A dietary pattern high in full-fat dairy and sweetened beverages is associated with glycated hemoglobin and weight in Mexican patients with type-2 diabetes

Abstract 
Objective: the aim of this study was to identify dietary patterns in a sample of patients with type-2 diabetes, and to evaluate their association with markers of metabolic control. Methods: a cross-sectional study in 395 patients with type-2 diabetes in primary care was conducted. Fasting blood levels of glycated hemoglobin (A1c), glucose, total cholesterol, low- (LDL-c) and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-c), and triglycerides were measured. Waist circumference, body mass index (BMI), and blood pressure were evaluated. Dietary intake was assessed by a food frequency questionnaire, and dietary patterns were derived by cluster analysis. Three dietary patterns were identified: ‘fruits and vegetables’, ‘dairy and sweetened beverages’, and ‘diverse with alcohol’. Results: an association between the ‘dairy and sweetened beverages’ dietary pattern and A1c levels was identified (ß = 0.61; 95 % CI: 0.09, 1.12, p = 0.021), considering the ‘fruits and vegetables’ dietary pattern as the reference group. We also observed a trend towards an adjusted increased risk of A1c ≥ 7 % (odds ratio [OR]: 1.56; 95 % CI: 0.92, 2.64; p = 0.099) and an increased risk of BMI ≥ 25 kg/m2 (OR: 2.62, 95 % CI: 1.20, 5.71, p = 0.015) among patients in the ‘dairy and sweetened beverages’ dietary pattern as compared to the reference group. Conclusions: a dietary pattern characterized by a high intake of full-fat dairy and sweetened beverages was associated with higher A1c levels and increased risk of high glucose and BMI when compared to a dietary pattern with a higher consumption of fruits and vegetables.