Abstract
BACKGROUND: We investigated the association between plant-based diets indices - an overall plant-based diet index; a healthful plant-based diet index; and an unhealthful plant-based diet index - and metabolic syndrome among Iranian older adults.
AIM: We aimed to examine the relationship between plant-based diet indices and metabolic syndrome.
METHODS: This cross-sectional study included 178 older adults (51 men and 127 women), with a mean age of 67.04 (60-83) who were referred to health centers in Tehran, Iran. Blood and urine samples were collected to measure serum total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, and triglycerides. We created an overall plant-based diet index, healthful plant-based diet index, and unhealthful plant-based diet index from semi-quantitative food-frequency questionnaire data. Anthropometric measures were done.
RESULTS: Our crude model results showed that triglycerides, systolic and diastolic blood pressure, fasting blood sugar, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, and waist circumference did not significantly differ between tertiles of plant-based diet index and healthful plant-based diet index; also triglycerides, systolic and diastolic blood pressure, fasting blood sugar, and waist circumference did not significantly differ between tertiles of unhealthful plant-based diet index, but high-density lipoprotein cholesterol significantly differed between tertiles of unhealthful plant-based diet index. After adjusting for confounders the results remained non-significant for plant-based diet index but high-density lipoprotein cholesterol was significant for healthful and unhealthful plant-based diet indices. There was also no significant association between plant-based diet index (OR: 1.11; 95% CI: 0.53-2.33), healthful plant-based diet index (OR: 0.81; 95% CI: 0.39-1.68), and unhealthful plant-based diet index (OR: 0.81; 95% CI: 0.38-1.72) with metabolic syndrome, even after adjustment for confounders.
CONCLUSIONS: Our findings showed that plant-based diets are not significantly associated with risk of metabolic syndrome in older adults. To confirm the veracity of these findings, more studies should be conducted.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 435-444 |
| Number of pages | 10 |
| Journal | Nutrition and Health |
| Volume | 27 |
| Issue number | 4 |
| Early online date | 24 Feb 2021 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - Dec 2021 |
Bibliographical note
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- Plant-based diet index
- healthful plant-based diet
- unhealthful plant-based diet
- metabolic syndrome
- older adults
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Nutrition and Dietetics
- Medicine (miscellaneous)