title: Influence of the degree of adherence to the Mediterranean diet on the cardiometabolic risk in peri and menopausal women. The Flamenco project.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The Mediterranean diet (MD) has been associated with reduced morbidity from cardiovascular diseases in the general population. The aim of this study was to assess whether different degrees of adherence to the MD were associated with the cardiometabolic risk in peri and menopausal women.
  
  
  RESULTS
  This cross-sectional study included 198 peri and menopausal women participating in the Flamenco project. Validated questionnaires were used to assess menopause health-related quality of life and degree of adherence to the MD (low, medium and high). The following cardiometabolic risk factors were assessed: fat mass percentage, waist circumference, blood pressure and resting heart rate, plasma markers (total cholesterol, high and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol [HDL-C and LDL-C, respectively], total cholesterol/HDL ratio, triglycerides, C-reactive protein and fasting glucose), Physical activity levels and smoking status. The degree of adherence to the MD among the study sample was 27%, 40% and 30% for low, medium and high adherence, respectively. After controlling for potential confounders, women with a high adherence to the MD showed lower plasma total cholesterol (p = 0.025), resting heart rate (p = 0.005), LDL-C (p = 0.019), triglycerides (p = 0.046) and C-reactive protein (p = 0.009) compared to those with a low adherence. Likewise women with high adherence to the MD showed lower total cholesterol/HDL-C ratio (p = 0.020) compared to those with a medium adherence. The high MD adherence group also showed lower clustered cardiometabolic risk (p = 0.004). Moreover, when analysing specific MD components, whole grain cereals, pulses (both p < 0.05) and red wine (p < 0.01) consumption were inversely associated with the clustered cardiometabolic risk.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The present findings suggest that a high but not medium adherence to the MD is associated with a cardioprotective effect in peri and menopausal women. As a low percentage of the sample showed a high adherence to the MD, future research aimed at increasing the adherence to this dietary pattern for a better cardiometabolic status during peri and menopause is warranted.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology, Faculty of Pharmacy, and Institute of Nutrition and Food Technology, University of Granada, Spain. Electronic address: prcturmo@gmail.com.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Ruiz-Cabello
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology, Faculty of Pharmacy, and Institute of Nutrition and Food Technology, University of Granada, Spain.
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Coll-Risco
authors.affiliation: Department of Physical Education and Sports, Faculty of Sport Sciences, University of Granada, Granada, Spain.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Acosta-Manzano
authors.affiliation: Department of Physical Education and Sports, Faculty of Sport Sciences, University of Granada, Granada, Spain.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Borges-Cosic
authors.affiliation: Zaidín-Sur Primary Care Center, Distrito Granada Metropolitano, Servicio Andaluz de Salud, Spain.
authors.forename: F J
authors.initials: FJ
authors.lastname: Gallo-Vallejo
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology, Faculty of Pharmacy, and Institute of Nutrition and Food Technology, University of Granada, Spain.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Aranda
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology, Faculty of Pharmacy, and Institute of Nutrition and Food Technology, University of Granada, Spain.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: López-Jurado
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology, Faculty of Pharmacy, and Institute of Nutrition and Food Technology, University of Granada, Spain; VU University Medical Centre, Department of Public and Occupational Health y EMGO + Institute for Health and Care Research, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: V A
authors.initials: VA
authors.lastname: Aparicio
mesh_terms: D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000032:analysis; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004034:Diet Surveys; D000072001:Diet, Healthy; D038441:Diet, Mediterranean; D015444:Exercise; D005247:Feeding Behavior; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D018836:Inflammation Mediators / Q000097:blood; D008019:Life Style; D008593:Menopause; D024821:Metabolic Syndrome / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D008875:Middle Aged; D047648:Perimenopause; D065840:Protective Factors; D012307:Risk Factors; D040242:Risk Reduction Behavior; D013030:Spain
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D018836:Inflammation Mediators; D002097:C-Reactive Protein
keywords: C-reactive protein; Cardiovascular disease; Cholesterol; Mediterranean diet; Tobacco