Dietary polyphenols, metabolic syndrome and cardiometabolic risk factors: An observational study based on the DCH-NG subcohort.

Fabian Lanuza, Raul Zamora-Ros, Nicola P Bondonno, Tomas Meroño, Agnetha Linn Rostgaard-Hansen, Gabriele Riccardi, Anne Tjønneland, Rikard Landberg, Jytte Halkjær, Cristina Andres-Lacueva

Journal: Nutrition, metabolism, and cardiovascular diseases : NMCD 2023;33(6):1167-1178

PMID: 36948936

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Plain Language Summary

Metabolic syndrome (MetS) is a cluster of metabolic disorders that increases the risk of developing chronic diseases. Cardiometabolic risk factors include high waist circumference (WC), insulin resistance, hypertension, dysglycaemia, dyslipidaemia, and altered inflammatory markers. The aim of this study was to investigate the associations between intakes of polyphenols (total polyphenols and their main classes) and the prevalence of MetS and cardiometabolic risk factors. This study is an observational sub-cohort study of 676 Danish participants of the MAX study from the Danish Diet, Cancer and Health - Next Generations (DCH-NG) cohort. Results showed that individuals with higher total polyphenol and phenolic acid intakes, were less likely to have MetS. Furthermore, for cardiovascular risk factors, intakes of total polyphenols, flavonoids and phenolic acids were associated with a lower risk of higher systolic blood pressure and lower high-density lipoprotein cholesterol. Authors conclude by suggesting that intervention studies should be undertaken to establish whether a polyphenol-rich diet can improve some cardiometabolic risk factors and can reduce or delay the onset of cardiometabolic diseases in free-living populations.

Abstract

BACKGROUND AND AIMS

Polyphenol-rich foods have beneficial properties that may lower cardiometabolic risk. We aimed to prospectively investigate the relationship between intakes of dietary polyphenols, and metabolic syndrome (MetS) and its components, in 676 Danish residents from the MAX study, a subcohort of the Danish Diet, Cancer and Health-Next Generations (DCH-NG) cohort.

METHODS AND RESULTS

Dietary data were collected using web-based 24-h dietary recalls over one year (at baseline, and at 6 and 12 months). The Phenol-Explorer database was used to estimate dietary polyphenol intake. Clinical variables were also collected at the same time point. Generalized linear mixed models were used to investigate relationships between polyphenol intake and MetS. Participants had a mean age of 43.9y, a mean total polyphenol intake of 1368 mg/day, and 75 (11.6%) had MetS at baseline. Compared to individuals with MetS in Q1 and after adjusting for age, sex, lifestyle and dietary confounders, those in Q4 - for total polyphenols, flavonoids and phenolic acids-had a 50% [OR (95% CI): 0.50 (0.27, 0.91)], 51% [0.49 (0.26, 0.91)] and 45% [0.55 (0.30, 1.00)] lower odds of MetS, respectively. Higher total polyphenols, flavonoids and phenolic acids intakes as continuous variable were associated with lower risk for elevated systolic blood pressure (SBP) and low high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-c) (p < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

Total polyphenol, flavonoid and phenolic acid intakes were associated with lower odds of MetS. These intakes were also consistently and significantly associated with a lower risk for higher SBP and lower HDL-c concentrations.

Address: Biomarkers and Nutrimetabolomics Laboratory, Department of Nutrition, Food Sciences and Gastronomy, Food Innovation Network (XIA), Nutrition and Food Safety Research Institute (INSA), Faculty of Pharmacy and Food Sciences, University of Barcelona (UB), 08028 Barcelona, Spain; Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red Fragilidad y Envejecimiento Saludable (CIBERFES), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, 28029, Spain.; Biomarkers and Nutrimetabolomics Laboratory, Department of Nutrition, Food Sciences and Gastronomy, Food Innovation Network (XIA), Nutrition and Food Safety Research Institute (INSA), Faculty of Pharmacy and Food Sciences, University of Barcelona (UB), 08028 Barcelona, Spain; Unit of Nutrition and Cancer, Cancer Epidemiology Research Program, Catalan Institute of Oncology (ICO), Bellvitge Biomedical Research Institute (IDIBELL), Barcelona, Spain. Electronic address: [email protected].; Danish Cancer Society Research Center, Strandboulevarden 49, DK 2100 Copenhagen, Denmark; Nutrition and Health Innovation Research Institute, School of Medical and Health Sciences, Edith Cowan University, Perth, Australia.; Danish Cancer Society Research Center, Strandboulevarden 49, DK 2100 Copenhagen, Denmark.; Department of Clinical Medicine and Surgery, University of Naples Federico II, Naples, Italy.; Department of Biology and Biological Engineering, Division of Food and Nutrition Science, Chalmers University of Technology, Gothenburg, Sweden.

DOI: 10.1016/j.numecd.2023.02.022