Pedro Moreira

• PhD
• Professor (Full) at University of Porto; Universidade do Porto

Background/Objectives: This study aimed to assess the acute effects of two isoenergetic but micronutrient-diverse meals—a Mediterranean-like meal (MdM) and a fast food-like meal (FFM)—on the autonomic nervous system (ANS), lung function, and airway inflammation response. Methods: Forty-six participants were enrolled in a randomized crossover clinic...

Objective: This cross-sectional study aimed to investigate the association between processed food consumption and sleep quality among school-aged children. Methods: Our sample consisted of 137 children, with 52.6% being girls with a mean age of 7.9 ± 1.2 years. Moreover, 40.2% of children had overweight and 35.9% had experienced sleep problems. Die...

Background We aimed to investigate the association between maternal caffeine intake during pregnancy and asthma in children by 10 years of age. Methods We considered 5585 mother–child pairs enrolled in a population‐based birth cohort. Consumption of regular and decaffeinated coffee, black and green tea, and cola beverages before and during pregnan...

This study aimed to assess the acute effects of two isoenergetic but micronutrient-diverse meals—a Mediterranean-like meal (MdM) and a fast food-like meal (FFM)—on the autonomic nervous system (ANS), lung function, and airway inflammation response. Forty-six participants were enrolled in a randomized cross-over clinical trial, consuming two isoener...

A literacia nutricional é um componente fulcral da literacia em saúde, e tem sido associada positivamente à prática de uma alimentação saudável. Os instrumentos atuais de medição deste conceito têm a desvantagem de depender bastante da capacidade dos participantes para ler ou fazer cálculos matemáticos, dificultando a sua aplicação em indivíduos co...

Background: Diet and exercise interventions have been associated with improved body composition and physical fitness. However, evidence regarding their combined effects in older adults is scarce. This study aimed to investigate the impact of a combined 12-week Mediterranean diet-based sustainable healthy diet (SHD) and multicomponent training (MT)...

Background: Globally, dietary patterns are shifting toward an increased consumption of ultra-processed foods, raising the risk of some metabolic and nutritional diseases from a young age. This trend is now also affecting low- and middle-income countries. Considering this, we aimed to assess the contribution of ultra-processed foods to total energy...

Food insecurity (FI) is a critical socioeconomic and public health problem globally, particularly affecting children’s nutritional status and development. This cross-sectional study aimed to assess the prevalence of nutritional inadequacy among children and adolescents in the Cantagalo district of São Tomé and Príncipe (STP), in Central Africa. It...

Poor dietary choices have been rising concurrently with an increase in asthma prevalence, especially in children. Dietary indexes that simultaneously measure the healthiness and sustainability of dietary patterns have emerged to address the dual concerns of human and planetary health. Accordingly, we aimed to evaluate adherence to a sustainable die...

Introduction: Higher consumption of ultra-processed foods (UPF) had been associated with higher risk of non-communicable diseases (NCD) and NCD-promoting nutrient profile such as high sodium content and low potassium content. The objective of the study was to evaluate the level of food processing according to the NOVA classification and its relatio...

Childhood obesity has been associated with increased sodium intake. Nonetheless, evidence linking sodium intake to Body Mass Index (BMI) and Body Fat Mass Percentage (%BF) remains limited, especially in the pediatric age group. Therefore, this study aims to investigate whether there is an association between 24 h urinary sodium excretion with BMI a...

Little is known about the potential associations between neurodevelopment, dietary diversity and food processing in the toddler period. This study aimed to estimate the association between these dietary quality dimensions and neurodevelopment in toddlers. Data for this cross-sectional analysis came from the Healthy Children 2021 project and include...

This Special Issue of Nutrients, “Reducing Dietary Sodium and Improving Human Health 2 [...]

Summary: A diet rich in plant-based has been associated with multiple health benefits, including a reduction in the risk of developing non-communicable diseases caused by unhealthy habits. Soups, rich in bioactive compounds, are common food in the Mediterranean diet, being associated with an overall mortality reduction and lower risk of developing...

Background Most instruments measuring nutrition literacy are difficult to apply to less educated people, or assess theoretical knowledge, not necessarily evaluating the ability to make healthy food choices. We aimed to develop and validate a photograph-based instrument to assess nutrition literacy (NUTLY) among adults in Portugal. Methods NUTLY as...

An adequate sodium intake is related to various health benefits. Parallelly, the Mediterranean diet (MD) is a dietary pattern known for its many positive impacts on health. Nonetheless, the association between adherence to the MD and sodium urinary excretion is scarce, even more in children. This study aimed to assess the association between MD adh...

There seems to exist an intricate relationship between airway inflammation, body mass index (BMI), and diet. The intake of specific foods or food groups has been suggested to suppress the oxidative stress and inflammatory processes that characterize airway inflammation, but little is known about dietary patterns and their complex interplay with BMI...

The relationship between salivary proteome and dietary habits was studied in previous works, where a relationship between salivary proteins like cystatins and polyphenol/tannin levels in diet was observed. However, it remains to be elucidated if this association results from an effect of polyphenol-rich food ingestion on saliva composition. The aim...

Conclusion: The technologies described are essential public health innovations to improve salt consumption according to dietary guidelines.

Background. Asthma is a major public health problem, with increasing prevalence in most countries, particularly among children. Poor dietary quality is also increasing in children, and evidence of the overall quality of children's food patterns effects on asthma is scarce. Methods. This cross-sectional analysis (660 children: 49.1% females, aged 7-...

Asthma is a chronic respiratory disease that impacts millions of people worldwide. Recent studies suggest that diet may play a role in asthma pathophysiology. Several dietary factors have been recognized as potential contributors to the development and severity of asthma for its inflammatory and oxidative effects. Some food groups such as fruits an...

Introduction: Obesity is one of the most prevalent chronic diseases in childhood, being an important public health issue. Excessive weight has been associated with autonomic dysfunction but the evidence in children is scarce. Therefore, the aim of this study was to assess the effect of overweight and obesity on the autonomic nervous system activit...

Purpose Iodine deficiency disorder (IDD) is an ongoing worldwide recognized problem with over two billion individuals having insufficient iodine intake. School-aged children and pregnant women are often target groups for epidemiological studies, but there is a lack of knowledge on the general adult population. The aim of this study was to assess th...

Exhaled breath condensate (EBC) analysis is a recently developed, non-invasive method used to identify and quantify biomarkers, mainly those coming from the lower respiratory tract. It seems that diet can influence the airway’s inflammation and change the exhaled breath composition. This study aimed to assess the association between diet quality in...

Data concerning the combined effect of diet and exercise interventions on overall health in the elderly are scarce. The MED-E project’s primary aim is to assess the effect of the different 3-month sustainable healthy diet (SHD) and multicomponent training (MT) interventions on several health outcomes in the elderly. A quasi-experimental study assig...

The risk of dehydration in older adults with neurocognitive disorder (NCD) is controversial. The purpose of this study was to assess hydration status, its determinants, and water intake sources in older adults with NCD. A sample of 30 participants (≥60 years) was included. Sociodemographic, clinical data and one 24-h urine sample were collected. Ur...

In the context of the global childhood obesity, it is essential to monitor the nutrition value of commercial foods. A cross-sectional study (November 2018 to April 2019) aimed to evaluate the nutritional adequacy of processed/ultra-processed food products targeted at 0–36-month-old children in Portugal and in Brazil. The nutrient profiling model de...

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.3389/fnut.2022.925771.].

In the context of the global childhood obesity, it is essential to monitor the nutrition value of commercial foods. A cross-sectional study (November 2018 to April 2019), aimed to evaluate the nutritional adequacy of processed/ultra-processed food products targeted at 0-36-month-old children in Portugal and in Brazil. The Nutrient profiling model d...

Background Fibromyalgia (FM) has been associated with dysbiosis and low-grade inflammation. Studies have reported that diet influences clinical features in FM. Objective To evaluate the effect of an anti-inflammatory and low fermentable oligo, di, and monosaccharides and polyols (FODMAP) diet on clinical outcomes of patients with FM. Methods This...

Street food is part of the Eastern European gastronomy, but there is a knowledge gap on food availability and nutritional composition. The aim was to investigate the street and takeaway food availability and nutritional composition in Sarajevo and Banja Luka, Bosnia and Herzegovina. Street food and takeaway food vending sites were included. Informa...

This study aimed to describe street food and takeaway food purchasing patterns in Sarajevo and Banja Luka, throughout the day and by city location. A cross-sectional evaluation of street food and takeaway food customers was conducted in 2017. All eligible vending sites (n = 348) in the vicinity of selected markets and bus stops were included. Data...

Street food makes a significant contribution to the diet of many dwellers in low- and middle-income countries and its trade is a well-developed activity in the central Asian region. However, data on its purchase and nutritional value is still scarce. This study aimed to describe street food purchasing patterns in central Asia, according to time and...

Background: Worldwide, fruit and vegetable intake is below recommendations. There is increasing evidence to suggest an association between height and diet. Aim: to analyse the associations of fruit and vegetable intake with attained height in Portuguese adults. Methods: A representative sample of 17 480 Portuguese adults (56.7% women) participated...

Population aging is a reality resulting in polymedication and its harmful consequences. Therefore, determining polymedication state in Portugal and identifying its associated characteristics is vital. Methods: Among the cross-sectional study Nutrition UP 65, information on socio-demographic data, cognitive performance, lifestyle, health, and nutr...

INTRODUCTION: Excessive salt consumption increases the risk of high blood pressure and cardiovascular disease. It is essential to reduce it to the level recommended by the WHO. OBJECTIVES: To assess the impact of an intervention using an innovative salt dosing device (Sal Control H) on salt consumption and accomplishment of the WHO recommendations...

INTRODUCTION: Excessive salt intake and obesity are risk factors for cardiovascular disease. Some studies have suggested that a high-salt diet may be associated with obesity risk. OBJECTIVES: To assess the impact of an intervention to reduce salt intake on body mass index (BMI), waist circumference (WC) and body fat percentage (BF) in adult subject...

INTRODUCTION: Excessive salt consumption is a risk factor for cardiovascular disease. Canteens play a fundamental role in food education from children to young adults, becoming an excellent place to intervene in the reduction of salt consumption. Salt Control C (SC-C), an innovative instrument to monitor added salt for cooking in canteens, achieved...

Objective Describing the availability and nutritional composition of the most commonly available street foods in Ashgabat, Turkmenistan. Methods One hundred sixty-one street food vending sites (six public markets) were assessed, through a collection of data on vending sites' characteristics and food availability, and samples of commonly available...

The oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) is recommended for assessing abnormalities in glucose homeostasis. Recognised as the gold standard test for diagnosing diabetes, the OGTT provides useful information about glucose tolerance. However, it does not replicate the process of absorption and digestion of complex foods, such as that which occurs with...

Decisions about what, how much and when to eat are complex processes influenced by many interconnected factors. Appetite traits are the drivers behind these processes, reflecting a complex combination of the internal signals of hunger and/or fullness, with environmental cues, such as attitudes and psychosocial factors related to food selection and...

Objective: To describe the availability and nutritional composition of commonly available street foods in Almaty, Kazakhstan. Methods: 384 street food vending sites (in 10 public markets) were assessed; information on vending sites’ characteristics and food availability and samples of the most commonly available street foods (81 homemade; 40 indust...

(1) Background: Excessive salt intake is associated with an increased risk of hypertension and cardiovascular disease, so reducing it is critical. The main objective of this study was to verify whether one intervention to reduce added salt during cooking changed knowledge, attitudes and behavior (KAB) towards salt, and to analyze changes in the mai...

Individual nutrients and bioactive compounds have been implicated in the expression of microRNAs (miRNAs), which are related to inflammation and asthma. However, evidence about the impact of diet is scarce. Therefore, we aimed to assess the association between dietary acid load and asthma-related miRNA in the exhaled breath condensate (EBC) of scho...

Street foods can contribute largely for dietary sodium intake of populations in developing countries. We aimed to assess the variability in sodium and potassium composition of the most commonly available homemade street foods in Maputo city, capital of Mozambique. In a cross-sectional evaluation, researchers canvassed areas with 500-m diameter cent...

Allergic diseases comprise a significant cause of morbidity worldwide and a substantial burden on the health and medical systems of both developed and emerging economies. Although highly prevalent, relatively severe, and largely impactful on the quality of life of patients, allergic diseases are commonly trivialized. Increasing awareness of the rel...

Background: This study aims to demonstrate the practical application of an innovative easy-to-use equipment to dosage cooking salt, and evaluate the effectiveness in reducing 30% of the added salt in meals and the impact on consumer’s satisfaction and food waste. Methods: Two canteens from one public university where randomized in one control arm a...

Despite the well-known benefits of the Mediterranean Diet (MedDiet), data on the sodium intake is scarce. This study aimed to quantify the association between sodium excretion and the adherence to the MedDiet in the elderly. A representative sample of 1500 Portuguese adults (≥65 years) was assessed (1321 were eligible for the present analysis). A 2...

Background: Adequate sodium intake is important for lowering blood pressure and thus reducing cardiovascular disease risk and other complications. The aim of this review is to identify recent interventions around the world that have been successful in reducing salt intake. Methods: A search in the PubMed, Web of Science and Scopus databases was...

(1) Background: Excessive salt consumption is associated with an increased risk of hypertension and cardiovascular disease, and it is essential to reduce it to the level recommended by the World Health Organization (<5 g/day). The main objective of this study is to verify the impact of an intervention, which used the Salt Control H equipment to red...

This study aimed to describe the street food purchased and its nutritional value in Chișinău, Moldova. A cross-sectional study was conducted in 68 street food vending sites. Data on the food items purchased were collected through direct observation. Nutritional composition was estimated through chemical analyses, food composition tables or nutritio...

Prevention and control of hypertension and cerebro-cardiovascular diseases are associated with adequate sodium and potassium intake and adherence to a Mediterranean dietary pattern. The aim of this study was to assess the association between adherence to a Mediterranean diet (MD) and the excretion of sodium and potassium as surrogate measures of in...

Street food (SF) and takeaway food (TAF) are important sources of out-of-home meals in urban Bosnia and Herzegovina, where diet-related non-communicable diseases are growing rapidly. This study aimed to characterise SF and TAF purchased in urban areas of Bosnia and Herzegovina, regarding customers’ characteristics and the nutritional composition of...

The aim was to characterise the extent of processing and nutritional composition of the street foods offered in Maputo, Mozambique. A cross-sectional study was conducted in October–November 2014 in the urban district of KaMpfumu. Twenty public transport stops were randomly selected, around which 500 meters buffers were drawn. All streets within the...

This study aimed to describe street food purchases in cities from Central Asia, considering customers’ characteristics and the nutritional composition of the foods and beverages. Cross-sectional studies were conducted in 2016/2017 in Dushanbe (Tajikistan), Bishkek (Kyrgyzstan), Ashgabat (Turkmenistan) and Almaty (Kazakhstan). Direct observation was...

Introduction Excessive salt intake is one of the greatest risks to public health, making urgent to propose measures to reduce its intake and bring great benefits to reduce cardiovascular diseases risk. In the Portuguese population, the main source of salt consumption is the salt that is added during food preparation and cooking meals. Purpose The...

Objective This study aimed to characterize the availability, the nutritional composition, and the processing degree of industrial foods for 0-36-month-old children according to the neighborhoods affluence. Design A cross-sectional exploratory study. Setting All food products available in retail stores for children aged 0 to 36 months were analyze...

The aim was to describe the price of homemade street foods in four cities of Central Asia and Eastern Europe and to analyze its association with energy density, macronutrients, sodium and potassium contents. Cross-sectional evaluations of street food vending sites were conducted in Dushanbe, Tajikistan (n = 562), Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan (n = 384), Alma...

Background: Oral food perception plays a major role in food acceptance, although the way it relates with food preferences and final choices in adults is still debatable. The objective of the present study was to assess the relationship between gustatory function, dietary habits and fruit and vegetable preferences. Methods: Recognition thresholds, s...

Background Exhaled breath condensate (EBC) pH is a promising biomarker of airway inflammation. Lack of method standardization and interstudy variability precludes its use in clinical practice. While endogenous determinants have been described, underlying mechanisms for variability are mostly unknown. Thus, we aimed to assess the association between...

Objectives The NutriClock Study aims to test the effect of a chronotype-based nutritional intervention in circadian homeostasis and in clinical and laboratory biomarkers of dysmetabolism. Methods The NutriClock Study is a randomised, controlled, parallel trial, conducted over 10 weeks (2 weeks of baseline assessments and 8 weeks of intervention),...

Background Assessing body weight in older adults may be challenging. Hence, the present study aimed to develop and cross‐validate updated and reproducible equations to estimate body weight in a large sample of older adults, namely among the older‐old. Methods In total, 1456 individuals aged ≥ 65 years, from the Nutrition UP 65 study, were included...

Evidence about the impact of vegetable and fruit diversity consumption on the autonomic nervous system (ANS) functioning is scarce. In this cross-sectional study (513 participants, 49.9% girls aged 7 to 12 years), we evaluated the association between vegetable and fruit diversity consumption and the ANS in school-aged children. Dietary intake was c...

Saliva research has gained interest due to its potential as a source of biomarkers. One of the factors inducing changes in saliva, in the short term, is food intake, and evidence exist about changes in salivary proteome induced by some food components. Since this topic of research is in its early stages, it was hypothesized that saliva protein comp...

Objective Considering the negative impact of the consumption of ultra-processed foods on health, this study assessed the availability and nutritional profile of commercial ultra-processed foods for infants in Natal, Brazil. Design A cross-sectional exploratory study. Setting Foods targeted at children under the age of 36 months sold in retail est...

Dietary polyphenol exposure is known to change protein saliva composition in rodents, but less is known in humans. The present study aimed to assess the relationship between saliva protein composition and adherence to Mediterranean Diet (MD) and polyphenol intake levels. Participants were assessed for their dietary habits, which were converted in M...

A large number of studies support the concept that high salt intake is the main risk factor in increasing blood pressure and cardiovascular diseases in the population. The main objective of this study is to analyze consumers’ preliminary satisfaction questionnaires regarding the use of an innovative prototype equipment to monitor and control salt d...

Background A diet rich in fruits and vegetables has been suggested to counteract the oxidative stress and inflammation that characterize asthma. We aimed to assess the association between vegetable and fruit diversity consumption and asthma and its related outcomes in school‐aged children. Methods Participants included 647 children (49% females, a...

Background This study aims to analyze the effects of a potentially anti-inflammatory nutritional intervention in disease assessment parameters, inflammatory markers, and quality of life of fibromyalgia (FM) patients. Methods A sample of 100 female patients diagnosed with FM, followed up at Portuguese Institute of Rheumatology (IPR) in Lisbon, is b...

Considering the negative impact of a lack of dietary diversity on children's nutritional status, we aimed to describe dietary variety according to eating at home frequency and assessed its association with respiratory outcomes in school-aged children. This cross-sectional study included 590 children (49% girls) aged 7 to 12 years from 20 public sch...

Schools’ neighbourhoods provide an important environmental context that may influence the risk of obesity among children. The aim of this study was to assess the effect of neighbourhood surrounding schools on obesity and body composition in schoolchildren. Data on 845 children aged 7 to 12 years old from 20 primary schools were considered. Anthropo...

Background Sodium intake is expected to affect water needs, although compensation mechanisms may not work efficiently particularly in older adults. The aim of this cross‐sectional study was to quantify the association between sodium excretion and hydration status in a representative sample of Portuguese older adults. Methods A cluster sampling app...

The benefits of swimming have been extensively assessed. However, swimming pools contain chlorine and other irritating chemicals that may induce contact dermatitis. To evaluate the effect of a swimming training session on transepidermal water loss (TWEL) in swimmers compared to football players, elite swimmers and football players were invited to p...

Dysbiosis is characterized by an alteration in quantity and quality of intestinal microbiota composition. In the presence of dysbiosis, enterocytes will have difficulty in maintaining the integrity of the mucosal barrier, leading to increased intestinal permeability. These events are recognised to be linked to several chronic diseases. One of the c...

The term asthma refers to a heterogeneous group of diseases characterized by variable and reversible airflow limitation. Symptom-wise, it is characterized by wheezing, cough and dyspnea, or chest-tightness. While typical, in children these symptoms may also be present in multiple other diseases and conditions, such as gastroesophageal reflux, cysti...

The association between frailty and obesity may differ according to the heterogeneity of body mass index (BMI) and waist circumference (WC) phenotypes in older adults. We hypothesized that the use of simple indicators of general and abdominal obesity combined, may more accurately represent obesity and allow to further elucidate on how frailty statu...

Background Understanding salt-related knowledge, attitudes and behaviors can help the design of effective health interventions. Therefore, our objective was to describe knowledge and behaviors related to salt intake according to urinary sodium excretion and blood pressure in University workers. Methods We performed our study in a subsample of the p...

Dietary acid load is an emerging topic in recent nutrition research. Several relevant health outcomes have been recently associated with high values of dietary acid load that are originated, for example, by a typical Western type diet characterized by high intake values of animal protein and low intake of fruit and vegetable. That is the case, for...

Older adults are particularly susceptible to sedentary behaviours. Sitting time has been increasingly referred to as a potentially modifiable risk factor in the prevention of chronic diseases. Identifying factors associated with sitting time, particularly those that are modifiable, will allow for more effective public health strategies. This study...

Background Cadmium is a toxic heavy metal that has been implicated in breast cancer etiology, albeit with inconsistent results. Objective To investigate the shape of the relation between cadmium exposure and breast cancer incidence and mortality in cohort studies. Data sources Following a literature search through April 14, 2020, we carried out a...

Background Vascular function and blood pressure regulation may be impaired by acute hypohydration but data on the association between hypertension and hydration status is scarce. The objectives of this study were to evaluate the hydration status in a sample of university workers and to assess the association between hypertension and hydration statu...