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Effect of a nutritional intervention promoting the Mediterranean food pattern on anthropometric profile in healthy women from the Québec city metropolitan area

European Journal of Clinical Nutrition volume 61, pages 1293–1300 (2007)Cite this article

Abstract

Objective:

To evaluate the impact of a nutritional intervention promoting a Mediterranean food pattern on anthropometric profile in healthy women.

Design:

Nutritional intervention study.

Setting:

Laval University, Canada.

Subjects:

Seventy-seven healthy women started the study and four did not complete the study.

Methods:

A 12-week nutritional intervention in free-living conditions consisted of two group courses on nutrition and seven individual sessions with a dietitian. A follow-up visit was performed 12 weeks after the end of the intervention (week 24). A Mediterranean dietary score (MedScore), based on the 11 components of the Mediterranean pyramid, was established to evaluate the adherence to the Mediterranean food pattern.

Results:

Small but significant decreases in body weight and waist circumference were observed after 12 weeks of intervention (0.5 kg and 1.2 cm, respectively (P<0.01)). Increase in partial MedScore for legumes, nuts and seeds (increase in consumption) as well as increase in partial MedScore for sweets (decrease in consumption) were significantly associated with changes in waist circumference (r=−0.36, P=0.001; r=0.24, P=0.05, respectively). No association was observed between changes in anthropometric profile and changes in the consumption of olive oil.

Conclusion:

Changes in dietary food pattern, more specifically an increase in the consumption of legumes, nuts and seeds, and a decrease in the consumption of sweets, were associated with some beneficial changes in anthropometric profile.

Sponsorship:

This study was partly supported by the Canada Research Chair in Nutrition and Cardiovascular Health from the Canada Research Chair Program.

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Acknowledgements

JG is a recipient of a studentship from the Fonds de la recherche en santé du Québec, AL is a recipient of a studentship from the Canadian Institute of Health Research and the Fonds de la recherche en santé du Québec and BL is the recipient of a Canada Research Chair in Nutrition, Functional Foods and Cardiovascular Health from the Canada Research Chair Program. This study was partly supported by the Canada Research Chair in Nutrition, Functional Foods and Cardiovascular Health from the Canada Research Chair Program. We express our gratitude to the subjects and their family for their motivation and implication throughout the study. We acknowledge the contribution of Nancy Gilbert RD, MSc, Geneviève Nadeau, RD, MSc and Amélie Charest RD, MSc to the nutritional intervention and we thank Danielle Aubin for nursing assistance.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Nutraceuticals and Functional Foods, Laval University, Québec, Canada

    J Goulet, A Lapointe, B Lamarche & S Lemieux

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  1. J Goulet
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  2. A Lapointe
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  3. B Lamarche
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  4. S Lemieux
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Correspondence to S Lemieux.

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Goulet, J., Lapointe, A., Lamarche, B. et al. Effect of a nutritional intervention promoting the Mediterranean food pattern on anthropometric profile in healthy women from the Québec city metropolitan area. Eur J Clin Nutr 61, 1293–1300 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.ejcn.1602647

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