Alicia Julibert, Maria Del Mar Bibiloni, Cristina Bouzas, Miguel Ángel Martínez-González, Jordi Salas-Salvadó, Dolores Corella, Maria Dolors Zomeño, Dora Romaguera, Jesús Vioque, Ángel M Alonso-Gómez, Julia Wärnberg, J Alfredo Martínez, Luís Serra-Majem, Ramon Estruch, Francisco J Tinahones, José Lapetra, Xavier Pintó, José Lopez-Miranda, Laura García-Molina, José Juan Gaforio, Pilar Matía-Martín, Lidia Daimiel, Vicente Martín-Sánchez, Josep Vidal, Clotilde Vázquez, Emili Ros, Estefanía Toledo, Nerea Becerra-Tomás, Olga Pórtoles, Karla A Pérez-Vega, Miquel Fiol, Laura Torres-Collado, Lucas Tojal-Sierra, Rosa Carabaño-Moral, Itziar Abete, Almudena Sanchez-Villegas, Rosa Casas, María Rosa Bernal-López, José Manuel Santos-Lozano, Ana Galera, Lucía Ugarriza, Miguel Ruiz-Canela, Nancy Babio, Oscar Coltell, Helmut Schröder, Jadwiga Konieczna, Domingo Orozco-Beltrán, Carolina Sorto-Sánchez, Sonia Eguaras, Laura Barrubés, Montserrat Fitó, Josep A Tur
Journal: Nutrients 2020;11(7):1493
PMID: 31261967
Obesity, Metabolic Syndrome (MetS) and Cardiovascular Disease (CVD) are becoming a global epidemic and the role of dietary fats is still unclear. The PREDIMED trial is a large study of 6560 Mediterranean men and women, aged 55–75 years old, with overweight/obesity and MetS in which they have tracked all types of dietary fat consumed over a 6-year period to assess the risk factors for CVD. Quality of fat is thought to play an important role in MetS. This study used food questionnaires to measure intake of the following fats: total fat, monounsaturated fatty acids: MUFA, polyunsaturated fatty acids: PUFA, saturated fatty acids: SFA, trans-fatty acids: trans-FA, linoleic acid, a-linolenic acid, and w-3 FA). They were able to divide the participants into groups ranging from highest to lowest fat intake and assess the types of foods and fats being consumed. They found that the group with the highest fat intakes ate less carbohydrates, protein and fibre and had a higher risk of hyperglycaemia (high blood glucose levels). The total fats consumed in this group also included high levels of harmful trans-fatty acids so the researchers concluded that the risk is influenced by the combination of nutrients of the food consumed. They also found that participants who consumed high levels of linoleic acid had significantly higher healthy HDL cholesterol levels and those who consumed high levels of saturated fatty acids and omega 3 had significantly less risk of high triglycerides (another cholesterol marker). Overall they recommend further studies into types of dietary fat to help reduce MetS in the population.
The effect of dietary fat intake on the metabolic syndrome (MetS) and in turn on cardiovascular disease (CVD) remains unclear in individuals at high CVD risk. To assess the association between fat intake and MetS components in an adult Mediterranean population at high CVD risk. Baseline assessment of nutritional adequacy in participants ( = 6560, men and women, 55-75 years old, with overweight/obesity and MetS) in the PREvención con DIeta MEDiterránea (PREDIMED)-Plus randomized trial. Assessment of fat intake (total fat, monounsatured fatty acids: MUFA, polyunsaturated fatty acids: PUFA, saturated fatty acids: SFA, trans-fatty acids: trans-FA, linoleic acid, α-linolenic acid, and ω-3 FA) using a validated food frequency questionnaire, and diet quality using 17-item Mediterranean dietary questionnaire and fat quality index (FQI). Participants in the highest quintile of total dietary fat intake showed lower intake of energy, carbohydrates, protein and fiber, but higher intake of PUFA, MUFA, SFA, TFA, LA, ALA and ω-3 FA. Differences in MetS components were found according to fat intake. Odds (5th vs. 1st quintile): hyperglycemia: 1.3-1.6 times higher for total fat, MUFA, SFA and ω-3 FA intake; low high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-c): 1.2 higher for LA; hypertriglyceridemia: 0.7 lower for SFA and ω-3 FA intake. Dietary fats played different role on MetS components of high CVD risk patients. Dietary fat intake was associated with higher risk of hyperglycemia.
© Copyright 2026, Nutrition Evidence
NED wishes to thank the following organisations for their support:
We use cookies to improve your experience and analyze site traffic with Google Analytics. By continuing to use our site, you agree to our use of cookies. Learn more.