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Meta-Analysis
. 2019 May 1;11(5):998.
doi: 10.3390/nu11050998.

Circulating Saturated Fatty Acids and Incident Type 2 Diabetes: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Lihua Huang  1 , Jie-Sheng Lin  2 , Izzuddin M Aris  3   4   5 , Guiyou Yang  6 , Wei-Qing Chen  7   8 , Ling-Jun Li  9   10   11
Affiliations
Meta-Analysis

Circulating Saturated Fatty Acids and Incident Type 2 Diabetes: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Lihua Huang et al. Nutrients. .

Abstract

The effect of saturated fatty acids (SFAs) on incident type 2 diabetes (T2D) is controversial and few have systematically appraised the evidence. We conducted a comprehensive search of prospective studies examining these relationships that were published in PubMed, Web of Science, or EMBASE from 21 February 1989 to 21 February 2019. A total of 19 studies were included for systematic review and 10 for meta-analysis. We estimated the summarized relative risk (RR) and 95% confidence interval (95% CI) using a random (if I2 > 50%) or a fixed effects model (if I2 ≤ 50%). Although the included studies reported inconclusive results, the majority supported a protective effect of odd-chain and an adverse impact of even-chain SFAs. Meta-analysis showed that the per standard deviation (SD) increase in odd-chain SFAs was associated with a reduced risk of incident T2D (C15:0: 0.86, 0.76-0.98; C17:0: 0.76, 0.59-0.97), while a per SD increase in one even-chain SFA was associated with an increased risk of incident T2D (C14:0: 1.13, 1.09-1.18). No associations were found between other SFAs and incident T2D. In conclusion, our findings suggest an overall protective effect of odd-chain SFAs and the inconclusive impact of even- and very-long-chain SFAs on incident T2D.

Keywords: circulating; incidence; meta-analysis; prospective cohort study; saturated fatty acids; systematic review; type 2 diabetes.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Flow diagram of the study selection.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Forest plots of studies investigating the relationship of odd-chain saturated fatty acids and incident type 2 diabetes. (a) Forest plot for pentadecanoic acid (C15:0); (b) Forest plot for heptadecanoic acid (C17:0). RR: relative risk; CI: confidence interval.
Figure 3
Figure 3
Forest plots of studies investigating the relationship of even-chain saturated fatty acids and incident type 2 diabetes. (a) Forest plot for myristic acid (C14:0); (b) Forest plot for palmitic acid (C16:0); (c) Forest plot for stearic acid (C18:0). RR: relative risk; CI: confidence interval.
Figure 4
Figure 4
Forest plots of studies investigating the relationship of very-long-chain saturated fatty acids and incident type 2 diabetes. (a) Forest plot for arachidic acid (C20:0); (b) Forest plot for behenic acid (C22:0); (c) Forest plot for lignoceric acid (C24:0). RR: relative risk; CI: confidence interval.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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