Comparison of Olive Intake and Metabolic Syndrome Incidence during 3 Years of Follow up in Adult Men and Women

Introduction: A diet rich in olive as a source of monounsaturated fatty acids can be effective on cardiovascular risk factors. The aim of this study was to investigate the association between the incidence of metabolic syndrome (MetS) and olive, olive oil, and their oleic acid contents during a three-year follow-up among Tehranian adults. Methods: The current study is a population-based prospective longitudinal study, which was conducted within the framework of the Tehran Lipid and Glucose (TLGS). Dietary intake was assessed using semi-quantitative food frequency questionnaire, the validity and reliability of which have been documented. Demographic information was collected. Blood pressure and anthropometric indices were measured according to standard protocols and biochemical analyses were done on fasting blood samples. Finally, the 1053 patients (352 men and 913 women) aged 19-60 y were analyzed for incidence of metabolic syndrome. Results: Mean age of subjects was 35.5±10.8 years and the mean intakes of olives in men and women were 1.7 ± 4.1 and 1.6 ± 5.3 grams per day, respectively. In men and women, after adjusting for confounder factors, in the highest tertiles of olive oil intake, odds ratio (OR) for MetS incidence were 0.61 and 1.17 respectively compared to the first tertile. Also in men low HDL cholesterol was 0.55 in the highest tertiles of olive oil intake compared to the first tertile, and for olive and oleic acid from olive for high blood glucose, 0.55(CI 95%: 0.31-0.96, P=0.04) and 0.55 (CI 95%: 0.31-0.95) respectively. Conclusion: The findings of this study suggested a higher intake of olive oil can reduce the incidence of low HDL cholesterol and high blood glucose levels in Tehranian men