Metabolic Syndrome affects approximately 76 million adults in America. This cluster of interrelated risk factors predicts for the development of cardiovascular disease and increases the risk of developing type 2 diabetes mellitus. Due to a higher amount of abdominal fat accumulation, metabolic syndrome occurs more frequently in men than women. After menopause, the risk of metabolic syndrome increases 60% due to the decrease in estrogen levels and increase in abdominal fat accumulation.
A recent study showed a decrease in abdominal fat and an increase in fasting glucose levels after subjects consumed 8 grams of safflower oil daily for 16 weeks.1 Safflower oil is a rich source of linoleic. This study examined the impact of linoleic acid intake on the components of metabolic syndrome in post-menopausal women between the ages of 51 and 70.
Data from the 1999-2006 NHANES were downloaded and combined to obtain a sufficient sample (n=2,366) of postmenopausal women. A modified version of the ATP III criteria was used to establish metabolic syndrome. The syndrome requires that 3 of the following risk factors be present for diagnosis: 1) waist circumference >88 cm, 2) fasting triglyceride levels >150 mg/dL, diagnosis of dyslipidemia, or currently taking a lipid lowering medication, 3) HDL cholesterol
<50, 4) blood pressure >130/85 (if the subject had not consumed nicotine or caffeine prior to the examination), diagnosis of hypertension, or currently taking blood pressure lowing medication, and 5) fasting glucose levels of ≥100 mg/dL, diagnosis of diabetes, or currently taking glucose lowering medication. Dietary data were obtained using an Automated Multiple-Pass Method. This data was coded and analyzed for nutrient content. Variables for energy, fat and cholesterol were analyzed to determine their correlation with the risk factors of metabolic syndrome.
The analysis estimated that 51% of post-menopausal women in the US between the ages of 51-70 meet the criteria for metabolic syndrome. The most common risk factors present in the population are waist circumference (71%), blood pressure (65%) and triglyceride (57%).
Waist circumference was negatively correlated with MUFA (p=0.035) intake and energy adjusted intakes for total fat (p=0.001), SFA (p=0.001), and MUFA (p=0.002). Positive correlations were found between waist circumference and EPA (p=0.025) and DHA (p=0.016). Negative correlations were found between PUFA (total - p=0.032; linoleic acid – p=0.036; EPA – p=0.004; DHA – p=0.010; energy adjusted total – p=0.017; energy adjusted linoleic acid – p=0.019; energy adjusted EPA – p=0.003; energy adjusted DHA – p=0.008) and HDL. A positive correlation was found between glucose levels and arachidonic acid (p=0.035).
The presence of the metabolic risk factors appears to be related to dietary fat quality. The difference between intakes of those who met the criteria and those who did not were small, however they were statistically significant. Additional analysis is need to determine what role race/ethnicity plays in these correlations.