Dislike of vegetables and type 2 diabetes

Abstract

Purpose

The study aims to determine whether dislike of vegetables is associated with the presence of metabolic disorders.

Design/methodology/approach

Cross‐sectional analysis of the data of middle‐aged (range 51–59 years) male personnel of the Self‐Defense Forces.

Findings

Of subjects studied, 76.4 per cent answered they liked vegetables, 19.2 per cent were intermediate between liking and dislike and 4.4 per cent disliked vegetables. The odds ratio (95 per cent CI) of vegetable dislike to like was 2.22 (1.08–4.57) for the presence of diabetes, 2.46 (1.23–4.94) for hyper‐triglyceridemia and 2.54 (1.33–4.86) for high γ‐glutamyl transferase in a logistic regression analysis adjusted for age and lifestyle factors. Vegetable dislike did not correlate with hypertension, hypercholesterol‐emia or obesity. Vegetable consumption did not correlate with diabetes.

Research limitations/implications

The results do not show a cause–result relationship. Observed findings may not be applied to age‐matched general population, or to older, younger, female or other ethnic persons.

Practical implications

Vegetable dislike may be regarded as a simple marker of metabolic status including type 2 diabetes.

Originality/value

The authors show the cross‐sectional association between dislike of vegetables and type 2 diabetes.

Citation

Sakuta, H., Suzuki, T., Yasuda, H. and Ito, T. (2006), "Dislike of vegetables and type 2 diabetes", Nutrition & Food Science, Vol. 36 No. 2, pp. 105-110. https://doi.org/10.1108/00346650610652312