Palaeolithic-type diet and the metabolic syndrome - Essay Example

metabolic syndrome were randomized to a two-week dietary intervention with either a Palaeolithic-type diet (n=18), based on anthropological researches or a healthy diet reference (n=14), based on the guidelines of Dutch Health Council. Both primary and secondary outcomes of the study were measured. Oral glucose tolerance and characteristics of MetS (blood pressure, glucose levels, abdominal circumference, cholesterol levels) being primary. Intestinal permeability, inflammation and salivary cortisol were measured as the secondary outcomes.

Emphasis was put on prevention of weight loss. 9 men and 25 women with an average BMI of 31.8 kg/m2 and average age of 53.5 years were evaluated. The Paleolithic type diet resulted in an overall decrease in systolic and diastolic blood pressure, cholesterol and triglyceride levels as well as an increase in HDL cholesterol levels as compared to those who were subjected to the reference diet. However, the waist circumference decreased in all the subjects. Even though body weight was supposed to be kept stable, there was an overall reduction in weight of those who were subjected to the Paleolithic type diet as compared to those who were subjected to the reference diet.

No changes were noted in the intestinal permeability, salivary cortisol or