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Combined low-saturated fat intake and high fitness may counterbalance diabetogenic effects of obesity: the DR’s EXTRA Study

European Journal of Clinical Nutrition volume 67, pages 1000–1002 (2013)Cite this article

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Abstract

We report associations of saturated fat (SF) intake with impaired fasting glucose (IFG), impaired glucose tolerance (IGT), concurrent IFG+IGT and type 2 diabetes (T2DM) at different levels of cardiorespiratory fitness and body mass index (BMI). In a population-based sample (n=1261, age 58–78 years), oral glucose tolerance, 4-day food intake and maximal oxygen uptake were measured. High intake of SF (>11.4 E%) was associated with elevated risk for IFG (4.36; 1.93–9.88), concurrent IFG+IGT (6.03; 1.25–29.20) and T2DM (4.77; 1.93–11.82) in the category of high BMI (>26.5) and high fitness, whereas there was no significantly elevated risk in individuals reporting low intake of SF. Concurrent high BMI and low fitness were associated with elevated risks. In general, SF intake and fitness did not differentiate the risk of abnormal glucose metabolism among subjects with low BMI. Limited intake of SF may protect from diabetogenic effects of adiposity, but only in individuals with high level of fitness.

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Acknowledgements

The DR’s EXTRA Study was supported by grants from Ministry of Education and Culture of Finland (627; 2004–2011), Academy of Finland (104943; 123885), European Commission FP6 Integrated Project (LSHM-CT-2004-005272; EXGENESIS), Kuopio University Hospital, Finnish Diabetes Association, Finnish Foundation for Cardiovascular Research, Päivikki and Sakari Sohlberg Foundation, City of Kuopio and Social Insurance Institution of Finland. HMH was supported by a grant from the Juho Vainio Foundation. We also want to acknowledge the substantial contributions of reviewers in shaping the final version of the manuscript.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Kuopio Research Institute of Exercise Medicine, Kuopio, Finland

    H M Heikkilä, B Krachler, K Savonen, M Hassinen & R Rauramaa

  2. Department of Clinical Physiology and Nuclear Medicine, Kuopio University Hospital, Kuopio, Finland

    H M Heikkilä, K Savonen & R Rauramaa

  3. Department of Public Health and Clinical Medicine, Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden

    B Krachler

  4. School of Medicine, Institute of Public Health and Clinical Nutrition, University of Eastern Finland, Kuopio Campus, Kuopio, Finland

    U S Schwab

  5. Institute of Clinical Medicine, Internal Medicine, Kuopio University Hospital, Kuopio, Finland

    U S Schwab

Authors
  1. H M Heikkilä
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  2. B Krachler
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  3. K Savonen
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  4. M Hassinen
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  5. R Rauramaa
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  6. U S Schwab
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Correspondence to H M Heikkilä.

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The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Additional information

Guarantor: R Rauramaa.Contributors: MH, RR contributed to the study conception and design. HMH, KS, MH contributed to data collection. HMH, BK, KS, MH analyzed the data. HMH, BK, MH, RR, USS contributed to data interpretation and discussion. HMH wrote the manuscript. HMH, BK, KS, MH, RR, USS reviewed/edited the manuscript. RR is a guarantor of the study.

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Heikkilä, H., Krachler, B., Savonen, K. et al. Combined low-saturated fat intake and high fitness may counterbalance diabetogenic effects of obesity: the DR’s EXTRA Study. Eur J Clin Nutr 67, 1000–1002 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1038/ejcn.2013.138

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