Monosodium glutamate (MSG) intake is associated with the prevalence of metabolic syndrome in a rural Thai population.

Insawang, Tonkla; Selmi, Carlo; Cha'on, Ubon; Pethlert, Supattra; Yongvanit, Puangrat; Areejitranusorn, Premjai; Boonsiri, Patcharee; Khampitak, Tueanjit; Tangrassameeprasert, Roongpet; Pinitsoontorn, Chadamas; Prasongwattana, Vitoon; Gershwin, M. Eric; Hammock, Bruce D.

Background: Epidemiology and animal models suggest that dietary monosodium glutamate (MSG) may contribute to the onset of obesity and the metabolic syndrome. Methods: Families (n = 324) from a rural area of Thailand were selected and provided MSG as the sole source for the use in meal preparation for 10 days. Three hundred forty-nine subjects aged 35-55 years completed the study and were evaluated for energy and nutrient intake, physical activity, and tobacco smoking. The prevalence of overweight and obesity (BMI ≥ 25 kg/m2), insulin resistance (HOMA-IR >3), and the metabolic syndrome (ATP III criteria) were evaluated according to the daily MSG intake. Results: The prevalence of the metabolic syndrome was significantly higher in the tertile with the highest MSG intake. Further, every 1 g increase in MSG intake significantly increased the risk of having the metabolic syndrome (odds ratio 1.14, 95% confidence interval-CI- 1.12 - 1.28) or being overweight (odds ratio 1.16, 95% CI 1.04 - 1.29), independent of the total energy intake and the level of physical activity. Conclusion: Higher amounts of individual MSG consumption are associated with the risk of having the metabolic syndrome and being overweight independent of other major determinants.

THAILAND; CHI-squared test; CONFIDENCE intervals; EPIDEMIOLOGY; INSULIN resistance; MONOSODIUM glutamate; OBESITY; QUESTIONNAIRES; RESEARCH funding; RURAL conditions; STATISTICS; DATA analysis; METABOLIC syndrome; DISEASE prevalence; PHYSICAL activity; DATA analysis software; DESCRIPTIVE statistics

Nutrition & Metabolism, 2012, Vol 9, Issue 1, p50

1743-7075

Academic Journal

10.1186/1743-7075-9-50