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Berry consumption may reduce diabetes risk
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Increased berry and dietary anthocyanin intake may reduce the risk for developing type 2 diabetes, according to findings published in the European Journal of Clinical Nutrition.
In a meta-analysis, Xing Guo, PhD, professor in the department of food and science nutrition at Zhejiang University in Hangzhou, China, and colleagues analyzed data from three cohort studies examining the association between dietary anthocyanin consumption and type 2 diabetes risk (Nurses’ Health Study; Nurses’ Health Study II, Health Professionals Follow-up Study; n = 200,894), and five cohort studies examining berry intake and incident type 2 diabetes risk (NHS; NHS II; HPFS; Finnish Mobile Clinic Health Examination Survey and the Kuopo Ischemic Heart Disease Risk Factor Study; n = 194,019). Follow-up across the studies ranged from 16 to 24 years. Researchers pooled multivariable-adjusted RRs to estimate summary RRs for associations between berry and dietary anthocyanin intake and diabetes risk; dose-response analysis and meta-analysis were performed to explore potential trend estimation.
Researchers found that the pooled effect indicated that anthocyanin intake decreased the risk for incident type 2 diabetes (summary RR = 0.85; 95% CI, 0.8-0.91), with low between-study heterogeneity (P = .31). Berry intake also decreased incident type 2 diabetes risk (summary RR = 0.82; 95% CI, 0.76-0.89), with moderate between-study heterogeneity (P = .1). In subgroup analysis stratified by region, researchers found that berry intake was associated with decreased diabetes risk in the U.S. (RR = 0.85; 95% CI, 0.81-0.89) and Europe (RR = 0.64; 95% CI, 0.52-0.79); in addition, berry intake was only associated with decreased diabetes risk in women (RR = 0.84; 95% CI, 0.81-0.88).
In a dose-response analysis, researchers found that the association between anthocyanin intake and type 2 diabetes risk demonstrated a nonlinear trend, with each 7.5 mg daily anthocyanin associated with a 5% reduction in the risk for type 2 diabetes (RR = 0.95; 95% CI, 0.93-0.98). Researchers observed a similar trend between berry consumption and diabetes risk, with each 17 g daily berry consumption associated with a 5% reduction in risk for type 2 diabetes (RR = 0.95; 95% CI, 0.91-0.99).
“Although the associations of dietary anthocyanin and berry consumption with [type 2 diabetes] risk were inconsistent, the pooled estimates of RRs revealed that dietary intakes of anthocyanins and berries significantly decreased the risk for [type 2 diabetes], respectively,” the researchers wrote.
The researchers highlighted three possible underlying mechanisms of anthocyanins that reduce the risk for type 2 diabetes, including their antioxidant capacity anti-inflammatory capability and their beneficial effect on maintaining glucose and lipid homeostasis. –by Regina Schaffer
Disclosure: The researchers report no relevant financial disclosures.
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