Effects of a Short-Term Nutritional Intervention on Vascular Changes in Individuals with Obesity and Low or Moderate Cardiovascular Health.

INTRODUCTION

Most cardiovascular events can be prevented by controlling health conditions and behaviors that reflect cardiovascular health (CVH) classification as high, moderate, and low.

AIM: To evaluate the effect of weight loss through an 8-week hypocaloric diet on vascular function and sympathetic tone in individuals with obesity and moderate or poor CVH.

METHODS

Individuals aged 40-70 years and body mass index  ≥ 30 kg/m2 followed a low-calorie diet (800 kcal/day reduction) for 8 weeks. Central hemodynamics (Mobil-O-Graph®), heart rate variability (Polar® RS800), and microvascular reactivity (Laser Speckle Contrast Imaging) were assessed at baseline and post-intervention.

RESULTS

Seventy-one patients were divided into moderate CVH (n = 44) and low CVH (n = 27) groups. After the intervention, both groups presented similar weight loss (3.4 vs 3.1%). Only the low CVH group showed a significant reduction in central systolic blood pressure (cSBP, 113 ± 12 to 109 ± 9 mmHg; p = 0.049) and an increase in cutaneous vascular conductance in post-occlusive reactive hyperemia (CVC-PORH, 0.99 ± 0.28 to 1.08 ± 0.28 APU/mmHg; p = 0.039). Conversely, only the moderate CVH group exhibited an increase in RR interval (933 ± 130 to 994 ± 131 ms; p = 0.006) and a decrease in sympathetic nervous system index (iSNS). Significant inverse correlations were observed in the low CVH group between the variations in CVC-PORH with pulse wave velocity (r = - 0.40, p = 0.044) and with iSNS (r = - 0.52, p = 0.021).

CONCLUSION

Even modest weight loss led to early improvements in vascular function and blood pressure in individuals with low CVH, while autonomic benefits were more evident in those with moderate CVH.