The relation between dietary phytochemical index and metabolic syndrome and its components in a large sample of Iranian adults: A population-based study | Research Square
Azam Ahmadi Vasmehjani, Zahra Darabi, Azadeh Nadjarzadeh, Masoud Mirzaei, Mahdieh Hosseinzadeh
Azam Ahmadi Vasmehjani
Background: There is growing agreement that plant foods-based phytochemicals have a protective role against chronic diseases. Current study was to appraise Dietary Phytochemical Index (DPI) with the risk of metabolic syndrome (MetS) and its components.
Methods: A cross sectional study of 1097 men , 1220 women and aged 20-70 years assessed dietary intake using a validated and reliable food frequency questionnaire. DPI is calculated based on dietary energy derived from phytochemical-rich food sources (kcal)/ total daily energy intake (kcal).
Results: After adjustment for all potential confounders, the risk of MetS (OR=0.63, 95% CI=0.41-0.96, P=0.03) and elevated blood pressure (OR=0.62, 95% CI=0.40-0.96, P=0.03) in second category of DPI compared to the first significantly decreased. After full adjustment for confounders, women in the highest quartile of DPI compared with the lowest, had 59% lower risk of MetS (OR=0.41, 95% CI=0.22-0.76, P=0.005). In second quartiles of DPI, the risk of MetS decreased by 62% (OR=0.38, 95% CI=0.16-0.90, P=0.02) in participants with normal BMI and 29% in subjects with high BMI (OR=0.71, 95% CI=0.52-0.99, P=0.04), and also 57% in men (OR=0.43, 95%CI=0.23-0.83, P=0.01). Independent of variables including age, sex and total energy intake, subjects in second and fourth quartiles of DPI had 30% and 25% lower risk of abdominal obesity, respectively.
Conclusions: Greater adherence to phytochemical-rich diet could reduce odds of MetS and some components especially in women. Further studies with intervention approaches are warranted.
Dietary Phytochemical Index, metabolic syndrome, phytochemical-rich foods, Triglyceride, Hypertension, Iran.