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Early-life onset of high blood pressure is associated with the development of cardiovascular diseases in adulthood. In adolescents, limited evidence exists regarding the association between adherence to the Mediterranean Diet (MedDiet) and normal blood pressure (BP) levels, as well as its potential to modulate genetic predisposition to HTN. This study investigated the interaction between a MedDiet score and a recently developed HTN-genetic risk score (HTN-GRS) on blood pressure levels in a European adolescent cohort. The MedDiet score was derived from two non-consecutive 24-h dietary recalls and ranged from 0 (indicating low adherence) to 9 (indicating high adherence). Multiple linear regression models, adjusted for covariates, were employed to examine the relationship between the MedDiet score and BP z-scores and to assess the interaction effects between the MedDiet score and HTN-GRS on BP z-scores. MedDiet score showed a negative association with z-systolic BP (SBP) (ß = -0.40, p < 0.001) and z-diastolic BP (DBP) (ß = -0.29, p = 0.001). Additionally, a significant interaction effect was identified between the MedDiet score and HTN-GRS on z-SBP (ß = 0.02, p < 0.001) and z-DBP (ß = 0.02, p < 0.001). The modulatory effect of the MedDiet was more pronounced in females than in males, and HTN-GRS exhibited a stronger influence on DBP than on SBP.   Conclusion: The study suggests that higher adherence to the MedDiet is associated with reduced BP levels in adolescents and provides evidence of a genetic-diet interaction influencing BP in adolescents. What is Known: • Adherence to the Mediterranean diet may reduce BP levels. What is New: • It is the first study to assess the connection between adherence to a Mediterranean diet, a hypertension genetic risk score, and how they interact in influencing blood pressure. • It is conducted within a multicenter cohort of European adolescents., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Background: Hepatic disorders are often complex and multifactorial, modulated by genetic and environmental determinants. During the last years, the hepatic disease has been progressively established from early stages in life. The use of genetic risk scores (GRS) to predict the genetic susceptibility to a particular phenotype among youth has gained interest in recent years. Moreover, the alanine aminotransferase (ALT) blood biomarker is often considered as hepatic screening tool, in combination with imaging techniques. The aim of the present study was to develop an ALT-specific GRS to help in the evaluation of hepatic damage risk in European adolescents., Methods: A total of 972 adolescents (51.3% females), aged 12.5-17.5 years, from the Healthy Lifestyle in Europe by Nutrition in Adolescence study were included in the analyses. The sample incorporated adolescents in all body mass index (BMI) categories and was divided considering healthy/unhealthy ALT levels, using sex-specific cut-off points. From 1212 a priori ALT-related single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) extracted from candidate gene selection, a first screening of 234 SNPs univariately associated was established, selecting seven significant SNPs (p < .05) in the multivariate model. An unweighted GRS (uGRS) was developed by summing the number of reference alleles, and a weighted GRS (wGRS), by multiplying each allele to its estimated coefficient., Results: The uGRS and wGRS were significantly associated with ALT (p < .001). The area under curve was obtained integrating BMI as clinical factor, improving the predictive ability for uGRS (.7039) and wGRS (.7035), using 10-fold internal cross-validation., Conclusions: Considering BMI status, both GRSs could contribute as complementary tools to help in the early diagnosis of hepatic damage risk in European adolescents., (© 2023 The Authors. European Journal of Clinical Investigation published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Stichting European Society for Clinical Investigation Journal Foundation.)

Background: Although walkability is known to be associated with obesity and hypertension through increased physical activity; data on cardiovascular risk factors (especially in the Europe) are scarce. We assessed the relationship between neighbourhood walkability and cardiometabolic factors (including obesity, hypertension, the blood lipid profile, and serum glycated haemoglobin (HbA1c) levels) among adults living in northern France., Methods: Data were extracted from the ELISABET study database (2011-2013). The participants (aged between 40 and 65) resided in or around the cities of Lille and Dunkirk. For each residential address, we determined a neighbourhood walkability index (using a geographic information system) and the Walk Score®. Multilevel linear and logistic models were used to assess the relationships between neighbourhood walkability on one hand and body mass index (BMI), obesity, blood pressure, hypertension, serum HDLC, LDL-C, triglyceride and HbA1c levels, and physical activity level on the other., Results: 3218 participants were included. After adjusting for individual and neighbourhood variables, we found that a higher neighbourhood walkability index was associated with a lower BMI (-0.23 kg.m -2 ; 95% confidence interval (CI) [-0.44;-0.01] for a one interquartile range (IQR) increment), a lower systolic blood pressure (-1.66 mmHg; 95% CI [-2.46;-0.85] per IQR), a lower prevalence of hypertension (% of increase: -7.12, 95% CI [-13.56;-0.52] per IQR), and a higher prevalence of moderate or high physical activity (% of increase = 6.9; 95% CI [1.2;12.72] per IQR). The walkability index was not significantly associated with other cardiovascular risk factors. Similar results were observed for the Walk Score®., Conclusion: Our results showed that residence in a more walkable neighbourhood was associated with a lower prevalence of vascular risk factors. Promoting neighbourhood walkability might help to improve the population's cardiovascular health., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare the following financial interests/personal relationships which may be considered as potential competing interests: Luc Dauchet contributed to an expert report commissioned by Lille European metropole “Rapport d’expertise à propos de la localisation de la piscine du projet d’aménagement de la gare Saint Sauveur à Lille” [Expert report on the location of the swimming pool in the Saint Sauveur station development project in Lille] but did not receive any personal fees. The other authors declare that they have no competing interest., (Copyright © 2021 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)