Influence of vegetarian diet to the factors associated with metabolic syndrome

Abstract

Metabolic syndrome (MS) is a condition that increases type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease that are associated with abdominal obesity, low high-density cholesterol (HDL), high serum triglycerides and elevated fasting glucose levels. Influence of vegetarian diet to these parameters has demonstrated, but the results are debatable. Aim was to explain how vegetarian diet is related to specific body composition and blood biochemical characteristics associated with MS. This study was conducted in 2013 in Estonia. All participants filled in questionnaire, gave a blood sample and their body composition was measured by using dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry. The level of total cholesterol, low-density cholesterol (LDL), HDL, apolipoprotein B (APOB), apolipoprotein A-1 (APOA1), triglycerides, glucose, haemoglobin A1c, and insulin level in blood were measured and fasting homeostatic model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) was calculated. The study comprised of 68 vegetarians (mean practice time of 7.3±4.7y) and 103 omnivores. Both groups were matched by sex and age. Omnivores had higher levels of total-cholesterol and APOA1 (p<.001 both) than vegetarians. Higher levels of LDL (p=.002) and APOB (p=.003) in all omnivores groups and in men (p=.003 and .002, respectively) appeared, as insulin (p=.023) and HOMA (p=.048) were greater in women. Lower levels of body mass index (BMI; p<.001) and higher ratios of total-cholesterol/HDL (p=.019); APOB/APOA1 (p=.026); LDL/HDL (p=.021) only in men vegetarians compared to omnivores emerged. Results of multivariate linear regression analyses also showed lover values of BMI, total-cholesterol, LDL, APOB, APOA1 and insulin in vegetarians but all these parameters were similarly influenced by lower BMI. In conclusion the vegetarian diet improves lipid metabolism by reducing the BMI.