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Adherence to Mediterranean diet and close dietetic supervision increase total dietary antioxidant intake and plasma antioxidant capacity in subjects with abdominal obesity

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Abstract

Purpose

To determine the effect of Mediterranean-type diet and close dietetic supervision on dietary antioxidant intake and plasma total antioxidant capacity (TAC) in patients with abdominal obesity.

Methods

Ninety subjects with abdominal obesity, 46 in intervention group, 44 in control group, participated in a 2-month, randomized, parallel dietary intervention. All participants were counseled on Greek Mediterranean diet. The intervention group was under close dietetic supervision, followed a specific relevant daily and weekly food plan consuming antioxidant-rich foods and food products. Total dietary antioxidant intake was calculated from the volunteers’ food diaries, and plasma TAC using plasma ORAC assay and plasma ferric-reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) assay, both at baseline and at 2 months.

Results

Following the 2-month period, total dietary antioxidant intake was increased in the intervention group compared to the control group (P = 0.000). In addition, increased intake of total fat, due to higher consumption of monounsaturated fatty acids, as well as increased intakes of dietary fiber, vitamin C and alcohol was also observed in the intervention group compared to the control group (P < 0.05). Plasma TAC was increased in the intervention group compared to the control group (P = 0.039) using the ORAC assay, while there was a trend toward a TAC increase (P = 0.077) using the FRAP assay.

Conclusion

Adherence to a Mediterranean-type diet, with emphasis on an increase in foods rich in antioxidants and close dietetic supervision, can increase total dietary antioxidant intake and plasma TAC in patients with abdominal obesity.

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Acknowledgments

The authors would like to thank all the participants of the study for their cooperation. We also like to thank Mr V. Paraskevas for his assistance in ORAC measurements and ELAIS—Unilever Hellas SA and Harlaftis Ltd, Greece, for the provision of food items and red wine, respectively. This study was funded by the Greek Governmental Institute of Scholarships.

Conflict of interest

The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Unit of Human Nutrition, Department of Food Science and Technology, Agricultural University of Athens, Iera Odos 75, 118 55, Athens, Greece

    Anastasia I. Kolomvotsou, Antonis Koutelidakis & Antonis Zampelas

  2. Second Department of Cardiology, Attikon Hospital, School of Medicine, University of Athens, Rimini 1, 124 62, Chaidari, Greece

    Loukianos S. Rallidis, John Lekakis & Maria Nana-Anastasiou

  3. Department of Nutritional, Physiology and Feeding, Agricultural University of Athens, Iera Odos 75, 118 55, Athens, Greece

    Konstantinos C. Mountzouris

  4. Hygeias Melathron Infirmary, Therianou 4 & Katsantwnh, 114 79, Athens, Greece

    Stamatis Efstathiou

Authors
  1. Anastasia I. Kolomvotsou
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  2. Loukianos S. Rallidis
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  3. Konstantinos C. Mountzouris
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  4. John Lekakis
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  7. Maria Nana-Anastasiou
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Anastasia I. Kolomvotsou.

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Kolomvotsou, A.I., Rallidis, L.S., Mountzouris, K.C. et al. Adherence to Mediterranean diet and close dietetic supervision increase total dietary antioxidant intake and plasma antioxidant capacity in subjects with abdominal obesity. Eur J Nutr 52, 37–48 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00394-011-0283-3

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00394-011-0283-3

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