Vegetarian diet, change in dietary patterns, and diabetes risk: a prospective study
Background/objectivesVegetarian diets are inversely associated with diabetes in Westerners but their impact on Asians whose pathophysiology differ from Westerners is unknown. We aim to investigate the association between a vegetarian diet, change in dietary patterns and diabetes risk in a Taiwanese Buddhist population.MethodsWe prospectively followed 2918 non smoking, non alcohol drinking Buddhists free of diabetes, cancer, and cardiovascular diseases at baseline, for a median of 5 years, with 183 incident diabetes cases confirmed. Diet was assessed through a validated food frequency questionnaire at baseline and a simple questionnaire during follow ups. Incident cases of diabetes were ascertained through follow up questionnaires, fasting glucose and HbA1C. Stratified Cox Proportional Hazards Regression was used to assess the effect of diets on risk of diabetes.ResultsConsistent vegetarian diet was associated with 35% lower hazards (HR: 0.65, 95% CI: 0.46, 0.92) while converting from a nonvegetarian to a vegetarian pattern was associated with 53% lower hazards (HR: 0.47, 95% CI: 0.30, 0.71) for diabetes, comparing with nonvegetarians while adjusting for age, gender, education, physical activity, family history of diabetes, follow up methods, use of lipid lowering medications, and baseline BMI.ConclusionVegetarian diet and converting to vegetarian diet may protect against diabetes independent of BMI among Taiwanese.
Nutrition Diabetes