Effects of medical nutrition therapy on body fat and metabolic syndrome components in premenopausal overweight women

Background/Aims: To evaluate the effects of medical nutrition therapy (MNT) on body composition and metabolic syndrome (MetS) components in premenopausal Korean women with a body mass index ≥23. Methods: Participants (n = 160) were classified into MetS (n = 44) or non-MetS (n = 116) groups based on the criteria proposed by the revised National Cholesterol Education Program-Adult Treatment Panel III and the International Diabetes Federation classification. Anthropometric and dietary assessments and blood analyses were performed for all participants prior to and following 12 weeks of MNT. Results: Following MNT, body fat decreased in both groups by roughly 11% (p < 0.001), and the number of participants meeting the criteria for MetS thus decreased from 44 to 19 (56.8%). Mean waist circumference (WC), blood pressure (BP), plasma triglyceride (TG) and blood glucose levels decreased in the MetS group (p < 0.001). Body fat reduction in the MetS group was correlated with changes in WC (r = 0.584), systolic BP (r = 0.451), diastolic BP (r = 0.429) and plasma TG (r = 0.488) levels after adjusting for covariates (p < 0.05). Conclusions: Body fat reduction and MetS component improvement was achieved by MNT in overweight women. Changes in MetS components appear to be related to body fat reduction. MNT should focus on body fat reduction when used as a primary prevention for MetS.