2016
Group Leader
Montserrat Fitó Colomer
The Mediterranean diet, its foods and the interaction of nutrients, has 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, diabetes, and coronary heart disease in adults and children. 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 emergent risk factors for cardiovascular and neurodegenerative diseases. 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 to take it back to the liver, the “cholesterol efflux capacity”) 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 a healthy food (virgin olive oil) on HDL functions (Hernáez A et al, Circulation 2017).
Members
David Benaiges Boix (Researcher)
Gemma Blanchart Cuella (Technician)
Anna Maria Blasco Lapuente (Research Assistant)
Olga Castañer Niño (Researcher)
Juan José Chillarón Jordán (Researcher)
Juana Antonia Flores LeRoux (Researcher)
Meritxell Girvent Montllor (Researcher)
Albert Goday Arno (Research)
Álvaro Hernáez Camba (PhD Student)
Dolors Muns Cornellas (Technician)
Daniel Muñoz Aguayo (Technician)
Mireia Quifer Araujo (Technician)
Helmut Schröder (Researcher)
Laura Torres Mota (Technician)
Montserrat Villatoro Moreno (Researcher)
Maria Dolores Zomeño Fajardo (Technician)
more info
Main Publications
• Brugnara L, Murillo S, Novials A, Rojo-Martínez G, Soriguer F, Goday A, Calle-Pascual A, Castaño L, Gaztambide S, Valdés S, Franch J, Vendrell J, Casamitjana R, Bosch-Comas A, Bordiu E, Carmena R, Català M, Delgado E, Girbés J, López-Alba A, Martínez-Larrad MT, Menéndez E, Mora-Peces I, Pascual-Manich G, Serrano-Ríos M, Gomis R, Ortega E. Low Physical Activity and Its Association with Diabetes and Other Cardiovascular Risk Factors: A Nationwide, Population-Based Study. PLoS ONE 2016; 11(8): e0160959. IF 3.057. Q1.
• Estruch R, Martínez-González MA, Corella D, Salas-Salvadó J, Fitó M, Chiva-Blanch G, Fiol M, Gómez-Gracia E, Arós F, Lapetra J, Serra-Majem L, Pintó X, Buil-Cosiales P, Sorli JV, Muñoz MA, Basora-Gallisá J, Lamuela-Raventós RM, Serra-Mir M, Ros E, PREDIMED Study Investigators. Effect of a high-fat Mediterranean diet on bodyweight and waist circumference: a prespecified secondary outcomes analysis of the PREDIMED randomised controlled trial. Lancet Diabetes Endocrinol 2016; 4(8): 666-676. IF 16.32. Q1.
• Fitó M, Konstantinidou V. Nutritional Genomics and the Mediterranean Diet's Effects on Human Cardiovascular Health. Nutrients 2016; 8(4): 218. IF 3.759. Q1.
• Hernáez A, Farràs M, Fitó M. Olive oil phenolic compounds and high-density lipoprotein function. Curr Opin Lipidol 2016; 27(1): 47-53. IF 5.336. Q1.
• Lecube A, de Hollanda A, Calañas A, Vilarrasa N, Rubio MA, Breton I, Goday A, Vidal J, Iglesias P, Fernández-Soto ML, Pellitero S, de Cos AI, Morales MJ, Campos C, Masmiquel L, Tinahones F, Pujante P, García-Luna PP, Bueno M, Cámara R, Bandrés O, Caixas A. Trends in Bariatric Surgery in Spain in the Twenty-First Century: Baseline Results and 1-Month Follow Up of the RICIBA, a National Registry. Obes Surg 2016; 26(8): 1836-1842. IF 3.346. Q1.
• Martín-Peláez S, Castañer O, Solà R, Motilva MJ, Castell M, Pérez-Cano FJ, Fitó M. Influence of Phenol-Enriched Olive Oils on Human Intestinal Immune Function. Nutrients 2016; 8(4): 213. IF 3.759. Q1.
• Schröder H, Gómez S, Ribas-Barba L, Pérez-Rodrigo C, Bawaked RA, Fitó M, Serra-Majem L. Monetary Diet Cost, Diet Quality, and Parental Socioeconomic Status in Spanish Youth. PLoS ONE 2016; 11(9): e0161422. IF 3.057. Q1.
Ongoing Research Projects
• 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 (PI13/00233)
− Fondo de Investigación Sanitaria. ISCIII (PI13/00233)
− From 2014 to 2017
− Principal investigator: Goday Arno, Albert
• Efectos de una Dieta Mediterránea tradicional sobre la aterogenicidad de las lipoproteínas de alta densidad (LDL)
− Sociedad Española de Endocrinología y Nutrición-FSEEN
− From 2015 to 2016
− 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 Centre Català de la Nutrició of the Institut d’Estudis Catalans (CCNIEC) since 2013
− Principal investigator: Fitó Colomer, Montserrat
• Officially recognised as a consolidated research group by the Generalitat de Catalunya: Grup de recerca consolidat Registre Gironí del Cor-REGICOR (2014-2017)
− Agència de Gestió d’Ajuts Universitaris i de Recerca (SGR 240)
− Principal investigator: Marrugat de la Iglesia, Jaume
Clinical Trials Signed in 2016
• Ensayo mundo real pragmático, de 26 semanas con 6 meses de extensión, aleatorizado, abierto, de 2 brazos paralelos, para evaluar los resultados de los beneficios clínicos y de salud de la transición a Toujeo® en comparación a las insulinas de tratamiento estándar, en pacientes con Diabetes Mellitus Tipo 2 inadecuadamente controlada tratados con insulina basal
− SANOFI-AVENTIS, S.A.
− From 2016 to 2018
− Principal investigator: Flores Le Roux, Juana Antonia
Theses
• Hernáez A. Effects of the mediterranean diet and virgin olive oil on the function of high-density lipoproteins and the atherogenicity of low-density lipoproteins in humans. University of Barcelona
− Director: Fitó, Montserrat; Covas, María Isabel
− Date of defense: 16/09/2016
Other
• Albert Goday Arno. Chairman of the Associació Catalana de Diabetes
C/ Doctor Aiguader, 88
08003 Barcelona
(+34) 93 316 04 00
info@imim.es