London, Jan 4 (IANS): For those suffering from metabolic syndrome, get your diet right; else you are at a greater risk of developing diabetes and cardiovascular diseases.

Adherence to dietary recommendations is weak among people suffering from metabolic syndrome or having increased risk for metabolic syndrome, said a new study.

“In most cases, the diet is too high in salt and saturated fat and too low in dietary fibre and unsaturated fat. Furthermore, several such people do not have a sufficient intake of vitamin D,” said the study led by the University of Eastern Finland.

The research took 175 people fulfilling at least two criteria for metabolic syndrome - for instance elevated blood pressure, elevated fasting plasma glucose concentration or abnormal blood lipid profile - and who were at least slightly overweight.

The researchers assessed the intake of nutrients for four days.

The diet in over 80 percent of the participants was too high in saturated fat. Correspondingly, the intake of soft, polyunsaturated fat was sufficient only in one third of the participants.

More than 75 percent of the participants had too low dietary fibre intake, while 65 percent had too much salt.

Furthermore, the intake of vitamin D was insufficient among 20 percent of the participants, and one third of men and one fourth of women consumed too much alcohol, claimed the study published in the journal "Food and Nutrition Research".

Metabolic syndrome is a cluster of conditions - increased blood pressure, a high blood sugar level, excess body fat around the waist and abnormal cholesterol levels - that occur together, increasing your risk of heart disease, stroke and diabetes.

Metabolic syndrome is becoming increasingly widespread, and it is associated with an elevated risk of diabetes and cardiovascular diseases. From the viewpoint of the prevention of these diseases, adherence to dietary recommendations is of vital importance for those belonging to this risk group, the study said.