Nutrient patterns and their relationship to metabolic syndrome in Iranian adults

The prevalence of metabolic syndrome (MetS) is increasing globally. It is associated with a significant risk of developing type 2 diabetes mellitus and cardiovascular disease.

The relationship between adherence to several different dietary patterns and the presence of MetS was explored in an Iranian population sample of 5764 subjects.

We observed that the prevalence of MetS was 13% and 18% in men and women, respectively. There were three main dietary patterns: the first pattern was characterized by protein, carbohydrate, starch, glucose, fructose, sucrose, maltose, dietary fibre, potassium, calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, iron, zinc, manganese, thiamine, riboflavin, carotene, vitamin c and lactose; second representative of fat, saturated fat, monounsaturated fat, polyunsaturated fat, cholesterol, sodium, calcium, zinc, phosphorus, iodine, vitamin D, chloride, betaine, niacin; third consisting of copper, selenium, vitamin A, riboflavin, vitamin B12. In this dietary pattern, individuals in first quintile had a higher consumption of total fat, saturated fatty acid, monounsaturated fatty acid, polyunsaturated fatty acid, cholesterol and vitamin A. In the second pattern, individuals in the fifth quintile ate less carbohydrate, dietary fibre, glucose, Fructose, potassium compared to first quintile. We found that individuals in the first quintile in pattern 3 had higher intakes of protein, zinc and calcium compared to other quintiles.

We have found that a nutrient pattern which mostly characterized by dietary protein, carbohydrate, starch, glucose, fructose, sucrose, maltose was associated with a higher risk of MetS in both genders, while a pattern which was represent of copper, selenium, Vitamin A, riboflavin, vitamin B12 was associated with greater odds of Mets, in women.