The Relationship Between Recommended and None Recommended Food Scores on Cardiovascular Risk Factors in Obese and Overweight Adult Women: A Cross Sectional Study

Objective: No studies have examined the relationship between recommended food score (RFS), none recommended food score (NRFS) and cardiovascular risk factors. This study was conducted to evaluate the association of RFS and NRFS with cardiovascular risk factors in overweight and obese women.Methods: This cross-sectional study was performed on 379 overweight and obese (BMI ≥25 kg/m2) women aged 18-48 years. Anthropometric measurements and body composition analysis were assessed in all participants. Dietary intake was assessed by a valid and reliable food frequency questionnaire (FFQ) containing 147 items and RFS and NRFS calculated. Biochemical assessments including TC, HDL, LDL, TG, FBS, insulin, HOMA-IR and hs-CRP were quantified by ELISA.Results: The mean age and BMI of participants were 36.73±9.21 (y) and 31.17±4.22 (kg/m²) respectively. Binary logistic analysis showed that participants in the highest quartile of the RFS compared to the lowest quartile had 82% lower risk for Hypertriglyceridemia [OR=0.18, 95%CI=0.06-0.53, P=0.002] and 91% lower risk for abdominal obesity [OR=0.09, 95%CI=0.008-1.04, P=0.05]. in addition, Participants who were in the highest quartile of the RFS compared to the lowest quartile had lower HOMA-IR [OR=0.29, 95%CI=0.08-1.00, P=0.05]. subjects with high adherence to the NRFS had lower HDL [OR=2.11, 95%CI=1.08-4.12, P=0.02] and higher risk for Hypertriglyceridemia [OR=2.95, 95%CI=1.47-5.94, P=0.002] compared to low adherence. Conclusions: There was an inverse significant association between adherence to RFS and risk of Hypertriglyceridemia, insulin resistance, and abdominal obesity. There was a significant association between NRFS and Hypertriglyceridemia, and also we found an inverse relationship between NRFS and HDL.