Associations of Lifestyle Patterns with Glucose and Lipid Metabolism in Finnish Adults at Increased Risk of Type 2 Diabetes

Abstract

ScopeVarious lifestyle and sociodemographic factors have been associated with risk factors for type 2 diabetes (T2D). However, their combined associations with T2D risk factors have been studied much less.Materials and resultsThis study investigates cross‐sectional associations of lifestyle patterns with T2D risk factors among 2925 adults at increased risk participating in the Stop Diabetes study. Lifestyle patterns are determined using principal component analysis (PCA) with several lifestyle and sociodemographic factors. The associations of lifestyle patterns with measures of glucose and lipid metabolism and serum metabolites analyzed by nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy are studied using linear regression analysis. “Healthy eating” pattern is associated with better glucose and insulin metabolism, more favorable lipoprotein and fatty acid profiles and lower serum concentrations of metabolites related to inflammation, insulin resistance, and T2D. “High socioeconomic status and low physical activity” pattern is associated with increased serum concentrations of branched‐chain amino acids, as are “Meat and poultry” and “Sleeping hours” patterns. “Snacks” pattern is associated with lower serum concentrations of ketone bodies.ConclusionsOur results show, in large scale primary care setting, that healthy eating is associated with better glucose and lipid metabolism and reveal novel associations of lifestyle patterns with metabolites related to glucose metabolism.