1): 119-131. IF 4.37. Q1.
Ongoing Research Projects
• Efecte HALO de l’estudi PREDIMED PLUS
- Departament de Salut. Generalitat de Catalunya (SLT002/16/00132)
- From 2017 to 2019
- Principal investigator: Goday Arno, Albert
• Efecto de una pérdida de peso con dieta mediterránea hipocalórica y promoción de la actividad física en la prevención primaria cardiovascular: Estudio PREDIMED-PLUS
- Fondo de Investigación Sanitaria. ISCIII (PI16/00533)
- From 2017 to 2019
- Principal investigator: Goday Arno, Albert
• Novel predictors of Coronary heart disease: endothelial microparticles, HDL functionality, and fatty acid composition of cell membranes
- Fundació La Marató de TV3 (20151231)
- From 2016 to 2019
- Principal investigator: Fitó Colomer, Montserrat
• Funcionalidad de la HDL en la predicción de eventos cardiovasculares en una cohorte a 5 años en población general. Estilo de vida como factor modulador
- Fondo de Investigación Sanitaria. ISCIII (PI15/00047)
- From 2016 to 2018
- Principal investigator: Fitó Colomer, Montserrat
• PREDIMED-PLUS: Effect of a hypocaloric Mediterranean diet and physical activity promotion on the primary prevention of cardiovascular disease. Pilot study on intermediate markers
- Fondo de Investigación Sanitaria. ISCIII (PI13/00233)
- From 2014 to 2017
- Principal investigator: Goday Arno, Albert
Participation in Research Networks
• CIBEROBN: Fisiopatología de la obesidad y nutrición
- Fondo de Investigación Sanitaria. ISCIII (CB06/03/0028)
- Principal investigator: Fitó Colomer, Montserrat
• CIBERESP: Epidemiología y salud pública
- Fondo de Investigación Sanitaria. ISCIII (CB06/02/0029)
- Principal investigator: Schröder, Helmut
Group’s Recognitions
• The group belongs to the Centre Català de la Nutrició de l’Institut d’Estudis Catalans (CCNIEC) since 2013
- Principal investigator: Fitó Colomer, Montserrat
• Our group is part of the Grup de recerca consolidat Registre Gironí del Cor-REGICOR officially recognised as a consolidated research group by the Generalitat de Catalunya (2017-2019)
- Agència de Gestió d’Ajuts Universitaris i de Recerca (SGR 222)
- Principal investigator: Marrugat de la Iglesia, Jaume
Theses
• Gómez S. Prevalencia, determinantes y prevención de la obesidad infantil. Pompeu Fabra University
- Director: Schröder, Helmut
- Date of defense: 23/01/2017
• Calvet J. Relació dels factors de risc cardiovasculars clàssics, la síndrome metabòlica i les adipoquines amb l'artrosi de genoll; implicacions en severitat clínica. Autonomous University of Barcelona
- Directors: Chillarón Jordán, Juan José; Gratacós, J
- Date of defense: 11/01/2017
• Fernández-Miró M. Hipogonadisme hipogonadotrop en pacients amb diabetis mellitus tipus 1. Prevalença i efectes sobre la resistència a la insulina, el control metabòlic i els factors de risc cardiovascular. Autonomous University of Barcelona
- Director: Chillarón Jordán, Juan José
- Date of defense: 07/04/2017
• Castillo-Sánchez M. Esquizofrenia y fármacos antipsicóticos: asociación con el riesgo cardiovascular. Autonomous University of Barcelona
- Director: Goday Arno, Albert
- Date of defense: 27/06/2017
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