A study published in the prestigious journal Acta Physiologica provides new evidence on the benefits of healthy dietary habits in controlling cardiovascular diseases. The research describes how dietary intervention can achieve beneficial effects, both functional and molecular, similar to those provided by pharmacological treatment.

This study was conducted by researchers from the Metabolism and Vascular Function Research Group (MET-VASC) at Universidad CEU San Pablo, led by Dr. Beatriz Somoza, alongside Dr. Fernández-Alfonso from the Universidad Complutense de Madrid, and Dr. Chowen from the Hospital Universitario Niño Jesús. The study is part of a project funded by the Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness and the Fundación Universitaria San Pablo CEU/Banco Santander.

In Spain, 3 out of 10 annual deaths are caused by cardiovascular disease, and 80% of them could have been prevented, according to the World Health Organization (WHO), by following a healthy lifestyle and reducing risk factors. Among these risk factors, obesity stands out due to its high prevalence and its association with the development of diseases such as myocardial infarction, stroke, and heart or kidney failure, the main causes of death in Western countries.

The role of diet in prevention is well known, however, as Beatriz Somoza explains, "this study demonstrates how the alteration of the AMPK/CREB/HO-1 pathway, responsible for endothelial damage associated with obesity, can be a new therapeutic target. Dietary intervention activates this pathway, demonstrating the effectiveness of non-pharmacological approaches in the context of vascular damage associated with obesity." Dr. Somoza highlights the fact that, on the other hand, a healthy diet over time "allows not only weight loss but also significantly improves glucose tolerance, which can delay or even prevent the development of type 2 diabetes,  as well as  other metabolic disorders."

Although there is ample evidence supporting the benefits of adopting a healthy lifestyle in preventing the development of cardiovascular and metabolic diseases, this study highlights that dietary intervention can even reverse established alterations, making it a fundamental pillar of non-pharmacological treatment in patients with obesity.

This interesting result could contribute to increasing patients' motivation to change their dietary habits and, therefore, improve their chances of success in improving their cardiovascular health. In this experiment, a mouse model with diet-induced obesity over 8 weeks was used. Half of them had their diet replaced with a balanced diet during the last 2 weeks. This short period was sufficient for the dietary intervention group to show significant metabolic and vascular changes: weight was reduced, and lipid, glycemic, and vascular control improved.

These effects were explained by an increase in the activity of the AMPK protein, which acts as an "energy sensor" for cells. This protein plays a key role in regulating metabolism and vascular tone by maintaining endothelial function and reducing oxidative stress. Returning to a healthy diet increased vascular AMPK activity and the expression of antioxidant proteins catalase and heme oxygenase. Additionally, it increased the synthesis and availability of nitric oxide, one of the most important factors in maintaining endothelial function and, therefore, preventing the development of cardiovascular disease.