Association between inflammatory potential of diet and odds of gestational diabetes mellitus among Iranian women.

Background: The possible relationship between diet-related inflammation and the risk of gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) requires further investigation, especially in non-Western populations. We examined the association between dietary inflammatory index (DII) scores and GDM in a case-control study conducted in Iran. Methods: This study included 122 GDM cases and 266 controls hospitalized for acute non-neoplastic diseases. Cases were pregnant women aged 18-40 years, who visited major general hospitals in different regions of Tehran. Pregnant women were screened for gestational diabetes between the 24th and 28th week of gestation with a 50-g, 1-hour glucose challenge test (GCT). Cases were diagnosed positive for GDM. Controls were pregnant women who had normal GCT test. DII scores were computed from dietary intake assessed by a previously validated 147-item food frequency questionnaire. Logistic regression models adjusted age, gestational age, energy, exercise, BMI, smoking exposure, family history of diabetes, and history of multivitamin intake were used to estimate odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CI). Results: Subjects with higher DII scores (i.e. indicating a more proinflammatory diet) had a higher odd of GDM with the DII being used as both a continuous (OR = 1.20; 95% CI = 0.94-1.54) and as categorical (ORtertile 3vs1 = 2.10; 95% CI = 1.02-4.34, p-trend = .03). Conclusions: These results indicate that a proinflammatory diet, as evidenced by higher DII scores, is associated with increased odds of GDM among Iranian women.

Association of Major Dietary Patterns with Cardio-metabolic Risk Factors in Type 2 Diabetic Patients.

BACKGROUND: Role of dietary modifications on the treatment and management of diabetes and complications was shown by many researchers. This study was designed to examine the association of major dietary patterns with diabetes-related cardio-metabolic risk factors in Iranian diabetes. METHODS: Totally, 525 type 2 diabetic subjects with mean age 55 ± 10 yr were included in this cross-sectional study in 2014 that followed for at least two years by the Diabetes and Metabolic disease Clinic of Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran. Blood samples were collected after 12 h fasting for glycemic and lipid profiles. Information on the general characteristics, anthropometric, blood pressure measurements and physical activity level was collected. Dietary data were obtained by a validated food frequency questionnaire. Dietary patterns were obtained factor analysis (principal component analysis). RESULTS: Three major dietary patterns retained through principal component analysis: Western like (high in sweets, fast foods, carbonated drinks, red meat, mayonnaise, nuts, refined grains, potato and visceral meat), Asian like (high in vegetables, low-fat dairy, fish, poultry and egg), and Traditional like (high in high fat dairy, oils, whole grains, vegetables and fruits). Western like dietary pattern was positively associated with fasting serum glucose (P=0.05), total cholesterol (P=0.005) and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (P=0.008). After extensive adjustment for potential confounders, the association of serum total cholesterol and Western like dietary pattern remained significant (P=0.03). CONCLUSION: Modifications in dietary pattern, especially in those who have a Western dietary pattern, may be effective in preventing or delaying diabetes-associated cardio metabolic complications.

The Association of Bread and Rice with Metabolic Factors in Type 2 Diabetic Patients.

PURPOSE: Carbohydrates are shown to have an important role in blood glucose control, type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular diseases risk. This is even more challenging when considering populations consuming refined grains diets. Bread and rice are staple foods which supply main proportion of Iranian calorie intake. This study was designed to investigate the effect of bread and rice intake on blood glucose control, lipid profile and anthropometric measurements in Iranian type 2 diabetic patients. METHODS: 426 patients with type 2 diabetes were included in this study. Anthropometric measurements were done using standard methods. Dietary information was assessed by a valid and reliable food frequency questionnaire (FFQ). Fasting blood glucose (FBG), glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c), serum triglycride (TG), total cholesterol (TC), low density lipoprotein (LDL) and high density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol were examined after 12-hour fasting. RESULTS: The results represented that people in the highest tertile compared to the lowest tertile of calorie adjusted total bread intake have higher FBG. FBG in the highest tertile of calorie adjusted total bread-rice intake was also significantly higher than the lowest. The association remained significant after adjusting for potential confounders. Rice intake showed no association with cardio-metabolic risk factors. CONCLUSION: We founded that higher total bread intake and total bread-rice intake were associated with FBG in type 2 diabetic patients whereas rice intake was not associated with glucose and lipid profile. This result should be confirmed in prospective studies, considering varieties, glycemic index (GI), glycemic load (GL) and cooking method of bread and rice.

Nutritional Education Needs in Relation to Ramadan Fasting and Its Complications in Tehran, Iran.

BACKGROUND: Ramadan fasting is associated with some lifestyle changes. A lack of nutritional needs knowledge or the improper performance of fasting, particularly in relation to time, type and amount of food intake, can cause disorders such as indigestion, bloating, constipation, headaches and other clinical problems. OBJECTIVES: To investigate the general knowledge regarding dietary factors associated with Ramadan fasting and its related complications. PATIENTS AND METHODS: This prospective, non-interventional, observational study was conducted from April to July, 2012 to coincide with the month before and the month of Ramadan. The initial participants were 600 fasting and 588 non-fasting people (aged 18 - 65 years, BMI 18.5 - 40 kg/m2) chosen by random cluster sampling in Tehran, Iran. A questionnaire of Ramadan fasting nutritional knowledge was developed and validated in a pilot study. The Likert scale was used two weeks before Ramadan and during the third and fourth weeks of Ramadan to estimate Ramadan-related complications. Seven-day, 24 - hour food recalls were used to assess food intakes. RESULTS: The lowest level of general knowledge was identified in the context of foods associated with hunger (22.1%) and hypoglycemia (24.8%) and the highest level of general knowledge was identified in reference to unsuitable foods for Sahar (91.4%). During Ramadan, all attributed complications increased in fasting subjects (P < 0.001). High calorie, carbohydrate, fat and protein intakes in the Ramadan diet were associated with some gastrointestinal and sleep complications (P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Despite the relatively high level of knowledge in the context of the general principles of a diet to prevent Ramadan-related complications, practical training in regard to the amounts of nutrients associated with Ramadan-related complications is both necessary and recommended.

New challenges in dietary pattern analysis: combined dietary patterns and calorie adjusted factor analysis in type 2 diabetic patients.

BACKGROUND: Some variability for dietary pattern analysis due to subjective procedures (e.g. arbitrary food categorization and number of factors extraction) was reported. The aim of this study was to present or design a new approach to challenge the conventional dietary pattern analysis through new classification of dietary patterns according to the possibility of the high adherence to more than one dietary pattern and calorie adjusted factor extracting. METHODS: This cross-sectional study conducted on 734 type2 diabetic patients. Factor analysis defined three major dietary patterns (Western like, Asian like and Traditional like) and the associations of each pattern were assessed with glycemic control and lipid profiles among tertiles of each pattern. In order to compare variables in highest tertile of three defined dietary patterns, eight new different groups were classified according to the high adherence to one or more patterns and ANOVA and ANCOVA were used to compare them. Also, calorie adjusted factor extracting were done to find out if the same factor loadings would be extract. RESULTS: Among three major dietary patterns, only Western like showed a significant association with fasting blood sugar (p = 0.03, 12.49 ± 5.99), serum total cholesterol (p = 0.02, 8.71 ± 3.81) and LDL cholesterol (p = 0.04, 5.04 ± 2.40). While comparison of new classified patterns, showed no significant differences, except a high blood glucose in Western like- Asian like versus traditional like dietary pattern (p = 0.04). Also, calorie adjusted factor extracting showed different factor loadings. CONCLUSIONS: Results showed that the conventional dietary pattern analysis method may have substantial limitations in interpreting the results and may lead to inappropriate conclusions.

Factors associated with sexual function in Iranian women with type 2 diabetes mellitus: partner relationship as the most important predictor.

BACKGROUND: No comprehensive study has been conducted on risk factors of sexual dysfunction in women with diabetes mellitus. OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to consider all possible influencing variables including hormonal, physical and, psychological status, socioeconomic status, and dietary intake to get more accurate and reliable results. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Sexual function was assessed by Iranian validated female sexual function index (FSFI).The variables of the study were demographic and diabetes-related factors, stress-depression, physical activity, blood pressure, anthropometric measurements, lipid profile, cortisol, sex and thyroid hormones, 25-hydroxy vitamin D, and dietary intake. RESULTS: Among all investigated variables, partner relationship showed a strong positive association with FSFI (ß = 1.93 ± 0.41, P < 0.0001). In addition, not considering partner relationship, FSFI showed a significant negative association with age (ß = -0.19 ± 0.20, P = 0.04), stress-depression score (ß = -0.08 ± 0.04, P = 0.04), DD (ß = -0.03 ± 0.01, P = 0.04), and systolic blood pressure (ß = -0.14 ± 0.06, P = 0.03). Significant associations between FSFI and serum sex hormones and other biochemical were found in neither postmenopausal nor non-menopausal women. The means of SFSI in postmenopausal women were greater than non-menopausal (P = 0.02). CONCLUSIONS: It seems that in our population, female sexual function was much more than just a hormonal or physical problem and psychological factors, especially partner relationship and stress-depression, are the most determinants. In addition, age, duration of challenging with disease, and the lack of controlling systolic blood pressure were common factors that decreased sexual function.

Ramadan major dietary patterns.

BACKGROUND: There has been no data on population based dietary patterns during the Ramadan fasting month. OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to detect Ramadan major dietary patterns among those who fast in Tehran. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This cross-sectional study included 600 subjects, aged 18-65 with body mass index (BMI) of 18.5-40, who had decided to fast during Ramadan. Anthropometric measurements, usual physical activity level and educational status were collected two weeks before Ramadan. Information on Ramadan dietary intakes was obtained using a food frequency questionnaire and factor analysis was used to identify major dietary patterns. RESULTS: We identified four major dietary patterns: 1) Western-like pattern; high in fast foods, salty snacks, nuts, potato, fish, poultry, chocolates, juices; 2) high cholesterol and high sweet junk food pattern; high in pickles, sweets and condiments, butter and cream, canned fish, visceral meats and eggs; 3) Mediterranean-like pattern; high in vegetables, olive oil, dates, dairy, dried fruits, fruits, red meats, tea and coffee and 4) Ramadan-style pattern; large consumption of Halim, soups, porridges, legumes and whole grains, soft drinks, Zoolbia and Bamieh. Age was positively and inversely associated with Mediterranean-like (P = 0.003; r = 0.17) and Ramadan style (P = 0.1; r = -0.13) dietary pattern, respectively. Pre-Ramadan physical activity level was associated with a Mediterranean-like dietary pattern (P < 0.0001; r = 0.20). CONCLUSIONS: This study showed a Ramadan-specific dietary pattern has unique characteristics, which has not yet been identified as a model of dietary pattern. Also, among identified dietary patterns, Mediterranean-like was the healthiest.

Association of high carbohydrate versus high fat diet with glycated hemoglobin in high calorie consuming type 2 diabetics.

BACKGROUND: Since both dietary carbohydrate and fatty acids separately affect carbohydrate metabolism, how dietary macronutrients distribution may have different effects on carbohydrate metabolism pathways and regulation of blood glucose especially in diabetic patients. METHODS: In this cross-sectional study 750 type 2 diabetic patients (261 men and 489 women, aged 35-65 years),who at least two years were followed in Diabetes and Metabolic disease Clinic of Tehran University of Medical Sciences, were recruited according to inclusion and exclusion criteria by simple sampling. Dietary data were collected by a validated food frequency questionnaire. Other variables were anthropometric measurements, Stress, physical activity level, Biochemical analyses including fasting and postprandial plasma glucose, Glycated hemoglobin, total cholesterol, low and high density lipoproteins, triglycerides and 25-hydoxy D3. Linear regression models were used to assess the association of covariates with the mean concentrations of HbA1C in quintiles and multivariate linear regression model was used to distinguish the impacts of dietary macronutrient composition of the diet. RESULTS: Carbohydrate and dietary fiber intakes were inversely (P: < 0.0001 and 0.003 respectively) and dietary amount and proportion of saturated, mono-unsaturated and poly-unsaturated fatty were positively (P: < 0.0001, 0.03, 0.01 and 0.01 respectively) associated with HbA1C concentrations. Multivariate linear regression macronutrient density model that controlled for age, sex, diabetes duration and calorie intake showed that carbohydrate was inversely associated with HbA1C (P < 0.0001, R(2) = 15%). Results were also the same in the other three models adjusted for stress and exercise levels in model 2, waist circumference and sum of meals in model 3 and serum triglyceride and 25-hydroxy vitamin D in model 4(P < .0001, <.0001 and 0.0003 respectively). Calorie intake of 25 Kcal/body weight was identified as a cut of point of the negative effect of dietary carbohydrate and 30 for the positive effect of fat on HbA1c respectively (P = 0.04 and 0.03). Moreover, carbohydrate intake was positively (ß = 0.08, P = 0.01) and protein (ß = -0.04, P < 0.0001), SAFA (ß = -0.04, P < 0.0001) and MUFA (ß = -0.02, 0.07) proportion were negatively associated with increment in calorie intake. CONCLUSION: This study showed that the substitution of fat for carbohydrate is associated with low concentrations of HbA1c in high calorie consuming type 2 diabetic patients.