Blood biomarkers of various dietary patterns correlated with metabolic indicators in Taiwanese type 2 diabetes

Background: Metabolic alterations correlate with adverse outcomes in type 2 diabetes. Dietary modification serves as an integral part in its treatment. Objective: We examined the relationships among dietary patterns, dietary biomarkers, and metabolic indicators in type 2 diabetes (n = 871). Design: Diabetic patients (n = 871) who provided complete clinical and dietary data in both 2008 and 2009 were selected from a cohort participating in a diabetic control study in Taiwan. Dietary data were obtained using a short, semiquantitative food frequency questionnaires, and dietary pattern identified by factor analysis. Multiple linear regressions were used to analyze the association between dietary biomarkers (ferritin, folate, and erythrocyte n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids [n-3 PUFAs]) and metabolic control upon adjusting for confounders. Results: Three dietary patterns (high-fat meat, traditional Chinese food–snack, and fish–vegetable) were identified. Ferritin correlated positively with high-fat meat factor scores (P for trend