Interactions Between Genetic Risk Score and Healthy Plant Diet Index on Cardiometabolic Risk Factors Among Obese and...

Area of Science:

• Nutrition Science
• Genetics
• Cardiovascular Health

Background:

• Higher genetic predisposition to obesity increases susceptibility to cardiovascular diseases (CVDs).
• Healthy plant-based diets may reduce risks associated with obesity and metabolic dysfunction.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the association between healthy plant-food-rich dietary patterns and cardiometabolic risk factors.
• To examine these associations in individuals with a genetically elevated risk of obesity.

Main Methods:

• Cross-sectional study of 377 overweight and obese women in Tehran, Iran.
• Calculation of a healthy plant-based diet index (h-PDI) and a genetic risk score (GRS) based on 3 polymorphisms.
• Analysis of gene-diet interactions on cardiometabolic traits using generalized linear models (GLM).

Main Results:

• Significant interactions between GRS and h-PDI were observed for body mass index (BMI), body fat mass, and waist circumference.
• Gene-diet interactions were significant for markers including high-sensitivity C-reactive protein, liver enzymes (AST, ALT), insulin, and plasminogen activator inhibitor 1.
• Adherence to h-PDI demonstrated stronger risk reduction for these markers in individuals with higher GRS.

Conclusions:

• Following a plant-based dietary pattern, considering genetic predisposition, may offer protection against cardiometabolic abnormalities.
• Gene-diet interactions play a crucial role in managing cardiometabolic health in individuals at genetic risk for obesity.