Plain language summary
Diabetes mellitus is considered a serious public health issue worldwide with the vast majority of patients having type 2 diabetes (T2D). Dietary factors are major behavioural factors that can influence the risk for T2D. The aim of this study was to quantify the relationship between protein consumption and high-protein food intake with T2D risk and to identify optimal food types for a low T2D risk. This study is a meta-analysis which included 60 articles consisting of 72 studies for quantitative synthesis. Results indicate that total and animal protein intake increase the risk of T2D incidence, whereas plant protein intake lowers this risk. Furthermore, the consumption of red meat, processed meat, milk, and eggs are positively linked with an increased risk of T2D incidence; only yoghurt consumption lowered the incidence of T2D. Authors conclude that selecting specific optimal protein intakes can lead to a significant decrease in the risk for T2D.
Abstract
The relationship between dietary protein consumption and the risk of type 2 diabetes (T2D) has been inconsistent. The aim of this meta-analysis was to explore the relations between dietary protein consumption and the risk of T2D. We conducted systematic retrieval of prospective studies in PubMed, Embase, and Web of Science. Summary relative risks were compiled with a fixed effects model or a random effects model, and a restricted cubic spline regression model and generalized least squares analysis were used to evaluate the diet-T2D incidence relationship. T2D risk increased with increasing consumption of total protein and animal protein, red meat, processed meat, milk, and eggs, respectively, while plant protein and yogurt had an inverse relationship. A non-linear association with the risk for T2D was found for the consumption of plant protein, processed meat, milk, yogurt, and soy. This meta-analysis suggests that substitution of plant protein and yogurt for animal protein, especially red meat and processed meat, can reduce the risk for T2D.
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