Fast-Food Dietary Pattern Is Linked to Higher Prevalence of Metabolic Syndrome in Older Canadian Adults

Metabolic syndrome (MetS) is known to increase the risk of cardiovascular diseases and diabetes. Diet is a key factor in prevention and development of MetS. This study aimed to determine the association between dietary patterns and MetS among Canadians 12-79 years old using the Canadian Health Measures Survey (CHMS) combined Cycles 1 and 2 data from 2007-11. We hypothesized that MetS varies among different sociodemographic and lifestyle factors and that Canadians who have less healthy dietary patterns are more likely to have MetS.

In the CHMS, MetS was determined using objective health measures. The principal component analysis method was used to determine the dietary patterns. Using logistic regression, the association between MetS and dietary patterns, controlling for potential covariates, was investigated for age groups of 12-19, 20-49, and 50-79 years. Survey data were weighted and bootstrapped to be representative at the national level.

The prevalence of MetS was 16.9% for ages 12-79 y (n = 4,272, males = 49.6%), representing 26,038,108 Canadians aged 12-79 years. MetS was significantly different across sociodemographic variables; Canadians with less education, income, and activity had higher MetS prevalence than their counterparts. In older adults (50-79 years of age), the "fast-food" dietary pattern was associated with 26% (odds ratio = 1.26; 95% CI: 1.04 to 1.54; p=0.0195) higher likelihood of having MetS.

Among older Canadians, MetS is associated with a "fast-food" dietary pattern after adjustment for socioeconomic/lifestyle factors. Findings suggest the importance of diet quality/composition in the development of MetS among older Canadians and the need for further longitudinal studies on MetS and diet across the lifespan.