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Association of low-carbohydrate diet scores and type 2 diabetes in Chinese rural adults: The Henan Rural Cohort Study

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Abstract

Purpose

To investigate the association between low-carbohydrate diet scores (LCDs) and the risk of type 2 diabetes in rural China.

Methods

A total of 38,100 adults were included in the Henan Rural Cohort Study. Macronutrient intake was assessed via a validated food-frequency questionnaire to create low-carbohydrate diet (LCD) scores. Multivariate logistic regression models and subgroup analysis were performed to estimate the odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence interval (95% CI).

Results

After multivariable adjustment, participants with a high total low-carbohydrate diet score have a high risk of T2D (extreme-quartile OR = 1.23, 95% CI: 1.04–1.41; P = 0.007), whereas plant-based LCD score is not related to T2D risk. Among individuals with a BMI < 24 (extreme-quartile OR = 1.22, 95% CI: 1.01–1.47; P < 0.001) or high levels of physical activity (extreme-quartile OR = 1.42, 95% CI: 1.17–1.72; P < 0.001), the animal-based LCD score is positively correlated with the risk of T2D.

Conclusion

Among Chinese rural populations, high-fat-low carbohydrate diet is associated with an increased risk of type 2 diabetes. High intake of animal protein and fat also increases T2D risk in those who are overweight or have high physical activity.

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Acknowledgements

The authors thank the staff and participants of the study for their important contributions, and the permission have been received from those named in the acknowledgements.

Funding

This research was funded by Scientific Research Funding Program of Henan Province for overseas students. The funding sources were not involved in study design, collection, analysis, interpretation of data, writing of the report and the decision to submit the article for publication.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Epidemiology and Health Statistics, College of Public Health, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, China

    Yan Li, Chongjian Wang, Zhenxing Mao, Wenqian Huo, Wenguo Xing, Jia Li, Tian yu Yang & Linlin Li

  2. Department of Clinical Pharmacology, School of Pharmaceutical Science, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 450001, Henan, China

    Yuqian Li

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  1. Yan Li
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Contributions

Designed research: LLL; Conducted research: NKL, GRH and XWG; Analyzed data and wrote the manuscript: LY; Revised the manuscript critically for intellectual content: YTY, LJ, XWG. All authors have read and approved the final manuscript.

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Linlin Li.

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The authors declare no competing interests.

Ethics approval

This study was performed in line with the principles of the Declaration of Helsinki. Approval was granted by the Ethics Committee of Zhengzhou University ([2015] MEC (S128)).

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Informed consent was obtained from all individual participants included in the study.

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Li, Y., Li, Y., Wang, C. et al. Association of low-carbohydrate diet scores and type 2 diabetes in Chinese rural adults: The Henan Rural Cohort Study. Endocrine (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12020-023-03602-5

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