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. 2020 May 13;12(5):1394.
doi: 10.3390/nu12051394.

Dietary Glycemic Index and Glycemic Load Are Not Associated with the Metabolic Syndrome in Lebanese Healthy Adults: A Cross-Sectional Study

Cecile Borgi  1 , Mandy Taktouk  1 , Mona Nasrallah  2   3 , Hussain Isma'eel  3   4 , Hani Tamim  5   6 , Lara Nasreddine  1
Affiliations

Dietary Glycemic Index and Glycemic Load Are Not Associated with the Metabolic Syndrome in Lebanese Healthy Adults: A Cross-Sectional Study

Cecile Borgi et al. Nutrients. .

Abstract

High dietary glycemic index (GI) and glycemic load (GL) were suggested to increase the risk of metabolic syndrome (MetS). This study aims to estimate dietary GI and GL in a sample of healthy Lebanese adults and examine their association with MetS and its individual abnormalities. The study uses data from a community-based survey of 501 Lebanese urban adults. Dietary intake was assessed using a food frequency questionnaire. Biochemical, anthropometric, and blood pressure measurements were obtained. Subjects with previous diagnosis of chronic disease, metabolic abnormalities, or with incomplete data or implausible energy intakes were excluded, yielding a sample of 283. Participants were grouped into quartiles of GI and GL. Multivariate logistic regression analyses were performed. Average dietary GI and GL were estimated at 59.9 ± 8 and 209.7 ± 100.3. Participants belonging to the highest GI quartile were at increased risk of having MetS (odds ratio (OR) = 2.251, 95% CI:1.120-4.525) but this association lost significance with further adjustments. Those belonging to the second quartile of GI had significantly lower odds of having hyperglycemia (OR: 0.380, 95% CI:0.174-0.833). No associations were detected between GL and MetS. The study contributes to the body of evidence discussing the relationship between GI, GL, and MetS, in a nutrition transition context.

Keywords: Lebanon; glycemic index; glycemic load; metabolic syndrome; urban adults.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Box plot showing the distribution of dietary GI and GL among participants with and without MetS. GI: Glycemic index; GL: Glycemic load; MetS: Metabolic syndrome.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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