Relationship of Polyunsaturated Fatty Acid Intake to Peripheral Neuropathy Among Adults With Diabetes in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 1999–2004

  1. Min Tao, MD, PHD1,
  2. Margaret A. McDowell, MPH, RD2,
  3. Sharon H. Saydah, PHD3 and
  4. Mark S. Eberhardt, PHD3
  1. 1Epidemic Intelligence Service Program, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Hyattsville, Maryland
  2. 2Division of Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys, National Center for Health Statistics, Hyattsville, Maryland
  3. 3Office of Analysis and Epidemiology, National Center for Health Statistics, Hyattsville, Maryland
  1. Address correspondence and reprint requests to Mark Eberhardt, National Center for Health Statistics, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 3311 Toledo Rd., Hyattsville, MD 20782. E-mail: meberhardt{at}cdc.gov

Abstract

OBJECTIVE—This study investigated the association between dietary intake of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) and peripheral neuropathy in the U.S. population.

RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS—We analyzed data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 1999–2004 for adults ≥40 years of age with diagnosed diabetes, an assessment of peripheral neuropathy, and reliable 24-h dietary recall. The dietary intake of PUFAs was analyzed by peripheral neuropathy status. Multivariate logistic regression models were used to estimate the odds of having peripheral neuropathy in higher quintiles of PUFA intake compared with the lowest quintile.

RESULTS—The mean dietary intake of linolenic acid was 1.25 ± 0.07 g among adults with peripheral neuropathy, significantly lower than the 1.45 ± 0.05 g intake among those without peripheral neuropathy. After controlling for potential confounding variables, adults whose linolenic acid intake was in the highest quintile had lower odds of peripheral neuropathy than adults in the lowest quintile (adjusted odds ratio 0.40 [95% CI 0.21–0.77]).

CONCLUSIONS—Among adults with diagnosed diabetes, dietary intake of linolenic acid is positively associated with lower odds of peripheral neuropathy.

Footnotes

  • Published ahead of print at http//:care.diabetesjournals.org on 3 October 2007. DOI: 10.2337/dc07-0931.

    A table elsewhere in this issue shows conventional and Système International (SI) units and conversion factors for many substances.

    The costs of publication of this article were defrayed in part by the payment of page charges. This article must therefore be hereby marked “advertisement” in accordance with 18 U.S.C Section 1734 solely to indicate this fact.

    • Accepted October 1, 2007.
    • Received June 2, 2007.
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  1. Published online before print October 3, 2007, doi: 10.2337/dc07-0931 Diabetes Care January 2008 vol. 31 no. 1 93-95
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