Recruitment
2022.11.03
Nutrition, -Omics, and Cardiometabolic Diseases in the Guasch Group
The Guasch Group focuses on investigating the role of dietary and lifestyle factors in cardiovascular diseases and type 2 diabetes. Our goal is to incorporate high-throughput –omics techniques into traditional epidemiological analysis to gain insights into underlying mechanisms.
Our research group focuses on integrating nutrition and lifestyle factors with –omics data to advance the prevention of cardiometabolic diseases, including cardiovascular diseases and diabetes.
One of our primary research areas is to study the complex interplay between diet, lifestyle, metabolomics, proteomics, and cardiometabolic diseases. We aim to identify metabolite and proteomic profiles and networks associated with these conditions and investigate how diet and lifestyle factors may influence these associations. By leveraging data from large cohort studies and clinical trials that include dietary and multi-omics data, we aim to advance precision nutrition by improving objective dietary biomarkers and evaluating their relationship with cardiometabolic diseases.
Another key focus of our research is nutritional epidemiology. We examine the associations between various dietary factors, dietary patterns, and their impact on cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, and mortality, utilizing data from large-scale prospective cohort studies and clinical trials.
Additionally, we have a strong interest in sustainable diets, those that promote both human and environmental health. As part of this initiative, we are conducting a new randomized clinical trial to investigate the effects of sustainable dietary patterns on traditional and novel cardiometabolic risk factors.
Olive oil intake is associated with lower risk of total and cause-specific mortality
Published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology in 2022, this study was a prospective large cohort study including more than 90000 participants who were followed for up to 28 years. The study showed that higher olive oil intake was associated with lower risk of total and cause-specific mortality, specifically cardiovascular disease mortality. Replacing margarine, butter, mayonnaise, and dairy fat with olive oil was associated with lower risk of mortality.
Divergent associations between MUFA from different sources and total and cause-specific mortality
Published in Circulation Research in 2019, using data from two large prospective cohort studies, we showed that higher intake of monounsaturated fatty acids from plant sources was associated with lower total mortality, and monounsaturated fatty acids from animal sources intake was associated with higher mortality.
Optimal dietary patterns for healthy aging
Published in Nature Medicine in 2025, this prospective study included more than 105,000 participants who were followed for up to 30 years. The study showed that greater adherence to several healthy dietary patterns during midlife was associated with higher odds of healthy aging, defined as reaching age 70 while maintaining cognitive, physical, and mental health and remaining free of major chronic diseases. The strongest association was observed for the Alternative Healthy Eating Index. Diets rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, unsaturated fats, nuts, and legumes were associated with greater odds of healthy aging, whereas higher consumption of ultra-processed foods was associated with lower odds.
Published in Nature Medicine in 2025, this prospective study included more than 105,000 participants who were followed for up to 30 years. The study showed that greater adherence to several healthy dietary patterns during midlife was associated with higher odds of healthy aging, defined as reaching age 70 while maintaining cognitive, physical, and mental health and remaining free of major chronic diseases. The strongest association was observed for the Alternative Healthy Eating Index. Diets rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, unsaturated fats, nuts, and legumes were associated with greater odds of healthy aging, whereas higher consumption of ultra-processed foods was associated with lower odds.
Published in Nature Communications in 2023, this study examined the associations of 243 plasma metabolites with mortality and longevity (attaining age 85 years) in 11,634 US (median follow-up of 22.6 years, with 4288 deaths) and 1878 Spanish participants (median follow-up of 14.5 years, with 525 deaths). The findings from this study suggest that differences in levels of nucleosides, amino acids, and several lipid subclasses can predict mortality. This study was funded by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and Dr. Guasch-Ferré was the Principal Investigator.
In this study published in 2024 in Med (Cell Press), we aimed to identify and replicate a healthy lifestyle metabolomic signature and examine how it is related to total and cause-specific mortality risk and longevity. In four large cohorts with 13,056 individuals and 28-year follow-up, we assessed five healthy lifestyle factors, used liquid chromatography mass spectrometry to profile plasma metabolites, and ascertained deaths with death certificates. The identified healthy lifestyle metabolomic signature was reflective of lipid metabolism pathways. Shorter and more saturated triacylglycerol and diacylglycerol metabolite sets were inversely associated with the healthy lifestyle score, whereas cholesteryl ester and phosphatidylcholine plasmalogen sets were positively associated. This study identifies a metabolomic signature that measures adherence to a healthy lifestyle and shows prediction of total and cause-specific mortality and longevity. This study was funded by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and Dr. Guasch-Ferré was the Principal Investigator.
Planetary Health Diet Index and risk of total and cause-specific mortality in three prospective cohorts
In this study, published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition in 2024, we developed the Planetary Health Diet Index (PHDI) to quantify adherence to the EAT-Lancet reference diet and examined its associations with total and cause-specific mortality. Using data from three large prospective cohorts of over 200,000 males and females in the United States, followed for 24 years, we analyzed more than 30,000 deaths. Our findings indicate that a higher PHDI is associated with a lower risk of total and cause-specific mortality, as well as reduced environmental impact.
In this study, published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition in 2024, we developed the Planetary Health Diet Index (PHDI) to quantify adherence to the EAT-Lancet reference diet and examined its associations with total and cause-specific mortality. Using data from three large prospective cohorts of over 200,000 males and females in the United States, followed for 24 years, we analyzed more than 30,000 deaths. Our findings indicate that a higher PHDI is associated with a lower risk of total and cause-specific mortality, as well as reduced environmental impact.
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Staff list
| Name | Title | Phone | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Barbieri, Giulia | Guest Researcher | ||
| Guasch Ferre, Marta | Associate Professor | +4535327180 | |
| Mogna Pelaez, Paola Mercedes | PhD Student | ||
| Nielsen, Lise Birk | Researcher | +4535329083 | |
| Rewers, Adam Duun | PhD Fellow | ||
| Trius Soler, Marta | Postdoc | +4535327345 | |
| Valle Hita, Cristina | Postdoc | ||
| Zhang, Naixin | Postdoc | +4535324315 |