Abstract
Introduction: Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is one of the most important causes of mortality.
Healthy diets can decrease CVDs and other chronic diseases especially in patients with type 2
diabetes. In this study, we investigate association between adherence to the modified Nordic diet
and cardiovascular risk factors among patients with type 2 diabetes.
Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted among 339 type 2 diabetic patients.
Anthropometric indices, blood pressure, and biochemical tests were evaluated. A validated and
reliable semi-quantitative food frequency questionnaire (FFQ) was used to assess dietary intake.
Nordic diet scores were calculated based on median intakes of six food groups.
Results: Body mass index (BMI) was higher among participants who were in the lowest
tertile of adherence to the Nordic diet (P=0.006). There was a significant association between
socioeconomic status (SES) and adherence to the Nordic diet (P<0.0001). Participants who
were in the top category of adherence to the diet had significantly lower levels of aspartate
aminotransferase (AST) (P<0.0001). There was a significant inverse association between
adherence to the Nordic diet and low density lipoprotein (LDL) levels (odds ratio [OR]=0.29 95%
CI: 0.09, 0.91, P=0.025), high systolic blood pressure (SBP) levels (OR=0.35 95% CI=0.17-0.74,
P=0.015), and risk of obesity (OR=0.25 95% CI: 0.10, 0.63, P=0.03).
Conclusion: Results suggest that adherence to the Nordic diet is associated with reductions in the
prevalence of obesity, LDL levels and blood pressure among type 2 diabetic patients. However,
additional studies are needed to confirm these findings.