Mediterranean diet and cardiodiabesity: a review

Abstract

Cardiodiabesity has been used to define and describe the well-known relationship between type 2 Diabetes Mellitus (T2DM), obesity, the metabolic syndrome (MetS) and cardiovascular disease (CVD). The objective of this study was to perform a scientific literature review with a systematic search to examine all the cardiovascular risk factors combined and their relationship with adherence to the Mediterranean Diet (MedDiet) pattern as primary prevention against cardiodiabesity in a holistic approach. Research was conducted using the PubMed database including clinical trials, cross-sectional and prospective cohort studies. Thirty-seven studies were reviewed: fourteen related to obesity, ten to CVD, nine to MetS, and four to T2DM. Indeed 33 provided strong evidence on the association between adherence to a MedDiet and a reduced incidence of collective cardiodiabesity risk in epidemiological studies. This scientific evidence makes the MedDiet pattern very useful for preventive strategies directed at the general population and also highlights the need to consider all these diet-related risk factors and health outcomes together in daily primary care.

Figure 1

Flow-chart of the selection process. Abbreviations are as follows: METS, metabolic syndrome; T2DM, type 2 diabetes mellitus; CVD, cardiovascular disease.

Figure 2

Diet-related Cardiodiabesity diagnostic parameters. Abbreviations are as follows: METS, metabolic syndrome; T2DM, type 2 diabetes mellitus; CVD, cardiovascular disease; WC, waist circumference; BMI, body mass index.