Retrospective assessment of metabolic syndrome components in early adult life on vegetarian dietary status

Abstract

BackgroundMetabolic syndrome (MetS) encompasses several clinical presentations that include truncal obesity and insulin resistance at its core. MetS afflicts 23% of the adult US population, increasing their risk of diabetes and cardiovascular disease. Many studies have indicated the importance of a vegetarian diet in improving overall health and more specifically MetS components. Unfortunately, these findings have been inconsistent and cannot be extended to examine effects on MetS incidence in the younger adult population.ObjectiveThis study aimed to conduct a retrospective analysis of a vegetarian vs. non-vegetarian dietary status in young adults (age 18–24) based on MetS components in later adulthood (age 20–30). This study focuses on elucidating any relationship between a vegetarian diet and MetS components of central obesity, hypertension, and hyperlipidemia. Methods: Waves 3 and 4 data were acquired from AddHealth. One-to-one propensity score matched vegetarians to non-vegetarians in a cohort of 535 women and 159 men. Logistical regression assessed the relationship between vegetarian status and MetS components, including truncal obesity (cm), hypertension (normal, pre-HT, HT1, and HT2), and hyperlipidemia (high and low). Results MetS components from ages 20 to 30 are not associated with vegetarian dietary status. Truncal obesity [N = 694; M = 92.82 cm; OR 0.999; p = 0.893; 95% CI (0.980, 1.017)]; hypertension [N = 694; OR 0.949; p = 0.638; 95% CI (0.764, 1.179)]; hyperlipidemia [N = 694; OR 0.840; p = 0.581; 95% CI (0.453, 1.559)].ConclusionCurrent study results were consistent with previous findings suggesting that consumption of a vegetarian diet cannot be directly linked to MetS outcomes. However, further investigation should be completed as MetS is a risk factor for several chronic diseases.

Effect of FADS1 SNPs rs174546, rs174547 and rs174550 on blood fatty acid profiles and plasma free oxylipins

“…The development of MetS is affected not only by lifestyle but also by genetics. In a retrospective study, the difference of dietary patterns was not enough to cause the change of MetS outcomes ( 32 ). Since genetic variants affect lipid metabolism which is closely associated with MetS ( 33 ), attention focused on the association between MetS and genetic factors ( 34–36 ), and FADS genotype has been found to contribute to biochemical and metabolic variations in the MetS.…”