The association between a dietary habits score and the risk of metabolic syndrome: A cohort study

Abstract

Background: Dietary habits are proposed to affect the risk of metabolic syndrome (MetS). The present study aimed to investigate the association between a dietary habits score (DHS) and the risk of MetS and its components among Iranian adults.

Materials and methods: In this cohort study 1092 participants without MetS were followed up to 10 years. The baseline data on general characteristics as well as dietary habits were assessed through interview. The modified National Cholesterol Education Program, adult treatment panel III guideline was used to define MetS. The hazard ratio for the association between each dietary habit and MetS was used to calculate the DHS for each participant and the participants were categorized into quartiles based on their final calculated score.

Results: In total, 809 (74.1%) with mean age of 43 ± 14.4 years were followed. The risk of abdominal obesity (HR = 3.43, 95%CI: 1.97-5.94), low HDL cholesterol (HR = 3.01, 95%CI: 1.62-5.62), hyperglycemia (HR = 3.06, 95%CI: 1.58-5.94), and hypertension (HR = 3.44, 95%CI: 1.85-6.37) and MetS (HR = 2.94, 95%CI: 1.6-5.39) were significantly higher in those with the highest DHS compared with subjects categorized in the lowest quintile of DHS after adjustment for all possible confounders. There was a linear trend between the dietary habit score and the risk of developing MetS and its components (P < 0.05).

Conclusion: The DHS was significantly associated with an increased risk of MetS and some of its components. Future studies are needed to confirm the approach used to calculate the DHS and its association with the risk of MetS and its components in other populations.

Keywords: Cohort study; Dietary habits score; Metabolic syndrome.