Abstract

Objective: To investigate the association of the dietary pattern with the presence of newly diagnosed glucose tolerance abnormalities among Chinese adults.

Research Design and Methods: A total of 20,210 adults aged 45-69 yrs from the 2002 China National Nutrition and Health Survey were included. Information on dietary intake was collected using a validated food frequency questionnaire. Factor analysis and cluster analysis were used to identify the food factors and dietary pattern clusters.

Results: Four dietary pattern clusters were identified (“Green Water”, “Yellow Earth”, “Western Adopter”, and “New Affluence”). The prevalence of glucose tolerance abnormalities ranged from 3.9% in the Green Water to 8.0% in the New Affluence. After adjustment for area, age, sex, current smoking and physical activity, subjects in the Yellow Earth cluster (PR 1.22, CI: 1.04-1.43) and New Affluence cluster (PR 2.05 CI: 1.76-2.37) had significantly higher prevalence rates compared with the Green Water. After further adjustment for BMI and waist to height ratio, the elevated risk in the New Affluence remained statistically significant

Conclusions: Dietary patterns and food factors are associated with the presence of glucose tolerance abnormalities in China, even independent of obesity. A New Affluence diet are important modifiable risk factors which need attention from the prevention point of view.