Background. The prevalence of metabolic syndrome is high in patients with depression or anxiety, which might explain the higher risk of cardiovascular mortality in this population. Symptoms of...Show moreBackground. The prevalence of metabolic syndrome is high in patients with depression or anxiety, which might explain the higher risk of cardiovascular mortality in this population. Symptoms of affective disorders can lead to changes in eating behaviors. However, poor diet quality seems implicated in underlying pathology of behavioral health disorders and could be a risk factor for developing depression and anxiety disorders. Objective. We aim to investigate the association between diet quality and metabolic syndrome in participants with and without anxiety and depressive disorders. Psychotropic medication, symptom severity, and lifestyle factors (i.e. physical activity, smoking, and alcohol use) are investigated as potential moderators. Methods. In the Netherlands Study of Depression and Anxiety (NESDA), the Mediterranean diet, the metabolic syndrome, physical activity, smoking, alcohol use, severity of symptoms, and medication were assessed among participants with depressive (n = 110), anxiety (n = 149), remitted disorders (n = 761), comorbid disorders (n = 110), and healthy controls (n = 295), in a cross-sectional design. Follow-up data from NESDA wave six is used, nine years after baseline measurement. Results. Participants (n = 1425) were on average 52.4 years old (SD = 13.13) of which 65.2% female. The association between diet quality and metabolic syndrome was the strongest for individuals with current depression (β = -.23 (CI: -.42 ; -.08); t = -2.87; p = .005), comorbid disorders (β = -.20 (CI: -.36 ; -.02); t = -2.22; p = .029), and remitted disorders (β = -.12 (CI: -.19 ; -.06); t = -3.85; p < .001). The association between diet quality and metabolic syndrome was not moderated by medication, symptom severity and lifestyle factors. Limitations. Results cannot be generalized to other cultures and the use of self-report scales could lead to a misclassification bias. Due to the cross-sectional design, it is impossible to provide evidence for temporal or causal relations. Conclusion. Low adherence to the Mediterranean diet is associated with a high score on metabolic syndrome for patients experiencing depression, comorbid depression and anxiety or remitted depression or anxiety. This association is not moderated by medication, symptom severity and lifestyle factors.Show less
Knowledge is scarce regarding the impact of the transition from Late Roman period to the Early Middle Ages and how this affected the diet of individuals in Late Roman and Early Middle Age cities....Show moreKnowledge is scarce regarding the impact of the transition from Late Roman period to the Early Middle Ages and how this affected the diet of individuals in Late Roman and Early Middle Age cities. Studying diet can help establish a link between cultural change and dietary change, giving a better insight as to what extent political, social, natural and economic shifts affected individuals. Isotopic values extracted from human bone remains from the sites of Castro dei Volsci (Italy), Portus Romae (Italy), Edessa (Greece), Helike (Greece), La Selvicciola (Italy), Romans d’Isonzo (Italy), Eleutherna (Greece) and Messene (Greece) and contemporary written sources from Apicius and Anthimus will give insights into the dietary composition and how this changed over time. Results show that during the Late Roman period people in both Italy and Greece mainly consumed C3 crops like wheats and barley, with the addition of some marine resources and terrestrial animal products. This changed in the Early Middle Ages as the consumption of marine resources in both Italy and Greece declined. Besides the impact of socio-political changes, other factors like cultural changes, environment and migration seem to have influenced a person’s diet. Further investigation can help reveal a new perspective into a broader context of dietary change in the Mediterranean as well as help explain the dietary pattern of outliers. With this knowledge, future study could look into the impact that this transitional period had on the diet of communities throughout the Mediterranean as well as the origin of the outliers identified within this thesis.Show less
Drawing on research findings of a fish event horizon in England and extensive work on historical fish consumption in Belgium, this study aims to answer the question: How did fish consumption...Show moreDrawing on research findings of a fish event horizon in England and extensive work on historical fish consumption in Belgium, this study aims to answer the question: How did fish consumption develop in the northern Low Countries during the early and late medieval period (450-1500). This research is conducted using the Dutch Fish Bones (DFB) dataset, which includes the Number of Identified Specimens (NISP) of fish species and families from archaeological sites between 0-2000 CE. The DFB-dataset is subjected to aoristic analysis in 25-year bin categories to create a diachronic timeline. Despite potential biases and limitations, coherent with the presence of uncertainty within each assemblage and the underrepresentation of certain fish species due to differential preservation and the collection methods employed in archaeological excavations, the study offers valuable insights into regional fish consumption dynamics. During the period from 450 to 650, both inland and coastal regions displayed a preference for locally sourced fish. Freshwater eels, cyprinids, and perches were the primary choices inland, while coastal consumption mainly consisted of demersal righteye flounders and small amounts of herring. From 650 to 950, the coastal region continued to heavily rely on righteye flounders, while freshwater fish remained popular inland. However, there was a gradual emergence of marine fish consumption during the "long eighth century," likely influenced by trade and commercial hubs. Between 950 and 1200, the consumption of marine, migratory, and freshwater fish declined in the northern Low Countries, potentially due to the Medieval Warm Period and changes in fish populations. Despite this decline, there was a slight increase in codfish consumption, which may be linked to the growing trade of Norwegian stockfish. Urban areas witnessed a shift towards marine consumption between 1200 and 1375 in a period that can be called a gradual ‘fish event horizon’, rural areas, in contrast, exhibited a delayed increase in marine fish consumption almost a century after urban consumption surged. The development of markets and trade hubs played a crucial role in making marine fish more accessible in inland regions. The rapid growth in smelt consumption during the fourteenth century reflects the broader trend of rising fish consumption, fuelled by urbanization, population growth, and dietary restrictions. The formation of the Zuyderzee facilitated trade of the Hanseatic cities by providing an open waterway to the North Sea. However, human interventions disrupted the distribution of fish species, leading to a decline in freshwater eels. During the late fourteenth to seventeenth centuries, fish consumption experienced significant expansion phases. Herring, cod, and righteye flounders were consumed in larger quantities, driven by technological advancements in fishing techniques and equipment. The herring industry of the northern Low Countries grew rapidly, with Dutch vessels dominating European trade. Between 1650 and 1800, overall fish consumption declined due to conflicts, economic difficulties, and political instability. However, throughout the centuries following the fish event horizon, the pattern of high marine fish consumption has remained steadfast and continues to be relevant in modern times. These findings illuminate historical fish consumption patterns in the region and provide a foundation for future research, including enriching the dataset, calling for additional meta-analyses and isotopic research, and addressing knowledge gaps, such as the significant decrease in overall fish consumption in the period 950-1200.Show less
This study combines theoretical approaches towards diet, feasting, and social organisation with the archaeology of Early Dilmun to further the understanding of Early Bronze Age society in Bahrain...Show moreThis study combines theoretical approaches towards diet, feasting, and social organisation with the archaeology of Early Dilmun to further the understanding of Early Bronze Age society in Bahrain and on Failaka Island. This research attempts to explore how relationships were forged, and subsequently renegotiated, through food and drink, and what affect this would have on society. The data used to explore the social connotations of food within Dilmun is comprised of faunal remains, archaeobotanical remains, human skeletal remains, the architecture of cooking facilities, and stamp seals. Aspects of Sumerian myths, rituals, and beliefs are also incorporated in parts. The faunal remains largely come from burial mounds and settlements, however sites such as the Barbar temples are also examined. The compiled data was then studied in regard to age, gender, sex, and status. The relationships between the living and the dead, as well as between the living and the gods was also explored. Whilst further study would be beneficial, with particular emphasis on isotopic analysis of human teeth and residue analysis of the ceramic deposits in graves, the research did extrapolate some possible patterns that could reflect the social values of Early Dilmun: gender disparity seemed to occur with the absence of women from drinking scenes. Furthermore, analysis of human teeth also suggested some difference in diets between the two sexes. Whereas, age shows no distinct patterns that would suggest that the population underwent major dietary changes for social reasons. Dilmun between 2250-1750 BC was undergoing a transformative process where society, status and organisation became more complex. This is reflected by increasingly elaborate burial practices and rituals. It also allows for diet to reflect on social inequality between houses, areas, and settlements. The three main settlements that were compared with one another were Tell F3 on Failaka, Saar, and Qala’at al-Bahrain in Bahrain. The three sites varied in their functions: Tell F3 was likely a trading outpost for Mesopotamia and the rest of the Gulf, Saar was a small town, and Qala’at al-Bahrain was the capital of Dilmun. Therefore, the social and administrative organisation, as well as the economy, seemed to greatly vary and that was reflected in the diet. The food, and the practices associated with the food, in many ways mirrored the emergence of the increasingly complex society, which enabled better understanding of Dilmun regarding status and social organisation in the Early Bronze Age.Show less
