Publications by authors named "Tania Fernandez-Villa"

Background/objective: The relationship between food consumption and environmental sustainability is becoming increasingly evident. The aim of this study was to estimate the evolution of the environmental impact of food consumption in the Spanish population, assessed in terms of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.

Methods: Data collected from the Household Budget Survey were included, from approximately 24,000 households for the period of 2006-2023.

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Background: 10% of postmenopausal breast cancer cases are attributed to a high body mass index (BMI). BMI underestimates body fat, particularly in older women, and therefore the cancer burden attributable to obesity may be even higher. However, this is not clear.

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Article Synopsis
  • The study investigates the genetic factors linked to severe COVID-19, specifically focusing on hospitalized cases in admixed Americans.
  • Researchers conducted the largest genome-wide association study (GWAS) for COVID-19 hospitalization in this population, identifying four significant genetic associations, including two novel loci found in Latin Americans.
  • The findings highlight the importance of including diverse populations in genomic research, aiming to improve understanding of genetic risks associated with COVID-19 across different ethnic groups.
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Aims: This study aims to identify a posteriori dietary patterns with a sex approach and to evaluate their association with metabolic syndrome criteria.

Methods: Cross-sectional study conducted in 6821 men and women between 55 and 75 years of age. Forty-two food groups were analyzed from dietary information collected with food frequency questionnaires, using principal component analysis and cluster analysis and then information from both statistical methods was compared.

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The objective of this cross-sectional study was to explore sleep patterns and the potential relationship between sleep and tryptophan intake among Spanish university students. A total of 11,485 students self-reported their sleep and dietary patterns and habits. Tryptophan intake was calculated using a food intake matrix and results were presented as quartiles of total intake.

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The aim of this study was to evaluate the possible impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on prevalence rates and self-reported changes in patterns of alcohol use among first-year university students in Spain, considering the risk of problematic alcohol use. A serial cross-sectional study based on the uniHcos project was carried out. Data from 10 518 first-year university students (73.

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Background: The role of diet quality on malnutrition in older adults is uncertain, due the paucity of the research conducted and the use of use of screening tools that did not consider phenotypic criteria of malnutrition.

Objective: To evaluate the association of two indices of diet quality, namely the Mediterranean Diet Adherence Screener (MEDAS) and the Alternative Healthy Eating Index (AHEI-2010), with malnutrition among community-dwelling older adults in Spain.

Methods: Cross-sectional analysis of data from 1921 adults aged ≥ 60 years from the Seniors-ENRICA-1 (SE-1) study, and 2652 adults aged ≥ 65 years from the Seniors-ENRICA-2 (SE-2) study.

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Background: Neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1) is one of the most common RASopathies predisposing affected patients to melanic lesions and benign tumors. NF1 is associated with considerable esthetic and functional burden negatively affecting the patient's quality of life (QoL). This study aims to assess the clinical features of NF1 patients and evaluate their impact on QoL.

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Objective: The first COVID-19 lockdown was a very restrictive situation that may have impacted on the prevalence and patterns of cannabis use. The aim of this systematic review was to assess the evidence on cannabis use and reasons for use in different countries during first lockdown in young adults and general population.

Methods: This study followed PRISMA guidelines, and the review protocol was registered in PROSPERO (registration CRD42022303181).

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Article Synopsis
  • The study investigates the impact of cigarette smoking on breast cancer risk, highlighting the conflicting effects it may have due to its carcinogenic and antiestrogenic properties.
  • Analysis from a large population-based study involving 1733 breast cancer cases and 1903 controls revealed that smoking increases the risk of premenopausal breast cancer, especially in long-term smokers (≥30 years).
  • Conversely, for postmenopausal women, smoking may lower the risk of breast cancer, particularly in those who have stopped smoking for at least 10 years, indicating that menopausal status significantly influences the relationship between smoking and breast cancer risk.
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Elderly care home residents are particularly vulnerable to COVID-19 due to immune-senescence, pre-existing medical conditions, and the risk of transmission from staff and visitors. This study aimed to describe the outcomes of a COVID-19 outbreak in a long-term care facility for elderly persons following the initial vaccination. A single-center, retrospective, observational design was used to analyze the variables associated with hospitalization and death rate by logistic regression.

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  • The World Health Organization estimates that 20% of university students have faced major depressive disorder, and factors like low omega-3 fatty acids and vitamin D, found in fish, may play a role in depression.
  • A study surveyed 11,485 Spanish university students to assess the prevalence of depression and fish consumption habits, finding a 10.5% depression rate, particularly among women, older students, and those living away from home.
  • The research indicated that 67% of students met fish intake recommendations, with 44.2% consuming fish 1-2 times per week; low fish consumption was linked to an increased risk of depression, but individual circumstances were the most significant factors influencing disorder development.
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Background: Cardiovascular events such as myocardial infarction and stroke are life-threatening complications associated with Neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1). As previous studies observed an association between cardiovascular events and the loss of circadian variations of blood pressure, we investigated the 24 h circadian rhythm of blood pressure (BP) in 24 NF1 patients (10 males and 14 females, with a mean age of 39.5 years ± 14 years) by using ambulatory blood pressure monitoring (ABPM).

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  • The study investigated the link between artificial sweeteners (AS) like aspartame and certain cancers, using a population sample from the MCC-Spain study, which included various cancer cases and controls.
  • Overall, the research found no significant association between AS consumption and cancer risk; however, some links were observed specifically for participants with diabetes.
  • High consumption of aspartame was correlated with an increased risk of stomach cancer, while a lower risk was noted for breast cancer in the same group, highlighting the need for cautious interpretation due to small sample sizes for certain cancers.
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The objective of this research was to study the relationship between the body weight and diet, physical activity, and other habits among freshmen students by sex, and to determine whether these habits have changed during the post-era of the COVID-19 pandemic. A serial cross-sectional study with data from 11 Spanish universities was carried out. In total, 10,096 first-year university students (73.

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Background & Aims: Higher consumption of coffee and caffeine has been linked to less weight gain and lower body mass index in prospective cohort studies. The aim of the study was to longitudinally assess the association of changes in coffee and caffeine intake with changes in fat tissue, in particular, visceral adipose tissue (VAT) using dual x-ray absorptiometry (DXA).

Methods: In the setting of a large, randomized trial of Mediterranean diet and physical activity intervention, we evaluated 1483 participants with metabolic syndrome (MetS).

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Physical function is one of the most important constructs assessed in health-related quality of life (HRQOL), and it could be very useful to assess movement ability from the perspective of the patient. The objective of this study was to compare the content of the domains related to mobility covered by the HRQOL questionnaires based on the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF) and to evaluate their quality according to the COnsensus-based Standards for the selection of health Measurement INstruments (COSMIN) guidance. For this, a systematic review was carried out in the databases Scopus, Web of Science and Science Direct.

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Among university students there has been evidence that the COVID-19 pandemic increased their psychological distress, exacerbated by social restrictions. The main objective of this study was to explore the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the prevalence and patterns of cannabis use among university students, in contrast to previous trends since 2012. Data from 10,522 first-year university students (73.

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Circadian nutritional behaviors, defined by the daily eating/fasting cycle, have been linked with breast cancer. This study aimed to further disentangle the association of nighttime fasting duration and time of breakfast with breast cancer risk. We analyzed data from 1,181 breast cancer cases and 1,326 population controls from the Spanish multicase-control study (MCC-Spain), 2008-2013.

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Background: During adolescence and youth there are relevant changes in the consolidation, gain or loss of consumption habits and lifestyles and the family factors has a fundamental role to development these habits. The study of the consumption of toxins, such as alcohol intake, is crucial at this stage due to the repercussions that said consumption presents in adulthood. Therefore, the objective of our study was to evaluate the associations between alcohol consumption patterns and related family factors (family functioning, family history of alcohol consumption) in Spanish university students.

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Article Synopsis
  • A genome-wide study involving nearly 12,000 COVID-19 positive cases in Spain identified significant genetic variants linked to hospitalization, with specific loci associated with males (3p21.31, 21q22.11) and females (9q21.32 near TLE1).
  • A second phase combined data with an additional cohort, revealing two new risk loci (9p13.3, 19q13.12) related to candidate genes AQP3 and ARHGAP33, and confirmed earlier findings in males for some loci.
  • The analysis highlighted genetic differences in COVID-19 severity between sexes and ages, with more pronounced heritability in males, particularly those over
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Neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1) predisposes to the development of dermal and plexiform neurofibromas and serum of NF1 patients stimulates neurofibroma proliferation in vitro. This study aimed to determine whether, in NF1 patients, serum levels of midkine (MK) and fibroblast growth factor 2 (FGF2) were associated with the number and/or type of neurofibromas. In addition, their concentrations were correlated with serum levels of dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate (DHEAS), a neurosteroid secreted by the peripheral nervous system.

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The aim of the study was to examine the association of alcohol consumption patterns (hazardous alcohol use and binge drinking) and the use of emergency services and primary care consultations in university students. An observational, descriptive, cross-sectional study was conducted at eleven Spanish universities collaborating within the uniHcos Project. University students completed an online questionnaire that assessed hazardous alcohol use and binge drinking using the AUDIT questionnaire and evaluated the use of emergency services and primary care.

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Objective: Discrimination during vital moments, such as the university period, can generate a high impact on people's behavior and health. The aim of this study was to analyze the possible association of discrimination with perceived health and with different risk behaviors, as well as to describe gender differences in Spanish university students. Discrimination during vital moments, such as college, can have a high impact on people's behavior and health.

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(i) analyze connectivity between subgroups of university students, (ii) assess which bridges of relational contacts are essential for connecting or disconnecting subgroups and (iii) to explore the similarities between the attributes of the subgroup nodes in relation to the pandemic context. During the COVID-19 pandemic, young university students have experienced significant changes in their relationships, especially in the halls of residence. Previous research has shown the importance of relationship structure in contagion processes.

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