Association between siesta (daytime sleep), dietary patterns and the presence of metabolic syndrome in elderly living in the Mediterranean area (MEDIS study): The moderating effect of gender

Several lifestyle parameters including diet, physical activity and sleep were associated in isolation with the presence of Metabolic Syndrome (MetS) in adults, to date there is a paucity of studies which evaluated their combined role in aging populations and  especially with respect to gender. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to provide a global consideration of the lifestyle factors associated with MetS among elderly individuals. Conclusions: Lifestyle parameters including sleep and diet quality are strongly associated with the presence of MetS in elderly cohort, but their level of influence appears to be different, depending on gender.