Association of priori dietary patterns with metabolic syndrome and its components: a systematic review and meta-analysis
Abstract
Background: Metabolic syndrome (MetS) poses an increasing threat to global health. Dietary patterns are recognized as modifiable factors related to MetS, but evidence on the associations of a priori dietary patterns with MetS remains inconsistent across studies.
Methods: Embase, Web of Science, and PubMed were systematically searched up to March 20, 2025. Observational studies (cross-sectional, cohort, case-control) exploring the associations of a priori dietary patterns with MetS were included. The Joanna Briggs Institute tool and the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale were applied to assess the study quality. The certainty of the pooled evidence was assessed via the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation approach. A random-effects model was adopted to combine effect sizes.
Results: Thirty-nine studies were incorporated. Categorical analyses showed that higher dietary inflammatory index (DII) was associated with higher prevalence of MetS (odds ratio [OR] [95% confidence interval (CI)]: 1.33 [1.23-1.43], p p p p = 0.001).
Conclusion: A priori dietary patterns are closely associated with MetS. Promoting anti-inflammatory, antioxidant-rich, and Mediterranean-style eating patterns may be associated with lower prevalence of MetS, which could provide potential implications for the prevention and management of MetS. However, causal inference remains limited, and further prospective studies and trials are needed.
Systematic review registration: Unique identifier:…
How strong is the evidence?
Evidence Hub reads this as a meta-analysis. Its evidence level is 1 of 5 (Highest · pooled evidence). Pooled evidence from several studies sits at the top of the evidence pyramid.
Read the paper
Related studies
- Understanding the factors influencing fall armyworm (Spodoptera frugiperda J.E. Smith) damage in African smallholder maize fields and quantifying its impact on yield. A case study in Eastern Zimbabwe
- Alarming situation of emerging H5 and H7 avian influenza and effective control strategies
- Livestock and food security: vulnerability to population growth and climate change
- Atmosphere–ocean oxygen and productivity dynamics during early animal radiations
- Characterization of the global distribution and diversified plasmid reservoirs of the colistin resistance gene mcr-9
- The global seroprevalence of Toxoplasma gondii in pigs: A systematic review and meta-analysis
Go deeper in Evidence Hub
Evidence Hub adds a study data sheet (design, sample size, evidence level, key numbers), an AI summary and a chat grounded in the paper's text.