nutrients-logo

Journal Browser

Journal Browser

Nutritional and Non-Pharmacological Lifestyle Interventions to Promote Metabolic Health

A special issue of Nutrients (ISSN 2072-6643). This special issue belongs to the section "Nutrition and Metabolism".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 25 May 2026 | Viewed by 753

Special Issue Editors


E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
1. Department of Education, Faculty of Education Sciences, SPORT Research Group (CTS-1024), Research Centre for Well-Being and Social Inclusion (CIBIS), University of Almería, Almería, Spain
2. Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red Fisiopatología de la Obesidad y Nutrición (CIBERobn), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain
Interests: energy expenditure; metabolism; exercise; health; nutrition; metabolic flexibility; indirect calorimetry
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor Assistant
1. Department of Education, Faculty of Education Sciences, SPORT Research Group (CTS-1024), Research Centre for Well-Being and Social Inclusion (CIBIS), University of Almería, Almería, Spain
2. Biomedical Research Unit, Torrecárdenas University Hospital, 04009 Almería, Spain
3. Nursing Research, Innovation and Development Centre of Lisbon (CIDNUR), Nursing School of Lisbon (ESEL), Lisbon, Portugal
Interests: digital health; exercise; functional status; health-related quality of life; occupational therapy; rheumatic diseases

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Metabolic health is a key determinant of morbidity and mortality worldwide, closely linked to the incidence of obesity and chronic diseases, such as rheumatic diseases, type 2 diabetes, and cardiovascular disease, among others. While nutrition has long been recognized as a cornerstone, accumulating evidence highlights the critical role of other non-pharmacological lifestyle interventions, including physical activity and exercise, sleep patterns, and stress management strategies, in regulating metabolic processes and health.

These factors influence inflammation, energy balance, insulin sensitivity, lipid metabolism, and circadian biology, often through interconnected and synergistic mechanisms. A comprehensive understanding of how nutritional and other non-pharmacological lifestyle interventions interact to promote metabolic health is essential for the development of effective, preventive, and sustainable therapeutic interventions.

This Special Issue aims to compile high-quality research, including mechanistic studies, clinical trials, observational studies, systematic reviews, and meta-analyses, addressing the impact of non-pharmacological lifestyle interventions based on nutrition, physical activity and exercise, sleep, and/or stress management on health. Submissions exploring personalized approaches, underlying biological or physiological mechanisms, and multidisciplinary interventions are particularly welcome.

By fostering interdisciplinary contributions, this Special Issue aims to advance the scientific basis for integrative strategies that promote metabolic health and prevent chronic diseases across populations.

Dr. Juan M. A. Alcantara
Guest Editor

Dr. Rafael Prieto-Moreno
Guest Editor Assistant

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Nutrients is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2900 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • metabolic health
  • nutrition
  • dietary patterns
  • physical activity
  • exercise
  • sleep
  • stress management
  • lifestyle interventions
  • non-pharmacological strategies
  • chronic disease prevention

Benefits of Publishing in a Special Issue

  • Ease of navigation: Grouping papers by topic helps scholars navigate broad scope journals more efficiently.
  • Greater discoverability: Special Issues support the reach and impact of scientific research. Articles in Special Issues are more discoverable and cited more frequently.
  • Expansion of research network: Special Issues facilitate connections among authors, fostering scientific collaborations.
  • External promotion: Articles in Special Issues are often promoted through the journal's social media, increasing their visibility.
  • Reprint: MDPI Books provides the opportunity to republish successful Special Issues in book format, both online and in print.

Further information on MDPI's Special Issue policies can be found here.

Published Papers (1 paper)

Order results
Result details
Select all
Export citation of selected articles as:

Research

16 pages, 706 KB  
Article
Dog Owners Exhibit Better Diet Quality but Similar Physical Activity Compared to Non-Owners: A Case-Control Study
by Konstantinos Lazaridis Margaritis, Marilena Perantonaki, Katerina Pyrga, Eleni C. Pardali, Dimitrios Poulimeneas, Dimitrios G. Goulis, Maria Tsigga and Maria G. Grammatikopoulou
Nutrients 2026, 18(1), 78; https://doi.org/10.3390/nu18010078 - 26 Dec 2025
Viewed by 483
Abstract
Introduction: “The dog is a man’s best friend” and research has showed that this idea is extended beyond the degree of loyalty. Dog ownership has been linked to several positive health outcomes for the owner. The aim of the present cross-sectional case–control [...] Read more.
Introduction: “The dog is a man’s best friend” and research has showed that this idea is extended beyond the degree of loyalty. Dog ownership has been linked to several positive health outcomes for the owner. The aim of the present cross-sectional case–control study was to assess differences in the physical activity level (PAL), body composition, quality of life (QoL), and diet quality and dietary knowledge between dog owners and non-owners. Methods: A total of 55 dog owners and an equal amount of non-dog owners (all aged between 18 and 60 years old) formed the case and control groups, respectively. Basic anthropometric measurements were performed, including body fat (BF) and diet, assessed with the Mediterranean Diet Score (MedDietScore) and the Eating Assessment Table (EAT). Physical activity was recorded for 3 consecutive days using activity monitors. QoL was evaluated using the brief version of the World Health Organization QoL (WHOQOL-BREF) tool. Results: The two groups demonstrated a similar PAL, but lower BF% (p = 0.009), hip circumference (p < 0.001), triceps (p = 0.012), and subscapular skinfolds (p = 0.003) were recorded among dog owners. The EAT score was greater among dog owners (p = 0.0023), indicating improved dietary intake and knowledge, even after adjustment for education attained and BMI (p = 0.026). On the other hand, greater adherence to the Mediterranean diet was exhibited among those not having dogs (p = 0.018). Regarding dog measurements and their owners’ anthropometry, dog neck circumference was negatively correlated to the owners’ biceps and triceps skinfolds (r = −0.327, p = 0.016; r = −0.320, p = 0.018, respectively). Additionally, dog breed size was negatively correlated to the owners’ triceps skinfold (r = −0.325, p = 0.015), sum of skinfolds (r = −0.311, p = 0.021), hip circumference (r = −0.341, p = 0.011), body fat (r = −0.357, p = 0.007), and fat mass index (r = −0.307, p = 0.023). Conclusions: Dog ownership is associated with improved body composition and smaller skinfold thickness at specific body sites, as well as with a more health-conscious lifestyle, including better diet quality and knowledge. Full article
Show Figures

Graphical abstract

Back to TopTop