The association of Healthy Eating Index and its components with levels of fasting blood sugar and lipid profile in normoglycemic and hyperglycemic individuals
ISSN: 0034-6659
Article publication date: 26 February 2024
Issue publication date: 10 April 2024
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to assess the association of Healthy Eating Index (HEI) with levels of fasting blood sugar (FBS) and lipid profile in normoglycemic and elevated FBS patients.
Design/methodology/approach
This case-control study was conducted on 144 participants, namely, 72 normoglycemic subjects (FBS < 100 mg/dl) and 72 high-glycemic patients (FBS ≥ 100 mg/dl) aged 20–60 years of age, who were selected from the nutrition and diet clinics in Tehran city. The dietary intake was collected by using a validated food frequency questionnaire to determine the HEI score.
Findings
The mean±SD age and body mass index of participants were 47.1 ± 12.7 years and 29.6 ± 6.0 kg/m2, respectively. The median (interquartile range) of HEI scores in the normoglycemic group and the high-glycemia group were 19.34 (15.24–24.31) and 16.53 (13.35–24.07), respectively. In the overall population, the findings of the multi-variable linear regression model indicated a positive association between the HEI score and high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (HDL-C) (ß = 0.34; 95%CI: 0.05–0.64, P = 0.01). However, there is no significant association between HEI and HDL-C in normoglycemic (ß = 0.19; 95%CI: −0.31, 0.69, P = 0.45) and hyperglycemic subjects (ß = 0.28; 95%CI: −0.10–0.66, P = 0.15). Furthermore, the association of HEI with levels of FBS, triglycerides (TGs) and low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (LDL-C) was not significant in any of the analyzed groups, including the total population, normoglycemic individuals and hyperglycemic subjects.
Originality/value
This study was the first study to assess the role of HEI and its components with levels of FBS and lipid profile in normoglycemic and hyperglycemic individuals in Iran. The findings suggested that higher adherence to HEI may be associated with an increase in the HDL-C level. However, HEI could not predict FBS, TGs and LDL-C levels in the adult population.
Keywords
Acknowledgements
The authors express their appreciation to the Science and Research Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran for their valuable cooperation.
Financial support: No funding.
Authors’ contributions: Mohammad Moradiani, Conceptualization, Design, Research, Data – Analysis and Interpretation, Writing – Original Draft. Ariyo Movahedi, Research, Writing – Original Draft, Supervision. Abolghassem Djazayery, Conceptualization, Design, Writing – Original Draft. All authors approved the final version of the manuscript.
Disclosure statement: The authors declared there is no conflict of interest.
Since submission of this article, the following author has updated their affiliation: Abolghassem Djazayery is at the Department of Nutrition, Science and Research Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran.
Citation
Moradiani, M., Movahedi, A. and Djazayery, A. (2024), "The association of Healthy Eating Index and its components with levels of fasting blood sugar and lipid profile in normoglycemic and hyperglycemic individuals", Nutrition & Food Science, Vol. 54 No. 3, pp. 453-467. https://doi.org/10.1108/NFS-02-2023-0033
Publisher
:Emerald Publishing Limited
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