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Mediterranean diet, weight loss and features of the metabolic syndrome
Author(s) -
Richard Caroline,
Charest Amélie,
Couture Patrick,
Lamarche Benoît
Publication year - 2009
Publication title -
the faseb journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.709
H-Index - 277
eISSN - 1530-6860
pISSN - 0892-6638
DOI - 10.1096/fasebj.23.1_supplement.213.3
Subject(s) - weight loss , medicine , waist , triglyceride , mediterranean diet , blood pressure , metabolic syndrome , endocrinology , cholesterol , obesity
The objective of this study was to examine the efficacy of the Mediterranean diet (MedDiet) under optimally controlled conditions, with and without weight loss, on the cardiometabolic risk profile of male patients with the metabolic syndrome (MetS). Twenty‐six men aged between 24 to 62 years with the MetS (NCEP‐ATP III) consumed a North American control diet for 5 weeks followed by a 5‐week MedDiet, both under weight‐maintaining conditions. They then underwent a 20‐week weight loss phase, after which they consumed the weight stabilizing MedDiet for the second time. All foods were provided to participants during the isocaloric phases of the study. The MedDiet without weight loss decreased total plasma cholesterol (C), LDL‐C and the total/HDL‐C ratio by 7.1%, 9.3% and 6.5% respectively, compared to the control diet (all p<0.05). Body weight was reduced by 8.2% and waist circumference by 8.0 cm during the weight loss phase (p<0.001). The MedDiet with weight loss reduced systolic blood pressure (‐4.6%), diastolic blood pressure (‐9.5%), triglyceride (‐16%), apoB (‐10%) and fasting glucose (‐6.0%) compared to the control diet (all p<0.03). Conclusion The MedDiet leads to significant changes in plasma cholesterol concentrations but weight loss appears to be required for the MedDiet to modify the cardiometabolic risk factors associated with the MetS. Financial support: Canadian Institutes for Health Research.