A Mediterranean Diet-Based Culinary Intervention in Adults With Metabolic Syndrome

Summary

Metabolic syndrome is a major public health concern associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, and premature mortality. The Mediterranean diet has consistently demonstrated beneficial effects on metabolic health and is recommended as a dietary strategy for the prevention and management of metabolic syndrome. However, most interventions have focused on conventional nutritional counseling and have paid limited attention to the culinary and gastronomic skills required to translate dietary recommendations into sustainable eating behaviors.

This randomized controlled trial will evaluate the effectiveness of a Mediterranean diet-based nutritional intervention complemented by culinary medicine training sessions compared with a nutritional intervention alone in Spanish adults with metabolic syndrome. The culinary medicine component is designed to enhance participants' food preparation skills, confidence in cooking, and ability to incorporate Mediterranean dietary principles into their daily lives.

Participants will be followed for 6 months to assess changes in metabolic syndrome components and other metabolic health indicators. The study aims to determine whether the integration of culinary medicine education enhances the effectiveness of conventional nutritional counseling in improving metabolic syndrome outcomes and promoting long-term adherence to a Mediterranean dietary pattern

Conditions

• Metabolic Syndrome

Interventions

BEHAVIORAL

Mediterranean diet-based culinary intervention

Participants assigned to the culinary-nutritional intervention group will receive three individualized nutritional counseling sessions in Mediterranean diet, at baseline, 3 months, and 6 months, including health assessments and questionnaire administration at each visit. At the baseline visit, participants will receive a Mediterranean recipe booklet. Throughout the intervention, they will also receive educational videos featuring Mediterranean culinary preparations and cooking techniques. In addition, participants will attend nine hands-on culinary medicine workshops over the 6-month intervention period. Workshops will be conducted every two weeks during the first 3 months (six workshops) and monthly during the last 3 months (three workshops). The workshops will focus on Mediterranean diet principles, healthy cooking skills, meal planning, food selection, and preparation of Mediterranean-style recipes to facilitate adherence to the dietary intervention.

BEHAVIORAL

Standard nutritional counseling

Participants assigned to the control group will receive standard nutritional counseling in Mediterranean diet, consisting of three individual consultations at baseline, 3 months, and 6 months to monitor adherence to dietary recommendations. At each visit, health parameters will be assessed and questionnaires will be administered to evaluate dietary behavior and related outcomes. At baseline, 3 months, and 6 months, participants will undergo the same measurements as the intervention group. After completion of the study, participants in the control group will be provided with the Mediterranean recipe booklet and access to the educational videos on Mediterranean culinary preparations used in the intervention group.

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Fundacion Clinic per a la Recerca Biomédica

  lead OTHER

Principal Investigators

• Rosa M Casas Rodríguez, PhD · IDIBAPS - Institut d'Investigacions Biomèdiques August Pi i Sunyer (Hospital Clínic de Barcelona)

Study Design

Allocation

RANDOMIZED

Purpose

TREATMENT

Masking

DOUBLE

Model

PARALLEL

Eligibility

Min Age

30 Years

Max Age

60 Years

Sex

ALL

Healthy Volunteers

No

Timeline & Regulatory

Start

2026-09-30

Primary Completion

2027-03-31

Completion

2028-03-31

Countries

• Spain

Study Locations