Age-related macular degeneration (AMD or ARMD) is the most common cause of irreversible vision loss in the developed world. AMD is associated with the presence of drusen, without visual loss early in the disease. However, the disease often slowly progresses over years to retinal atrophy and central retinal degeneration with associated loss of central vision. […]
Over the past decades, the incidence of chronic inflammatory disorders such as autoimmune and type 2 allergic diseases has increased worldwide. A growing body of evidence indicates that this rapid and relatively recent onset of allergic epidemics is the consequence of environmental and behavioral changes collectively known as the “westernized lifestyle” More recently, it was […]
Obesity is the most prevalent nutritional disorder among children and adolescents in the United States. Approximately 21-24% of American children and adolescents are overweight, and another 16-18% is obese; the prevalence of obesity is highest among specific ethnic groups. Childhood obesity predisposes to insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes, hypertension, hyperlipidemia, liver and renal disease, […]
According to the American Psychiatric Association, anxiety disorders are the most common type of psychiatric disorders.Many patients with anxiety disorders experience physical symptoms related to anxiety and subsequently visit their primary care providers. The lifetime prevalence of anxiety disorders among American adults is 28.8%. Anxiety disorders appear to be caused by an interaction of biopsychosocial […]
The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the World Health Organization (WHO) describe carbohydrates as a major source of energy provided in the human diet, accounting for between 40 and 80% of the total energy requirements. On the other hand, there is a growing concern about the global rise in diet-related […]
According to current WHO guidelines, adults should consume less than 2,000 mg of sodium per day (i.e. about 5 grams of traditional table salt), and at least 3,510 mg of potassium per day.Dietary salt substitutes not only lower blood pressure but also have a clear impact on hard clinical endpoints, lowering the risk of myocardial […]
Depression affects 264 million persons in the world, accounting for some 4.3% of the global burden of disease. Major depressive disorder has significant potential morbidity and mortality, contributing to suicide, incidence and adverse outcomes of medical illness, disruption in interpersonal relationships, substance abuse, and lost work time. During 2009–2012, 7.6% of Americans aged 12 and […]
Vitamin D is a pro-hormone and an essential micronutrient, and although its classical roles are related to the regulation of calcium homeostasis, various types of immune cells express both the vitamin D receptor and metabolizing enzymes, suggesting that hormonal vitamin D could also play a role in modulating inflammatory responses. This is supported by an […]
Old adult population has been increasing thanks to longevity. The accompanying increased prevalences of chronic illnesses, loss of musculoskeletal mass, frailty, and bone fragility increase the risk of falls and fractures. Loss of independence increases the number of people needing full time institutionalized care, the source of around 30% of all hip fractures in the […]
The rising prevalence of childhood obesity in US children has led to a parallel rise in the prevalence of prediabetes and overt type 2 diabetes. Prediabetes is well characterized in adults but less so in children and adolescents: the factors that determine the progression of prediabetes to T2D or its reversion to normoglycemia are poorly […]