title: Effects of an isocaloric healthy Nordic diet on ambulatory blood pressure in metabolic syndrome: a randomized SYSDIET sub-study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Dietary pattern is central in the prevention of hypertension and blood pressure (BP)-related diseases. A diet based on healthy Nordic foods may have a favourable impact on BP. The objective was to clarify whether a Nordic alternative for a healthy food pattern would have beneficial effects on ambulatory BP in subjects with metabolic syndrome (MetS).
  
  
  METHODS
  In total, 37 subjects were randomized to either a healthy Nordic diet or a control diet. A healthy Nordic diet embraced whole grains, rapeseed oil, berries, fruits, vegetables, fish, nuts and low-fat dairy products of Nordic origin. The mean nutrient intake in the Nordic countries formed the control diet, embracing wheat products, dairy fat-based spread and a lower intake of fruits, vegetables and fish. Diets were isoenergetic. Ambulatory BP was monitored and 24-h urine was collected before and after 12 weeks of intervention.
  
  
  RESULTS
  After 12 weeks, ambulatory diastolic BP (-4.4 mm Hg; P=0.001) and mean arterial pressure (-4.2 mm Hg; P=0.006) were lowered by the healthy Nordic diet compared with the control diet, whereas changes in ambulatory systolic BP did not differ significantly between diets (-3.5 mm Hg; P=0.122). Heart rate tended to be lower in those on the healthy Nordic diet (P=0.057). Urinary sodium and potassium excretions were unaffected by diets and consequently not associated with the healthy Nordic diet-induced lowering of BP.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Consumption of Nordic varieties of health-enhancing foods for 12 weeks decreased diastolic ambulatory BP and mean arterial pressure in subjects with features of MetS during weight-stable condition, suggesting beneficial effects of a healthy Nordic dietary pattern on ambulatory BP.
authors.affiliation: Department of Endocrinology and Internal Medicine, Aarhus University Hospital, Aarhus, Denmark.
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Brader
authors.affiliation: Institute of Public Health and Clinical Nutrition, University of Eastern Finland, and Research Unit, Kuopio University Hospital, Kuopio, Finland.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Uusitupa
authors.affiliation: Department of Human Nutrition, Faculty of Science, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark.
authors.forename: L O
authors.initials: LO
authors.lastname: Dragsted
authors.affiliation: Department of Endocrinology and Internal Medicine, Aarhus University Hospital, Aarhus, Denmark.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Hermansen
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001794:Blood Pressure; D018660:Blood Pressure Monitoring, Ambulatory; D015992:Body Mass Index; D001835:Body Weight; D003611:Dairy Products; D004032:Diet; D015930:Diet Records; D002149:Energy Intake; D005247:Feeding Behavior; D005260:Female; D005638:Fruit; D006339:Heart Rate; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000178:diet therapy* / Q000517:prevention & control*; D016014:Linear Models; D008297:Male; D024821:Metabolic Syndrome / Q000178:diet therapy*; D008875:Middle Aged; D015596:Nutrition Assessment; D009754:Nuts; D014675:Vegetables