Skip to main content
ARS Home » Northeast Area » Boston, Massachusetts » Jean Mayer Human Nutrition Research Center On Aging » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #239065
Title: A traditional rice and beans pattern is associated with metabolic syndrome in Puerto Rican older adults

Author
item NOEL, SABRINA - Jean Mayer Human Nutrition Research Center On Aging At Tufts University
item NEWBY, P - Boston University Medical School
item Ordovas, Jose
item Tucker, Katherine

Submitted to: Journal of Nutrition
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 4/7/2009
Publication Date: 5/20/2009
Citation: Noel, S.E., Newby, P.K., Ordovas, J.M., Tucker, K. 2009. A traditional rice and beans pattern is associated with metabolic syndrome in Puerto Rican older adults. Journal of Nutrition. 139:1-8.

Interpretive Summary: The prevalence of metabolic syndrome increases with age and varies by ethnicity, with Hispanics having the highest age-adjusted prevalence compared with other ethnic groups. Puerto Ricans in particular bear a disproportionate amount of chronic disease. Metabolic syndrome prevalence estimates were as high as 50% for Puerto Rican elders living in Massachusetts. Diet may play an important role in the development of metabolic syndrome. Representing diet as overall dietary patterns has become an increasingly popular method for examining diet-disease relationships. To our knowledge there are few studies that have examined the relationship between metabolic syndrome and dietary patterns among Puerto Ricans living on the US mainland. The current study aims to characterize the dietary patterns of Puerto Rican adults aged 45 to 75 years living the Greater Boston area and to examine associations with metabolic syndrome. A meat and french fries, a traditional and a sweets pattern emerged as most meaningful. A meat and french fries pattern was associated with higher blood pressure and waist circumference, the traditional pattern was associated with lower HDL concentrations and a higher likelihood of metabolic syndrome, and the sweets pattern was associated with lower HDL concentrations and higher waist circumference. After excluding individuals with diabetes, this pattern was no longer associated with fasting plasma glucose and was associated with metabolic syndrome. Dietary patterns were significantly associated with metabolic syndrome and its components. More research is needed to make appropriate nutritional recommendations for this high-risk population.

Technical Abstract: The prevalence of metabolic syndrome was approximately 50% for Puerto Rican elders living in Massachusetts. Diet is known to be associated with metabolic syndrome. Little information exists regarding the dietary intakes of Puerto Ricans. We aimed to characterize the dietary patterns of 1167 Puerto Ricans (45 to 75 y) using principal components analysis, and to further examine associations with metabolic syndrome. Factor solutions were examined for robustness using a random split sample. Adjusted means for metabolic syndrome components were calculated for factor quintiles using analysis of covariance. Logistic regression models examined associations between factors, metabolic syndrome, and its components. Analyses were also performed excluding subjects with diabetes. A meat and French fries, a Traditional and a sweets pattern emerged as most meaningful. A meat and French fries pattern was associated with higher blood pressure (systolic P for trend= 0.03 and diastolic <0.001, respectively) and waist circumference (P for trend= 0.04). The Traditional pattern was associated with lower HDL concentrations (P for trend= 0.007) and a higher likelihood of metabolic syndrome (OR: 1.7, 95%CI: 1.04, 2.7). The sweets pattern was associated with lower HDL concentrations (P for trend <0.001) and higher waist circumference (P for trend <0.05). After excluding individuals with diabetes, this pattern was no longer associated with fasting plasma glucose and was associated with metabolic syndrome (OR: 1.8, 95%CI: 1.03, 3.3). Dietary patterns were significantly associated with metabolic syndrome and its components. More research is needed to make appropriate nutritional recommendations for this high-risk population.