The relationship between modified Nordic diet and resting metabolic rate among overweight and obese women in Tehran, Iran: A cross-sectional study.

PURPOSE

Obesity as a worldwide phenomenon is a multifactorial condition. Healthy diets have effect on obesity-related factors like resting metabolic rate (RMR). In the present study, we investigate the association between adherence to modified Nordic diet and RMR among overweight and obese participants.

METHODS

We enrolled 404 overweight and obese (BMI ≥ 25 kg/m ) women aged 18-48 years in this cross-sectional study. For each participant, anthropometrics measurements, biochemical tests and blood pressure were evaluated. RMR was measured by indirect calorimetry. RMR/kg was also measured. Modified Nordic diet score was measured using a validated 147-item food frequency questionnaire (FFQ).

RESULTS

Among all participants, the mean and standard deviation (SD) for age and body mass index (BMI) were 36.67 years (SD = 9.10) and 31.26 kg/m2 (SD = 4.29), respectively. There was a significant association between RMR/kg status and age, body mass index (BMI), RMR (P < .001), respiratory quotient (RQ), fat percentage (P = .01), systolic blood pressure (SBP) (P = .03) and diastolic blood pressure (DBP) (P = .04), after adjustment for age, BMI, energy intake and physical activity. Participants with the highest adherence to modified Nordic diet had lower odds of hypometabolic status after adjusting for confounders and it was significant (odds ratio (OR) = 3.15, 95% CI = 0.97-10.15, P = .05).

CONCLUSIONS

The present results indicate that adherence to modified Nordic diet is associated with lower odds of hypometabolic status in overweight and obese women. However, more studies are needed to confirm our findings.