We conducted a randomized controlled trial to examine the effect of two energy-restricted diets on body weight (BW), visceral fat (VF) loss, and the risk factors for metabolic syndrome. A total of 144 centrally obese postmenopausal women were assigned to the moderate in fat Mediterranean diet (MED) or to the Central European diet (CED), which is moderate in carbohydrates and high in dietary fiber (DF), for 16 weeks. BW, waist circumference and VF were significantly reduced by 8.8%, 7.0%, and 24.6%, respectively, over the trial (P < 0.001), with no difference between groups. A similar trend was seen for total cholesterol, triglycerides, glucose, and blood pressure. Within each diet group, the more adherent participants lost significantly more BW than did their less adherent counterparts. VF was significantly reduced only in women who were more adherent to the CED, and the reduction in VF correlated with an increase in the proportion of DF. Short-term dietary treatment with the CED or the MED was associated with similar improvements in some anthropometric, lipid, and nonlipid parameters; however, adequate adherence to the prescribed diet is important in weight loss success and in achieving improvements in metabolic health.

In postmenopausal women (PW), estrogen depletion may predispose to cognitive decline through an increased risk of chronic inflammation. Unhealthy diets also appear to have an impact on the cognitive health of these women. The aim of this study was to investigate the association between inflammatory potential of the diet, levels of inflammatory biomarkers, and cognitive function in PW. In a population of 222 PW, energy intake-adjusted Dietary Inflammatory Index (E-DII) was used to assess the dietary inflammatory potential. Cognitive function was estimated using the Polish version of Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE), corrected by age and educational level. Selected biochemical inflammatory markers (C-reactive protein, CRP; interleukin-6, IL-6; and tumor necrosis factor alpha, TNF-α) were measured by ELISA tests. PW with an anti-inflammatory diet (first tercile) had significantly higher MMSE, while BMI, percentage fat mass and TNFα concentration were significantly lower compared to those with the most proinflammatory diets (third tercile). Women with cognitive impairment had significantly higher IL-6 concentrations (4.1 (0.8) pg/mL vs. 2.5 (0.2) pg/mL, p = 0.004), and were less educated (12.7 (0.7) years vs. 14.1 (0.2) years, p = 0.03) and less physically active compared to cognitively normal women. PW with the most proinflammatory diets had increased odds of cognitive impairment compared to those with the most anti-inflammatory diets, even after adjustment (OR = 11.10, 95% confidence level; 95%CI: 2.22; 55.56; p = 0.002). Each one-point increase in E-DII (as a continuous value) was also associated with 1.55-times greater odds of cognitive impairment (95%Cl: 1.19; 2.02 p = 0.003) in this population. Dietary inflammation may increase the risk of cognitive impairment in PW, but future studies should include a more sensitive battery of tests to assess cognitive function in this population. Implementation of an anti-inflammatory dietary pattern in PW may help prevent cognitive decline.

The hypothesis that habitual fat intake, the IL6 genotype, the Mediterranean diet or the central European diet for 16 weeks affect biomarkers of inflammation in centrally obese postmenopausal women, was tested in a randomized controlled trial. Dietary intake was assessed using a three-day food diary. Lipid parameters were measured using a Beckman Coulter AU analyzer. Transcription of TNF and IL6 genes was analyzed in peripheral blood mononuclear cells using real-time PCR. Concentrations of tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNFα) and interleukin 6 (IL6) were measured with ELISA. rs1800795 polymorphism of IL6 was analyzed using hydrolyzing probes. Higher energy intake from fat was associated with higher IL6 levels (p < 0.05). Significantly (p < 0.01) lower total cholesterol (T-C) and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) concentrations were observed in the GG IL6 rs1800795 genotype group. Both diets significantly (p < 0.001) decreased TNFα concentrations. Neither IL6 gene transcription levels nor blood IL6 concentrations were affected by them. Our findings confirm that habitual fat intake may affect inflammation. The rs1800795 IL6 polymorphism alone did not significantly affect body weight or body composition in aimed group, but C-allele carriers had higher levels of T-C and LDL-C. This polymorphism did not affect inflammation. Both diets may lead to a decrease in TNFα concentration.

The aim of our study was to evaluate the associations between sensitivity to fat taste, eating habits and BMI value in a sample of menopausal Polish women. In a population of 95 women, fat taste thresholds with oleic acid were determined, allowing us to classify each woman as a hypersensitive or hyposensitive taster. Eating habits were assessed using a validated KomPAN questionnaire for food frequency. Dietary intake was evaluated based on a food diary. Selected biochemical parameters were measured using a Konelab20i biochemical analyzer. Anthropometric parameters and blood pressure were also measured. Twenty-two menopausal women were classified as hyposensitive to fat taste and 73 as hypersensitive. The hyposensitive tasters were significantly older (p = 0.006), with the majority of them (92%) being postmenopausal (p < 0.001); this group had significantly higher BMI values (p < 0.001) and other adiposity indicators compared to their hypersensitive counterparts. The hyposensitive tasters had higher blood pressure (systolic blood pressure; SBP p = 0.030; diastolic blood pressure; DBP p = 0.003), glucose (p = 0.011) and triacylglycerols levels than the hypersensitive tasters (p = 0.031). Almost half of them had diagnosed metabolic syndrome. Daily eating occasions were associated with low oral fatty acid sensitivity, irrespective of age (p = 0.041) and BMI value (p = 0.028). There were also significant associations between frequency of consumption of meats and eggs, as well as snacks and fast foods and low oral fatty acid sensitivity before adjustment for potential confounders (both associations p < 0.05), which remained after adjustment for age (both associations p < 0.05), but not after adjustment for BMI. A multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that higher BMI value (p = 0.003), along with postmenopausal status (p = 0.003), were associated with low fat taste sensitivity irrespective of age and consumed percentage energy from fat. Postmenopausal status and BMI are associated with low fat taste sensitivity. Fat hyposensitivity may also play a role in eating habits, leading to increased eating occasions and favoring certain types of food. These eating habits may determine increased body weight and the occurrence of metabolic syndrome in mid-life women, especially those who have undergone menopause and have been exposed to the physiological changes which are conducive to these relationships.

Fatty acid (FA) status is associated with the risk of several diet-related diseases. Since postmenopausal women are at increased risk of cardiometabolic disturbances, determinants of FA metabolism should be fully understood in this group. We hypothesize that FA metabolism in postmenopausal Polish women may depend on current macronutrient intake and on fatty acid desaturase (FADS) gene polymorphism. One-hundred-and-twenty-eight postmenopausal women with central obesity were recruited to the study and their dietary intake, FA composition in red blood cells (RBC), and rs174556, rs174561, rs174547, and rs3834458 polymorphism of the FADS gene were analyzed. Higher levels of 18:2n-6t level in RBC were associated with higher protein or fat intake or with lower carbohydrate intake. The minor allele carriers of rs174561 of the fatty acid desaturase 1 (FADS1) gene had 9.7% lower concentration of 20:4n–6 in RBC (p < 0.05), but there were no other associations between other FA in RBC levels and FADS1 or fatty acid desaturase 2 (FADS2) polymorphisms. The mean D5D value was 15.3–17.9% lower in the minor allele carriers of each SNPs. We concluded that protein and carbohydrate intake may be associated with FA concentrations in RBC in centrally obese postmenopausal Polish women. The D5D value may be affected by FADS1 or FADS2 polymorphism.