Nutr Metab Cardiovasc Dis. 2026 May 26:104810. doi: 10.1016/j.numecd.2026.104810. Online ahead of print.
ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Metabolomic signatures representing a "healthy" and "unhealthy" dietary pattern have previously been constructed using data from a randomised controlled crossover feeding study (DQFS). The utility of these metabolomic signatures in other populations has not been evaluated. Here, we mapped changes in diet-derived plasma metabolites in a sample of rural adults screened as at elevated-cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk receiving medical nutrition therapy (MNT), against the DQFS dietary metabolite signature.
METHODS AND RESULTS: A sub-sample of MNT participants (n = 11) received personalised MNT from a dietitian over 6-months. Plasma metabolites for DQFS and HRH were analysed using ultra-high performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. Restricted maximum likelihood mixed-effect models were used to evaluate change in metabolites and dietary intake across the MNT intervention. Principle component analysis (PCA) and partial least squares discriminant analysis (PLS-DA) plots were used to compare metabolite profiles between both studies. Five metabolites significantly changed between baseline and either the 3- or 6-month, with two metabolites [Ethylmalonate and Glycosyl-N-stearoyl-sphingosine (d18:1/18:0)] significantly reduced at both 3- and 6-months. Diet quality significantly increased across the intervention (p < 0.001). PCA and PLS-DA plots identified that post MNT intervention 3- and 6-month metabolic signatures aligned more closely with the "healthy" dietary pattern signature.
CONCLUSION: Findings demonstrated that the metabolomic signature identified in the controlled DQFS feeding study can be used to map changes in diet quality in response to an MNT intervention in people at an elevated CVD risk. Future studies in larger, independent cohorts are warranted.
PMID:42259719 | DOI:10.1016/j.numecd.2026.104810