Abstract
BackgroundThe association between the Mediterranean diet (MED) or dietary approach to stop hypertension (DASH) and cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factors is well-documented. Nevertheless, a consistent relationship with the Middle East population has yet to be known. Thus, we aimed to investigate the association between DASH/MED and blood lipids in Iranian adults.MethodsFour thousand seven hundred forty participants, aged 35–70 years (mean: 50.0) participated in the Shahedieh cohort study in Yazd, Iran, were followed from 2016 until now. Participants provided dietary and blood lipid data through a validated semi-quantitative food frequency questionnaire, and blood samples were taken after a fasted state. We used binary logistic regression to examine the association between DASH/MED scores and blood lipids.ResultsIn the participants who ingested a DASH-like diet the third vs. the first tertile of total cholesterol (TC), triglyceride (TG), low-density lipoprotein (LDL) levels, and LDL/HDL (high-density lipoprotein) ratio reduced significantly (P < 0.01). While in the participants who ingested the MED-like diet the HDL level increased significantly( 52.8 ± 12. 3 vs. 51.6 ± 11.6, P < 0.01). In Binary logistic regression, higher adherence to the DASH diet showed 19 % lower odds of high TC level (OR: 0.81; 95 %CI: 0.69–0.95) and 18 % lower odds of high LDL/HDL ratio (OR: 0.82; 95 %CI: 0.70–0.96). Besides, high adherence to the MED diet was associated with lower odds of LDL/HDL ratio (OR: 0.85; 95 %CI: 0.72–0.99).ConclusionsOur findings suggest that TC, TG, LDL, LDL/HDL ratio, and HDL improved in participants who ingested a DASH-like diet and the LDL/HDL ratio improved in participants who ingested MED-like diet and, subsequently they might have a protective effect on CVDs risk. Further epidemiological studies are needed to confirm our findings.
Highlights
Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the leading cause of mortality worldwide (31 % of global deaths) [1]
Our findings suggest that total cholesterol (TC), TG, low-density lipoprotein (LDL), LDL/high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL) ratio, and HDL improved in participants who ingested a dietary approach to stop hypertension (DASH)-like diet and the LDL/HDL ratio improved in participants who ingested Mediterranean diet (MED)-like diet and, subsequently they might have a protective effect on Cardiovascular Diseases (CVDs) risk
Participants with high adherence to the MED diet had a higher level of serum HDL (52.8 ± 12.3 vs. 51.6 ± 11.6; p-value: 0.01; third vs. the first tertile)
Summary
Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the leading cause of mortality worldwide (31 % of global deaths) [1]. The National Cholesterol Education Program has recommended that therapeutic lifestyle change should be the primary treatment for lowering cholesterol values, and pharmacological treatment should be practiced in cases who don not response to lifestyle modification. Advocated modifications include dietary changes, increased physical activity, and weight management. To improve LDL, dietary modifications include limiting saturated fat to < 7 % of calories and cholesterol to < 200 mg/d, increasing viscous fiber (10–24 g/d), and plant stanols/sterols (2 g/d) is recommended [3]. Previous studies have shown that the Mediterranean diet is associated with a lower CVD risk [7, 8]. The association between the Mediterranean diet (MED) or dietary approach to stop hypertension (DASH) and cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factors is well-documented. We aimed to investigate the association between DASH/MED and blood lipids in Iranian adults
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