Inulin-type fructans supplementation and cardiovascular disease risk factors

Abstract

Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) are a leading cause of mortality worldwide, with obesity being a major contributor due to unhealthy dietary habits and sedentary lifestyles. Poor dietary habits increase the risk of obesity, diabetes, hypertension, and other CVDs. However, a new concept called functional food has emerged as a potential solution to this problem. Functional foods are those that provide health benefits beyond basic nutrition and can reduce the risk of diseases. Prebiotics, like inulin-type fructans (ITF), are considered functional foods. These ITFs have been extensively studied and are the only prebiotics that have generated sufficient evidence to enable a comprehensive assessment of their potential as functional food components. They are commonly used in various food products, such as biscuits, bread, cereals, confectionery, drinks, infant feeds, sauces, table spreads, and yogurts, to improve organoleptic quality and a better-balanced nutritional composition. However, the available evidence provides conflicting results regarding the beneficial effects of ITF on health. Given the increased use of ITF in the food industry, we conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis (SRMA) to assess their effects on CVD risk factors. In this thesis, we first describe the methods used in the SRMA, which were published in a peer-reviewed journal. Subsequently, we present the results of the SRMA. The next two chapters discuss the reporting quality of randomized trials and abstracts of randomized controlled trials included in our SRMA. Finally, we summarize the methodological contributions of this thesis. Through our work, we hope to contribute to the growing body of evidence regarding the use of functional foods like ITF as a means of reducing the risk of CVDs and promoting healthier dietary habits.