Association between dietary patterns and metabolic syndrome in a sample of portuguese adults

Maria João Fonseca,Ana Cristina Santos,Carla Lopes,Rita Gaio

doi:10.1186/1475-2891-11-64

Abstract

BackgroundThere is scarce evidence regarding the association between diet and metabolic syndrome (MetS) in Portuguese population. We aim to evaluate the association between a posteriori dietary patterns (DPs) and MetS and its features.MethodsUsing random digit dialing, a sample of 2167 adults was selected between 1999 and 2003, in Porto. During a face-to-face interview, a questionnaire was applied, anthropometric measures were taken, blood pressure measured and a fasting blood sample collected. Diet was assessed using a validated food frequency questionnaire, and four DPs were identified in each sex by multivariate finite mixture models.ResultsAfter adjustment for age and daily energy intake, comparing to the “healthy” DP, women with the “low fruit and vegetables” DP had a higher odds of high waist circumference (OR = 1.88 95% CI 1.17-3.01) and low HDL-cholesterol (OR = 1.78 95% IC 1.12-2.82) and women in the “red meat and alcohol” DP had higher odds of high waist circumference (OR = 1.45 95% CI 1.01-2.07) and of MetS (OR = 1.57 95% CI 1.07-2.29); men with the “fish” DP had a higher odds of high triglycerides (OR = 1.57 95% CI 1.05-2.35). After further adjustments (education, physical activity, smoking, alcohol drinking, BMI, and menopausal status) no significant associations remained.ConclusionsFour distinct DPs were identified in a community sample of Portuguese adults and there was no association with the prevalence of MetS.

Highlights

There is scarce evidence regarding the association between diet and metabolic syndrome (MetS) in Portuguese population
Women in the “healthy” Dietary Pattern (DP) had the highest consumption of vegetables, fruits and dairy products, and the lowest consumption of red meat, fastfood and soft drinks; these women had the lowest intake of fat, cholesterol, omega 6 fatty acids and ethanol and the highest of carbohydrates, dietary fibre and some minerals and vitamins
The “red meat and alcohol” DP was the one with the highest consumption of red meat and alcoholic beverages and the lowest consumption of dairy products and vegetable soup; these women had the lowest consumption of protein, calcium and vitamin D

Summary

Introduction

There is scarce evidence regarding the association between diet and metabolic syndrome (MetS) in Portuguese population. Several DP analyses have relied on a priori approaches [9,10], and are based on the assumption of protective or harmful health effects of food components; on the other hand this approach does not acknowledge that clustering of food components can vary across populations, reflecting cultural traditions. Another approach has been proposed: the a posteriori construction of DPs [11], which takes into consideration the real eating behaviours of the population, without making any assumption of protective or harmful health effects. These DPs are constructed based on statistical models, such as factor, cluster or principal component analysis

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