Saturated fatty acid intake decreases serum adiponectin levels in subjects with type 1 diabetes

Adiponectin is a protein secreted by adipose tissue. It plays a key role in insulin resistance and has anti-inflammatory and anti-atherogenic functions. Changes in diet can influence adiponectin levels. Different dietary interventions, especially those altering fatty acid intake, have been reported as possible mediators of adiponectin levels.

We conducted a cross-sectional study of 122 subjects with type 1 diabetes (T1DM). Dietary intake was evaluated by 3-day weighed-diet records. Adiponectin levels were categorized into tertiles (T1, <10.260μg/mL; T2, 10.261-18.280μg/mL; T3, >18.281μg/mL).

Mean age was 38±11years, and mean duration of diabetes was 17±9years. After multiple regression analysis, waist-to-hip ratio (WHR) (r=-0.19, p = 0.03), age (r=-0.22, p=0.01), systolic blood pressure (SBP) (r=-0.27, p=0.002), diastolic blood pressure (DBP) (r=-0.19, p=0.30), total lipid intake (g) (r=-0.20, p=0.02), saturated fatty acid (SFA) intake (r=-0.25, p=0.004), monounsaturated fatty acid (MUFA) intake (r=-0.21, p=0.02), cholesterol intake (mg) (r=-0.20, p=0.021), sodium intake (g) (r=-0.19, p=0.03), and urinary albumin excretion rate (UAE) (μg/24h) (r=0.26, p=0.02) correlated with adiponectin levels. Even after adjustment for age, SBP or DBP, UAE, and WHR in all models, inverse associations between adiponectin levels and intake of total SFA and MUFA and polyunsaturated fatty acid fractions were observed. Subjects in the first and third tertiles of adiponectin exhibited the greatest differences between adiponectin levels, with a trend toward increasing levels with higher SFA intake.

The present study suggests that high SFA intake may be associated with lower adiponectin levels in patients with T1DM.