Comparison of the Number of Daily Servings from Different Food Groups in Metabolic Syndrome Patients with the Control Groups

Aims: This study aimed to compare the number of daily servings intake from different food groups in metabolic syndrome (MetS) patients with the control groups.

Study Design: Case control, comparative cross-sectional study.

Place and Duration of Study: Endocrinology and Metabolism Research Center, Vali-Asr Hospital, and Clinical Nutrition Department, School of nutritional Sciences and Dietetics, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, from April 2014 to March 2015.

Methodology: In this cross-sectional study the number of daily servings intake of seven major food groups including grain, meat, fruit, vegetable, fat and oils, milk and sweets was compared between 50 MetS patients (Group 1) and 50 obese or overweight participants without MetS (Group 2) and 48 normal weight participants without MetS (Group 3). The demographics, anthropometric and biochemical variables were assayed. Feeding and food frequency were collected using a modified food frequency questionnaire. USDA food pyramid was used to classify the food groups.

Results: The total and per 1000 kcal daily servings intake from all the aforementioned food groups were significantly different among the study groups (p≤.01). The numbers of daily servings from meat, fruit, vegetable, and milk groups were significantly higher, while, quantity of daily servings by considering fat and oil, sweets and grain groups were significantly lower in the normal weight controls in comparison with the patients suffering from metabolic syndrome and overweight/obese controls, as well (P<.001). No significant difference was noticed by considering all food groups’ consumption between patients with metabolic syndrome and overweight/obese controls (P≥.09). In addition, meat group was categorized to its subgroups including red meat, poultry, fish, tuna, egg, and nuts. The numbers of total and per 1000 kcal of daily servings intake from meat subgroups were respectively higher with regards to nuts, egg, poultry, red meat and fish and tuna subgroup (P≤.07). To illustrate, the normal weight controls had the highest consumption of meat group, which was due to the high intake of nuts, eggs and poultry subgroups.

Conclusion: In conclusion, the number of daily servings intake from meat, fruit, vegetable and milk groups were significantly higher, while, fat and oil, sweets and grain groups were significantly lower in the normal weight controls in comparison with the patients with metabolic syndrome and overweight/obese controls. No significant difference was observed among patients with metabolic syndrome and overweight/obese controls.