***TASK*** the task is to summarize an input biomedical literature in six sentences 
    ***INPUT*** the input is a biomedical literature 
    ***OUTPUT*** the output is the summary of an input biomedical literature in six sentences 
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    ***EXAMPLES*** 
    Input: BACKGROUND The appropriate dietary intervention for overweight persons with type 2 diabetes mellitus ( DM2 ) is unclear . Trials comparing the effectiveness of diets are frequently limited by short follow-up times and high dropout rates . AIM The effects of a low carbohydrate Mediterranean ( LCM ) , a traditional Mediterranean ( TM ) , and the 2003 American Diabetic Association ( ADA ) diet were compared , on health parameters during a 12-month period . METHODS In this 12-month trial , 259 overweight diabetic patients ( mean age 55 years , mean body mass index 31.4 kg/m(2 ) ) were r and omly assigned to one of the three diets . The primary end-points were reduction of fasting plasma glucose , HbA1c and triglyceride ( TG ) levels . RESULTS 194 patients out of 259 ( 74.9 % ) completed follow-up . After 12 months , the mean weight loss for all patients was 8.3 kg : 7.7 kg for ADA , 7.4 kg for TM and 10.1 kg for LCM diets . The reduction in HbA1c was significantly greater in the LCM diet than in the ADA diet ( -2.0 and -1.6 % , respectively , p < 0.022 ) . HDL cholesterol increased ( 0.1 mmol/l + /- 0.02 ) only on the LCM ( p < 0.002 ) . The reduction in serum TG was greater in the LCM ( -1.3 mmol/l ) and TM ( -1.5 mmol/l ) than in the ADA ( -0.7 mmol/l ) , p = 0.001 . CONCLUSIONS An intensive 12-month dietary intervention in a community-based setting was effective in improving most modifiable cardiovascular risk factors in all the dietary groups . Only the LCM improved HDL levels and was superior to both the ADA and TM in improving glycaemic control BACKGROUND Adherence to a Mediterranean diet may improve longevity , but relevant data are limited . METHODS We conducted a population -based , prospect i ve investigation involving 22,043 adults in Greece who completed an extensive , vali date d , food-frequency question naire at base line .  Adherence to the traditional Mediterranean diet was assessed by a 10-point Mediterranean-diet scale that incorporated the salient characteristics of this diet ( range of scores , 0 to 9 , with higher scores indicating greater adherence ) . We used proportional-hazards regression to assess the relation between adherence to the Mediterranean diet and total mortality , as well as mortality due to coronary heart disease and mortality due to cancer , with adjustment for age , sex , body-mass index , physical-activity level , and other potential confounders . RESULTS During a median of 44 months of follow-up , there were 275 deaths . A higher degree of adherence to the Mediterranean diet was associated with a reduction in total mortality ( adjusted hazard ratio for death associated with a two-point increment in the Mediterranean-diet score , 0.75 [ 95 percent confidence interval , 0.64 to 0.87 ] ) . An inverse association with greater adherence to this diet was evident for both death due to coronary heart disease ( adjusted hazard ratio , 0.67 [ 95 percent confidence interval , 0.47 to 0.94 ] ) and death due to cancer ( adjusted hazard ratio , 0.76 [ 95 percent confidence interval , 0.59 to 0.98 ] ) . Associations between individual food groups contributing to the Mediterranean-diet score and total mortality were generally not significant . CONCLUSIONS Greater adherence to the traditional Mediterranean diet is associated with a significant reduction in total mortality OBJECTIVE —The purpose of this study was to compare the effects of high – monounsaturated fatty acid ( MUFA ) and high-carbohydrate ( CHO ) diets on body weight and glycemic control in men and women with type 2 diabetes . RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS —Overweight/obese participants with type 2 diabetes ( n = 124 , age = 56.5 ± 0.8 years , BMI = 35.9 ± 0.3 kg/m2 , and A1C = 7.3 ± 0.1 % ) were r and omly assigned to 1 year of a high-MUFA or high-CHO diet . Anthropometric and metabolic parameters were assessed at baseline and after 4 , 8 , and 12 months of dieting . RESULTS —Baseline characteristics were similar between the treatment groups . The overall retention rate for 1 year was 77 % ( 69 % for the high-MUFA group and 84 % for the high-CHO group ; P = 0.06 ) . Based on food records , both groups had similar energy intake but a significant difference in MUFA intake . Both groups had similar weight loss over 1 year ( −4.0 ± 0.8 vs. −3.8 ± 0.6 kg ) and comparable improvement in body fat , waist circumference , diastolic blood pressure , HDL cholesterol , A1C , and fasting glucose and insulin . There were no differences in these parameters between the groups . A follow-up assessment of a subset of participants ( n = 36 ) was conducted 18 months after completion of the 52-week diet . These participants maintained their weight loss and A1C during the follow-up period . CONCLUSIONS —In individuals with type 2 diabetes  , high-MUFA diets are an alternative to conventional lower-fat , high-CHO diets with comparable beneficial effects on body weight , body composition , cardiovascular risk factors , and glycemic control BACKGROUND Although the typical diet of the Mediterranean region has received much recognition over the past several years for its association with substantial health benefits , it remains unknown whether its favorable effects are mediated through changes in adiponectin concentrations . OBJECTIVE The objective was to determine whether adherence to a Mediterranean-type diet is associated with higher plasma adiponectin concentrations . DESIGN This study was a prospect i ve and cross-sectional evaluation of plasma adiponectin concentrations and dietary data from 987 diabetic women from the Nurses ' Health Study who had no history of cardiovascular disease at the time blood was drawn in 1990 . RESULTS Women who scored highest on a 9-point scale that measures adherence to a Mediterranean-type dietary pattern tended to be older , were less likely to be current smokers , had lower body mass indexes and waist circumferences , and had higher total energy intakes , physical activities , and plasma adiponectin concentrations than did women with the lowest scores . Median plasma adiponectin concentrations were 23 % higher in women who most closely followed a Mediterranean-type diet than in low adherers after adjustment for age and energy intake ( P < 0.01 ) . Body composition , lifestyle , and medical history explained some , but not all , of the observed association between diet and adiponectin concentrations because high adherers tended to have greater adiponectin concentrations than did moderate or low adherers , even after adjustment for these variables . CONCLUSIONS Our data suggest that , of the several components of the Mediterranean dietary pattern score , alcohol , nuts , and whole grains show the strongest association with adiponectin concentrations . Close adherence to a Mediterranean-type diet is associated with higher adiponectin concentrations BACKGROUND Adherence to the Mediterranean diet ( Med-Diet ) is associated with a reduced risk of cardiovascular disease ( CVD ) . However , the molecular mechanisms involved are not fully understood . OBJECTIVE The objective was to compare the effects of 2 Med-Diets with those of a low-fat diet on immune cell activation and soluble inflammatory biomarkers related to atherogenesis in subjects at high risk of CVD . DESIGN In a controlled study , we r and omly assigned 112 older subjects with diabetes or > or =3 CVD risk factors to 3 dietary intervention groups : Med-Diet with supplemental virgin olive oil ( VOO ) , Med-Diet with supplemental nuts , and low-fat diet . Changes from baseline in cellular and serum inflammatory biomarkers were assessed at 3 mo . RESULTS One hundred six participants ( 43 % women ; average age : 68 y ) completed the study . At 3 mo , monocyte expression of CD49d , an adhesion molecule crucial for leukocyte homing , and of CD40 , a proinflammatory lig and , decreased ( P < 0.05 ) after both Med-Diets but not after the low-fat diet . Serum interleukin-6 and soluble intercellular adhesion molecule-1 , inflammatory mediators crucial in firm adhesion of leukocytes to endothelial surfaces , decreased ( P < 0.05 ) in both Med-Diet groups . Soluble vascular cellular adhesion molecule-1 and C-reactive protein decreased only after the Med-Diet with VOO ( P < 0.05 ) , whereas interleukin-6 , soluble vascular cellular adhesion molecule-1 , and soluble intercellular adhesion molecule-1 increased ( P < 0.05 ) after the low-fat diet . CONCLUSIONS Med-Diets supplemented with VOO or nuts down-regulate cellular and circulating inflammatory biomarkers related to atherogenesis in subjects at high risk of CVD . The results support the recommendation of the Med-Diet as a useful tool against CVD Background In an attempt to evaluate the levels of several cardiovascular risk factors in Greece we conducted a population -based health and nutrition survey , the " ATTICA study " . In this work we present the design and the methodology of the study , as well as the status of various baseline characteristics of the participants . Methods From May 2001 to December 2002 we r and omly enrolled 1514 adult men and 1528 adult women , stratified by age – gender ( census 2000 ) , from the greater area of Athens . More than 300 demographic , lifestyle , behavioral , dietary , clinical and biochemical variables have been recorded . Results Regarding the frequency of the classical cardiovascular risk factors we observed that 51 % of men and 39 % of women reported smokers ( p < 0.05 ) , 37 % of men and 25 % of women were defined as hypertensives ( p < 0.05 ) , 46 % of men and 40 % of women had total serum cholesterol levels above 200 mg/dl ( p < 0.05 ) and 8 % of men and 6 % of women had history of diabetes mellitus . Moreover , 20 % of men and 15 % of women were obese ( p < 0.05 ) , while men were more physically active as compared to women ( 42 % vs. 39 % , p < 0.05 ) . 19 % of men and 38 % of women had mild to severe depressive symptoms ( p < 0.01 ) . Finally , 72 men ( 5 % ) and 45 ( 3 % ) women reported history of coronary heart disease at entry evaluation . Conclusions The prevalence of the common cardiovascular risk factors in our population seems high . As a consequence a considerable proportion of Greek adults are at " high-risk " for future cardiovascular events OBJECTIVE Few multiple lifestyle behavior change programs have been design ed to reduce the risk of coronary heart disease in postmenopausal women with type 2 diabetes . This study tested the effectiveness of the Mediterranean Lifestyle Program ( MLP ) , a comprehensive lifestyle self-management program ( Mediterranean low-saturated fat diet , stress management training , exercise , group support , and smoking cessation ) , in reducing cardiovascular risk factors in postmenopausal women with type 2 diabetes . RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS Postmenopausal women with type 2 diabetes ( n = 279 ) were r and omized to either usual care ( control ) or treatment ( MLP ) conditions . MLP participants took part in an initial 3-day retreat , followed by 6 months of weekly meetings , to learn and practice program components . Biological end points were changes in HbA(1c ) , lipid profiles , BMI , blood pressure , plasma fatty acids , and flexibility . Impact on quality of life was assessed . RESULTS Multivariate ANCOVAs revealed significantly greater improvements in the MLP condition compared with the usual care group on HbA(1c ) , BMI , plasma fatty acids , and quality of life at the 6-month follow-up . Patterns favoring intervention were seen in lipids , blood pressure , and flexibility but did not reach statistical significance . CONCLUSIONS These results demonstrate that postmenopausal women with type 2 diabetes can make comprehensive lifestyle changes that may lead to clinical ly significant improvements in glycemic control , some coronary heart disease risk factors , and quality of life Abstract Aim The aim of the study was to compare the effect of different dietary interventions on alanine aminotransferase ( ALT ) in obese patients with diabetes . Methods A post hoc analysis of an open label , parallel design , quasi-r and omised ( allocation by alternation ) , controlled trial , conducted in Israel . Obese patients with diabetes ( n = 259 ) , treated in the community , were central ly allocated to one of three diets : ( 1 ) the 2003 recommended American Diabetes Association diet ( ADA ) : 50–55 % carbohydrate ,  
    Output:
    
The evidence so far accumulated suggests that adopting a Mediterranean diet may help prevent type 2 diabetes , and also improve glycaemic control and cardiovascular risk in persons with established diabetes