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
Men and women
Age between 30 and 60 years
Body mass index (BMI) between 20 and 35 kg/m²
HDL cholesterol <40 mg/dL in men and <50 mg/dL in women
Food allergies or intolerances to foods typical of the Mediterranean diet
Gluten intolerance or celiac disease
Adherence to a vegetarian or vegan diet
Eating disorders (including anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, and binge eating disorder)