South Asian diets and insulin resistance

• Published in: British journal of nutrition Vol. 101; no. 4; pp. 465 - 473
• Main Authors: Misra, Anoop, Khurana, Lokesh, Isharwal, Sumit, Bhardwaj, Swati
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Cambridge, UK Cambridge University Press 28.02.2009
• Subjects: Adolescent; Adult; adults; Asia; Asian Continental Ancestry Group; Asian Indians; Asian People; Asians; Biological and medical sciences; blood lipids; carbohydrate intake; Carbohydrates; cardiovascular diseases; Cardiovascular Diseases - etiology; Child; child nutrition; Child, Preschool; children; compensatory growth; complications; Diabetes; diabetes mellitus; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 - etiology; Diet; Diet Surveys; diet-related diseases; Dietary carbohydrates; Dietary fats; dietary fiber; dietary supplements; Dyslipidaemia; Energy; etiology; fat intake; Fatty acids; Feeding. Feeding behavior; Female; Flour; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Health risks; human diseases; human nutrition; Humans; hydrogenated oils; Hyperglycemia; hyperinsulinemia; hypertriglyceridemia; Infant; Infant, Newborn; inflammation; Insulin Resistance; literature reviews; low birth weight; Male; Malnutrition; Malnutrition - complications; maternal nutrition; Metabolic disorders; Metabolic syndrome; monounsaturated fatty acids; nutrient intake; Nutrients; Nutrition research; nutritional adequacy; Obesity; Oils & fats; omega-3 fatty acids; Pregnancy; Risk Factors; Rural areas; rural population; Rural populations; saturated fatty acids; Seeds; South Asia; South Asians; Teenagers; Type 2 diabetes mellitus; urban population; vanaspati; Vegetarianism; Vertebrates: anatomy and physiology, studies on body, several organs or systems; Young adults; youth; South Asia; Asia; United States > US; India; Dietary carbohydrates; South Asians; Dietary fats; Insulin resistance; Dyslipidaemia; Type 2 diabetes mellitus; Asian Indians; Endocrinopathy; Type 2 diabetes; South; Metabolic diseases; Lipids; Feeding; Insulin resistance: Type 2 diabetes mellitus: Dyslipidaemia: Dietary fats: Dietary carbohydrates: Asian Indians: South Asians; Target tissue resistance; Vertebrata; Mammalia; Diet; Fat; Indian; Carbohydrate; Dyslipemia
• ISSN: 0007-1145; 1475-2662; 1475-2662
• DOI: 10.1017/S0007114508073649

A role of dietary nutrients in relation to insulin resistance has been suggested but conclusive evidence in human beings is lacking. Asian Indians and South Asians are prone to develop insulin resistance and the metabolic syndrome. In the present paper, data pertaining to nutrient intake, insulin resistance and cardiovascular risk factors in Asian Indians and South Asians have been reviewed. In these populations, several dietary imbalances have been reported: low intake of MUFA, n-3 PUFA and fibre, and high intake of fats, saturated fats, carbohydrates and trans-fatty acids (mostly related to the widespread use of Vanaspati, a hydrogenated oil). Some data suggest that these nutrient imbalances are associated with insulin resistance, dyslipidaemia and subclinical inflammation in South Asians. Specifically, in children and young individuals, a high intake of n-6 PUFA is correlated with fasting hyperinsulinaemia, and in adults, high-carbohydrate meal consumption was reported to cause hyperinsulinaemia, postprandial hyperglycaemia and hypertriacylglycerolaemia. Dietary supplementation with n-3 PUFA leads to an improved lipid profile but not insulin sensitivity. Inadequate maternal nutrition in pregnancy, low birth weight and childhood ‘catch-up’ obesity may be important for the development of the metabolic syndrome and diabetes. Even in rural populations, who usually consume traditional frugal diets, there is an increasing prevalence of cardiovascular risk factors and the metabolic syndrome due to changes in diets and lifestyle. Nationwide community intervention programmes aimed at creating awareness about the consequences of unhealthy food choices and replacing them by healthy food choices are urgently needed in urban and rural populations in India, other countries in South Asia and in migrant South Asians.