Diet and Health in Adults With Metabolic Syndrome

The prevalence of US adults with Metabolic Syndrome (MetS) is over 34%, impacting nearly 35% of all adults and 50% of those aged 60 years or older. MetS is characterized as a combination of underlying risk factors that when, occurring together, increase the risk for chronic diseases such as type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), cardiovascular disease, stroke, and certain types of cancer, resulting in an 1.6-fold increase in mortality. According the American Heart Association, health risks associated with Metabolic Syndrome can be significantly reduced by reducing body weight and eating a diet that is rich in whole grains, fruits, and vegetables. Potatoes (e.g. skin-on white potatoes) are an excellent source of potassium, vitamin C, and vitamin B6 and a good source of magnesium and dietary fiber. In addition, the potato has greater dry matter and protein per unit growing area compared with cereals. Despite this, consumers tend to believe that potatoes are high in calories and in fat compared with other carbohydrate sources such as rice or pasta, an incorrect assumption since a potato has negligible fat and a low energy density similar to legumes. Data from short-term nutrition intervention trials, suggest that potatoes consumed as part of a low-glycemic load meal can play a role in the prevention or treatment of MetS. However, the impact of long-term potato consumption on cardiometabolic risk factors associated with MetS is not known. Therefore, there is a critical need to determine if regular (> 4 times per week) potato consumption can improve cardiometabolic health in individuals with MetS.