Association between Glycemic Index, Glycemic Load, and Dietary Inflammatory Index with Metabolic Syndrome in Young Adult Women with Obesity in Semarang, Indonesia

Abstract

Background: Dietary habits among young adults are increasingly shaped by viral food trends, which are typically energy-dense and nutrient-poor. Such dietary patterns may promote insulin resistance and inflammation, increasing the risk of metabolic  syndrome (MetS), particularly among obese women. Objectives: This study investigated the association of dietary Glycemic Index (GI), Glycemic Load (GL), and Dietary Inflammatory Index (DII) with the prevalence of metabolic syndrome among obese young women in Semarang, Indonesia. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted during the COVID-19 community activity restriction period. The study involved 126 women aged 19–25 years with abdominal obesity, waist circumference >80 cm. Dietary GI and GL values were estimated using the International Tables of Glycemic Index, while DII scores were calculated based on the overall inflammatory potential of the diet. Results: Metabolic syndrome was identified in 11.9% of participants. Mean dietary GI, GL and DII were 176.7±44.4; 458.4±183.3; and 28.76±267.7, with 71.4% of participantsnconsuming pro-inflammatory diets and 28.6% consuming anti-inflammatory diets. No significant associations were observed between MetS and dietary GI (p-value=0.066), GL (p-value=0.207), or DII (p-value=0.362). Nevertheless, significant relationships were found between dietary profiles and individual MetS components. Higher GI was associated with triglyceride (p=0.008), GL was related to HDL-cholesterol (p-value=0.009), and DII was associated with fasting blood glucose (p-value=0.022). Conclusions: Dietary GI, GL, and DII were not significantly associated with the occurrence of metabolic syndrome among obese young women. However, these dietary indicators were linked to specific metabolic syndrome parameters, suggesting their potential influence on metabolic health outcomes.