Dietary total antioxidant capacity and the occurrence of metabolic syndrome and its components after a 3-year follow-up in adults: Tehran Lipid and Glucose Study

Background: There is growing evidence that dietary antioxidants could have favorable effects on the attenuation and prevention of metabolic disorders. In the current study we investigated the association of dietary total antioxidant capacity (TAC) and metabolic syndrome (MetS) components and the occurrence of the MetS during a 3-year follow-up. Methods: This longitudinal study was conducted in the framework of Tehran Lipid and Glucose Study, between 2006-2008 and 2009-2011, on 1983 adults, aged 19-70 y. The usual intakes of participant were measured using a validated semi-quantitative food frequency questionnaire and dietary TAC was estimated at baseline. The MetS components were assessed at baseline and 3 years later. Multiple logistic regression models were used to estimate the occurrence of the MetS and its components according to dietary TAC quartile categories. Results: The mean age of participants was 40.4 +/- 13.0 y, and mean BMI was 27.03 +/- 4.9 kg/m(2) at baseline. After adjustment for potential confounding variables, TAC was associated with MetS components at baseline. Participant with highest TAC score had lower weight and abdominal fat gain during the 3 year follow-up. The chance of having the MetS, abdominal obesity and hypertension after 3 years decreased across the increasing dietary TAC quartile (P for trend < 0.01). Dietary TAC more than 1080 mu molTE/100 g of food, resulted in a 38% decrease in the risk of central obesity (OR = 0.62, 95% CI = 0.38-0.99). Conclusion: We demonstrated that higher dietary antioxidant intakes have favorable effects on metabolic disorders and, more interestingly, prevent subsequent weight and abdominal fat gain during a 3-year follow-up.