A U-shaped association between dietary phosphorus intake and new-onset diabetes: A nationwide cohort study in China

Nutr Metab Cardiovasc Dis. 2023 Oct;33(10):1932-1940. doi: 10.1016/j.numecd.2023.03.002. Epub 2023 Mar 8.

Abstract

Background and aims: The association between dietary phosphorus intake and the risk of diabetes remains uncertain. We aimed to investigate the relation of dietary phosphorus intake with new-onset diabetes among Chinese adults.

Methods and results: A total of 16,272 participants who were free of diabetes at baseline from the China Health and Nutrition Survey were included. Dietary intake was measured by 3 consecutive 24-h dietary recalls combined with a household food inventory. Participants with self-reported physician-diagnosed diabetes, or fasting glucose ≥7.0 mmol/L or glycated hemoglobin ≥6.5% during the follow-up were defined as having new-onset diabetes. During a median follow-up of 9.0years, 1101 participants developed new-onset diabetes. Overall, the association between dietary phosphorus intake with new-onset diabetes followed a U-shape (P for nonlinearity<0.001). The risk of new-onset diabetes significantly decreased with the increment of dietary phosphorus intake (per SD increment: HR, 0.64; 95%CI, 0.48-0.84) in participants with phosphorus intake <921.6 mg/day, and increased with the increment of dietary phosphorus intake (per SD increment: HR, 1.33; 95%CI, 1.16-1.53) in participants with phosphorus intake ≥921.6 mg/day. Consistently, when dietary phosphorus intake was assessed as quintiles, compared with those in the 3rd quintile (905.0-<975.4 mg/day), significantly higher risks of new-onset diabetes were found in participants in the 1st-2nd quintiles (<905.0 mg/day: HR, 1.59; 95%CI, 1.30-1.94), and 4th-5th quintiles (≥975.4 mg/day: HR, 1.46; 95%CI, 1.19-1.78).

Conclusions: There was a U-shaped association between dietary phosphorus intake and new-onset diabetes in general Chinese adults, with an inflection point at 921.6 mg/day and a minimal risk at 905.0-975.4 mg/day of dietary phosphorus intake.

Keywords: China Health and nutrition survey; Dietary phosphorus intake; New-onset diabetes.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • China / epidemiology
  • Cohort Studies
  • Diabetes Mellitus* / diagnosis
  • Diabetes Mellitus* / epidemiology
  • Diet / adverse effects
  • Humans
  • Nutritional Status
  • Phosphorus, Dietary* / adverse effects

Substances

  • Phosphorus, Dietary