Association between Cardiometabolic Profile and Dietary Characteristics among Adults with Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus

The Mediterranean-style dietary pattern has been associated with several cardiometabolic benefits, yet no study has assessed the potential benefits of this diet in adults with type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM).

The objective of the present study was to examine the association between cardiometabolic profile and alignment of the diet with 1) Canadian nutrient recommendations for T1DM in terms of fat, protein, carbohydrate, saturated fat, dietary fiber, and sodium and 2) a Mediterranean-style dietary pattern among adults with T1DM.

This is a cross-sectional analysis including 118 adults with T1DM recruited between 2011 and 2013 in Montreal, Canada.

Body mass index (calculated as kg/m(2)), waist circumference, truncal fat percentage (dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry), blood pressure, and lipid profile values were measured. Insulin sensitivity was estimated (estimated glucose disposal rate). A 3-day food record was completed and physical activity was measured with a motion sensor. Differences for the cardiometabolic profile between groups with a diet meeting the Canadian nutrient recommendations for T1DM (percentage of energy from fat, protein, carbohydrate, saturated fat, as well as grams of dietary fiber and milligrams of sodium) or not were examined with general linear models. A Mediterranean diet score was calculated (range=0 to 44) and Pearson correlations between this score and cardiometabolic variables were computed. Significance was set at P≤0.05.

Participants' mean ± standard deviation age was 44.3±12.3 years, glycated hemoglobin was 8.0%±1.1%, and Mediterranean diet score was 20.2±5.0. Having a diet that meets at least three nutritional recommendations was associated with a lower truncal fat percentage (28.0% vs 32.2%; P=0.01) only. In contrast, the Mediterranean diet score was inversely correlated with body mass index (r=-0.30, P=0.002), waist circumference (r=-0.31, P=0.002), truncal fat percentage (r=-0.38, P<0.001), systolic (r=-0.20, P=0.03) and diastolic blood pressure (r=-0.23, P=0.01), and was directly correlated with estimated glucose disposal rate (r=0.22, P=0.03), after adjustments for energy intake, sex, and age. The association with estimated glucose disposal rate was no longer significant (P=0.055) after adjustment for physical activity level.

These results suggest that a higher Mediterranean diet score in the context of T1DM is associated with a favorable cardiometabolic profile. Further research is needed to confirm these findings.