Consumo do azeite de oliva associado à saúde: uma revisão guarda-chuva

Abstract

The consumption of olive oil is a time-honored practice widely recognized for its impact on heath. The functional benefits of olive oil include the reduction of free radicals, total cholesterol in the blood, and the prevention of non-communicable chronic diseases. Nowadays, the increasing incidence of chronic diseases poses a significant challenge to public health. Several studies in the literature evaluate these effects on health-related outcomes, which can make it challenging for healthcare professionals to formulate appropriate strategies for their patients, as well as for managers and decision-makers, given the availability of numerous accessible documents. However, to date, there is no summary of the accumulated evidence from all these systematic reviews and meta-analyses. This study presents a comprehensive review aimed at assessing the strength and validity of available evidence concerning the association between olive oil consumption and health outcomes. Following the PRISMA methodology, databases including Medline, Embase, The Cochrane Library, Scopus, Web of Science, and Lilacs were systematically searched up to February 2023. The Joanna Briggs Institute’s tool for assessing study quality was employed. Seventeen articles were included in the review, providing suggestive evidence of the beneficial association between olive oil consumption and cardiovascular diseases, cancer, type 2 diabetes, and all-cause mortality. However, no significant results were found for outcomes related to inflammatory markers, oxidative stress, glucose metabolism, or some lipid profiles. Several meta-analyses exhibited high heterogeneity and wide confidence intervals, coupled with a limited number of randomized clinical trials. Given the generally high heterogeneity and low quality of the available evidence, further research involving randomized clinical trials is essential. These studies should prioritize in-depth analysis of specific components of olive oil and include a control group differing significantly both in composition and intervention effects from the experimental group.