O063 - DO INTERMITTENT FASTING AND HIGH-INTENSITY INTERVAL TRAINING OFFER ADDED BENEFITS TO THE MEDITERRANEAN DIET IN METABOLIC SYNDROME?

O063

DO INTERMITTENT FASTING AND HIGH-INTENSITY INTERVAL TRAINING OFFER ADDED BENEFITS TO THE MEDITERRANEAN DIET IN METABOLIC SYNDROME?

L. Burgard^1,2,*, W. Dieterich^1,2, D. Reljic^1,2, H. J. Herrmann^1,2, M. F. Neurath^2,3, Y. Zopf^1,2

¹Department of Medicine 1, Hector-Center for Nutrition, Exercise and Sports, ²Department of Medicine 1, ³Deutsches Zentrum Immuntherapie (DZI), University Hospital Erlangen, Friedrich-Alexander University Erlangen-Nürnberg, Erlangen, Germany

Rationale: With 31.5 % of European adults affected (1), the rising global prevalence of metabolic syndrome (MetS), also known as the “deadly quartet”, highlights the urgent need for improved therapeutic approaches. This study aims to assess whether intermittent fasting, with or without high-intensity interval training (HIIT), provides added benefits compared to a Mediterranean diet alone.

Methods: The analysis is based on a preliminary sample (n = 95) from a randomized controlled trial assessing the effects of intermittent fasting and HIIT in adults with MetS (IDF criteria). Over three months, participants followed a Mediterranean diet and were randomized to one of the following groups: alternate-day fasting (ADF, n = 24), time-restricted eating (TRE, n = 27), TRE plus HIIT (n = 24), or no additional intervention (n = 20). MetS severity was measured using the MetS-z-score. Statistical analyses included the Wilcoxon signed-rank test for within-group differences pre- and post-intervention. Between-group differences in change were assessed via one-way ANOVA.

Results: The overall baseline MetS-z-score of the sample was 3.13. Regardless of the intervention group, the MetS-z-score decreased significantly from baseline to post-intervention (p < 0.05), with an overall reduction of -1.85. No significant interaction effects between group and time were observed (F = 1.41, p = 0.25).

Conclusion: The results indicate that a Mediterranean diet, with or without additional intermittent fasting or HIIT, leads to a significant and clinically relevant improvement in the MetS-z-score. Furthermore, the findings reinforce the Mediterranean diet as the gold standard in nutritional therapy for MetS. However, analyses in the full sample are needed to draw more robust conclusions.

References: (1) https://doi.org/10.1016/j.diabres.2022.109924

Disclosure of Interest: L. Burgard: None declared, W. Dieterich: None declared, D. Reljic: None declared, H. J. Herrmann: None declared, M. F. Neurath: None declared, Y. Zopf Grant / Research Support from: The study is funded by Hector-Stiftung II