Conceição Calhau

• Associate Professor with Aggregation, Nova Medical School, Nova University of Lisbon
• Principal Investigator at University of Porto

Appetite, as the internal drive for food intake, is often dysregulated in a broad spectrum of conditions associated with over- and under-nutrition across the lifespan. Appetite regulation is a complex, integrative process comprising psychological and behavioral events, peripheral and metabolic inputs, and central neurotransmitter and metabolic inte...

The COVID-19 pandemic lockdowns affected the lifestyles of children and adolescents, leading to an increase in childhood obesity. Paediatric patients with familial hypercholesterolemia (FH) may be more susceptible to lockdown effects due to their increased cardiovascular risk. However, data are lacking. We investigated the effect of lockdowns on th...

Background/Objectives The escalating obesity epidemic necessitates effective, sustainable weight loss (WL) and maintenance strategies. This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of the Weight Loss Maintenance 3 Phases Program (WLM3P) in achieving a clinically significant long-term weight loss (WL) (≥5% initial WL at 18 months) in adults with ob...

Breast cancer (BC) patients face several physical and psychological problems, such as anxiety, depression, and cognitive dysfunction. The disease and treatments can also impact the microbiota, leading to cognitive and psychological issues and, consequently, affecting quality-of-life (QoL). This ongoing study (the “BioBreast Brain Study”) aims to c...

Locally advanced breast cancer poses significant challenges to the multidisciplinary team, in particular with hormone receptor (HR) positive, HER2-negative tumors that classically yield lower pathological complete responses with chemotherapy. The increasingly significant use of CDK 4/6 inhibitors (CDK4/6i) plus endocrine therapy (ET) in different b...

Cardiovascular diseases are the main cause of mortality worldwide. Patients with phenylketonuria (PKU) may be at increased cardiovascular risk. This review provides an overview of clinical and metabolic cardiovascular risk factors, explores the connections between body composition (including fat mass and ectopic fat) and cardiovascular risk, and ex...

Adult patients with several Inherited Metabolic Diseases (IMD) follow diets controlled in proteins, rich in carbohydrates, and free amino acids formulae, which cause hyperinsulinism and ectopic fat. Previous studies showed IMD adult patients have a higher prevalence of metabolic syndrome and their complications [1]. Recently, ultrasound [US) has be...

Introduction Empowerment lifestyle programs are needed to reduce the risk of hypertension. Our study compared the effectiveness of two empowerment-based approaches toward blood pressure (BP) reduction: salt reduction-specific program vs. healthy lifestyle general program. Methods Three hundred and eleven adults (median age of 44 years, IQR 34–54 y...

Although elevated blood levels of trimethylamine N -oxide (TMAO) have been associated with atherosclerosis development in humans, the role of its gut microbiota-derived precursor, TMA, in this process has not been yet deciphered. Taking this into account, and the fact that increased intestinal fatty acid absorption contributes to atherosclerosis on...

Fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) is indicated in many countries for patients with multiple recurrences of Clostridioides difficile infection (CDI) for whom appropriate antibiotic treatments have failed. Donor selection is a demanding and rigorous process in view of the implementation of FMT programs worldwide. One of the most noteworthy facto...

Simple Summary Cobalt (Co), copper (Cu), manganese (Mn), molybdenum (Mo), and zinc (Zn) are essential trace elements (ETEs) important in cellular chemical reactions and antioxidant defense. Ingestion of ETEs during pregnancy is crucial but their role in specific pregnancy outcomes is largely unknown. This study aimed to quantify urinary levels of t...

Early-life gut dysbiosis has been associated with an increased risk of inflammatory, metabolic, and immune diseases later in life. Data on gut microbiota changes in infants undergoing intestinal surgery requiring enterostomy are scarce. This prospective cohort study examined the enterostomy effluent of 29 infants who underwent intestinal surgery du...

Exposure to environmental chemicals during developmental stages can result in several adverse outcomes. In this study, the exposure of Portuguese children to Cu, Co, I, Mo, Mn, Ni, As, Sb, Cd, Pb, Sn and Tl was evaluated through the analysis of first morning urine through ICP-MS. Furthermore, we attempted to determine possible exposure predictors....

Fatty acids (FA) are biomarkers of metabolic dysfunction. Adipose tissue is the largest reservoir of FA and acts differently in obese individuals. Menopause by itself significantly alters metabolism, lipid metabolism dysregulation, and adipose tissue distribution. How adipose tissue FA alters an obese individual's metabolism depending on a female's...

Background and Aims Although gut inflammation and dysbiosis have been implicated in the pathophysiology of severe cases of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), the role of intestinal anti-inflammatory enzymes, such as alkaline phosphatase, is still underexplored. Therefore, the aim of this study was to compare intestinal alkaline phosphatase (iALP)...

Obesity is a worldwide multifactorial disease linked to persistent pollutants exposure amongst other factors. Humans are daily exposed to an assort of pollutants, such as polychlorinated biphenyls, brominated flame retardants and synthetic musks. These, also known as endocrine disruptors, were all found in human adipose tissue, the preferable matri...

Background Subjects with obesity exhibit changes in gut microbiota composition and function (i.e. dysbiosis) that contribute to metabolic dysfunction, including appetite impairment. Although bariatric surgery is an effective treatment for obesity with a great impact on weight loss, some subjects show weight regain due to increased energy intake aft...

Background/objectives: Indole-3-propionic acid (IPA) is a tryptophan-derived microbial metabolite that has been associated with protective effects against inflammatory and metabolic diseases. However, there is a lack of knowledge regarding the effects of IPA under physiological conditions and at the intestinal level. Materials/methods: Human int...

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are environmentally persistent organic pollutants formed during incomplete combustion and pyrolysis processes. Humans are continuously exposed to PAHs which are linked to severe health effects such as diabetes, cancer, infertility, and poor foetal development, amongst others. PAHs are lipophilic compounds pro...

Blueberry extracts have been widely recognized as possessing antimicrobial activity against several potential pathogens. However, the contextualization of the interaction of these extracts with beneficial bacteria (i.e., probiotics), particularly when considering the food applications of these products, may be of importance, not only because their...

The aims of this study were to characterize the exposure of pregnant women living in Portugal to 3-phenoxybenzoic acid (3-PBA) and to evaluate the association of this exposure with maternal outcomes and newborn anthropometric measures. We also aimed to compare exposure in summer with exposure in winter. Pregnant women attending ultrasound scans fro...

Adipose tissue dysfunction is a key mechanism that leads to adiposity-based chronic disease. This study aimed to investigate the feasibility of the adiponectin/leptin ratio (AdipoQ/Lep) as an adipose tissue and metabolic function biomarker in adults with obesity, without diabetes. Data were collected from a clinical trial conducted in 28 adults wit...

Several reports on the biological activity of anthocyanin-rich extracts have been made. However, despite the association of said activity with their anthocyanin content, to the best of our knowledge, there are no previous works regarding the antimicrobial, antibiofilm and/or antiadhesive properties of anthocyanins alone. Therefore, the present work...

The goal of this work was to examine whether elevated iodine intake was associated with adverse effects on IQ among school-age children in Portugal. In a representative sample of children from the north of the country, IQ percentiles by age (assessed with Raven’s Colored Progressive Matrices) were dichotomized to <50 (“below-average” IQs) and ≥50....

Several arguments have been made to substantiate the need for natural antimicrobials for the food industry. With blueberry extracts, the most compelling are both their healthy connotation and the possibility of obtaining a multipurpose solution that can be an antioxidant, colorant, and antimicrobial. From an antimicrobial perspective, as blueberry/...

Background Physicians have a critical role in promoting healthy behaviors, a cost-effective intervention that results in reduction of disease morbidity and mortality. It is essential that medical students have a nutritional education that allows them to correctly inform their patients. At NOVA Medical School (NMS), NOVA University of Lisbon, nutrit...

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are ubiquitous global pollutants that are lipophilic, bioaccumulative and can be both endocrine disruptors and carcinogens. In this study, we measured 18 PAHs among decapod shrimp samples (Palaemon spp.) collected during the spring and autumn from multiple locations along the Portuguese coastal, including loc...

Gut microbiota modulation might constitute a mechanism mediating the effects of beer on health. In this randomized, double-blinded, two-arm parallel trial, 22 healthy men were recruited to drink 330 mL of nonalcoholic beer (0.0% v/v) or alcoholic beer (5.2% v/v) daily during a 4-week follow-up period. Blood and faecal samples were collected before...

Background & aims: Although intermittent energy restriction (IER) seems to be as effective as continuous energy restriction (CER) for weight loss, there is still a need to determine the putative effect of this strategy upon the metabolic-inflammatory status. This study aimed to compare the effects of IER versus CER on cardiometabolic and inflammat...

Purpose: After a recommendation for iodine supplementation in pregnancy has been issued in 2013 in Portugal, there were no studies covering iodine status in pregnancy in the country. The aim of this study was to assess iodine status in pregnant women in Porto region and its association with iodine supplementation. Methods: A cross-sectional stud...

BACKGROUND AND AIMS Nutritional status management and rehabilitation are significant concern treating maintenance haemodialysis (HD) patients. Oral nutritional supplements are essential to complement insufficient dietary intake, namely of energy and protein, and to rehabilitate a patient's nutritional status. Therefore, the objective of this prelim...

Two shrimp species were sampled in different seasons and locations on Portuguese coast. Their fatty acid content and 28 essential, probably essential and potentially toxic/non-essential elements were quantified. A 100 g serving of shrimp muscle from the Portuguese coast provides 78% of the recommended daily intake. Both species presented low ω-6/ω-...

Intestinal alkaline phosphatase (IALP) has recently assumed a special relevance, being the subject of study in the prevention and treatment of certain diseases related to leaky gut. This brush border enzyme (ecto-enzyme) plays an important role in the maintenance of intestinal microbial homeostasis and intestinal barrier function through its abilit...

Brominated flame retardants (BFRs) are persistent environmental pollutants, allowing a constant human exposure which carries several health risks, including the occurrence of breast cancer and vitamin D deficiency. Vitamin D inhibits cell growth and is negatively associated with breast cancer risk. The effect of BFRs in breast cancer and vitamin D...

Breast cancer (BC) is the most common malignancy and the second cause of cancer-specific death in women from high-income countries. Infectious agents are the third most important risk factor for cancer incidence after tobacco and obesity. Dysbiosis emerged as a key player that may influence cancer development, treatment, and prognosis through diver...

Brominated flame retardants (BFRs) are chemicals employed to lower the flammability of several objects. These endocrine disruptor chemicals are lipophilic and persistent in the environment. Due to these characteristics some have been restricted or banned by the European Union, and replaced by several new chemicals, the novel BFRs (NBFRs). BFRs are...

The current study aimed to investigate if the gut microbiota composition of elite female football players changes during an official international tournament. The study was conducted throughout ten consecutive days, encompassing seven training sessions and three official matches. The matches were separated by 48-72 hours. Seventeen elite female foo...

Vitamin D is a fundamental regulator of host defences by activating genes related to innate and adaptive immunity. Previous research shows a correlation between the levels of vitamin D in patients infected with SARS-CoV-2 and the degree of disease severity. This work investigates the impact of the genetic background related to vitamin D pathways on...

PurposeTo estimate the association of emotional distress with both consumption of energy-dense micronutrient-poor foods (EDF) and body mass index (BMI) and the association between EDF consumption and change in BMI, during COVID-19 pandemic in patients with prior bariatric surgery.Materials and Methods This cross-sectional study applied an online st...

Humans are exposed every day to assorted environmental pollutants namely, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCB), organochlorine pesticides (OCP), brominated flame-retardants (BFR), polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH), synthetic musks, heavy metals (e.g. cadmium) and plastic additives (e.g. bisphenol A, BPA). Besides environmental persistence, biomagni...

Although there is a general assumption that a phenylalanine (Phe)-restricted diet promotes overweight in patients with phenylketonuria (PKU), it is unclear if this presumption is supported by scientific evidence. This systematic review aimed to determine if patients with PKU are at a higher risk of overweight compared to healthy individuals. A lite...

The development of coastal regions has contributed to the intensification of environmental contamination, which can accumulate in aquatic biota, such as shrimps. These crustaceans, besides being delicious and being a good source of nutrients, can also accumulate environmental pollutants. Amongst others, these include organochlorine pesticides (OCPs...

For many years, the main nitrogen source for patients with phenylketonuria (PKU) was phenylalanine-free amino acid supplements. Recently, casein glycomacropeptide (GMP) supplements have been prescribed due to its functional and sensorial properties. Nevertheless, many doubts still persist about the metabolic effects of GMP compared to free amino ac...

The risk factors for coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) severity are still poorly understood. Considering the pivotal role of the gut microbiota on host immune and inflammatory functions, we investigated the association between changes in the gut microbiota composition and the clinical severity of COVID-19. We conducted a multicenter cross-section...

Background: Vitamin D is a fundamental regulator of host defences by activating genes related to innate and adaptive immunity. Previous research shows a correlation between the levels of vitamin D in patients infected with SARS-CoV-2 and the degree of disease severity. This work investigates the impact of the genetic background related to vitamin D...

The FEEDMI Study (NCT03663556) evaluated the influence of infant feeding (mother’s own milk (MOM), donor human milk (DHM) and formula) on the fecal microbiota composition and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity in extremely and very preterm infants (≤32 gestational weeks). In this observational study, preterm infants were recruited within the first...

Risk factors for COVID-19 disease severity are still poorly understood. Considering the pivotal role of gut microbiota on host immune and inflammatory functions, we investigated the association between changes in gut microbiota composition and the clinical severity of COVID-19. We conducted a multicentre cross-sectional study prospectively enrollin...

The Mediterranean diet (MD) has been recommended for type 2 diabetes (T2D) treatment. The impact of diet in shaping the gut microbiota is well known, particularly for MD. However, the link between MD and diabetes outcome improvement is not completely clear. This study aims to evaluate the role of microbiota modulation by a nonpharmacological interv...

Objective Salt restriction and potassium (K) intake can lower blood pressure (BP) and reduce the risk for cardiovascular (CV) diseases. However, it is still unclear which approaches are most effective in changing diet behavior. We evaluated the impact of two education prevention programs in promoting healthy eating habits in the general population....

Background: Vitamin D is a fundamental regulator of host defences by activating genes related to innate and adaptive immunity. Previous research shows a correlation between the levels of vitamin D in patients infected with SARS-CoV-2 and the degree of disease severity. This work investigates the impact of the genetic background related to vitamin D...

Background Anthocyanins are known phytochemicals with beneficial properties for human health. The most important route of entry is by consumption of anthocyanins’ naturally rich food such as berries and red wine, in its natural form or as a part of recipes. The effect of cooking methods (boiling, steaming and baking) and recipe composition with two...

Lack of knowledge about iodine has been suggested as a risk factor for iodine deficiency in pregnant women but no studies have addressed this issue in Portugal. So, the aim of this study was to investigate iodine knowledge among Portuguese pregnant women and its association with iodine status. IoMum, a prospective observational study, included 485...

The role of milk and dairy products in supplying iodine to pregnant women is unknown in Portugal. The aim of this study was to evaluate the association between milk and dairy consumption and the iodine status of pregnant women in the IoMum cohort of the Oporto region. Pregnant women were recruited between 10 and 13 weeks of gestation, when they pro...

The consumption of anthocyanin‐rich foods, as well as any other oral intake component, is associated with a series of events before a health effect may occur. They must pass through the oral cavity and gastrointestinal tract, undergo metabolism events, cross cellular barriers and eventually trigger a biological function. Hence, some important aspec...

Hand osteoarthritis (OA) is a degenerative joint disease which leads to pain and disability. Recent studies focus on the role of obesity and metabolic syndrome in inducing or worsening joint damage in hand OA patients, suggesting that chronic low-grade systemic inflammation may represent a possible linking factor. The gut microbiome has a crucial m...

Synthetic musks and organophosphorus pesticides represent a potential risk to the human health since exposure can lead to distinct types of carcinogenesis and endocrine disorders. These are lipophilic compounds as such, prone to deposit and persist in fat tissues, mainly in adipose tissue. Very few studies have reported on the occurrence and accumu...

Shrimps are widely distributed in coastal areas, estuaries and rivers. Although this shellfish is a good source of nutrients, it can also accumulate environmental contaminants, such as organochlorine pesticides (OCPs), brominated flame retardants (BFRs), synthetic musks (SMs) and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). Due to their bioaccumulative...

The goal of this study was to examine how IQ changes (the Flynn effect) among school-aged children in Portugal behaved over a period of 25 years (1991, 2008 and 2016) that registered major economic transformations in the country. The country's initial move to prosperity was followed by a recent move into recession, which might affect IQ gains. Chan...

Purpose Wheat bran fibre has a beneficial effect on gastrointestinal function, but evidence for wheat germ is scarce. Accordingly, we evaluated the effects of daily intake of wheat germ on gastrointestinal discomfort and gut microbiota by adding wheat germ to refined (white) wheat bread, the most consumed bread type. We hypothesised that an improve...

Growing evidence suggests that maternal microbiota can influence the neonates’ gut colonization. However, the mechanisms of vertical bacterial transmission remain poorly defined. We believed that the first colonizers of the newborn come from the mother’s gut and vagina during pregnancy and that this is independent of the mode of delivery. We conduc...

Introduction: Nutrition has been underrepresented in the curriculum of many medical schools and therefore physicians do not feel adequately prepared to provide dietary counselling. The aim of the present study is to determine the impact of a Nutrition and Metabolism curricular unit on nutrition attitudes, knowledge and confidence on future clinical...

The effect of five different vinegars, applied as a seasoning, on the formation of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) in charcoal-grilled pork loin was investigated. PAH were assayed using acetonitrile based-extraction and high-performance liquid chromatography with fluorescence detection. Unseasoned samples presented a mean value of 31.47 ng g...

Oxidative stress is now believed to play a crucial role for neurodevelopment disorders such as autism spectrum disorders (ASD) and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). To review the most recent literature regarding the role of oxidative stress for the pathophysiology of ASD and ADHD, we conducted a systematic search of the relevant lite...

Introduction The gut microbiota plays a main role in the maintenance of host’s health. Exposure to different conditions in early life contributes to distinct ‘pioneer’ bacterial communities in the intestine, which shape the newborn infant development. Newborn infants with congenital malformations of the gastrointestinal tract (CMGIT), necrotising e...

Offspring of dams exposed to excess folic acid during the perigestational period have been shown by us to be predisposed to metabolic dysfunction revealed by hyperglycemia, glucose intolerance, increased insulin and decreased adiponectin in late adulthood. This work aims to characterize adipocyte phenotype and expression profile of genes in the reg...

Pesticides are chemicals used around the globe to kill, reduce, or repel whatever organism capable of threatening public health or economy. Although essential to maintain agricultural production, these compounds target systems or enzymes on the intended organism that are often similar or even the same present in other living beings. Furthermore, a...

Intake of fructose-containing sugars is epidemiological and experimentally linked to metabolic syndrome (MS). We recently verified that the dietary polyphenol chrysin was able to abolish some of the metabolic changes induced by fructose-feeding in the rat. Because the role of the intestine upon fructose-induced MS is poorly understood, we decided t...

Introduction Arterial stiffness is a consequence of aging, but there are several diseases that contribute to this process. The evaluation of pulse wave velocity (PWV) allows a dynamic evaluation of vascular distensibility and the detection of atherosclerosis at an early stage. It was intended to evaluate the PWV in children and adolescents with typ...

Background Sarcopenia as well as abnormalities in body composition are common features in several chronic diseases and have been shown to lead to increased morbidity and mortality. However, their assessment in young patients with axial spondyloarthritis (axSpA) has not been performed thus far. Objectives To assess the skeletal muscle mass, strengt...

Background Pain and stiffness are characteristic clinical features of axial Spondyloarthritis (axSpA), leading to functional impairment. Patients describe beneficial effects of physical activity, suggesting a possible involvement of muscle tissue. Body composition data in young axSpA patients with short disease duration are scarce and its implicati...

Background: Preterm infants are especially vulnerable to gut microbiota disruption and dysbiosis since their early gut microbiota is less abundant and diverse. Several factors may influence infants' gut microbiota, such as the mother's diet, mode of delivery, antibiotic exposure, and type of feeding. Objectives: This study aims to examine the fa...

Objective Intake of whole grains is associated with a reduced risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD). This evidence is also strong for bran alone, but findings about germ are conflicting. Our aim was to elucidate the role of germ in primary prevention of cardiovascular events, and therefore, a staple food was selected for 6 g of germ supplementation....

Persistent organic pollutants (POPs) are man-made compounds with metabolic disruption impact. We investigated the effect of POP exposure in the cardiometabolic and inflammatory profile in a population of women with obesity and hypertension. In 43 premenopausal women (22 treated vs. 21 nontreated) undergoing bariatric surgery, blood and adipose tiss...

Hypertension is a multifactorial disease with limited knowledge of the involved mechanisms. p,p’-DDE (p,p’-dichlorodiphenyldichloroethylene) is a pollutant commonly found in tissues that interferes with endocrine signalling. This study aimed to evaluate the mechanism of hypertension triggered by p,p’-DDE exposure in presence or absence of HF-diet,...

With the strengthening of the link between diet and health, several foodstuffs have emerged as possessing potential health benefits such as phenolic rich fruits and vegetables. Blueberries, along with other berries, given their flavonoid and antioxidant content have long since been considered as a particularly interesting health promoting fruit. Th...

Numerous studies have investigated dietary approaches to prevent chronic lifestyle-related diseases, including hypertension. Spent brewer's yeast is the second largest byproduct originated by the brewing industry and it deserves considerable attention because of its high nutritional value, ca. 40% of its dry mass is rich in protein which can be hyd...