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Reytor González, Claudia
Nutrition and longevity – diet in centenarians
Obesity, Bariatric Surgery, and Cancer Risk: Nutritional Perspectives and Long-Term Clinical Implications
2026
,
Evelyn Frias-Toral
,
Reytor González, Claudia
,
Giuseppe Annunziata
,
Ludovica Verde
,
Emilia Jimenez-Flores
,
Keya Sen
,
Martina Galasso
,
Giovanna Muscogiuri
,
Simancas Racines, Daniel
,
Maria Dalamaga
,
Luigi Barrea
Background: Nutrition plays a central role in the biological mechanisms that shape aging, health span, and longevity. Micronutrients—including vitamins, trace elements, and polyphenols—support genomic stability, mitochondrial integrity, and antioxidant defense, while dietary patterns rich in plant-based foods modulate inflammation, metabolic regulation, and epigenetic processes. Centenarian populations consuming Mediterranean, Okinawan, Nordic, and Nicoyan diets offer a natural model for understanding how nutrient-rich, minimally processed foods, moderate caloric intake, and balanced lifestyles interact with molecular pathways to extend functional life. Main Body: This review synthesizes current evidence on how micronutrients influence DNA repair, oxidative stress reduction, and mitochondrial protection, particularly through the actions of vitamins C and E, niacin-dependent PARP activity, folate-mediated methylation, and metal cofactors involved in antioxidant enzymes. Plant-based diets rich in fiber and polyphenols enhance microbial diversity and promote beneficial taxa such as Akkermansia and Bifidobacterium, supporting gut barrier integrity and immune balance. Caloric restriction and intermittent fasting activate nutrient-sensing pathways, including AMPK and sirtuins, reduce mTOR activity, and stimulate autophagy, collectively improving cellular resilience. Findings from centenarian regions highlight the convergence of lifestyle, nutrition, and cultural practices that reduce systemic inflammation, maintain metabolic flexibility, and support healthy aging trajectories. Conclusions: Diet emerges as a decisive modifiable determinant of lifespan and health span. The convergence of molecular nutrition, microbiome composition, and traditional dietary habits underlies the exceptional longevity observed in centenarian populations. Future research should integrate nutrigenomics, metabolomics, and microbiome profiling to clarify causal mechanisms and guide precision nutrition strategies for aging societies. © The Author(s) 2026.
2026
,
Reytor González, Claudia
,
Gerardo Sarno
,
Martha Montalvan
,
Ludovica Verde
,
Giuseppe Annunziata
,
Luigi Barrea
,
Giovanna Muscogiuri
,
Simancas Racines, Daniel
Obesity is recognized as a causal risk factor for the development of multiple cancers, with risk magnitude varying by tumor site, sex, life stage, and adipose tissue distribution. This narrative review synthesizes recent epidemiological evidence linking excess body fatness with cancer incidence and mortality and integrates the biological mechanisms that explain this association. Chronic low-grade inflammation, insulin resistance with compensatory hyperinsulinemia, dysregulation of adipose-derived hormones and sex steroids, impairment of anti-tumor immune responses, alterations in the gut microbiota, and remodeling of the tumor microenvironment collectively create conditions that favor tumor initiation and progression. Bariatric surgery is the most effective clinical intervention for achieving substantial and sustained weight loss in individuals with severe obesity, and growing evidence indicates that it is associated with a reduction in overall cancer risk and cancer-related mortality, particularly for malignancies strongly linked to obesity. However, the extent of this benefit differs by surgical technique and remains less consistent for colorectal cancer. Beyond metabolic improvements, bariatric surgery produces long-term changes in nutritional physiology that may also influence oncologic outcomes. Persistent deficiencies of micronutrients such as iron, folate, vitamin B12, vitamin D, and calcium can affect DNA synthesis, methylation, oxidative balance, and cellular repair. Altered protein and energy intake may contribute to loss of lean mass and reduced metabolic resilience, while changes in alcohol absorption and metabolism can increase systemic exposure to ethanol and its carcinogenic metabolites. In addition, bariatric surgery induces sustained remodeling of the gut microbiome and bile acid metabolism, which may further modulate tumorigenic signaling. Overall, the oncological impact of bariatric surgery reflects a balance between metabolic improvement and long-term nutritional management, underscoring the need for structured follow-up and targeted nutritional strategies to optimize cancer risk reduction.