Comparison of two exploratory dietary patterns in association with the metabolic syndrome in a Northern German population

Abstract

Diet is related to many chronic disease conditions such as the metabolic syndrome (MetS). We set out to compare behaviour-related with disease-related patterns and their association with the MetS in a German cross-sectional study. A total of 905 participants of a Northern German cohort (aged 25-82 years) completed a FFQ, underwent anthropometric assessments and provided a blood sample. Dietary patterns were derived by principal component analysis (PCA) and reduced-rank regression (RRR) from forty-two food groups. Components of the MetS were used as response variables for the RRR analysis. Simplified patterns comprising ten food groups were generated. Logistic regression analysis was performed to evaluate the likelihood of having the MetS across the quartiles of simplified pattern scores. We identified two similar dietary patterns derived by PCA and RRR characterised by high intakes of potatoes, various vegetables, red and processed meat, fats, sauce and bouillon. Comparing simplified patterns, an increased RRR pattern score was associated with a higher OR (2·18, 95 % CI 1·25, 3·81) of having the MetS than an increased PCA pattern score (OR 1·92, 95 % CI 1·21, 3·03). Comparing concordant food groups by both dietary pattern methods, a diet high in legumes, beef, processed meat and bouillon was also positively associated with the prevalence of the MetS after adjustment for potential confounders (OR 1·71, 95 % CI 1·04, 2·79). We identified a behaviour-related pattern that was positively associated with the MetS. The application of both dietary pattern methods may be advantageous to obtain information for designing and realising dietary guidelines. Prospective studies are needed to confirm the results.

Association of Empirically Derived Dietary Patterns with Cardiovascular Risk Factors: A Comparison of PCA and RRR Methods

“…Technically, if response variables can be explained by dietary habits of the studied population, then PCA and RRR-patterns are likely to be similar. Our findings are in line with other studies which have used CVRF as response variables and also found similar PCA- and RRR-patterns [8,9]. Likewise, comparable patterns were found when biomarkers [22,23] were chosen as response variables.…”

“…In our study, since we were interested to find dietary patterns correlated with CVRF, we chose intentionally our outcomes of interest, CVRF, as response variables. Similar to other studies that have used their outcomes measures as response variables [8,9,26], RRR-patterns were more strongly associated with outcomes than PCA patterns. Nevertheless, studies which use response variables assumed to be on the pathway between diet and the outcomes also showed stronger associations for RRR-patterns [7,27].…”

“…Other authors [43] have also reported that vegetables and pulses intakes were positively correlated with patterns associated with increased risk [8], and this might be due to the fact that vegetables may be associated with intakes of meats and fats rather than being associated with increased cardiovascular risk [8]. Moreover, in our study, vegetables and pulses intakes were positively associated with the behavior-related-patterns and not with the CVRF-related-patterns which may strengthened this hypothesis.…”

“…RRR aims to construct uncorrelated linear combinations of food intakes that explain as much variation in a set of response variables as possible. In order to find CVRF-related dietary patterns, CVRF have been used as response variables [8,9]. The limitation of the RRR-derived patterns is that although they are by definition associated with response variables, they are not necessary behaviorally meaningful.…”

Circulating selenoprotein P levels in relation to MRI‐derived body fat volumes, liver fat content, and metabolic disorders

“…Anthropometric measurements were performed by trained personnel . Body weight and height were measured with subjects wearing only light indoor clothing and no shoes.…”