Dietary fatty acid composition and metabolic syndrome in Tehranian adults

Objective

Several studies have shown that dietary and plasma fatty acid (FA) composition can modulate the development of metabolic syndrome, but epidemiologic data are scarce. The aim of this study was to evaluate the association between dietary FA composition and metabolic syndrome in Tehranian adults.

Methods

Dietary FA composition and symptoms of metabolic syndrome were assessed in a population-based cross-sectional study of 822 participants (354 men and 468 women, 18–74 y old) as part of the Tehran Lipid and Glucose Study. Metabolic syndrome was defined according to the guidelines presented by the Adult Treatment Panel III.

Results

The means ± standard deviations for dietary FA composition of total fat, linoleic acid, oleic acid, and saturated FA were 30.3 ± 7.5%, 1.43 ± 1.76%, 2.87 ± 2.19%, and 5.7 ± 2.2% of daily consumed energy, respectively. No significant correlation between the percentage of linoleic or oleic acids and metabolic syndrome was observed. Participants whose consumption of saturated FA was in the highest quartile had a significantly increased probability of acquiring metabolic syndrome (odds ratios by quartile 1, 0.83, 0.91, 0.95, P for trend <0.03). The odds ratios decreased after adjusting for indicators of a healthy lifestyle, including diet.

Conclusion

The data from this study indicate that increased consumption of dietary total fat, especially saturated FA, is associated with a higher risk of metabolic syndrome in Tehranian adults. The relation, apparently, is influenced by an individual’s lifestyle.