Institute of Biomedicine, Research Area for Women's Health, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Católica de Santiago de Guayaquil, Guayaquil, Ecuador.
Climacteric. 2013 Aug;16 Suppl 1:85-95. doi: 10.3109/13697137.2013.802884.
Interactions between genetic (genome) and environmental factors (epigenome) operate during a person's entire lifespan. The aging process is associated with several cellular and organic functional alterations that, at the end, cause multi-organic cell failure. Epigenetic mechanisms of aging are modifiable by appropriate preventive actions mediated by sirtuins, caloric input, diet components, adipose tissue-related inflammatory reactions, and physical activity. The Mediterranean lifestyle has been for many millennia a daily habit for people in Western civilizations living around the Mediterranean sea who worked intensively and survived with very few seasonal foods. A high adherence to the traditional Mediterranean diet is associated with low mortality (higher longevity) and reduced risk of developing chronic diseases, including cancer, the metabolic syndrome, depression and cardiovascular and neurodegenerative diseases. Reports indicate that some dietary components, such as olive oil, antioxidants, omega-3 and -6 polyunsaturated acids, polyphenols and flavonoids, mediate beneficial anti-aging effects (anti-chronic diseases and increased longevity). Equally, physical activity displays a positive effect, producing caloric consumption and regulation of adipose and pancreatic function. The predictive strength of some food patterns may be a way of developing recommendations for food and health policies. This paper will discuss several ways of improving health during mid-life, focusing on certain groups of functional foods and healthy habits which may reduce or prevent age-related chronic diseases.
遗传（基因组）和环境因素（表观基因组）之间的相互作用在人的一生过程中发挥作用。衰老过程与多种细胞和有机功能改变有关，最终导致多器官细胞衰竭。衰老的表观遗传机制可以通过适当的预防措施来改变，这些预防措施通过 sirtuins、热量摄入、饮食成分、脂肪组织相关炎症反应和体育活动来介导。地中海式生活方式是几千年来生活在地中海周围的西方文明人民的日常生活习惯，他们工作强度大，仅靠很少的季节性食物生存。高度遵循传统的地中海饮食与低死亡率（更高的寿命）和降低患慢性疾病的风险相关，包括癌症、代谢综合征、抑郁症以及心血管和神经退行性疾病。报告表明，一些饮食成分，如橄榄油、抗氧化剂、ω-3 和 ω-6 多不饱和脂肪酸、多酚和类黄酮，介导有益的抗衰老作用（预防慢性疾病和延长寿命）。同样，体育活动也有积极的影响，产生热量消耗并调节脂肪和胰腺功能。某些食物模式的预测强度可能是制定食物和健康政策建议的一种方式。本文将讨论在中年期间改善健康的几种方法，重点关注某些功能性食品组和健康习惯，这些习惯可能会减少或预防与年龄相关的慢性疾病。
