266584 Vegetarian diet is associated with lower prevalence of diabetes in the Tzu Chi Health Study in Taiwan

Tuesday, October 30, 2012 : 9:05 AM - 9:20 AM

Ming Nan Lin , Department of Family Medicine, Buddhist Dalin Tzu Chi General Hospital, Chiayi County, Taiwan
Tina H.T. Chiu , Department of Family Medicine, Buddhist Dalin Tzu Chi General Hospital, Chiayi County, Taiwan
Chin Lon Lin , Medical Mission, Tzuchi Foundation, Chiayi County, Taiwan
     
Objective: Incidences of diabetes among Asians have increased recently, even in populations with relatively lower incidences of obesity. Vegetarian diets have been shown to be beneficial for prevention of diabetes in western populations, possibly related to lighter body weight. We examined the prevalence of diabetes in Tzu Chi Health Study (TCHS), a new prospective cohort in Taiwan, unique for its high proportion of vegetarians (30%), and availability for detailed health examination data and biological specimens.

Methods: A cross-sectional study of 6002 TCHS participants with detailed health examination data and were interviewed by trained research dietitians on lifestyle and dietary questionnaires. Cases of diabetes were identified through (1) interviewer administered medical history form on history of diabetes and use of oral glucose lowering medication, or (2) fasting blood glucose >= 126 mg/dL obtained during health examination. Logistic regression was used for analysis, with adjustment for age, gender, exercise, education, and with BMI. Results: Odds ratios for diabetes was 0.56 (95% CI: 0.43 – 0.72; P<0.001) for vegetarians compared to omnivores, after adjusting for age, gender, exercise and education, and 0.63 (95% CI: 0.48 – 0.81; p<0.001) after further adjusting for BMI.

Conclusion: Vegetarian diet is associated with nearly 40% reduction of diabetes after controlling for confounders including BMI.

Learning Areas:
Chronic disease management and prevention
Epidemiology

Learning Objectives:
Demonstrate vegetarian diet in Taiwan is associated with low prevalnce of diabetes

Keywords: Diabetes, Food and Nutrition

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: I am a family physician worked in Dalin Tzuchi hospital. I also have a MPH degreee. My study interest is preventive medicine. We established a cohort with 37% of vegetarians. We would like to share our recent results.
Any relevant financial relationships? No

I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.

Back to: 4028.0: Diabetes Epidemiology