August 2009
Angela D. Liese, PHD, MPH1, Michele Nichols, MS1, Xuezheng Sun, MSPH1, Ralph B. D'Agostino, Jr., PHD2 and Steven M. Haffner, MD

 

Abstract

OBJECTIVE The Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) diet has been widely promoted; however, little is known about its impact on type 2 diabetes.

RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS We evaluated the association of the DASH diet with incidence of type 2 diabetes among 862 participants of the Insulin Resistance Atherosclerosis Study (IRAS) who completed a 1-year food frequency questionnaire at baseline. Type 2 diabetes odds ratios (ORs) were estimated at tertiles of the DASH score.

RESULTS An inverse association was observed in whites (tertile 2 vs. tertile 1, OR 0.66 [95% CI 0.29–1.48]) that became significant for the most extreme contrast (tertile 3 vs. tertile 1, 0.31 [0.13–0.75]), with adjustment for covariates. No association was observed in blacks or Hispanics (tertile 2 vs. tertile 1, 1.16 [0.61–2.18 ]; tertile 3 vs. tertile 1, 1.34 [0.70–2.58 ]).

CONCLUSIONS Adherence to the DASH dietary pattern, which is rich in vegetables, fruit, and low-fat dairy products, may have the potential to prevent type 2 diabetes.

The effectiveness of dietary and lifestyle modification approaches in the prevention of type 2 diabetes is well recognized. The American Diabetes Association Nutritional Recommendations emphasize moderate weight loss via modification of energy and fat intake and physical activity for primary prevention among high-risk individuals but do not provide specific information regarding a dietary pattern.

The Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) trial demonstrated that a dietary pattern rich in vegetables, fruit, and low-fat dairy products can reduce blood pressure and has been widely promoted.

To the best of our knowledge, the DASH dietary pattern has not been evaluated with respect to potential influence on diabetes development. Thus, the aim of our study was to evaluate the impact of adherence to the DASH diet on risk of type 2 diabetes in the multiethnic Insulin Resistance Atherosclerosis Study (IRAS).