Impact of a Mediterranean Dietary Pattern and Its Components on Cardiovascular Risk Factors, Glucose Control, and Body Weight in People with Type 2 Diabetes: A Real-Life Study

Abstract

This study evaluates the relation of a Mediterranean dietary pattern and its individual components with the cardiovascular risk factors profile, plasma glucose and body mass index (BMI) in people with type 2 diabetes. We studied 2568 participants at 57 diabetes clinics. Diet was assessed with the EPIC (European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition) questionnaire, adherence to the Mediterranean diet was evaluated with the relative Mediterranean diet score (rMED). A high compared to a low score was associated with a better quality of diet and a greater adherence to the nutritional recommendations for diabetes. However, even in the group achieving a high score, only a small proportion of participants met the recommendations for fiber and saturated fat (respectively 17% and 30%). Nonetheless, a high score was associated with lower values of plasma lipids, blood pressure, glycated hemoglobin, and BMI. The relationship of the single food items components of the rMED score with the achievement of treatment targets for plasma lipids, blood pressure, glucose, and BMI were also explored. The study findings support the Mediterranean dietary model as a suitable model for type 2 diabetes and the concept that the beneficial health effects of the Mediterranean diet lie primarily in its synergy among various nutrients and foods rather than on any individual component.

WITHDRAWN: Greater Adherence to Dietary Guidelines Reduces the Risk of Cardiovascular Diseases in Chinese Patients with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus: A Case-Control Study

“…It is unknown how to eat properly to prevent cardiovascular events in diabetic patients who are at high-risk of CVD. The nding of this study is in accordance with observational studies [37,38] conducted in individuals with diabetes, showing a signi cant protective effect of intermediate cardiovascular risk factors pro le, as indicated by e.g., fasting blood glucose, triglycerides, and systolic blood pressure, in patients who adhered mostly to the HEI-2010 [37] or Mediterranean diet [38], yet an absence of data on CVD incident outcomes in these studies does not allow comparisons with our results. In general, our detections and existing evidence imply that aligning with a healthy dietary pattern after a diabetes diagnosis can momentously contribute to the prevention of cardiovascular complications among patients with T2DM.…”

Urinary sodium to potassium ratio: A simple and useful indicator of diet quality in population-based studies

“…The present study showed a significant inverse association between urinary Na/K ratio and adherence to Mediterranean dietary pattern and DASH. Mediterranean diet promotes consumption of whole grains, legumes, fruits, vegetables, nuts, fish and olive oil, wine in moderation, and a moderate intake of meat, dairy products, processed foods and sweets (20). Subjects with a higher Mediterranean dietary pattern score had a better nutrient profile, with lower sodium and higher potassium intakes (21).…”

The effects of popular diets on type 2 diabetes management

“…When comparing three versions of the Mediterranean diet, the highest diet level was characterized by lower energy content, a lower intake of proteins from animal food sources, saturated fat and cholesterol, added sugars, a higher intake of fibre, and a lower glycaemic index and glycaemic load. This version resulted in lower HbA 1c levels (7.63% ± 0.48% vs 7.69% ± 0.52%, P = 0.038) and lower BMI (30.0 ± 4.2 vs 30.6 ± 4.5 kg/m 2 , P = 0.020) …”

“…There is abundant evidence of its health benefits and a great potential for long‐term adherence and sustainability, which is an important factor in any diet for individuals with diabetes. Vitale et al conducted a study of 2568 participants at 57 diabetes clinics and found that the Mediterranean dietary lifestyle was a suitable model for type 2 diabetes management . There are many health benefits for people with diabetes when choosing a Mediterranean diet.…”