The traditional Mediterranean diet (MedDiet) is now widely recommended in the prevention of CVD. However, it is not known whether the MedDiet has the same beneficial cardiovascular effects in women and in men. The objective of the present study was to investigate sex-related differences with regard to changes in cardiometabolic variables in response to a 4-week isoenergetic MedDiet. Participants were thirty-eight men and thirty-two premenopausal women aged between 25 and 50 years who had slightly elevated LDL-cholesterol (LDL-C) concentrations (3·4-4·9 mmol/l) or total cholesterol:HDL-cholesterol ratio $ 5·0. A 4-week run-in period preceded the MedDiet in order to control the inter-and intra-individual variability. Cardiometabolic variables were measured before and after the MedDiet. Total cholesterol, LDL-C, apoB and apoA-1 plasma concentrations as well as diastolic blood pressure decreased (P,0·05) in both men and women (respectively, 10, 10, 10, 6 and 5 % for men and 6, 7, 9, 4 and 4 % for women). ApoA-2 concentrations and insulin concentrations 2 h after the oral administration of 75 g of glucose demonstrated sex £ time interactions (respectively, P¼0·05 and P¼ 0·03) and only men experienced a decrease for these variables (respectively, 8 and 25 %). In conclusion, consuming a MedDiet led to significant changes in plasma lipid profile in both men and women, while only men had significant improvements in insulin homeostasis. These results support the importance of investigating sex-related differences in response to diet in order to perhaps further individualise dietary guidelines in the prevention of CVD and type 2 diabetes.

We examined gender differences in appetite sensations when exposed to Mediterranean diet (MedDiet) meals and determined whether there are gender differences in the change in the satiating properties of the MedDiet over time. Thirty-eight men and 32 premenopausal women consumed a 4-week isoenergetic MedDiet under controlled conditions. Visual analogue scales were used to measure perceived appetite sensations before and immediately after each meal consumed over the course of one day (Wednesday) of the first and the fourth week of intervention. Women reported greater decreases for desire to eat, hunger, and appetite score than men in response to the consumption of the MedDiet meals (gender-by-meal interactions, resp., P = 0.04, P = 0.048, and P = 0.03). Fullness and prospective food consumption responses did not significantly differ between men and women. Between the first and the fourth week of intervention, premeal prospective food consumption increased with time in men (P = 0.0007) but not in women (P = 0.84; P for gender-by-time interaction = 0.04). These results indicate gender differences in appetite sensations when exposed to the MedDiet. These results may be useful in order to have a better understanding of gender issues for body weight management.

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Objective Given the growing interest in personality traits among the young population with eating disorders (EDs) and the recognition that a better understanding of personality can facilitate clinical management, this meta‐analytic study reviewed evidence concerning the relationship between personality traits and the presence of an ED during adolescence. Method We conducted a systematic literature search to identify studies that examined personality traits among adolescents with an ED (anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, binge‐eating disorder, eating disorder not otherwise specified) and that compared these traits with a normative group without an ED. The personality traits investigated in the selected studies were organized according to the personality trait domains presented in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (fifth ed.). Effect sizes of the mean differences were calculated for each domain. We performed meta‐regressions to assess the moderating effect of ED subtype and age on the combined effect sizes. Results Twenty‐six studies met our inclusion criteria, containing a total of 63 effect sizes. Adolescents with EDs differed from the non‐ED group according to traits related to negative affectivity (g = 0.78), detachment (g = 0.69), and conscientiousness (g = −0.53). The presence of an anorexia nervosa diagnosis moderated the relationship between an ED and personality traits; this diagnosis was more strongly associated with conscientious traits compared to other EDs. Discussion Our findings provide evidence that personality traits are related to EDs in adolescents. Thus, considering personality traits could lead to a better understanding of etiological and maintenance factors for EDs.

BackgroundSome intervention trials have reported a reduction in systemic inflammation with the Mediterranean diet (MedDiet) while others have observed no effect. Despite the fact that sex differences have been highlighted in the inflammatory regulation, it is still not known whether MedDiet exerts similar effects on systemic inflammation in men and women. The aim of this study was therefore to investigate sex differences in the effects of the MedDiet on high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP).FindingsParticipants were 35 men and 27 premenopausal women (24–53 years) presenting a slightly deteriorated lipid profile. All foods were provided to participants during a 4-week isocaloric MedDiet. At baseline, women had higher hs-CRP concentrations than men (P = 0.03). No sex difference was observed in hs-CRP response to the MedDiet (P for sex-by-time interaction = 0.36), with both men and women experiencing no change (respectively P = 0.62 and P > 0.99). When subgroups were formed according to hs-CRP concentration before the MedDiet phase, men with elevated baseline values (≥2 mg/l) experienced a reduction in hs-CRP over time with the MedDiet (−26.5 %) while an increase was observed in men with lower baseline values (+96.6 %; P for group-by-time interaction = 0.02). This pattern of change was not observed in women.ConclusionsResults from this controlled feeding study suggest that men and women have similar effects from the MedDiet on systemic inflammation. The individual’s overall inflammatory status seems to influence these effects, but only in men.Trial registrationThis clinical trial was registered at www.clinicaltrials.gov as NCT01293344.