Association between adherence to the DASH diet and obesity among Isfahani female-nurses

During the past decades obesity and obesity-related co-morbidities، such as cardiovascular diseases، have become global epidemics with incresing trends. Earlier studies have shown that adherence to the dietary approach to stop hypertension (DASH) diet favorably affects weight control. The aim of this study was to investigate the association between adherence to the DASH diet and obesity among female-nurses in the City of Isfahan، Iran. This cross-sectional study was carried out on 420 female-nurses with a mean age of 34 years (SD 0. 41) working in the City of Isfahan hospitals، selected by the multistage cluster random sampling method. Adherence to the DASH diet (in the previous year) was assessed using a validated special food frequency questionnaire (FFQ). A DASH score based on 8 food and nutrient components (fruits، vegetables، whole grains، nuts and legumes، low- fat dairy، red and processed meats، sweetened beverages، and sodium) was calculated. In a DASH diet pattern high intakes of the first five groups and low intakes of meat، sweetened beverages and salt are desirable. First the participants were classified based on quartile categories of their intakes of these components. The scores were then summed up to construct the overall DASH score that ranged from 8 to 32. Data on lifestyle، socioeconomic status and medical information were collected using a questionnaire. To compare general characteristics and the DASH scores across quartiles، we used the 1-way ANOVA and chi-square tests after adjusting for age and energy intake. Increased adherence to the DASH diet was associated with older age (P<0. 01) and lower waist circumference (P=0. 04). There was no statistically significant difference in the prevalence of general obesity between the extreme quartiles of the DASH diet score. Neither was there any association between the DASH diet and obesity after adjustment for age and energy intake and other confounding factors. However، with further adjustment for dietary factors، those in the upper quartile of DASH score were 71% less likely to suffer from general obesity as compared with those in the lowest quartile (OR: 0. 29; 95% CI: 0. 09-0. 97). Finally، consumption of the DASH diet was not significantly associated with central obesity، but after adjustment for age and energy intake، the association became significant (OR: 0. 37; 95% CI: 0. 14-0. 96). It can be concluded that adherence to the DASH diet is associated with a reduced risk of general obesity. This association remains statistically significant even after adjustment for potential confounding factors.