DASH Diet as a Proposal for Improvement in Cellular Immunity and Its Association with Metabolic Parameters in Persons with Overweight and Obesity

Abstract

The development of obesity entails a chronic low-grade inflammatory state with increased pro-inflammatory cells, mainly in visceral adipose tissue (VAT). Additionally, dietary patterns have an influence on the regulation of chronic inflammation. Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) include foods with an anti-inflammatory profile and that have positive impacts on body composition (BC), suggesting improvements in inflammatory processes. Objective: To analyze the impact of the DASH diet on cellular immunity, anthropometric, biochemical and BC parameters in patients with overweight and obesity, who could present metabolic syndrome. Methodology: Lymphocyte subpopulations, biochemical parameters, anthropometric parameters, and BC before and 8 weeks after intervention with the DASH diet in persons with overweight and obesity were measured. Results: Fifty-nine young adults participated in the study. After the intervention, no significant changes in biochemical parameters were observed, although a significant decrease in nearly all of the anthropometric and BC variables was found: waist circumference (p < 0.001), percentage and kilograms of fat (p < 0.001 and p < 0.025, respectively), VAT (p < 0.020), and weight (p < 0.001), as well as total lymphocytes and double-positive TCD4+ cells. A relation between changes in leukocyte subpopulations (monocytes, natural killer, helper and cytotoxic lymphocytes, and naive TCD4+ cells) and metabolic improvements (glucose, triglycerides, total cholesterol and LDL-c) was also found. Conclusions: The DASH diet promotes positive changes in lymphocyte subpopulations, anthropometric parameters and BC in persons with overweight and obesity. Future studies should elucidate the cellular and molecular mechanisms through which the DASH diet produces inmunometabolic improvement.

Hypertension Related to Obesity: Pathogenesis, Characteristics and Factors for Control

“…The common goal is to maintain a status of caloric deficiency and create an incremental change in the body’s composition [ 88 ]. Notably both the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) diet, which consists of plant-based food and dairy products low in fat [ 89 ], and the Mediterranean diet have been successful not only in reducing both systolic and diastolic blood pressure but also in decreasing obesity-associated inflammation and complications [ 90 ]. The green Mediterranean diet, a version of the Mediterranean diet amplified with green plant-based proteins/polyphenols such as green tea and walnuts, and restricted in red/processed meat, is particularly indicated to reduce intrahepatic fat content [ 91 ].…”

Dysregulated immune response in obese patients aggravated by COVID-19

“…En la obesidad, el aumento de determinadas células del sistema inmune y su sostenida activación a nivel del tejido adiposo origina inflamación y resistencia a la insulina, desencadenando la disfunción de adipocitos. Respecto a esto, se han observado cambios en las subpoblaciones linfocitarias tanto del sistema inmunológico innato como del adaptativo (30).…”

“…Además, las células del sistema inmune se infiltran de forma masiva dentro del tejido adiposo visceral de personas obesas debido al aumento de supervivencia y proliferación de células inmunes, así como a la quimiotaxis defectuosa producida por el mayor reclutamiento hacia este tejido y el menor retorno de estas células hacia la sangre periférica, lo cual asociado al menor número de células helper tipo 2, macrófagos M2 y células T reguladoras crea un microambiente inflamatorio local de bajo grado (30).…”

Circulating Inflammatory Markers May Mediate the Relationship between Healthy Plant-Based Diet and Metabolic Phenotype Obesity in Women: A Cross-Sectional Study

“…Empirical research has demonstrated that dietary patterns may be associated with inflammatory mediators and obesity as an inflammatory-related disease [ 21 – 24 ]. For instance, the positive impacts of dietary patterns, including Mediterranean, Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH), and plant-based diet (PBD) on inflammation, obesity, MHO, and MUHO have been elucidated by several studies [ 25 – 28 ]. Moreover, a review article suggested that PBD could reduce some inflammatory markers, such as IL-6 and C-reactive protein (CRP), but not TNF- α [ 26 ].…”