Relationship between the Consumption of Refined and Whole Grains and the Risk of Metabolic Syndrome Components in Adults: The Tehran Lipid and Glucose Study

Introduction: This study aimed to investigate the relationship between the consumption of refined and whole grains and the risk of the metabolic syndrome in adults. Materials and Methods: In this prospective study, the consumption of whole and refined grains was assessed in 1452 subjects who participated in the Tehran Lipid and Glucose Study using a valid and reliable food frequency questionnaire. Metabolic syndrome components were defined based on the Adult Treatment Panel criteria. The Cox regression model was used to investigate the relationship between the consumption of various types of cereals and the components of the metabolic syndrome. Results: The median of whole grains consumption was 121.7 g per day, and the average consumption of refined grains was 202.2 g per day. Refined grains have a significant and positive association with increased serum triglycerides (risk ratio [RR], 1.03; CI, 1.31-2.18), and abdominal obesity (RR, 1.33; CI, 1.02-1.75) blood pressure (RR, 1.33; CI, 1.01-1.75), and reduction of high-density lipoprotein (HDL; RR, 1.52; CI, 1.25-1.84) after adjustment for confounders. The consumption of whole grains had no relationship with the components of the metabolic syndrome. Conclusion: Reducing the consumption of refined grains can prevent the occurrence of metabolic syndrome components.