George Pounis

• BSc, MSc, PhD
• Temporary Lecturer at Harokopio University of Athens

Dietary pattern analysis is a method of dietary analysis that considers the cumulative and interactive effects among dietary components to reflect the complexity of the human diet. It is a modern, comprehensive, and "holistic" approach that can overcome several methodological limitations in studying the association between human diet and health. Th...

Background: The administration of antegrade cardioplegia through vein grafts after the completion of each distal anastomosis is a common practice. However, the cardioplegic solution may disrupt the vein endothelium and contribute to late vein graft atherosclerotic disease. This study aimed at evaluating the possible impact of the cardioplegic solu...

Objectives The association of diet with inflammation is well documented. Yet, no evidence exists on the relationship between inflammatory potential of the diet and low-grade inflammation (LGI) as measured by a composite score of plasma and cellular biomarkers. The aim of the present study is to assess the association between Dietary Inflammatory In...

Background The association of the polyphenol content of human diet with pulmonary function is not yet fully understood. This study aims at evaluating the association of polyphenol consumption with lung function in a novel holistic approach. Methods A cross-sectional analysis of 4551 women and 5108 men (age ≥35 years) from the Moli-sani study was p...

Background/objective: Psychological resilience is a measure of stress coping ability and has been associated with favourable health outcomes. While evidence on the relationship of dietary habits with a number of psychosocial conditions is available, there is lack of studies on their association with psychological resilience in a general adult popu...

Background and aims: Evidence indicates that Vitamin D deficiency may be associated with increased risk of cardiovascular disease, although findings on risk of heart failure (HF) are controversial. We investigated the relationship between serum Vitamin D and the incidence of hospitalization for HF in a large prospective cohort of Italian adults....

Objectives: The effect of the polyphenol content of the human diet on mortality risk is not yet fully understood. The aim of this study was to evaluate the association of a polyphenol-rich diet with mortality rate and a possible mediation effect by inflammation, in what we believe to be a novel, holistic approach. Methods: We analyzed 21 302 par...

Background: It is uncertain whether the cardiovascular benefits associated with Mediterranean diet (MD) may differ across socioeconomic groups. Methods: Prospective analysis on 18991 men and women aged ≥35 years from the general population of the Moli-sani cohort (Italy). Adherence to MD was appraised by the Mediterranean diet score (MDS). House...

Meta-analytic data on the effect of coffee in prostate cancer risk are controversial. Caffeine as a bioactive compound of coffee has not yet been studied in deep in vitro. Our study aimed at evaluating in a population cohort the effect of Italian-style coffee consumption on prostate cancer risk and at investigating in vitro the potential antiprolif...

Introduction: Resilience is a measure of stress coping ability and has been favourably associated with cardiovascular health. Yet little is known on the likely association between diet and resilience. Hypothesis: We tested the hypothesis that diet quality is associated with resilience. Methods: Cross-sectional analysis on 10,812 subjects (mean age...

Objectives: To test the association of low-grade inflammation with socioeconomic status (SES) and determine the relative contribution of prevalent chronic diseases and health-related behaviours in explaining such association. Methods: Cross-sectional analysis on 19,867 subjects (age ≥35, 48.1% men) recruited within the Moli-sani study from 2005...

Background and aim: Dietary habits evolve over time, being influenced by many factors and complex interactions. This work aimed at evaluating the updated information on food group consumption in Italy. Methods and results: A total of 8944 (4768 women and 4176 men) participants aged >18 years from all over Italy recruited in 2010-13 (Italian Nutr...

Low-grade inflammation is associated with increased risk of chronic degenerative disease but its relationship with mortality is less explored. We aimed at evaluating, at a large epidemiological level, the possible association of low-grade inflammation, as measured by a composite score, with overall mortality risk. We conducted a population-based pr...

Background/objectives: Pasta as a traditional component of Mediterranean diet (MeD) in Italy has not been studied in detail in the management of body weight. This study aimed at evaluating the association of pasta intake with body mass index (BMI) and waist-to-hip ratio, in two large epidemiological datasets. Subjects/methods: A total of 14 402...

A large evidence-based review on the effects of a moderate consumption of beer on human health has been conducted by an international panel of experts who reached a full consensus on the present document.

Introduction: Low socioeconomic status is associated with poor health outcomes and unhealthy behaviors. The traditional Mediterranean diet (MD) has been related to reduced risk of major chronic diseases and mortality and exhibits a socioeconomic gradient. Hypothesis: The association of the MD with cardiovascular risk (CVD) may differ across differe...

Low-grade inflammation is characterised by raised concentrations of inflammatory markers in the absence of any overt symptoms and is recognized as a risk factor for a number of chronic diseases including cancer, cardiovascular, cerebrovascular and neurodegenerative diseases. Many studies suggest that low-grade inflammation is mitigated by health-pr...

Dietary polyphenol should be appreciated as an important nutrient component of Mediterranean diet. Data from the Moli-sani Study, a population-based cohort study of 24.325 people living in the Molise region in Italy, support that flavonoid and lignan intake is negatively associated with a range of low-grade inflammation biomarkers. In addition, the...

The Mediterranean diet (MeD) is recognized as a traditional dietary pattern with strong health associations. It has long been studied by nutritionists who have associated adherence to the MeD with reduced risk of chronic non-communicable diseases, not least cardiovascular and related diseases and cancer. Although possessing unique features and asso...

Background/objectives: The objective of this study is to extract and assess data on the dietary intake of flavonoids and lignans in a healthy free-living Mediterranean population, using newly updated harmonized European Union food composition data. This work also aimed at analyzing in a holistic way the total content of the diet in major classes o...

The association of polyphenol content of human diet with low-grade inflammation is not yet fully understood. It was the objective of this study to evaluate the association of flavonoid and lignan intake with frequently used and easily applicable in clinical practice low-grade inflammation biomarkers, in a novel holistic approach. A total of 5,948 w...

Background and Aims Differences in blood fatty acids (FAs) profile among populations with different lifestyle have partly been attributed to differences in food intake. A holistic approach in dietary guidance through dietary patterns is essential. This study aimed at evaluating the main plasma and red blood cell (RBC) FAs in three European populati...

Mediterranean diet (MD) is associated with a reduced risk of major chronic disease. Health-related quality of life (HRQL) is a valid predictor of mortality. The aim of this study is to investigate the association between MD and HRQL and to examine the possible role of dietary antioxidants, fibre content and/or fatty acid components. Cross-sectional...

Background/objectives: To compare the efficacy of a diet rich in natural folate and of two different folic acid supplementation protocols in subjects with "moderate" hyperhomocysteinemia, also taking into account C677T polymorphism of 5,10-methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) gene. Subjects/methods: We performed a 13 week open, randomized...

Objectif Les champignons contribuent à l’apport de sélénium. Une hausse des niveaux plasmatiques de sélénium a été associée à la prévalence de diabète. Dans cette étude, nous avons évalué l’association de la consommation de champignons, et de l’apport de sélénium, avec la glycémie chez une population générale d’adultes italiens. Méthodes Dans cett...

Background/objectives: To categorize healthy food groups into categories of low-antioxidant (LAC) or high-antioxidant vitamins and phytochemicals content (HAC) and comparatively associate them with metabolic risk factors for cardiovascular disease (CVD). Subjects/methods: A total of 6879 women (55±12 years) and 6892 men (56 ± 12 years) were anal...

Aim: We hypothesised that consumer perception on iron fortified foods and consequent introduction of such products to their diets may depend on their knowledge and understanding on nutritional issues, particularly in relation to iron. Methods: 500 men and women (age 30 +/- 12 years) from Athens, Xylokastro, in South Greece and Lamia, in Central Gre...

The dialyzability method has been considered a convenient option for screening a large number of samples for iron bioavailability. A new setup that allows the rapid and efficient application of the dialyzability method has been recently proposed. To evaluate the new setup for its applicability in predicting iron and zinc bioavailability, dialyzable...

In order to provide estimates of overweight and obesity among Greek schoolchildren, and the adherence rates to the Mediterranean diet (MD), a nationwide survey was performed among fifth and sixth grade students aged 10-12 years old. A stratified sampling in 10 regions of the country was applied to voluntarily enroll a representative sample of 4786...

Sodium is the mineral that has been, mainly, linked to hypertension and cardiovascular disease. It is found naturally in many foods, but is also used in the food industry and manufacturing. Identification of total sodium intake, as well as 'hidden' sodium intake from food sources early in life is necessary. Four thousand, five hundred and eighty ch...

Several studies have observed a hypocholesterolemic effect of plant sterols in hypercholesterolemic patients on a balanced diet. The aim of this study was to examine the effect of phytosterol supplementation on risk factors of coronary artery disease in metabolic syndrome patients on a Westernized type diet. In a randomized placebo-controlled desig...

To evaluate the prevalence of low energy reporting (LER) and associations between LER and lifestyle, psychological and clinical parameters, in elderly people living in eastern Mediterranean islands. 1190 men and women, aged 65-100 years, participated in this cross-sectional study. Socio-demographic, clinical and lifestyle characteristics were recor...

Mental disorders are among the leading causes for disability, with depression a common compilation of hypertension, and other metabolic disorders (lipid abnormalities, diabetes, and obesity). Fat (lipid) intake plays a significant role in the prevention of various chronic diseases. The present cross-sectional study was conducted to evaluate the rol...

The role of animal-protein consumption on the prevalence of diabetes is not yet fully understood. For this reason, this study investigated the relationship between long-term animal-protein intake and diabetes in elderly individuals with no known cardiovascular disease. During 2005-2007, 1190 men and women, aged 65-100 years, from Cyprus, Mitilini,...

The aim of the present work was to evaluate the repeatability and the validity of a short food frequency questionnaire (FFQ) that could be used for older people living in Mediterranean areas. The semi-quantitative FFQ included questions regarding the frequency of consumption of the main food groups and beverages typically consumed in the Mediterran...

The aim of the present work was to evaluate the repeatability and the validity of a short food frequency questionnaire (FFQ) that could be used for older people living in Mediterranean areas. The semi-quantitative FFQ included questions regarding the frequency of consumption of the main food groups and beverages typically consumed in the Mediterran...

To evaluate factors associated with depression in elderly. During 2005-2007, 553 men and 637 women (aged 65 to 100 yrs) living in various Greek islands and in Cyprus participated in the study. The sampling was random and multistage (according to age sex distribution of the referent population). Depressive symptoms were evaluated using the Geriatric...

Dietary fats have long been associated with human health, and especially cardiovascular disease (CVD). Some observational studies have shown that reduction in dietary fats, and particularly cholesterol is associated with lower cardiovascular risk; however, other prospective studies or randomized controlled trials of dietary fat reduction or modific...

The aim of the present work was to evaluate the associations of bio-clinical, dietary, and other lifestyle characteristics with the prevalence of hypertriglyceridemia among older individuals living in the Mediterranean islands. Information was collected for an extensive array of demographic, bio-clinical, and dietary characteristics, including seru...

The aim of the present work was to evaluate the relationship between energy-generating nutrients and the presence of central and overall obesity after correcting for socio-demographic, lifestyle and clinical characteristics, among healthy elders. During 2005-2007, 553 elderly men and 637 elderly women (mean age 74±7years) from eight Mediterranean i...

This study aimed to assess the relationship between long-term fish consumption and short-term prognosis of patients who had an acute coronary syndrome. The multi-adjusted data analysis from a total of 214 men and 79 women patients showed that intake of fish, n-3 and n-6 fatty acids above 7 portions, 8.8 g and 13.2 g per week correspondingly, is ass...

The aim of the present work was to evaluate the relationships between socio-demographic, clinical, lifestyle and psychological characteristics and the presence of diabetes mellitus, among elderly individuals without known cardiovascular disease. During 2005-2007, 1190 elderly (aged 65 to 100 years) men and women (from Cyprus, Mitilini, Samothraki,...

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to evaluate nutritional habits in relation to the prevalence of hypercholesterolemia among people living in remote rural Greek islands. METHOD: A group of 383 men (aged 52±18 years) and 417 women (aged 48±18 years) from rural islands in the Aegean Sea comprised the study population. Nutritional evaluation wa...