Nut and legume consumption and human health: an umbrella review of observational studies

Daniela Martini¹, Justyna Godos², Stefano Marventano³, Maria Tieri⁴, Francesca Ghelfi^{5

6}, Lucilla Titta⁴, Alessandra Lafranconi^{7

8}, Helena Trigueiro⁶, Angelo Gambera⁹, Elena Alonzo¹⁰, Salvatore Sciacca¹¹, Silvio Buscemi¹², Sumantra Ray^{6

13

14

15}, Fabio Galvano², Daniele Del Rio^{6

16

17}, Giuseppe Grosso^{2

6}

Affiliations

¹ Department of Food, Environmental, and Nutritional Sciences, Università degli Studi di Milano, Milan, Italy.
² Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, University of Catania, Catania, Italy.
³ Childhood and Adolescent Department, Rimini Women's Health, AUSL Romagna, Rimini, Italy.
⁴ SmartFood Program, Department of Experimental Oncology, IEO, European Institute of Oncology IRCCS, Milan, Italy.
⁵ Fondazione De Marchi-Department of Pediatrics, IRCCS Ca' Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Milan, Italy.
⁶ NNEdPro Global Centre for Nutrition and Health, St John's Innovation Centre, Cambridge, UK.
⁷ University of Milano - Bicocca, Milan, Italy.
⁸ Care and Public Health Research Institute, Maastricht University, Maastricht, the Netherlands.
⁹ Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria Policlinico-Vittorio Emanuele, Catania, Italy.
¹⁰ Food and Nutrition Security and Public Health Service, ASP Catania, Catania, Italy.
¹¹ Integrated Cancer Registry of Catania-Messina-Siracusa-Enna, Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria Policlinico-Vittorio Emanuele, Catania, Italy.
¹² Biomedical Department of Internal and Specialist Medicine (DIBIMIS), University of Palermo, Palermo, Italy.
¹³ Wolfson College, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK.
¹⁴ Nutrition Innovation Centre for Food and Health, Ulster University, Coleraine, UK.
¹⁵ Human Nutrition Research Unit, Medical Research Council (MRC), Cambridge, UK.
¹⁶ Human Nutrition Unit, Department of Veterinary Science, University of Parma, Parma, Italy.
¹⁷ School of Advanced Studies on Food and Nutrition, University of Parma, Parma, Italy.

PMID: 33541169
DOI: 10.1080/09637486.2021.1880554

Nut and legume consumption and human health: an umbrella review of observational studies

Daniela Martini et al. Int J Food Sci Nutr. 2021 Nov.

. 2021 Nov;72(7):871-878.

doi: 10.1080/09637486.2021.1880554. Epub 2021 Feb 4.

Authors

Affiliations

¹ Department of Food, Environmental, and Nutritional Sciences, Università degli Studi di Milano, Milan, Italy.
² Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, University of Catania, Catania, Italy.
³ Childhood and Adolescent Department, Rimini Women's Health, AUSL Romagna, Rimini, Italy.
⁴ SmartFood Program, Department of Experimental Oncology, IEO, European Institute of Oncology IRCCS, Milan, Italy.
⁵ Fondazione De Marchi-Department of Pediatrics, IRCCS Ca' Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Milan, Italy.
⁶ NNEdPro Global Centre for Nutrition and Health, St John's Innovation Centre, Cambridge, UK.
⁷ University of Milano - Bicocca, Milan, Italy.
⁸ Care and Public Health Research Institute, Maastricht University, Maastricht, the Netherlands.
⁹ Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria Policlinico-Vittorio Emanuele, Catania, Italy.
¹⁰ Food and Nutrition Security and Public Health Service, ASP Catania, Catania, Italy.
¹¹ Integrated Cancer Registry of Catania-Messina-Siracusa-Enna, Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria Policlinico-Vittorio Emanuele, Catania, Italy.
¹² Biomedical Department of Internal and Specialist Medicine (DIBIMIS), University of Palermo, Palermo, Italy.
¹³ Wolfson College, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK.
¹⁴ Nutrition Innovation Centre for Food and Health, Ulster University, Coleraine, UK.
¹⁵ Human Nutrition Research Unit, Medical Research Council (MRC), Cambridge, UK.
¹⁶ Human Nutrition Unit, Department of Veterinary Science, University of Parma, Parma, Italy.
¹⁷ School of Advanced Studies on Food and Nutrition, University of Parma, Parma, Italy.

PMID: 33541169
DOI: 10.1080/09637486.2021.1880554

Abstract

Consumption of nuts and legumes has been associated with several health benefits. The aim of this study was to systematically review existing meta-analyses of observational studies on nut and legume intake and non-communicable diseases, and assess the level of evidence. Out of the six meta-analyses focussed on legume and 15 on nut intake, a possible association with decreased risk of colorectal adenoma and coronary heart disease was found for higher legume consumption, and a decreased risk of cardiovascular and cancer mortality, colon cancer, hypertension and ischaemic stroke for higher nut consumption. The association between legume consumption and cardiovascular diseases (CVDs), as well as nut consumption and risk of cancer, CVD incidence and all-cause mortality, was deemed as "limited" due to heterogeneity between results and/or potential confounding factors. General benefit towards better health can be observed for nut and legume consumption. Further studies are needed to better elucidate potential confounding factors.

Keywords: Nut; cancer; cardiovascular disease; coronary heart diseases; legume; meta-analysis; umbrella review.

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Nut and legume consumption and human health: an umbrella review of observational studies

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Nut and legume consumption and human health: an umbrella review of observational studies

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