This is a broad, cross-cutting and transdisciplinary line of research that primarily focuses on the following four areas:
- Food and society
- Food and public health
- Food and physical exercise
- Lifestyles and health
Specific thesis projects offered inside of this line of research include the following:
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Thesis Proposals |
Researchers |
Research Group |
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Dietary patterns and public health This line of research aims to analyse the evolution of food patterns such as the Mediterranean diet and its relation to the most pressing challenges facing public health. This can be done by monitoring dietary patterns (what we eat and how we eat) and their relation to health. |
Dr Alicia Aguilar Martinez
Dr Francesc X. Medina Luque |
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Health-related behaviours of the University Community
This line of research involves evaluating the health-related behaviours and health status of the University Community, developing and implementing health promotion actions and interventions and evaluating the effectiveness of those interventions.
Moreover, it is interesting to assess the interactions between health-related behaviours: healthy eating, physical activity, sleep quality, substance use, self-perceived health, mental health and quality of life.
UOC is part of the Network of Healthy Universities of Catalonia, and is willing to conduct community-based research in public health. Higher education Institutions have long been concerned about an improvement in health, well-being and quality of life of their students and staff.
Various changes occur during university and this is a powerful period when one's lifestyle is relatively flexible compared to that of adulthood, and, therefore, university is an important stage for developing healthy habits.
Moreover, the universities have a large number of students who are or will be professionals and politicians, with potential capacity to change the conditions that influence the health of others.
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abachf@uoc.edu
Dr Alicia Aguilar Martinez
aaguilarmart@uoc.edu
Dr Laura Esquius de la Zarza
lesquius@uoc.edu
Dr Francesc X. Medina Luque
fxmedina@uoc.edu |
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Dietary patterns for health and sustainability The objectives of this line of research are to study how to face the health and sustainability challenges of dietary patterns. Currently, 25% of global climate change is most likely attributable to the food system. This industry is in a constant evolution, with consumers' tastes, practices and preferences shifting over time. In conjunction, the duration and methods of shopping, cooking and eating has drastically changed over time. Facing the future, changes in our food systems will not only have to address the rise in obesity and other diet-related health conditions, but also promote a more sustainable diet for global populations in the pursuit of a healthy planet. In this context, beyond assessing the environmental impact of our diets and identifying more sustainable ones, we still need to address which actions and tools would encourage consumers to adopt the latter. This should be done by identifying a system of compatibility between nutritional value, the environment, affordability and the acceptable dimensions of sustainable diets. |
Dr Anna Bach-Faig
Dr Gemma Chiva-Blanch
Dr Diana Díaz Rizzolo |
NUTRALiSS |
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Food and society This line of research is focused on the influence of social and cultural aspects on food's effect on health. Particular attention is paid to the analysis of dietary transformations from a sociocultural perspective and to the application of qualitative methodologies. Our interest focused particularly on interdisciplinary research into the evolution of food patterns and their relationship with society and health, thus linking them with nutrition, public health, disease prevention, food culture and social aspects, and health narratives regarding food and nutrition. |
Dr Francesc X. Medina Luque |
Epi4health |
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Food, physical activity and sport This line of research is focused on the relationship between food, diet, and exercise, and their effects on physical activity, sports performance, and health, from both physiological and social perspectives. |
Dr Laura Esquius de la Zarza
Dr Francesc X. Medina Luque
Dr Gemma Chiva-Blanch |
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Mechanisms of healthy ageing
This line of research focuses on understanding the molecular and cellular mechanisms involved in ageing and age-related diseases in order to propose interventions that could ameliorate healthspan and lifespan in the aging population, with a particular focus on women's health. We will use a combination of cellular models, in vivo models and clinical samples to achieve our goals.
We will focus on:
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Dr Marta Massip Salcedo
Dr Salvador Macip Maresma
Dr Laura Esquius de la Zarza
Dr Gemma Chiva-Blanch
Dr Diana Díaz Rizzolo |
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Dietary patterns, food and compounds and cardiovascular disease
Increased lifespan in developed countries has resulted in a greatly increased frequency of diseases related to ageing, such as cardiovascular diseases (CVD), principally driven by atherosclerosis. Atherosclerotic CVD remains the leading cause of death worldwide, in Europe and Spain (specifically in women), making prevention and management of CVD of paramount importance for successful and healthy ageing. Lifestyle interventions, including diet, have the potential to provide a basis for primary prevention. On those grounds, this line of research is aimed at:
1) The identification of new biomarkers of atherosclerosis and cardiovascular disease through, but not limited to, the characterization of protein cargo of extracellular vesicles (EV, microvesicles and exosomes) of vascular and blood origin. The aim of this line is to identify specific phenotypes of EV released into the bloodstream that allow the reclassification of individuals with a high risk of suffering a cardiovascular event in the short/medium term, regardless of their clinical cardiovascular risk (sex, age, cholesterol, smoking status, etc.). The long-term objective is that these specific phenotypes of CVD could be quantified in the clinical practice and integrated into more precise cardiovascular risk equations, in the context of precision medicine, focused on delaying the progression of cardiovascular disease and the onset of a cardiovascular event.
2) The evaluation of the effects of different dietary compounds, foods, and dietary patterns on the release of EV of vascular and blood origin and in overall cardiovascular risk. This line of research aims to better understand the complex relationship between diet and cardiovascular disease and to contribute to the development of nutritional strategies aimed at reducing CV risk factors, thus delaying the onset and progression of CVD.
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gchivab@uoc.edu
Dr Alicia Aguilar Martinez
Dr Nadia San Onofre |
NUTRALiSS |
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Mediterranean Diet
This research line aims to explore the Mediterranean Diet from a comprehensive perspective, from molecular biology to public health. The research is focused on identifying biomarkers, examining the impact of diet and lifestyle factors on disease risk, and developing intervention strategies to promote health across the lifespan.
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Mail: gchivab@uoc.edu
Dr Anna Bach-Faig
Mail: abachf@uoc.edu |
NUTRALiSS |
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Food waste
This research line aims to develop strategies for efficient food management, focusing on reducing food waste and maximizing resource utilization across various stages of the food supply chain. The study will incorporate the latest technological innovations, policy frameworks, and industry best practices to create a model for sustainable food management.
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NUTRALiSS |
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Evaluation of public health interventions or programs
This research line aims at the evaluation of public health nutrition interventions, focusing on community interventions and those related to the transfer of knowledge in health.
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Dr Anna Bach-Faig
Dr Alicia Aguilar Martinez
Dr Nadia San Onofre |
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Chrononutrition and glucose homeostasis
This line of research is dedicated to the translational and clinical application of chronobiology and nutrition principles to optimize glucose homeostasis in patients at risk of or living with metabolic disease. It focuses on correcting detrimental patterns related to meal timing, daily caloric distribution and sleep to improve metabolic health and generate evidence-based personalized lifestyle interventions.
This line is specifically interested in:
- Assessing the impact of circadian disruption on glucose control: examining how irregular meal schedules, caloric distribution and poor sleep/wake cycles clinically affect glucose regulation involving continuous glucose monitors (CGMs), alongside actigraphs to precisely measure physical activity, sleep and core body temperature.
- Optimizing chrononutrition and sleep interventions: designing and evaluating integrated clinical strategies that combine optimized meal timing with improved sleep quality in metabolic patients. The assessment of treatment efficacy incorporates advanced body composition measures using bioimpedance and nutritional ultrasonography to monitor changes in muscle and fat mass distribution.
- Personalizing dietary timing and caloric distribution: identifying patient-specific patterns, such as chronotypes, that predict optimal metabolic responses to various meal schedules and energy distribution strategies, aiming to create personalized chrononutrition protocols for glucose management.
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Dr Diana Díaz Rizzolo ddiazriz@uoc.edu |
NUTRALiSS |