Hostname: page-component-586b7cd67f-rdxmf Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-26T21:59:59.104Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Taiwanese vegetarians have higher insulin sensitivity than omnivores

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  08 March 2007

Chien-Jung Hung ,
Po-Chao Huang ,
Yi-Hwei Li ,
Shao-Chun Lu ,
Low-Tone Ho  and
Hsu-Fang Chou
Chien-Jung Hung
Affiliation:
Department of Biochemistry, College of Medicine, Tzu-Chi University, Taiwan
Po-Chao Huang
Affiliation:
College of Medicine, National Taiwan University, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Taiwan
Yi-Hwei Li
Affiliation:
College of Medicine, Tzu-Chi University, Department of Public Health, Taiwan
Shao-Chun Lu
Affiliation:
College of Medicine, National Taiwan University, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Taiwan
Low-Tone Ho
Affiliation:
Taipei Veterans General Hospital, Department of Medical Research and Education, Taiwan
Hsu-Fang Chou*
Affiliation:
Department of Biochemistry, College of Medicine, Tzu-Chi University, Taiwan
*
*Corresponding author: Dr Hsu-Fang Chou, fax +886 3 8580641, email [email protected]
Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

Core share and HTML view are not available for this content. However, as you have access to this content, a full PDF is available via the ‘Save PDF’ action button.

The present study was designed to examine the effects of habitual consumption of Taiwanese vegetarian diets on hormonal secretion, and on lipid and glycaemic control. Of the ninety-eight healthy female adults recruited from Hualien, Taiwan (aged 31–45 years), forty-nine were Buddhist lactovegetarians and forty-nine were omnivores. Dietary intakes were measured, and blood levels of nutrients and hormones were analysed. Vegetarians consumed less energy, fat and protein, but more fibre than the omnivores. Compared with the omnivores, the vegetarians had, on average, lower BMI and smaller waist circumference. Except for slightly lower levels of thyroxine (T4) in vegetarians, vegetarians and omnivores both showed similar levels of triiodothyronine (T3), free T4, thyroid-stimulating hormone, T3:T4 ratio and cortisol. Compared with the omnivores, the vegetarians had significantly lower levels of fasting insulin (median: 35·3 v. 50·6pmol/l) and plasma glucose (mean: 4·7 (se 0·05) v. 4·9 (se 0·05) mmol/l). Insulin resistance, as calculated by the homeostasis model assessment method, was significantly lower in the vegetarians than in the omnivores (median: 1·10 v. 1·56), while β-cell function was not different between the two groups. BMI and diet were both independent predictors for insulin resistance, and contributed 18 and 15% of the variation in insulin resistance, respectively. In conclusion, Taiwanese vegetarians had lower glucose and insulin levels and higher insulin sensitivity than did the omnivores. Diet and lower BMI were partially responsible for the high insulin sensitivity observed in young Taiwanese vegetarians.

Keywords

Vegetarian dietsThyroid hormonesInsulinGlucagonInsulin resistance
Type
Research Article
Information
British Journal of Nutrition , Volume 95 , Issue 1 , January 2006 , pp. 129 - 135
Copyright
Copyright © The Nutrition Society 2006

References

Anderson, RARole of dietary factors micronutrients. Nutr Rev (2000) 58, 10–11.Google ScholarPubMed
Ascaso, JF, Romero, P, Real, JT, Priego, A, Valdecabres, C & Carmena, RInsulin resistance quantification by fasting insulin plasma values and HOMA index in a non-diabetic population Med Clin(Barc) (2001) 117, 530–533.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Barnard, RJ, Massey, MR, Cherny, S, O'Brien, LT & Pritikin, NLong-term use of a high-complex-carbohydrate, high-fiber, low-fat diet and exercise in the treatment of NIDDM patients. Diabetes Care (1983) 6, 268–273.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Bason, AL, The immulite automated immunoassay system. J Clin Immunoassay (1991) 14, 83–88.Google Scholar
Bray, GA, Fisher, DA & Chopra, IJRelation of thyroid hormones to body-weight Lancet (1976) 1, 1206– 1208.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Chan, JM, Rimm, EB, Colditz, GA, Stampfer, MJ& Willett, WObesity, fat distribution, and weight gain as risk factors for clinical diabetes in men Diabetes Care (1994) 17 961– 969.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Chang, C, Lu, F, Yang, YC, Wu, JS, Wu, TJ, Chen, MS, Chuan, LM& Tai, TYEpidemiologic study of type 2 diabetes in Taiwan Diabetes Res Clin Pract (2000) 50 supp. 2S49 –S59.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Chou, P, Li, CL & Tsai, STEpidemiology of type 2 diabetes in Taiwan. Diabetes Res Clin Pract (2001) 54 suppl.1S29– S35.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Daly, MEVale, C, Walker, M,Alberti, KG, Mathers, JCDietary carbohydrates and insulin sensitivity: a review of the evidence and clinical implications Am J Clin Nutr (1997) 66 1072– 1085.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Department ofHealth Taiwan Nutrient Databases Taipei, TaiwanExecutive Yuan (1998)Google Scholar
Draper, A, Lewis, J, Malhotra, N & Wheeler, TLEThe energy and nutrient intakes of different types of vegetarian: a case for supplements?" Br J Nutr (1993) 69, 3– 19.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Ford, ES & Mokdad, AHFruit and vegetable consumption and diabetes mellitus incidence among US adults Prev Med (2001) 32,33– 39.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
ForsytheIII, WASoy protein, thyroidregulation and cholesterol J Nutr (1995) 125Suppl., 619S –623S.Google Scholar
Fukagawa, NK, Anderson, JW, Hageman, GYoung, VR & Minaker, KLHigh-carbohydrate, high-fiber diets increase peripheral insulin sensitivity in healthy young and old adults. Am J Clin Nutr (1990) 52, 524– 528.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Ham, JOChapman, KM, Essex-Sorlie, D, Bakhit, RM, Prabhudesai, M, Winter, L, Edman, JW Jr & Potter, SMEndocrinological response to soy protein and fiber in mildly hypercholesterolemic men. Nutr Res (1993) 13 873 –884.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Heber, DVegetables, fruits and phytoestrogens in the prevention of diseases. J Postgrad Med (2004) 50, 145 –149.Google ScholarPubMed
Ho, LT, Chang, BY, Lin, SH, Lu, ZA, Lin, WH, Huang, MH, Hsiao, LL, Hung, SH, & Chou, CKDevelopment and validation of a new radioimmunoassay of insulin semi-synthetic human tracer. Proc Natl Sci Counc ROC (1983) 7, 9 –15.Google Scholar
Hung, CJ, Huang, PO, Lu, SC,Li, YH, Huang, HB, Lin, BF, Chang, SJ & Chou, HFPlasma homocysteine levels in Taiwanese vegetarians are higher than those of omnivores. J Nutr 2002) 132, 152 –158.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Jayagopal, VAlbertazzi, PKilpatrick, ESHowarth, EMJennings, PEHepburn, DA & Atkin, SLBeneficial effects of soy phytoestrogen intake in postmenopausal women with type 2 diabetes. Diabetes Care (2002) 25 1709 –1714.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Jenkins, DJA, Kendall, CWC, Marchi, A, Jenkins, AL, Augustin, LSA, Ludwig, DS, Barnard, ND & Anderson, JWType 2 diabetes and the vegetarian diet. Am J Clin Nutr (2003) 78 suppl., 610S– 616S.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Kawate, R, Yamakido, M, Nishimoto, Y, Bennett, PHHamman, RF & Knowler, WCDiabetes mellitus and its vascular complications in Japanese migrants on the Island of Hawaii. Diabetes Care (1979) 2, 161 –170.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Kuo, CS, Hwu, CM, Chiang, SC, Hsiao, LC, Weih, MJ, Kao, WY, Lee, SH, Kwok, CF& Ho, LTWaist circumference predicts insulin resistance in offspring of diabetic patients. Diabetes Nutr Metab (2002) 15, 101– 108.Google ScholarPubMed
Kuo, CS, Lai, NS, Ho, LT, & Lin, CLInsulin sensitivity in Chinese ovo-lactovegetarians compared with omnivores. Eur J Clin Nutr (2004) 58, 312–316.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Lemieux, S, Prud'homme, D, Bouchard, C, Tremblay, A & Despres, JPA single threshold value of waist girth identifies normalweight and overweight subjects with excess visceral adipose tissue. Am J Clin Nutr (1996) 64, 685 –693.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Li, CL, Tsai, ST & Chou, PRelative role of insulin resistance and b-cell dysfunction in the progression to type 2 diabetes -The Kinmen study. Diabetes Res Clin Pract (2003) 59, 225 –232.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Li, G, Chen, X, Jang, Y, Wang, J, Xing, X, Yang, W& Hu, YObesity, coronary heart disease risk factors and diabetes in Chinese:an approach to the criteria of obesity in the Chinese population. Obes Rev (2002) 3. 167 –172.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Lu, SCWu, WHLee, CAchou, HFLee, HR& Huang, POLDL of Taiwanese vegetarians are less oxidizable than those of omnivores. J Nutr (2000) 130,1591 –1596CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Ludvik, B, Nolan, JJ, Baloga, J, Sacks, D& Olefsky, JEffect of obesity on insulin resistance in normal subjects and patients with NIDDM. Diabetes (1995) 44, 1121– 1125CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
McCarty, MF, Vegan proteins may reduce risk of cancer, obesity, and cardiovascular disease by promoting increased glucagon activity. Med Hypotheses (1999) 53, 459 –485.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Matthews, DR, Hosker, JPRudenski, ASNaylor, BATreacher, DF & Turner, RCHomeostasis model assessment: insulin resistance and b-cell function from fasting plasma glucose and insulin concentrations in man.Diabetologia (1985) 28, 412 –419.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Monzillo, LU & Hamdy, OEvaluation of insulin sensitivity in clinical practice and in research settings Nutr Rev (2003) 61, 397 –412.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Nicholson, AS, Sklar, M, Barnard, NDGore, S, Sullivan, R& Browning, SToward improved management of NIDDM: a randomized controlled, pilot intervention using a low fat, vegetarian diet Prev Med (1999) 29 87 –91.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Persky, VW, Turyk, MEWang, LFreels, SChatterton, R JrBarnes, SEffect of soy protein on endogenous hormones in postmenopausal women Am J Clin Nutr (2002) 75 145–153CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed