title: A diet based on multiple functional concepts improves cardiometabolic risk parameters in healthy subjects.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Different foods can modulate cardiometabolic risk factors in persons already affected by metabolic alterations. The objective of this study was to assess, in healthy overweight individuals, the impact of a diet combining multiple functional concepts on risk markers associated with cardiometabolic diseases (CMD).
  
  
  METHODS
  Fourty-four healthy women and men (50-73 y.o, BMI 25-33, fasting glycemia ≤ 6.1 mmol/L) participated in a randomized crossover intervention comparing a multifunctional (active) diet (AD) with a control diet (CD) devoid of the "active" components. Each diet was consumed during 4 wk with a 4 wk washout period. AD included the following functional concepts: low glycemic impact meals, antioxidant-rich foods, oily fish as source of long-chain omega-3 fatty acids, viscous dietary fibers, soybean and whole barley kernel products, almonds, stanols and a probiotic strain (Lactobacillus plantarum Heal19/DSM15313).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Although the aim was to improve metabolic markers without promoting body weight loss, minor weight reductions were observed with both diets (0.9-1.8 ± 0.2%; P < 0.05). CD did not modify the metabolic variables measured. AD promoted significant changes in total serum cholesterol (-26 ± 1% vs baseline; P < 0.0001), LDL-cholesterol (-34 ± 1%; P < 0.0001), triglycerides (-19 ± 3%; P = 0.0056), LDL/HDL (-27 ± 2%; P < 0.0001), apoB/apoA1 (-10 ± 2%; P < 0.0001), HbA1c (-2 ± 0.4%; P = 0.0013), hs-CRP (-29 ± 9%; P = 0.0497) and systolic blood pressure (-8 ± 1%¸ P = 0.0123). The differences remained significant after adjustment for weight change. After AD, the Framingham cardiovascular risk estimate was 30 ± 4% (P < 0.0001) lower and the Reynolds cardiovascular risk score, which considers CRP values, decreased by 35 ± 3% (P < 0.0001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The improved biomarker levels recorded in healthy individuals following the multifunctional regime suggest preventive potential of this dietary approach against CMD.
authors.affiliation: Antidiabetic Food Centre, Lund University, P,O, Box 121, SE-221 00 Lund, Sweden. Juscelino.Tovar@ffsc.lu.se.
authors.forename: Juscelino
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Tovar
authors.forename: Anne
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Nilsson
authors.forename: Maria
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Johansson
authors.forename: Rickard
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Ekesbo
authors.forename: Ann-Margreth
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Aberg
authors.forename: Ulla
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Johansson
authors.forename: Inger
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Björck