Legumes and nuts intake in relation to metabolic health status, serum brain derived neurotrophic factor and adropin levels in adults

Abstract

There is controversial evidence about the relationship between consumption of legumes and nuts with metabolic disturbances. The present study was undertaken to explore the association of legumes and nuts intake with metabolic health status among Iranian adults. This cross-sectional study was conducted on 527 adults (45.7% female, aged 20-65 years) chosen through a multistage cluster random-sampling approach. Dietary intakes of individuals were assessed using a validated food frequency questionnaire. Fasting blood samples were gathered to evaluate biochemical parameters. Metabolic health status of subjects was determined according to the criteria defined by Wildman. Data of covariates were collected using pre-tested procedures. The overall prevalence of metabolic unhealthy (MU) phenotype was 42.5%. After controlling all confounders, participants with highest intake of legumes and nuts had lower odds of MU status, compared with the lowest intake (OR 0.35; 95% CI 0.18-0.71). This association was stronger in normal-weight rather than overweight/obese adults and also in women rather than men. Higher consumption of legumes and nuts was additionally related to decreased odds of hyperglycemia, hypertriglyceridemia, and hypertension. A marginally inverse association was observed between legumes and nuts intake with low brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) levels, in fully-adjusted model (OR_{T3 vs. T1} 0.50; 95% CI 0.25-1.01). Each tertile increase in legumes and nuts intake was marginally related to higher adropin levels ([Formula: see text] = 4.06; P = 0.07). In conclusion, this study demonstrated that higher intake of legumes and nuts is associated with lower chance of MU both in normal weight and overweight/obese adults. The association may be facilitated through serum BDNF and adropin.

Figure 1

Prevalence of metabolically unhealthy (MU) status across energy-adjusted tertiles of legumes and nuts intake in the study population.

Figure 2

Multivariable-adjusted odds ratio and 95% confidence intervals for low BDNF levels across tertiles of legumes and nuts intake. Model 1: Adjusted for age and sex; Model 2: More adjustments for physical activity, history of high blood pressure, high triglyceride and high fasting blood glucose. P_trend was obtained by the use of tertiles of legumes and nuts intake as an ordinal variable in the model.

Figure 3

Linear association between tertiles of legumes and nuts intake with adropin levels. All values are regression coefficients and 95% confidence intervals. Tertiles of legumes and nuts intake were considered as an ordinal variable in linear regression analysis. Model 1: Adjusted for age, sex, and energy intake; Model 2: More adjustments for physical activity and BMI.