Association between dietary phytochemical index and cardiometabolic risk factors

Type of funding sources: Foundation. Main funding source(s): Swiss National Science Foundation.

Consuming plant-based diets have been associated with reduced cardiometabolic risk factors (CRFs), which might be partly mediated by their high phytochemical content and the synergistic action of these bioactive compounds. Nevertheless, dietary phytochemical content estimation is difficult. The dietary phytochemical index (DPI) has been proposed as a practical way to assess the total dietary phytochemical content from phytochemical-rich foods (PRFs).

This study aimed to evaluate the association between DPI with CRFs.

Cross-sectional analysis within a population-based cohort study conducted between 2009-2012. The dietary intake was assessed via a validated food frequency questionnaire. DPI was calculated by dividing energy obtained from PRFs by total energy intake and multiplying by 100. Multivariable linear regressions were applied to establish the associations. CRFs included anthropometric measures, blood pressure, insulin resistance and diabetes markers, dyslipidemia markers, and cardiovascular/inflammatory markers.

3879 participants (mean age 57.6±10.4 years, 53.5% women) were included. The median DPI value was 25.5 (interquartile range: 17.7–34.6). In multivariable-adjusted linear models, significant inverse associations were observed in the highest DPI quartile for body mass index -0.86 (-1.26,-0.46), waist circumference -2.91 (-3.99,-1.84), leptin -0.21 (-0.30,-0.12), insulin -0.09 (-0.14,-0.04), and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein -0.20 (-0.29,-0.11). No other associations were found CRFs.

A high DPI index representing a high intake of PRFs is associated with lower body mass index, waist circumference, leptin, insulin, and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein values.