Inflammatory and metabolic responses to dietary intervention differ among individuals at distinct cardiometabolic risk levels

- Greater diet-induced benefits are obtained in the presence of metabolic syndrome.
- Responses to a fatty acid-modified diet differ at distinct cardiovascular risk levels.
- A slight dietary change for a short period can promote beneficial effects.
- Four-wk dietary interventions influence low-grade inflammation and insulin resistance.
- Unsaturated fatty acid intake should be encouraged in non-Mediterranean countries.

ObjectiveThe aim of this study was to investigate the effects of two interventions in breakfast with different fatty acid content on metabolic and inflammatory biomarkers in individuals at different cardiovascular risk levels.MethodsThis crossover clinical trial included 80 overweight participants who were grouped according to the presence of metabolic syndrome (MetS). The participants received two isocaloric breakfast interventions for 4 wk, with a 2-wk washout. The “Brazilian” breakfast was enriched with saturated fat, whereas the “modified” meal was enriched with unsaturated fatty acids and fibers. Repeated-measures analysis of variance was used to compare dietary data, and Student's t or Wilcoxon tests were used to compare clinical and inflammatory variables. A χ2 test was employed to compare frequencies.ResultsFrequencies of MetS increased after the Brazilian breakfast and decreased after the modified meal. Significant reduction in mean values of WC and diastolic blood pressure (DBP) and elevation in high-density lipoprotein cholesterol were detected at the end of the modified intervention. Participants with or without the MetS exhibited contrasting responses to the modified breakfast: respectively, significant changes in DBP levels (−3.7 ± 6.9 versus −0.5 ± 6.9 mm Hg; P < 0.05), plasma glucose (−3 ± 7.3 versus 3 ± 7.4 mg/dL; P < 0.05), and apolipoprotein-B (−0.1 ± 0.6 versus 0.2 ± 0.3 mg/mL; P < 0.05), interferon-γ (−0.6 ± 1.2 versus 0.1 ± 1.3 pg/mL; P < 0.05), and tumor necrosis factor-α concentrations (0.4 ± 3.6 versus −0.8 ± 2.8 pg/mL; P < 0.05) were observed.ConclusionsDietary intervention of small magnitude, for a short period, was able to improve traditional risk factors for cardiovascular disease and inflammatory markers, as well as the frequency of MetS. Responses to dietary interventions of individuals at different levels of cardiovascular risk should be examined through different biomarkers.