A Mediterranean‐style low glycemic diet decreases inflammation and insulin resistance in subjects classified with the metabolic syndrome

Women classified with metabolic syndrome (MS) adhered to a low glycemic diet alone (n = 40) or accompanied by intake of a medical food containing plant sterols, soy protein (PSS), rho iso‐alpha acids, and proanthocyanidins from acacia (n = 44). All women decrreased energy intake (p < 0.00001) after 12 wk. The intake of fat was reduced by 42 % (P < 0.0001), carbohydrate by 38.5% (P < 0.0001), while protein was increased by 13.6%, with the PSS group consuming higher levels of vegetable protein (P < 0.05). Glycemic load was also decreased from 128.5 to 48.2. The adipokines, leptin (P < 0.0001) and tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF‐α) (P< 0.0005) significantly decreased over time. Waist circumference (WC) decreased for all women (P < 0.0001) and these reductions were strongly correlated with decreases in leptin (r = 0.316, P < 0.05). Interestingly, protein intake was negatively correlated with plasma concentrations of TNF‐α (r= −0.319, P < 0.05). Decreases in interleukin‐6 were correlated with decreased energy intake (r = 0.305, P < 0.05) while the reductions in fat (r = 0.380, P < 0.01) and glycemic load (r = 0.386, P < 0.01) were correlated with decreases in insulin. In contrast, changes in adiponectin were negatively correlated with energy (P < 0.001) and carbohydrate intake (P < 0.05). These data suggests that energy reduction and high vegetable protein, in combination with weight loss improves the chronic inflammatory state in subjects with MetS. [Supported by MetaProteomics, LLC, Gig Harbor, WA]