U-shaped Association Between Dietary Zinc Intake and New-onset Diabetes: A Nationwide Cohort Study in China
Panpan He, Huan Li, Mengyi Liu, Zhuxian Zhang, Yuanyuan Zhang, Chun Zhou, Qinqin Li, Chengzhang Liu, Xianhui Qin · The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism (2021)
TL;DR
A study suggests that both very low and very high daily zinc intake are linked to a higher risk of developing diabetes.
What they did
Researchers tracked 16 257 adults in China who did not have diabetes at the start. They recorded what people ate using three-day food logs and home food checks. They followed the participants for a median time of 9.0 years.
What they found
Over time, 1097 people developed diabetes. Risk of diabetes dropped as zinc intake rose toward 9.1 mg/day, but risk increased above 9.1 mg/day. People eating under 8.9 mg/day or 12.2 mg/day or more had higher risk than those eating between 8.9 and under 12.2 mg/day.
Why it matters
Zinc is an essential mineral found in many everyday foods. These findings suggest that getting a moderate amount of zinc may support health better than getting too little or too much.
Limits
The abstract does not list study limitations. This is general education, not medical advice.
Jargon explained
- U-shaped association
- A pattern where both the lowest and highest levels show higher risk, while middle levels show the lowest risk.
- Glycated hemoglobin
- A common blood test that shows average blood sugar levels over the past few months.
- Hazard ratio
- A number used to compare how often an event happens in one group versus another over time.
Read the original: https://doi.org/10.1210/clinem/dgab636
Full citation
Panpan He, Huan Li, Mengyi Liu, Zhuxian Zhang, Yuanyuan Zhang, Chun Zhou, Qinqin Li, Chengzhang Liu, Xianhui Qin (2021). U-shaped Association Between Dietary Zinc Intake and New-onset Diabetes: A Nationwide Cohort Study in China. The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism. DOI: 10.1210/clinem/dgab636
Open access (green): https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/8902942
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Educational information only, not medical or dietary advice. Consult a qualified health professional for personal nutrition guidance.