Nutritional Epidemiology

PhD, affiliated researcher

Esther González-Padilla holds a degree in Medicine from University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria (Spain) (2015) and a MSc in Public Health (MPH) from Lund University (2018). In 2018, Esther began her PhD studies in the Nutritional Epidemiology group and defended her thesis in April 2022. Her projects focus on added sugar intake and disease as well as genetic epidemiology.

Esther has collaborated with the Nutrition Group at the Institute of Biomedical and Health Sciences (IUIBS) with the data collection for PREDIMED plus study (cardiovascular disease prevention with Mediterranean Diet), as well as to launch a project promoting food sustainability in Gran Canaria (La Isla en Tu Plato – The Island on Your Plate), whilst organising several public outreach activities. In 2010, Esther won a scholarship to take part on a surgery training programme at the University of Texas at San Antonio (USA). In 2009, Esther won the Young Researcher Award for her first original study, done in collaboration with the Bone Metabolism Unit at University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria with projects concerning vitamin D and calcium. Currently, Esther is the chairperson of the DPLU PhD Student network and a representative of the Medical PhD Student Union.

Her main interests lie within nutrition (particularly sugar intake), preventive medicine, public health and science communication.

Publications

• Clusters of carbohydrate-rich foods and associations with type 2 diabetes incidence: a prospective cohort study
  December 19, 2023 by Kjell Olsson
  CONCLUSIONS: A dietary pattern defined by a high intake of fruits was associated with a lower incidence of type 2 diabetes. The findings provide additional evidence of a potential protective effect from fruit intake in reducing type 2 diabetes risk. Future studies are needed to explore this association further.
• Comparisons of Different Carbohydrate Quality Indices for Risk of Type 2 Diabetes in the Malmö Diet and Cancer Study
  September 28, 2023 by Michaela Ramstedt
  Carbohydrate quality might be more important than quantity to reduce type 2 diabetes (T2D) risk. Various metrics of carbohydrate quality exist; however, their associations with T2D have only been studied to a limited extent. Consequently, the aim was to investigate the association between four different pre-defined carbohydrate quality indices, with various amounts of fiber (≥1 […]
• Association Between Dietary Habits in Midlife With Dementia Incidence Over a 20-Year Period
  October 12, 2022 by Isabelle Glans
  BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Dementia cases are expected to triple during the next 30 years, highlighting the importance of finding modifiable risk factors for dementia. The aim of this study was to investigate whether adherence to conventional dietary recommendations or to a modified Mediterranean diet are associated with a subsequent lower risk of developing all-cause dementia, […]
• Association between Adherence to Swedish Dietary Guidelines and Mediterranean Diet and Risk of Stroke in a Swedish Population
  March 26, 2022 by Esther González-Padilla
  Dietary factors associated with stroke risk are still rather unknown. The aim was to examine the association between adherence to healthy dietary patterns and incidence of stroke among 25,840 individuals from the Swedish Malmö Diet and Cancer Study cohort. Dietary data were obtained using a combination of a 7-day food record, diet questionnaire, and interview. […]
• Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms in Close Proximity to the <em>Fibroblast Growth Factor 21 (FGF21)</em> Gene Found to Be Associated with Sugar Intake in a Swedish Population
  November 27, 2021 by Suzanne Janzi
  Hereditary mechanisms are partially responsible for individual differences in sensitivity to and the preference for sweet taste. The primary aim of this study was to examine the associations between 10 genetic variants and the intake of total sugar, added sugar, and sugars with sweet taste (i.e., monosaccharides and sucrose) in a middle-aged Swedish population. Two […]
• Association between Sugar Intake and Intima Media Thickness as a Marker for Atherosclerosis: A Cross-Sectional Study in the Malmö Diet and Cancer Study (Sweden)
  June 2, 2021 by Esther González-Padilla
  It has been suggested that sugar intake may play a role in the development of atherosclerosis. However, studies on this matter are lacking. Intima media thickness (IMT) is a well-established measurement of subclinical atherosclerosis. This study aimed to investigate the cross-sectional association between sugar intake (i.e., added, free and total sugar and sugar-rich foods and […]
• Associations Between Added Sugar Intake and Risk of Four Different Cardiovascular Diseases in a Swedish Population-Based Prospective Cohort Study
  January 11, 2021 by Suzanne Janzi
  Aims: Although diet is one of the main modifiable risk factors of cardiovascular disease, few studies have investigated the association between added sugar intake and cardiovascular disease risk. This study aims to investigate the associations between intake of total added sugar, different sugar-sweetened foods and beverages, and the risks of stroke, coronary events, atrial fibrillation […]
• Associations of carbohydrates and carbohydrate-rich foods with incidence of type 2 diabetes
  December 23, 2020 by Kjell Olsson
  Dietary carbohydrates have long been expected to be associated with risk of type 2 diabetes; however, the associations for many carbohydrates and carbohydrate-rich foods remain inconclusive. This study analysed associations between intakes of six types of carbohydrates and thirteen carbohydrate-rich foods with incident type 2 diabetes in 26 622 participants (61 % women) in the […]
• Association between added sugar intake and micronutrient dilution: a cross-sectional study in two adult Swedish populations
  February 20, 2020 by Esther González-Padilla
  CONCLUSIONS: These findings suggest that in two Swedish populations the higher the intake of added sugar in the diet, the more likely it is that the intake of micronutrients will be compromised, in two Swedish populations. However, although the trends are significant and consistent with those obtained in other studies on the subject, future studies […]
• Association between added sugar intake and mortality is nonlinear and dependent on sugar source in 2 Swedish population-based prospective cohorts
  December 28, 2018 by Stina Ramne
  CONCLUSIONS: Our findings indicate that a high sugar intake is associated with an increased mortality risk. However, the risk is also increased among low sugar consumers, although they have a more favorable lifestyle in general. In addition, the associations are dependent on the type of sugar source.