METABOLİK SENDROMU OLAN BİREYLERDE TIBBİ BESLENME TEDAVİSİNİN VE TAKİP SIKLIĞININ METABOLİK SENDROM İLE İLİŞKİLİ PARAMETRELERE ETKİSİ

Abstract

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of different frequencies of dietitian-led nutrition counseling on dietary intake, anthropometric measurements, biochemical parameters, and blood pressure in individuals diagnosed with metabolic syndrome (MetS). The study was conducted using a randomized, controlled, three-arm design with a follow-up period of 12 weeks. Participants were allocated into three groups. In Group 1, participants received nutrition counseling at baseline and at weeks 4, 8, and 12. In Group 2, in addition to the same face-to-face counseling sessions, nutrition counseling was also provided via telephone during weeks 1–3, 5–7, and 9–11. Group 3 reflected routine clinical practice and received nutrition counseling only at baseline and after 12 weeks. Dietary intake was assessed using 24-hour dietary recalls. Anthropometric measurements, biochemical parameters, and blood pressure were evaluated using standard and appropriate methods. In the statistical analysis, nutrient intake data, anthropometric measurements, biochemical parameters, and blood pressure values obtained from monthly face-to-face visits were analyzed using repeated-measures ANOVA. The relationship between the number of nutrition counseling sessions and MetS criteria was assessed using Spearman correlation analysis. A linear regression model was constructed to examine the effect of the number of counseling sessions on the number of MetS criteria.The findings showed that although there were no differences among groups in dietary intake at baseline, energy, carbohydrate, and fat intake were significantly lower in Groups 1 and 2 compared with Group 3 at the end of the follow-up period (p=0,002; p=0,002; p=0,016, respectively). Similarly, while no baseline differences were observed among groups in fasting plasma glucose and diastolic blood pressure, both parameters were significantly lower in Groups 1 and 2 than in Group 3 at the end of the study (p<0,001; p=0,013, respectively). In the regression model in which change in the number of MetS criteria was set as the dependent variable, each one-unit increase in the number of nutrition counseling sessions was associated with a 0,055-unit decrease in the number of MetS criteria (R²=0,163; F(5,78) = 3,039; p = 0,015). In conclusion, more frequent dietitian-led nutrition counseling as part of medical nutrition therapy in individuals with MetS is associated with improvements in dietary habits as well as key MetS parameters, including fasting plasma glucose and diastolic blood pressure. These findings suggest that regular and more frequent nutrition counseling may enhance the effectiveness of MetS management.