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Dietary interventions have the potential to improve metabolic and cardiovascular health, but relatively little is known whether these effects can be optimised through a personalised dietary interventions. A large Dutch public-private consortium, consisting of several universities (Radboudumc, Maastricht UMC+, Wageningen University & Research) and several industrial partners (DSM Nutritional Products, FrieslandCampina, Danone Nutricia Research and AMRA Medical AB), have focused on this interesting question. In the PERSON study, they have examined whether a 3-month personalised intervention through matching a person’s metabolic profile to a specific diet, can optimise the health benefits.
In this additional analysis of the PERSON study, 119 participants with insulin resistance were randomised to a dietary intervention based on their metabolic profile. Insulin resistance leads to elevated blood levels of glucose, which can lead to the development of type 2 diabetes mellitus and cardiovascular disease. This emphasises the clinical importance to optimise the effects of dietary interventions on insulin resistance. Since insulin has metabolic effects in the liver and muscles, the metabolic profile of an individual is determined by whether the insulin resistance is primarily related to impaired insulin action in either the liver or skeletal muscles. Subsequently, the participants followed a 3-month dietary intervention that was specifically designed to improve metabolic profile. Both interventions followed the guidelines ‘healthy Nutrition’ of the Dutch Health Council, and the intervention was not designed to loose weight.
ln a previous publication, this consortium revealed that a personalised dietary intervention can optimise metabolic health (published in Cell Metabolism). Participants with muscle insulin resistance showed a larger health benefit from a diet that is high in proteins (e.g., nuts, diary products) and fibres (e.g., vegetables) and low in fat. Participants with liver insulin resistance showed the largest benefits on metabolic health following a Mediterranean diet, which is high in monounsaturated fat (e.g., nuts, olive oil). In the current recent analysis, published in Diabetes Obesity & Metabolism, we specifically focused on the effects on cardiovascular risk and vascular function. We found that both dietary interventions improved cardiovascular risk, with the low-fat, high-protein, high-fibre diet resulting in greater improvements in cardiometabolic risk markers than the Mediterranean diet. Nonetheless, personalisation of the dietary intervention based on the metabolic profile did not show larger effects on cardiovascular risk.
Our results highlight the potential of dietary interventions to both improve metabolic and cardiovascular risk. Future research is needed to better understand the distinct effects of dietary interventions between metabolic and cardiovascular outcomes, and alternatives to optimise and personalise the cardiovascular effects dietary interventions.
Read the study here
Wanders L, Gijbels A, Hul GB, Feskens EJM, Afman LA, Blaak EE, Hopman MTE, Goossens GH, Thijssen DHJ. Impact of a 12-week personalized dietary intervention on vascular function and cardiovascular risk factors. Diabetes Obes Metab. 2025 May;27(5):2601-2612. doi: 10.1111/dom.16261. Epub 2025 Feb 27.PMID: 40013435
