Abstract
Background
To investigate the association between vegetable consumption, in total as well as per type/ category, and 10-year type-2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) incidence.
Methodology
ATTICA study was conducted during 2001-2012 in 3,042 apparently healthy adults living in Athens area, Greece. A detailed biochemical, clinical, and lifestyle evaluation was performed; vegetables' consumption (total, per type) was evaluated through a validated semi-quantitative food frequency questionnaire. After excluding those with no complete information of diabetes status or those lost at the 10-year follow-up, data from 1,485 participants were used for the current analysis.
Results
After adjusting for several participants' characteristics, including overall dietary habits, it was observed that participants consuming at least 4 servings/day of vegetables had 0.42-times lower risk of developing T2DM [HR (95% CI): 0.42 (0.29, 0.61)]; the benefits of consumption we re greater in women [HR (95% CI): 0.29 (0.16, 0.53)] as compared to men [HR (95% CI): 0.56 (0.34, 0.92)]. Only 33% of the sample consumed vegetables 4 servings/day. The most significant associations were observed for allium vegetables in women and for red/orange/yellow vegetables, as well as for legumes in men.
Principal conclusions
The intake of at least 4 servings/day of vegetables was associated with a considerably reduced risk of T2DM, independently of other dietary habits; underlying the need for further elaboration of current dietary recommendations at population level.
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