title: Adherence to Mediterranean diet and close dietetic supervision increase total dietary antioxidant intake and plasma antioxidant capacity in subjects with abdominal obesity.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine the effect of Mediterranean-type diet and close dietetic supervision on dietary antioxidant intake and plasma total antioxidant capacity (TAC) in patients with abdominal obesity.
  
  
  METHODS
  Ninety subjects with abdominal obesity, 46 in intervention group, 44 in control group, participated in a 2-month, randomized, parallel dietary intervention. All participants were counseled on Greek Mediterranean diet. The intervention group was under close dietetic supervision, followed a specific relevant daily and weekly food plan consuming antioxidant-rich foods and food products. Total dietary antioxidant intake was calculated from the volunteers' food diaries, and plasma TAC using plasma ORAC assay and plasma ferric-reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) assay, both at baseline and at 2 months.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Following the 2-month period, total dietary antioxidant intake was increased in the intervention group compared to the control group (P = 0.000). In addition, increased intake of total fat, due to higher consumption of monounsaturated fatty acids, as well as increased intakes of dietary fiber, vitamin C and alcohol was also observed in the intervention group compared to the control group (P < 0.05). Plasma TAC was increased in the intervention group compared to the control group (P = 0.039) using the ORAC assay, while there was a trend toward a TAC increase (P = 0.077) using the FRAP assay.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Adherence to a Mediterranean-type diet, with emphasis on an increase in foods rich in antioxidants and close dietetic supervision, can increase total dietary antioxidant intake and plasma TAC in patients with abdominal obesity.
authors.affiliation: Unit of Human Nutrition, Department of Food Science and Technology, Agricultural University of Athens, Iera Odos 75, 118 55, Athens, Greece. Anastasia_kol@hotmail.com
authors.forename: Anastasia I
authors.initials: AI
authors.lastname: Kolomvotsou
authors.forename: Loukianos S
authors.initials: LS
authors.lastname: Rallidis
authors.forename: Konstantinos C
authors.initials: KC
authors.lastname: Mountzouris
authors.forename: John
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Lekakis
authors.forename: Antonis
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Koutelidakis
authors.forename: Stamatis
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Efstathiou
authors.forename: Maria
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Nana-Anastasiou
authors.forename: Antonis
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Zampelas
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000032:analysis; D001205:Ascorbic Acid / Q000008:administration & dosage; D015930:Diet Records; D038441:Diet, Mediterranean; D004043:Dietary Fiber / Q000008:administration & dosage; D004046:Dietetics; D005229:Fatty Acids, Monounsaturated / Q000008:administration & dosage; D005247:Feeding Behavior; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D056128:Obesity, Abdominal / Q000178:diet therapy*; D010349:Patient Compliance; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014815:Vitamins / Q000008:administration & dosage
chemical_list: D000975:Antioxidants; D004043:Dietary Fiber; D005229:Fatty Acids, Monounsaturated; D014815:Vitamins; D001205:Ascorbic Acid