Adherence to healthy eating index-2015 and metabolic syndrome in a large sample of Iranian adults

Abstract

Purpose

Dietary intake is a modifiable risk factor for metabolic syndrome (MetS). Therefore, this study aims to evaluate the association between the Healthy Eating Index-2015 (HEI-2015) and MetS.

Design/methodology/approach

MetS was diagnosed among 2,326 adults. Dietary intake was assessed by a validated food frequency questionnaire. The HEI-2015 was administered to assess the diet qualities. Multivariate logistic regression was also used to evaluate the relationship of HEI-2015 with MetS and its components.

Findings

The odds of MetS was lower in women who were in the third quintile of HEI-2015 compared with those in the first quintile after adjusting for age and energy intake (OR: 0.62, CI: 0.41 to 0.93). In addition, moderate adherence to HEI-2015 reduced the odds of high fasting blood glucose levels in both men and women (OR men: 0.30, CI: 0.11 to 0.85 OR women: 0.34, CI: 0.14 to 0.79). However, these relations were not linear. Adherence to HEI-2015 had no significant relationship with the prevalence of MetS and its components in the whole population.

Originality/value

A significant relationship was observed between moderate adherence to HEI-2015 and fasting blood glucose in both men and women. Moreover, moderate adherence to this dietary pattern decreased the prevalence of MetS in women.

Citation

Hassani Zadeh, S., Nadjarzadeh, A., Mirzaei, M., Salehi-Abargouei, A. and Hosseinzadeh, M. (2021), "Adherence to healthy eating index-2015 and metabolic syndrome in a large sample of Iranian adults", Nutrition & Food Science, Vol. 51 No. 4, pp. 749-762. https://doi.org/10.1108/NFS-04-2020-0146