Adherence to the Mediterranean Diet in Spanish Population and Its Relationship with Early Vascular Aging according to Sex and Age: EVA Study

• Published in: Nutrients 2020-04, Vol.12 (4), p.1025
• Main Authors: GómezSánchez, Marta, Gómez Sánchez, Leticia, Patino-Alonso, Maria C, Alonso-Domínguez, Rosario, Sánchez-Aguadero, Natalia, Lugones-Sánchez, Cristina, Rodríguez Sánchez, Emiliano, García Ortiz, Luis, Gómez-Marcos, Manuel A
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adult; Age Factors; Age groups; Aged; Aging; Blood pressure; Cardiovascular diseases; Cardiovascular Diseases - etiology; Cardiovascular Diseases - prevention & control; Carotid arteries; Carotid Arteries - diagnostic imaging; Carotid Artery Diseases - complications; Carotid Artery Diseases - diagnostic imaging; Carotid Artery Diseases - diet therapy; Cholesterol; Cross-Sectional Studies; Diet; Diet, Mediterranean; early vascular aging; Female; Food consumption; general population; Heart Disease Risk Factors; Humans; Legumes; Logistic Models; Male; Meat; Mediterranean diet; Middle Aged; normal vascular aging; Nuts; Olive oil; Patient Compliance - statistics & numerical data; Peripheral Arterial Disease - complications; Peripheral Arterial Disease - diagnostic imaging; Peripheral Arterial Disease - diet therapy; Population; Primary care; Pulse Wave Analysis; Questionnaires; Random sampling; Regression analysis; Risk factors; Sex; Sex Factors; Smoking; Software; Spain; Statistical analysis; Statistical sampling; Thickness; Ultrasonic imaging; Ultrasonography; Vascular diseases; Wave velocity
• ISSN: 2072-6643; 2072-6643
• DOI: 10.3390/nu12041025

The objective of this study is to analyze the influence of adherence to the Mediterranean diet (MDA) and its components on early vascular aging (EVA) in a Spanish population sample free of cardiovascular disease and to analyze the differences by sex. We recruited 501 individuals aged 35-75 without cardiovascular disease by random sampling (55.90 ± 14.24 years, 49.70% men). EVA was defined in two steps: Step 1: subjects with vascular damage in carotid arteries or peripheral artery disease were classified as EVA. Step 2: subjects at the percentile of the combined Vascular Aging Index (VAI) were classified; ≥ p90 was considered EVA and < p90 was considered normal vascular aging (NVA), estimated using the following formula (VAI = (log (1.09) × 10 cIMT + log (1.14) cfPWV) × 39.1 + 4.76 by age and sex. Carotid-femoral pulse wave velocity (cfPWV) was measured by SphigmoCor System® and carotid intima-media thickness by Sonosite Micromax® ultrasound and classified thus: values ≥ Percentile 90 were considered EVA and those < Percentile 90 as NVA, with population percentiles analyzed. The principal result variable was assessed using the 14-item MEDAS questionnaire, developed and validated by the PREDIMED group, comprising 12 questions about the frequency of food consumption and two questions regarding the Spanish population's typical eating habits. MDA was observed by 25% (17% men and 34% women). EVA was present in 17% (29% men and 4% women). The adjusted logistic regression models showed that an increase in MDA decreases the probability of EVA in the global analysis (OR = 0.36; 95% CI: 0.16-0.82). In the analysis by sex, this association was only seen in men (OR = 0.33; 95% CI: 0.12-0.86), but not in women (OR = 0.31; 95% CI: 0.04-2.50). The results of this study suggest that a greater adherence to the Mediterranean diet decreases the probability of presenting EVA. In the analysis by sex, this association applies only to men.