Effects of an isocaloric healthy Nordic diet on insulin sensitivity, lipid profile and inflammation markers in metabolic syndrome – a randomized study (SYSDIET)

Abstract

BackgroundDifferent healthy food patterns may modify cardiometabolic risk. We investigated the effects of an isocaloric healthy Nordic diet on insulin sensitivity, lipid profile, blood pressure and inflammatory markers in people with metabolic syndrome.MethodsWe conducted a randomized dietary study lasting for 18–24 weeks in individuals with features of metabolic syndrome (mean age 55 years, BMI 31.6 kg m−2, 67% women). Altogether 309 individuals were screened, 200 started the intervention after 4-week run-in period, and 96 (proportion of dropouts 7.9%) and 70 individuals (dropouts 27%) completed the study, in the Healthy diet and Control diet groups, respectively. Healthy diet included whole-grain products, berries, fruits and vegetables, rapeseed oil, three fish meals per week and low-fat dairy products. An average Nordic diet served as a Control diet. Compliance was monitored by repeated 4-day food diaries and fatty acid composition of serum phospholipids.ResultsBody weight remained stable, and no significant changes were observed in insulin sensitivity or blood pressure. Significant changes between the groups were found in non-HDL cholesterol (−0.18, mmol L−1 95% CI −0.35; −0.01, P = 0.04), LDL to HDL cholesterol (−0.15, −0.28; −0.00, P = 0.046) and apolipoprotein B to apolipoprotein A1 ratios (−0.04, −0.07; −0.00, P = 0.025) favouring the Healthy diet. IL-1 Ra increased during the Control diet (difference −84, −133; −37 ng L−1, P = 0.00053). Intakes of saturated fats (E%, beta estimate 4.28, 0.02; 8.53, P = 0.049) and magnesium (mg, −0.23, −0.41; −0.05, P = 0.012) were associated with IL-1 Ra.ConclusionsHealthy Nordic diet improved lipid profile and had a beneficial effect on low-grade inflammation.

Associations between Dietary Patterns and Blood Pressure in a Clinical Sample of Overweight Adults

“…Likewise, consumption of nuts was significantly inversely associated with hypertension (RR: 0.66; 95% CI: 0.44, 1.00; P = 0.049) in a recent meta-analysis of four prospective studies [12]. Dietary patterns such as the DASH diet [19], the Mediterranean diet [21] and the Nordic diet [41] have been shown to reduce BP. In our previous research, a meta-analysis of 17 randomized controlled trials showed that a dietary pattern that was rich in fruits, vegetables, wholegrains, legumes, nuts, seeds, dairy and fish and low in processed foods and red meat reduced SBP and DBP by 4.06 mmHg and 2.30 mmHg, respectively [42].…”

The Baltic Sea Diet Score: a tool for assessing healthy eating in Nordic countries

“…Although many Nordic foods are considered to have health benefits, only little is known about the healthrelated effects of the Nordic diet in its entirety (13)(14)(15)(16)(17) . Furthermore, the Nordic nutrition recommendations are based on single food-and nutrient-oriented research and give guidelines regarding these (18) .…”

Consumption of predefined ‘Nordic’ dietary items in ten European countries – an investigation in the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC) cohort

“…rapeseed oil, low-fat dairy products, wild and pasture-fed land-based animals, potatoes, oats and barley (4)(5)(6)8,17,18) . The a priori selection of dietary items in the present study was based on the criteria mentioned in the introduction, as well as the availability of data in the EPIC cohort.…”

“…A Swedish intervention trial comparing a habitual, Western diet and a Nordic diet found statistically significant decreases in cholesterol and body weight in mildly hypercholesterolaemic subjects (7) , and a multi-centre intervention study in four Nordic countries with an isoenergetic healthy Nordic diet found an improved lipid profile and a beneficial effect on low-grade inflammation compared with an average Nordic diet (8) . Taken together, these findings suggest that a preventive potential may exist in promoting a healthy, Nordic diet.…”