Written by Greg Arnold, DC, CSCS. The top 20% of the 2000 patients in the Farmingham Heart Study, who followed the Mediterranean Diet for 7 years, had a 9.6% decrease in triglycerides and a 1.8% smaller waist circumference than the lowest 20% .
Metabolic Syndrome affects over 47 million Americans and is characterized by a number of risk factors that include central obesity (excessive fat tissue in and around the abdomen), increased blood pressure (130/85 mm Hg or higher), and insulin resistance (the body can’t properly use insulin or blood sugar). The condition is also known as “Syndrome X” because it consists of so many symptoms (1).
Fortunately, a number of studies have shown ways to help patients prevent Syndrome X, such as losing weight (2), while oxidative stress may precipitate Syndrome X (3). Now a new study (4) has found that following the Mediterranean Diet, characterized by high intakes of olive oil, fish, nuts and fruits and vegetables, may help with Metabolic Syndrome.
In the study, nearly 2,000 patients in the Framingham Heart Study (5) were followed over the course of seven years. They provided dietary information by completing food frequency questionnaires (6). They also provided blood samples to measure blood sugar, insulin, cholesterol, and triglycerides. The food questionnaires focused on 13 food groups and were scored on a scale of 1 to 10. For example, if patients consumed 60% of the recommended serving, they received a score of 6. The results were then standardized to produce a score from 1 to 100 based on adherence to the Mediterranean Diet (7).
The researchers found that a higher Mediterranean Diet score was associated with lower insulin resistance, waist circumference, blood sugar, and triglycerides, as well as higher HDL cholesterol, all of which led to a decreased risk of Metabolic Syndrome. The biggest decreases were seen in triglycerides and waist circumference. Those in the highest 20% adherence to the Mediterranean Diet had a 9.6% lower triglyceride level (103 vs. 114 mg/dL) and a 1.8% smaller waist circumference (97.1 vs. 98.9 cm), compared to those in the lowest 20% adherence. Based in these results, 30.1% of those in the highest 20% adherence group had Metabolic Syndrome, compared to 38.5% of those in the lowest 20% adherence group.
For the researchers, “Our study suggests that the consumption of a diet consistent with the principles of the Mediterranean-style diet may protect against metabolic syndrome in Americans.”
Source: Rumawas, Marcella E., et al. “Mediterranean-style dietary pattern, reduced risk of metabolic syndrome traits, and incidence in the Framingham Offspring Cohort.” The American journal of clinical nutrition 90.6 (2009): 1608-1614.
© 2009 American Society for Nutrition
Posted January 15, 2010.
References:
- American Heart Association Website: “Metabolic Syndrome”.
- Watkins LL. Effects of exercise and weight loss on cardiac risk factors associated with syndrome X. Arch Intern Med. 2003 Sep 8;163(16):1889-95.
- Furukawa, S., T. Fujita, et al. (2004). “Increased oxidative stress in obesity and its impact on metabolic syndrome.” J Clin Invest 114(12): 1752-61.
- Rumawas M. Mediterranean-style dietary pattern, reduced risk of metabolic syndrome traits, and incidence in the Framingham Offspring Cohort. Am J Clin Nutr 2009;90 1608-1614.
- Framing Heart Study Website.
- Rimm, EB. Reproducibility and validity of an expanded self-administered semiquantitative food frequency questionnaire among male health professionals. Am J Epidemiol 1992;135:1114–26; discussion 1127–36.
- Ministry of Health and Welfare Supreme Scientific Health Council of Greece. Dietary guidelines for adults in Greece. Arch Hellenic Med 1999;16:516–24.
