| Summary: | Oxidative Balance Scores (OBSs) are tools that have emerged to evaluate the global balance
of individuals’ oxidation—reduction status. The aim was to compare OBSs available in the literature
regarding their characteristics and associations with chronic diseases in epidemiological studies.
Studies that developed OBSs were searched in PubMed until August 2018. A total of 21 OBSs were
identified. These OBSs presented different scoring schemes and different types of anti- and pro-oxidant
components, including dietary factors (dietary intake and/or nutrient biomarkers), lifestyle factors,
and medications. Most OBSs were based on over 10 components, and some included only dietary
factors. Few considered weighted components in the score. Only three OBSs were validated as
potential surrogates of oxidative balance through inflammation and OS-related biomarkers. Notably,
all the OBSs were associated—to a varying degree—with a reduced risk of cardiovascular diseases,
chronic kidney disease, colorectal adenomas, and different cancer types (colorectal and breast cancer),
as well as with all-cause and cancer-related mortality. For other outcomes, e.g., prostate cancer,
contradictory results were reported. In summary, there is a great heterogeneity in the definition
of OBSs. Most studies are concordant in supporting that excessive OS reflected by a lower OBS
has deleterious effects on health. Unified criteria for defining the proper OBSs, valuable to gauge
OS-related aspects of the diet and lifestyle that may lead to adverse health outcomes, are needed.
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