Dietary Patterns and Metabolic Syndrome

Metabolic syndrome comprises a cluster of interrelated cardiometabolic disturbances—central obesity, insulin resistance, dyslipidaemia and hypertension—that together elevate the risk of type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease. Its pathophysiology centres on chronic low-grade inflammation, impaired glucose handling and altered lipid metabolism. Dietary patterns have emerged as a holistic framework to capture habitual diet and its complex interactions with genetic, microbial and lifestyle factors. “A priori” patterns, such as the Mediterranean or DASH diets, are defined by adherence to recommended nutrient or food group intakes. “A posteriori” patterns are data-driven groupings of foods based on statistical analyses. Consistently, plant-rich, high-fibre, polyphenol-abundant diets show protective associations, whereas Western-style patterns high in refined grains, processed meats and sugars are linked to greater prevalence of metabolic syndrome. Mechanistic underpinnings include modulation of insulin sensitivity, systemic inflammation, gut microbiota composition and lipid profiles. Globally, dietary recommendations are shifting towards emphasising whole foods, diverse plant sources and healthy fats to mitigate the burden of metabolic syndrome and its sequelae.

Research from Nature Portfolio

Recent studies have demonstrated that higher consumption of legumes and nuts is associated with a lower prevalence of a metabolically unhealthy phenotype. Cross-sectional data indicate that individuals with the greatest intake of these plant proteins exhibit reduced odds of hyperglycaemia, hypertriglyceridaemia and hypertension. Biomarker analyses suggest that serum levels of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and adropin may partly mediate these associations, hinting at novel pathways through which specific food groups influence metabolic health.

Dietary Patterns and Metabolic Syndrome publication trend

The graph below shows the total number of articles in dietary patterns and metabolic syndrome across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).

Technical terms

Metabolic syndrome: A cluster of metabolic risk factors—abdominal obesity, elevated blood pressure, high fasting glucose, high triglycerides and low HDL-cholesterol—that together increase cardiovascular and diabetic risk.

A priori dietary patterns: Diet indices constructed from predefined recommendations or guidelines to assess adherence to healthful eating models.

A posteriori dietary patterns: Empirically derived dietary patterns identified by statistical techniques that group foods based on actual consumption data.

Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF): A neurotrophin involved in neuronal survival and synaptic plasticity, here implicated in energy balance and glucose metabolism.

Adropin: A peptide hormone that regulates energy homeostasis, lipid metabolism and insulin sensitivity, proposed as a mediator between dietary fats and metabolic outcomes.

References

1. New Advances in Metabolic Syndrome, from Prevention to Treatment: The Role of Diet and Food. Nutrients (2023).
2. Legumes and nuts intake in relation to metabolic health status, serum brain derived neurotrophic factor and adropin levels in adults. Scientific Reports (2023).
3. Dietary patterns derived by reduced rank regression are associated with lipid disorders among Korean adults: a cross-sectional analysis. Lipids in Health and Disease (2024).
4. Dietary Patterns and Metabolic Syndrome in Adult Subjects: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Nutrients (2019).