Increasing Calcium Dietary Intake Helps to Control Blood Presure and Body Weight

Mediterranean diet is relatively poor in calcium (about 700 mg/daily) whilst there are several reports indicating beneficial effects of calcium-rich diets. Aim of the preset study is to evaluate the effects of a low-sodium, low-lipid diet enriched in calcium, mainly from vegetables instead of dairy products, on blood pressure, body weight a main parameters of the glucose and lipid metabolisms. This study is a randomized, parallel group trial that will be performed in the Outpatient Clinic. At least 150 patients with arterial hypertension and/or increased body weight (IMC\> 28 kg/m2) will enter the study program. After a 3 month low-lipid low-salt diet that will be prescribed to all patients, they will be divided in two groups. The first will change the diet to that similar for total calories, percent composition of macronutrients and salt but enriched in calcium (about 1200 mg/daily) whilst the alternative group will continue the first diet. The observation period will be of 1 year with anthropometric (body weight and height, waist circumference), hemodynamic (blood pressure and heart rate) and metabolic (cholesterol, triglycerides, fasting blood glucose, uric acid, calcium, phosphorus, sodium and potassium) controls after 3-6 and 12 months.