Effects of consumption of coconut oil or coconut on glycemic control and insulin sensitivity: A systematic review and meta-analysis of interventional trials

Fats and oils - a scoping review for Nordic Nutrition Recommendations 2023

This scoping review for the Nordic Nutrition Recommendations 2023 summarizes the available evidence on fats and oils from a food level perspective. A literature search for systematic reviews (SRs) and meta-analyses was conducted in PubMed. There are few SRs and meta-analyses available that investigate the association between fats and oils (food level) and health outcomes; the majority report associations at the nutrient level (fatty acid classes). All identified SRs and meta-analyses were of low methodological quality, thus the findings and conclusions presented within this scoping review should be interpreted cautiously. Based on this limited evidence, the following results were indicated: the intake of olive oil may be associated with reduced risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD), type 2 diabetes (T2D), and total mortality in prospective cohort studies. The intake of butter was not associated with the risk of CVD but may be related to slightly lower risk of T2D and higher risk of total mortality in prospective cohort studies. For cancer, the evidence is sparse and primarily based on case-control studies. The intake of olive oil may be associated with reduced risk of cancer, whereas the intake of butter may be associated with increased risk of certain cancer types. Butter increases LDL-cholesterol when compared to virtually all other fats and oils. Palm oil may increase LDL-cholesterol when compared to oils rich in MUFA or PUFA but may not have any effect on glucose or insulin. Coconut oil may increase LDL-cholesterol when compared to other plant oils but may decrease LDL-cholesterol when compared to animal fats rich in SFA. Canola/rapeseed oil may decrease LDL-cholesterol compared to olive oil, sunflower oil and sources of SFA and may also reduce body weight compared to other oils. Olive oil may decrease some inflammation markers but may not have a differential effect on LDL-cholesterol compared to other fats and oils. The effect on risk markers likely differs depending on the type/version of oil, for example, due to the presence of polyphenols, phytosterols and other minor components. Taken together, based on the available evidence, oils rich in unsaturated fat (e.g. olive oil, canola oil) are to be preferred over oils and fats rich in saturated fat (e.g. butter, tropical oils).

The Development of Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease and Metabolic Syndromes in Diet-Induced Rodent Models

Dietary macronutrients are essential for metabolic regulation and insulin function. The present study examined the effects of different high-fat diets (HFDs) and high-carbohydrate diets (HCDs) on the development of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease and metabolic syndrome indices in healthy adult male Wistar albino rats. Forty-two rats were distributed into six groups (n = 7), which were fed the following for 22 weeks: (1) a control diet; (2) a high-carbohydrate, low-fat diet (HCD-LFD); (3) high-saturated-fat, low-carbohydrate diet (HSF-LCD); (4) a high-monounsaturated-fat diet (HMUSF); (5) a high medium-chain fat diet (HMCF); and a (6) a high-carbohydrate, high-fiber diet (HCHF). In comparison to the control, the body weight increased in all the groups. The HSF-LCD group showed the highest levels of cholesterol, triglyceride, low-density lipoprotein, hepatic enzyme, insulin resistance, and Homeostatic Model Assessment for Insulin Resistance. A liver histology analysis of the HSF-LCD group showed macrovesicular hepatic steatosis associated with large hepatic vacuolation. Additionally, it showed marked periportal fibrosis, especially around the blood vessels and blood capillaries. The lowest levels of fasting glycemia, insulin, and HOMA-IR were observed in the HCHF group. In conclusion, these findings show that dietary saturated fat and cholesterol are principal components in the development and progression of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease in rats, while fiber showed the greatest improvement in glycemic control.

Association Between Autism Spectrum Disorders and Cardiometabolic Diseases: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis

Importance

Although the increased risk of obesity among individuals with autism has been well established, evidence on the association between autism, cardiometabolic disorders, and obesity remains inconclusive.

Objective

To examine the association between autism spectrum disorders and cardiometabolic diseases in a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Data Sources

PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, ProQuest, Embase, and Ovid databases were searched from inception through July 31, 2022, without restrictions on date of publication or language.

Study Selection

Observational or baseline data of interventional studies reporting the prevalence of cardiometabolic risk factors (ie, diabetes, hypertension, dyslipidemia, atherosclerotic macrovascular disease) among children and/or adults with autism and matched with participants without autism were included.

Data Extraction and Synthesis

Screening, data extraction, and quality assessment were performed independently by at least 2 researchers. DerSimonian-Laird random-effects meta-analyses were performed using the meta package in R.

Main Outcomes and Measures

Relative risks (RRs) of diabetes, hypertension, dyslipidemia, and atherosclerotic macrovascular disease among individuals with autism were the primary outcomes. Secondary outcomes included the RR of type 1 and type 2 diabetes, heart disease, stroke, and peripheral vascular disease.

Results

A total of 34 studies were evaluated and included 276 173 participants with autism and 7 733 306 participants without autism (mean [range] age, 31.2 [3.8-72.8] years; pooled proportion [range] of female individuals, 47% [0-66%]). Autism was associated with greater risks of developing diabetes overall (RR, 1.57; 95% CI, 1.23-2.01; 20 studies), type 1 diabetes (RR, 1.64; 95% CI, 1.06-2.54; 6 studies), and type 2 diabetes (RR, 2.47; 95% CI, 1.30-4.70; 3 studies). Autism was also associated with increased risks of dyslipidemia (RR, 1.69; 95% CI, 1.20-2.40; 7 studies) and heart disease (RR, 1.46; 95% CI, 1.42-1.50; 3 studies). Yet, there was no significantly associated increased risk of hypertension and stroke with autism (RR, 1.22; 95% CI, 0.98-1.52; 12 studies; and RR, 1.19; 95% CI, 0.63-2.24; 4 studies, respectively). Meta-regression analyses revealed that children with autism were at a greater associated risk of developing diabetes and hypertension compared with adults. High between-study heterogeneity was a concern for several meta-analyses.

Conclusions and Relevance

Results suggest that the associated increased risk of cardiometabolic diseases should prompt clinicians to vigilantly monitor individuals with autism for potential contributors, signs of cardiometabolic disease, and their complications.

Visualization and quantification of coconut using advanced computed tomography postprocessing technology

INTRODUCTION

Computed tomography (CT) is a non-invasive examination tool that is widely used in medicine. In this study, we explored its value in visualizing and quantifying coconut.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Twelve coconuts were scanned using CT for three months. Axial CT images of the coconuts were obtained using a dual-source CT scanner. In postprocessing process, various three-dimensional models were created by volume rendering (VR), and the plane sections of different angles were obtained through multiplanar reformation (MPR). The morphological parameters and the CT values of the exocarp, mesocarp, endocarp, embryo, bud, solid endosperm, liquid endosperm, and coconut apple were measured. The analysis of variances was used for temporal repeated measures and linear and non-linear regressions were used to analyze the relationship between the data.

RESULTS

The MPR images and VR models provide excellent visualization of the different structures of the coconut. The statistical results showed that the weight of coconut and liquid endosperm volume decreased significantly during the three months, while the CT value of coconut apple decreased slightly. We observed a complete germination of a coconut, its data showed a significant negative correlation between the CT value of the bud and the liquid endosperm volume (y = -2.6955x + 244.91; R2 = 0.9859), and a strong positive correlation between the height and CT value of the bud (y = 1.9576 ln(x) -2.1655; R2 = 0.9691).

CONCLUSION

CT technology can be used for visualization and quantitative analysis of the internal structure of the coconut, and some morphological changes and composition changes of the coconut during the germination process were observed during the three-month experiment. Therefore, CT is a potential tool for analyzing coconuts.