Analysis using national databases reveals a positive association between dietary polyunsaturated fatty acids with TV watching and diabetes in European females

PLoS One. 2017 Mar 29;12(3):e0173084. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0173084. eCollection 2017.

Abstract

In recent years, dietary polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) have increased in parallel to sedentary behavior and diabetes across the world. To test any putative association between dietary PUFA and sedentary behavior or diabetes in females, we obtained country-specific, cross-sectional data on sedentary activity and diabetes prevalence from European Cardiovascular Statistics 2012. Age and gender-specific, nutritional data from each country were obtained from nutritional surveys as well. Socioeconomic (GDP), physical environment (urbanization index) and climatic confounders were accounted for each country. Upon analysis, we found a strong, positive association between sedentary lifestyle in 11-yr old girls (> = 2 hours of TV/ weekday) and dietary PUFA across 21 European countries. Further, a weak association of dietary PUFA and a strong relationship of per-capita GDP was established with elevated fasting blood glucose [(> = 7.0 mmol/L; or on medication] among 25+ year old adult females across 23 countries in Europe. In summary, we present novel ecological evidence that dietary PUFA is strongly associated with sedentary behavior among pre-teen girls and weakly associated with diabetes among adult women across Europe. In the latter group, per-capita GDP was a significant predictor for diabetes as well. Therefore, we recommend that prospective randomized controlled trials (RCTs) be implemented to evaluate if ubiquitous presence of dietary PUFA and low socioeconomic status are possible confounders when intervening to treat/prevent sedentary lifestyle or diabetes in female subjects in Western nations.

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Child
  • Cross-Sectional Studies
  • Databases, Factual
  • Diabetes Mellitus / epidemiology*
  • Diabetes Mellitus / etiology
  • Diabetes Mellitus / metabolism
  • Diabetes Mellitus / physiopathology
  • Diet
  • Europe / epidemiology
  • Fatty Acids, Unsaturated / administration & dosage
  • Fatty Acids, Unsaturated / adverse effects*
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Motor Activity
  • Obesity / epidemiology*
  • Obesity / etiology
  • Obesity / metabolism
  • Obesity / physiopathology
  • Prevalence
  • Prospective Studies
  • Sedentary Behavior*
  • Television

Substances

  • Fatty Acids, Unsaturated

Grants and funding

This work was supported by a salary award from the MSFHR to SG, operating grants from the Egg Farmers of Canada, Dairy Farmers of Canada and Canadian Diabetes Association to SG, NSERC to JP and a PEO Doctoral Award to AB. All authors declare no conflict of interest. The funders had no role in study design, data collection, analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.