Adherence to the Mediterranean diet and risk of metabolic syndrome and its components
Received 28 July 2008; received in revised form 24 October 2008; accepted 29 October 2008. published online 28 January 2009.
Abstract
Background and aims
The role of diet in the aetiology of metabolic syndrome (MetS) is not well understood. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the relationship between adherence to the Mediterranean diet (MedDiet) and MetS.
Methods and results
A cross-sectional study was conducted with 808 high cardiovascular risk participants of the Reus PREDIMED Centre. MetS was defined by the updated National Cholesterol and Education Program Adult Treatment Panel III criteria.
An inverse association between quartiles of adherence to the MedDiet (14-point score) and the prevalence of MetS (P for trend<0.001) was observed. After adjusting for age, sex, total energy intake, smoking status and physical activity, participants with the highest score of adherence to the MedDiet (≥9 points) had the lowest odds ratio of having MetS (OR [95% CI] of 0.44 [0.27–0.70]) compared to those in the lowest quartile.
Participants with the highest MedDiet adherence had 47 and 54% lower odds of having low HDL-c and hypertriglyceridemia MetS criteria, respectively, than those in the lowest quartile. Some components of the MedDiet, such as olive oil, legumes and red wine were associated with lower prevalence of MetS.
Conclusion
Higher adherence to a Mediterranean diet is associated with a significantly lower odds ratio of having MetS in a population with a high risk of cardiovascular disease.
aHuman Nutrition Unit, Department of Biochemistry and Biotechnology, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Rovira i Virgili University, Spain
bCIBER Fisiopatología de la Obesidad y Nutrición CB06/03. Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain
cDirecció d'Atenció Primària Tarragona-Reus. Institut Català de la Salut, Reus, Spain
dDepartment of Preventive Medicine and Public Health, Medical School-Clínica Universitaria, University of Navarra, Pamplona, Spain
ePreventive Medicine and Public Health Unit, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Rovira i Virgili University, Spain
Corresponding author. Human Nutrition Unit, Department of Biochemistry and Biotechnology, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Rovira i Virgili University, C/Sant Llorenç 21, 43201 Reus, Spain.
ABSTRACT