Adherence to a healthful life attenuates lipid parameters among a healthy Italian population

During the last 5 years, an increasing body of evidence on the association between adherence to the Mediterranean diet (MD), calculated through specific diet scores, and health status have been accumulated, but limited data are available regarding the association between MD scores and biomarkers. Similarly, many studies have demonstrated a significant protection against chronic diseases from a global healthy lifestyle (HL) pattern which includes not only dietary habits but also physical activity and abstinence from smoking, whereas few data regarding the influence of a HL pattern on circulating biomarkers are available. Using the framework of an epidemiological study conducted in Florence, Italy between 2002 and 2004 we evaluated the association between two different scores (a score of adherence to the MD and a score of adherence to a healthful life which includes abstinence from smoking and a moderate-to-high physical activity level) and some circulating parameters linked to chronic diseases.

Dietary habits and anthropometric and biochemical profiles were studied in 932 individuals (365 M; 567 F) with a median age of 47.5 years. Subjects who reported a greater adherence to the MD were found more frequently to be male, married and over 45 years of age. A general linear model dividing the study population into quartiles of scores was used. After adjustment for age, gender, educational status, body mass index and total energy intake, we observed no influence of adherence to the MD on circulating levels of biomarkers. On the other hand, an inverse association between circulating levels of lipid parameters (namely total cholesterol, LDL-cholesterol and triglycerides) and higher scores of adherence to a HL, was reported. In addition, a significant difference between the highest and the lowest quartiles of HL scores for homocysteine plasma levels was observed (p=0.04).

A high adherence to a HL, which includes not only a high adherence to the MD but also to other lifestyle factors (i.e. abstinence from smoking, and increasing physical activity during leisure time), is able to lower lipid parameters and homocysteine in a clinically healthy Italian population.