Dietary mineral intake was correlated with serum HDL-C in patients with type 2 diabetes

This study aimed to examine the association between dietary mineral intake and serum lipid profiles in patients with type 2 diabetes.

In this cross-sectional study, daily mineral intake was assessed using a validated dietary questionnaire administered to 149 participants. Daily energy and minerals intakes were calculated using 2002 China Food Composition Database, and reference values were based on the Dietary Reference Intakes (DRIs) from the 2013 Chinese Dietary Guidelines. Partial correlation and multivariable linear regression analysis were performed to examine associations between daily mineral intake and serum lipid parameters.

Compared with the DRIs for Chinese residents, daily intake of calcium, zinc, potassium, and dietary fiber was significantly lower in both men and women (all P < 0.001), whereas sodium, iron, and iodine intake were higher. Partial correlation analysis indicated that daily intake of calcium, iron, zinc and selenium was positively associated with serum high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) (P < 0.05), while dietary iodine intake was negatively associated with HDL-C (r= -0.181, P = 0.040). Multivariable linear regression analysis showed that dietary intakes of calcium, iron, iodine, zinc, and selenium were significantly associated with HDL-C after adjusting for covariates (all P < 0.05). No significant associations were observed between dietary mineral intake and total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, or triglyceride.

Patients with type 2 diabetes had largely suboptimal dietary mineral intake. Higher intakes of dietary calcium, iron, zinc, and selenium were positively associated with serum HDL-C, suggesting that maintaining mineral balance may benefit lipid homeostasis in this population.