Positive Association Between Nutrient Adequacy and Waist Circumference: Results of a Cross-Sectional Study

Metabolic syndrome (MetS) is a multifactorial disease with its exact causes not completely clear. Micronutrients such as vitamin A, vitamin D, zinc, and magnesium have been associated with MetS components. Our objective was to investigate the association of nutrient adequacy (NA) with MetS components. The present cross-sectional study consisted of 850 adults between 18-59 years from Tehran, Iran. Dietary intake, socio-demographic data, medical history, and anthropometric indices were collected by trained personnel. NA was calculated as the mean intake ratio to the recommended amount of 16 micronutrients. MetS were defined by the consensus of National Cholesterol Education Program-Adult Treatment Panel III criteria. The association between NA and MetS was examined using linear regression analyses after controlling potential confounders. More participants in the highest quartile were obese in terms of general obesity (p = 0004) and abdominal obesity (p = 0.003) compared with subjects in the least quartile. A significant positive correlation was found between waist circumference (WC) and NA even after controlling for all potential confounders (p < 0.001). NA was positively associated with WC among adults living in Tehran.