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Mediterranean diet cuts risk for metabolic syndrome
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A Mediterranean diet appears to have proven beneficial effects not only for metabolic syndrome but also for its individual components, including waist circumference, glucose metabolism, blood pressure, triglycerides and HDL levels, a meta-analysis found.
Researchers in Greece meta-analyzed results of 50 studies on the Mediterranean diet, with an overall studied population of more than half a million people.
“To the best of our knowledge, our study is the first work that has systematically assessed, through a large meta-analysis, the role of the Mediterranean diet on metabolic syndrome and its components,” Demosthenes Panagiotakos, PhD, associate professor in biostatistics-epidemiology of nutrition, department of science of dietetics-nutrition, Harokopio University of Athens said in a press release. “Our results add to the existing knowledge and further demonstrate the protective role and the significance that lifestyle factors, and mainly dietary habits, have when it comes to the development and progression of the metabolic syndrome.”
Dietary pattern
The Mediterranean diet is characterized by high consumption of monounsaturated fatty acids, primarily from olives and olive oils; daily consumption of fruits, vegetables, whole grains and low-fat dairy; weekly consumption of fish, tree nuts and legumes; low consumption of red meat; and a moderate daily consumption of alcohol.
According to the researchers, the Mediterranean diet is one of the best known and well-studied dietary patterns. It has previously been shown to be associated with decreased mortality from all causes, lower risk for cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, obesity and some types of cancer. Additionally, it has a beneficial effect on abdominal obesity, lipids, glucose metabolism and blood pressure.
Meta-analysis results
When the researchers analyzed the combined effect of prospective studies and clinical studies, they found that adherence to a Mediterranean diet was associated with a reduced risk for metabolic syndrome (HR=0.96; 95% CI, 1.24-1.16). Results of clinical studies also revealed that the Mediterranean diet had a “protective role” on components of the metabolic syndrome, such as waist circumference (mean difference, 0.42 cm), HDL (1.17 mg/dL), triglycerides (6.14 mg/dL), glucose (3.89 mg/dL), and systolic BP (2.35 mm Hg) and diastolic BP (1.58 mm Hg). Epidemiological study results also confirmed the results of clinical trials.
“These results are of considerable public health importance because this dietary pattern can be easily adopted by all population groups and various cultures and cost-effectively serve for primary and secondary prevention of the metabolic syndrome and its individual components,” the researchers concluded. Further, with limited financial resources many countries currently face, healthier eating seems to be an effective and affordable means for preventing CVDs at the population level, according to Panagiotakos.
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Disclosure: The researchers report no relevant financial disclosures.
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