Scientists from Son Espace University Hospital found that following the Mediterranean diet along with exercise can improve body composition in people over 55 with obesity and metabolic syndrome. The study was published on: JAMA Network Open.
The study involved 1,500 obese people over the age of 55 who had symptoms of metabolic syndrome (but not diabetes). Metabolic syndrome is common in obese people and can manifest itself as hypertension, high blood sugar and cholesterol. Its presence significantly increases the risk of developing cardiovascular diseases and type 2 diabetes.
Participants were randomly assigned to the experimental or control group. The former adhered to an individual Mediterranean diet, with calories reduced by 30%, and also participated in physical activity. The control group followed the same diet but received no instructions on relative physical activity. A feature of the Mediterranean diet is the emphasis on plant foods and healthy fats from oils, nuts and fish, and limiting the consumption of red meat.
In the group combining diet and exercise, total fat mass decreased by an average of 1.7 kg per year, and visceral fat mass decreased by 154 grams. This type of fatty tissue increases the risk of cardiovascular diseases and metabolic disorders. Additionally, the proportion of muscle mass had increased; This was particularly important for older people suffering from muscular dystrophy. All these changes indicate an improvement in body composition. This situation was not observed in the control group.
Approximately one in 12 participants who combined diet and activity experienced a significant improvement in visceral fat mass. Additionally, one in 17 people in this group showed significant improvements in muscle mass. This indicates the existence of individual differences with the same lifestyle.
The authors believe that combining a calorie-restricted Mediterranean diet with exercise may improve body composition by reducing total and visceral fat while increasing muscle mass. Results generalize to nondiabetic older adults with high BMI and metabolic syndrome.
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