Dietary folate intake and metabolic syndrome in participants of PREDIMED-Plus study: a cross-sectional study

Purpose We examined the association between dietary folate intake and a score of MetS (metabolic syndrome) and its components among older adults at higher cardiometabolic risk participating in the PREDIMED-Plus trial. Methods A cross-sectional analysis with 6633 with overweight/obesity participants with MetS was conducted. Folate intake (per 100 mcg/day and in quintiles) was estimated using a validated food frequency questionnaire. We calculated a MetS score using the standardized values as shown in the formula: [(body mass index + waist-to-height ratio)/2] + [(systolic blood pressure + diastolic blood pressure)/2] + plasma fasting glucose–HDL cholesterol + plasma triglycerides. The MetS score as continuous variable and its seven components were the outcome variables. Multiple robust linear regression using MM-type estimator was performed to evaluate the association adjusting for potential confounders. Results We observed that an increase in energy-adjusted folate intake was associated with a reduction of MetS score ( β for 100 mcg/day = − 0.12; 95% CI: − 0.19 to − 0.05), and plasma fasting glucose ( β = − 0.03; 95% CI: − 0.05 to − 0.02) independently of the adherence to Mediterranean diet and other potential confounders. We also found a positive association with HDL-cholesterol ( β = 0.07; 95% CI: 0.04–0.10). These associations were also observed when quintiles of energy-adjusted folate intake were used instead. Conclusion This study suggests that a higher folate intake may be associated with a lower MetS score in older adults, a lower plasma fasting glucose, and a greater HDL cholesterol in high-risk cardio-metabolic subjects.