Researchers assessed the effectiveness of the fasting-mimicking diet (FMD) against the Mediterranean diet (MD) in reducing the risk for cardiovascular disease (CVD) among obese adults with hypertension.
They performed a single-center randomized clinical trial (RCT) in Tennessee, United States (US), at the Hypertension Institute (HTI) between September 2018 and May 2019.
Healthy dietary habits may present an effective strategy to protect the vascular endothelium. Aberrations to the vascular endothelium, such as impaired vasodilation, can contribute to atherosclerosis and hypertension.
In their previous work, researchers demonstrated the safety, feasibility, and beneficial effects of a periodic (five-day/month) FMD on cardiometabolic risk factors in normal and overweight healthy adults. FMD is a low-calorie, low-protein, and high-fat plant-based diet.
Similarly, studies have associated MD with multiple benefits, including CVD prevention. The Mediterranean diet is characterized by a high proportion of cereals, legumes, fruits/vegetables, moderate quantities of proteins from fish, and olive oil-derived healthy fat.
In the present RCT, researchers compared the effectiveness of four monthly cycles of FMD versus a continuous MD in obese adults with hypertension over four months.
