COLLEGE PARK, Md.--A higher intake of whole grains appears inversely related to the development of metabolic syndrome and cardiovascular mortality in older U.S. adults, according to a study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition (83, 1:124-131, 2006). Researchers from the University of Maryland, in conjunction with the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and Tufts University, examined the association between whole and refined grain intake, metabolic syndrome development, cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factors and incidence of CVD mortality in 535 older, healthy men and women. Subjects kept a three-day food record at baseline (enrollment varied between 1981 and 1984) and underwent blood tests for metabolic risk factors; they were re-examined in October 1995.
Whole grain intake showed a significant inverse relationship with both development of metabolic syndrome and CVD mortality, independent of demographic, lifestyle and other dietary factors. Refined grain intake was positively associated with higher fasting glucose concentrations and higher prevalence of metabolic syndrome. The researchers concluded because whole-grain intake is a modifiable dietary risk factor, all adults should be encouraged to consume three or more servings daily of whole grains.