{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,10,27]],"date-time":"2026-10-27T07:15:26Z","timestamp":1793085326957,"version":"4.5.0"},"reference-count":36,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"2","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2025,1,20]],"date-time":"2025-01-20T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1737331200000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"funder":[{"name":"IRCCS San Raffaele Pisana","id":[{"id":"https:\/\/ror.org\/006x48140","id-type":"ROR","asserted-by":"crossref"}]}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Nutrients"],"abstract":"<jats:p>Background: Gender differences in metabolic response to lifestyle interventions remain poorly explored. This study aimed to evaluate the impact of a six-month Mediterranean diet (MD) intervention combined with regular physical activity on metabolic parameters in overweight adults. Methods: A prospective cohort study was conducted in an obesity clinic in Rome, Italy, involving overweight adults (BMI \u2265 25 kg\/m2) motivated to improve their lifestyle. Participants (n = 205; 107 men and 98 women) self-selected into physical activity groups (aerobic, anaerobic, combined or no activity). Gender-specific metabolic changes were assessed, including lipid profiles, liver markers and fasting glucose. Results: Significant gender differences in metabolic results were observed. Men showed greater reductions in total cholesterol (TC) and LDL, as well as significant reductions in alanine aminotransferase (ALT). Women showed a significant increase in HDL cholesterol. Fasting blood glucose decreased significantly in both sexes, with no differences between the sexes. Activity-specific analysis revealed that anaerobic activity significantly improved lipid metabolism in men, while aerobic activity produced the greatest benefits in women, including increased HDL and improved liver marker profiles. Conclusions: Therapeutic strategies combining MD and physical activity must take into account gender-specific physiological differences and the type of sport activity to optimise metabolic benefits. Personalised approaches may improve the management of cardiovascular risk factors in overweight individuals. Study registration: This study is registered on ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT06661330).<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/nu17020354","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2025,1,20]],"date-time":"2025-01-20T09:11:13Z","timestamp":1737364273000},"page":"354","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":21,"title":["Exploring Gender Differences in the Effects of Diet and Physical Activity on Metabolic Parameters"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"17","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-4182-9942","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Stefania","family":"Gorini","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Department for the Promotion of Human Science and Quality of Life, San Raffaele Open University, Via di Val Cannuta, 247, 00166 Rome, Italy"},{"name":"Laboratory of Cardiovascular Endocrinology, San Raffaele Research Institute, IRCCS San Raffaele Roma, Via di Val Cannuta, 247, 00166 Rome, Italy"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Elisabetta","family":"Camajani","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department for the Promotion of Human Science and Quality of Life, San Raffaele Open University, Via di Val Cannuta, 247, 00166 Rome, Italy"},{"name":"Laboratory of Cardiovascular Endocrinology, San Raffaele Research Institute, IRCCS San Raffaele Roma, Via di Val Cannuta, 247, 00166 Rome, Italy"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Alessandra","family":"Feraco","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department for the Promotion of Human Science and Quality of Life, San Raffaele Open University, Via di Val Cannuta, 247, 00166 Rome, Italy"},{"name":"Laboratory of Cardiovascular Endocrinology, San Raffaele Research Institute, IRCCS San Raffaele Roma, Via di Val Cannuta, 247, 00166 Rome, Italy"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-2130-1596","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Andrea","family":"Armani","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department for the Promotion of Human Science and Quality of Life, San Raffaele Open University, Via di Val Cannuta, 247, 00166 Rome, Italy"},{"name":"Laboratory of Cardiovascular Endocrinology, San Raffaele Research Institute, IRCCS San Raffaele Roma, Via di Val Cannuta, 247, 00166 Rome, Italy"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Sercan","family":"Karav","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, \u00c7anakkale Onsekiz Mart University, Canakkale 17000, T\u00fcrkiye"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Tiziana","family":"Filardi","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department for the Promotion of Human Science and Quality of Life, San Raffaele Open University, Via di Val Cannuta, 247, 00166 Rome, Italy"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-8593-8051","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Giovanni","family":"Aulisa","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department for the Promotion of Human Science and Quality of Life, San Raffaele Open University, Via di Val Cannuta, 247, 00166 Rome, Italy"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-8186-039X","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Edda","family":"Cava","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Clinical Nutrition and Dietetics, San Camillo Forlanini Hospital, cir.ne Gianicolense 87, 00152 Rome, Italy"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Rocky","family":"Strollo","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department for the Promotion of Human Science and Quality of Life, San Raffaele Open University, Via di Val Cannuta, 247, 00166 Rome, Italy"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-5227-2567","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Elvira","family":"Padua","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department for the Promotion of Human Science and Quality of Life, San Raffaele Open University, Via di Val Cannuta, 247, 00166 Rome, Italy"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-0722-7163","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Massimiliano","family":"Caprio","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department for the Promotion of Human Science and Quality of Life, San Raffaele Open University, Via di Val Cannuta, 247, 00166 Rome, Italy"},{"name":"Laboratory of Cardiovascular Endocrinology, San Raffaele Research Institute, IRCCS San Raffaele Roma, Via di Val Cannuta, 247, 00166 Rome, Italy"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-7509-5487","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Mauro","family":"Lombardo","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department for the Promotion of Human Science and Quality of Life, San Raffaele Open University, Via di Val Cannuta, 247, 00166 Rome, Italy"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2025,1,20]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1200","DOI":"10.1038\/ejcn.2014.243","article-title":"Effects of Mediterranean-Style Diet on Glycemic Control, Weight Loss and Cardiovascular Risk Factors among Type 2 Diabetes Individuals: A Meta-Analysis","volume":"69","author":"Huo","year":"2014","journal-title":"Eur. 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