Dietary linolenic acid and fasting glucose and insulin: the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute Family Heart Study.
OBJECTIVE
To assess whether dietary linolenic acid is associated with fasting insulin and glucose.


METHODS
In a cross-sectional design, we studied 3993 non-diabetic participants of the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute Family Heart Study 25 to 93 years of age. Linolenic acid was assessed through a food frequency questionnaire, and laboratory data were obtained after at least a 12-hour fast. We used generalized linear models to calculate adjusted means of insulin and glucose across quartiles of dietary linolenic acid.


RESULTS
From the lowest to the highest sex-specific quartile of dietary linolenic acid, means +/- standard error for logarithmic transformed fasting insulin were 4.06 +/- 0.02 (reference), 4.09 +/- 0.02, 4.13 +/- 0.02, and 4.17 +/- 0.02 pM, respectively (trend, p < 0.0001), after adjustment for age, sex, energy intake, waist-to-hip ratio, smoking, and high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol. When dietary linolenic acid was used as a continuous variable, the multivariable adjusted regression coefficient was 0.42 +/- 0.08. There was no association between dietary linolenic acid and fasting glucose (trend p = 0.82).


CONCLUSIONS
Our data suggest that higher consumption of dietary linolenic acid is associated with higher plasma insulin, but not glucose levels, in non-diabetic subjects. Additional studies are needed to assess whether higher intake of linolenic acid results in an increased insulin secretion and improved glucose use in vivo.
Djoussé
Luc
L
Division of Aging, Brigham & Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02120, USA. ldjousse@rics.bwh.harvard.edu
Hunt
Steven C
SC
Tang
Weihong
W
Eckfeldt
John H
JH
Province
Michael A
MA
Ellison
R Curtis
RC
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000378:metabolism*; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000378:metabolism; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004032:Diet; D005215:Fasting; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007328:Insulin / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism*; D000078790:Insulin Secretion; D016014:Linear Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009749:Nutrition Surveys; D012307:Risk Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D017962:alpha-Linolenic Acid / Q000008:administration & dosage*
D001786:Blood Glucose; D007328:Insulin; D017962:alpha-Linolenic Acid