Intake of animal fat may be linked to the outcome of type 2 diabetes, according to researches studying subjects from a Mediterranean population.
A team of international researchers selected three groups from the Mediterranean Group for the Study of Diabetes (MGSD). Around 200 subjects with recently diagnosed diabetes (RDM), 42 subjects with undiagnosed diabetes (UDM) (according to American Diabetes Association criteria), and 55 subjects with impaired fasting glucose (IFG) were compared with a control group of non-diabetic subjects.
Nutritional habits were evaluated by a dietary history method. In those with recently diagnosed diabetes, the questionnaire referred to the nutritional habits before the diagnosis of diabetes. Demographic data were collected, and anthropometrical and biochemical measurements were taken.
Compared with control subjects, RDM were more likely to have a family history of diabetes (49 per cent versus 14.2 per cent), exercise less, and have sedentary professions (47.5 per cent compared to 27.4 per cent).
Regarding diets, the team found that the diabetes patients consumed less carbohydrates and more total fat than the control groups : total fat was 30.2 per cent in RDM group versus 27.8 per cent in the control. Intake of animal fat (12.2 per cent versus 10.8 per cent) was also higher. Overall the plant-to-animal fat ratio was lower among the diabetes group.
Similar patterns were observed in the UDM group. Carbohydrate contribution was again lower among UDM patients (47.6 per cent versus 52.8 per cent; p < 0.005), while total fat and animal fat contributed more to energy intake.
IGF differed only in the prevalence of family history of diabetes, according to the study.
"Our data support the view that increased animal fat intake is associated with the presence of diabetes," concluded the authors.