Mediterranean–DASH diet improves health outcomes in T2D, hypertension

Adherence to the Mediterranean–Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) diet leads to improvements in anthropometric, laboratory parameters, and blood pressure (BP) in patients with type 2 diabetes (T2D) and hypertension, reports a study. This intervention also improves satiety levels throughout the day.

On the other hand, consumption of ultra-processed foods results in worse parameters.

Eighty-four participants were included in this 12-month study and were divided into two groups: intervention and control. Participants in the intervention group followed a Mediterranean-DASH diet for 12 months with follow-up at 15 months, while those in the control group had no dietary changes.

The researchers compared parametric variables using two-way ANOVA and Tukey post hoc test. They also compared nonparametric variables using Kruskal–Wallis with Dwass–Steel–Critchlow–Fligner post hoc test and Friedman with Durbin–Conover post hoc test. Finally, linear regression and Pearson test were used for interaction/relation analysis and correlation, respectively.

Both groups initially consumed ultra-processed foods, rich in refined carbohydrates, saturated fats, and sodium. At 12 and 15 months, the intervention significantly improved diet quality and dietary requirements among participants (p<0.05), whereas the control maintained or worsened diet quality (p<0.05).

Initially, both groups reported high hunger and low satiety, but by month 12, the intervention group exhibited improvements, with 88.6 percent reporting postmeal fullness and 75 percent experiencing daily satiety.

Other correlations were observed in both groups. In control participants, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) was associated with trans fats and proteins, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) with polyunsaturated fats, total cholesterol (TC) with proteins and monounsaturated fats, and glycated haemoglobin (HbA1c) with fibres.

In the intervention group, BMI was associated with carbohydrates; HbA1c with total fats; LDL-C with carbohydrates; glucose with proteins; TC with total fats and carbohydrates, HDL-C with total fats, polyunsaturated fats, and saturated fats; and glucose with monounsaturated fats (p<0.05).

BP, heart rate, plasma, and urinary sodium levels significantly improved over time in the intervention group (p<0.05) but did not significantly change in the control group (p>0.05).

"[F]urther clinical trials are needed to establish causality, and the findings should be interpreted with caution due to the study's limitations,” the researchers said.