Dietary Quality is Associated with Reduced Risk of Diabetes among adults in Northern China: A Cross-sectional Study
Abstract In this study, we analysed the prevalence of diabetes in Inner Mongolia and explored the relationship between dietary patterns and diabetes using the Chinese Dietary Balance Index-16 (DBI-16). This study was a surveillance survey of Chronic Disease and Nutrition Monitoring among Chinese Adults in Inner Mongolia in 2015. Dietary data were collected using the 24-h dietary recall and weighing method over 3 consecutive days. Dietary quality was evaluated via the DBI-16. A generalized linear model was used to examine the associations between the DBI-16 and dietary patterns. The relationship between dietary patterns and diabetes was analysed using logistic regression. In Inner Mongolia, the diabetes prevalence was 8.5%, and the estimated standardized prevalence was 6.0%. Four major dietary patterns were identified: ‘meat/dairy products’, ‘traditional northern’, ‘high cereal/tuber’ and ‘high-salt/alcohol’. Generalized linear models showed that the ‘meat/dairy products’ pattern was relatively balanced (βLBS = −1.993, βHBS = −0.206, βDQD = −2.199; all P<0.05) and was associated with a lower diabetes risk (odds ratio [OR]: 0.565; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.338–0.945; P<0.05) after adjusting for potential confounders. The other three dietary patterns (i.e., ‘traditional northern’, ‘high cereal/tuber’ and ‘high-salt/alcohol’) exhibited relatively unbalanced dietary quality and were unassociated with diabetes risk. Diabetes prevalence in Inner Mongolia was moderate. The dietary quality of the ‘meat/dairy products’ pattern was relatively balanced and was correlated with a decreased risk of diabetes prevalence, suggesting that dietary quality may help decrease the diabetes prevalence and provide a suggestion for local dietary guidelines.