Associations between dietary fiber and inflammation, hepatic function, and risk of type 2 diabetes in older men: potential mechanisms for the benefits of fiber on diabetes risk.
OBJECTIVE
To examine the relationship between dietary fiber and the risk of type 2 diabetes in older men and the role of hepatic and inflammatory markers.


METHODS
The study was performed prospectively and included 3,428 nondiabetic men (age 60-79 years) followed up for 7 years, during which there were 162 incident cases of type 2 diabetes.


RESULTS
Low total dietary fiber (lowest quartile < or =20 g/day) was associated with increased risk of diabetes after adjustment for total calorie intake and potential confounders (relative risk -1.47 [95% CI 1.03-2.11]). This increased risk was seen separately for both low cereal and low vegetable fiber intake. Dietary fiber was inversely associated with inflammatory markers (C-reactive protein, interleukin-6) and with tissue plasminogen activator and gamma-glutamyl transferase. Adjustment for these markers attenuated the increased risk (1.28 [0.88-1.86]).


CONCLUSIONS
Dietary fiber is associated with reduced diabetes risk, which may be partly explained by inflammatory markers and hepatic fat deposition.
Wannamethee
S Goya
SG
Department of Primary Care and Population Health, University College Medical School, Hampstead Campus, University College London, London, UK. goya@pcps.ucl.ac.uk
Whincup
Peter H
PH
Thomas
Mary C
MC
Sattar
Naveed
N
D000368:Aged; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000378:metabolism; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D004043:Dietary Fiber; D006801:Humans; D007249:Inflammation / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000378:metabolism; D008099:Liver / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012307:Risk Factors; D010959:Tissue Plasminogen Activator / Q000378:metabolism
D004043:Dietary Fiber; D015850:Interleukin-6; D002097:C-Reactive Protein; D010959:Tissue Plasminogen Activator