Dietary mineral intake was correlated with seral HDL-C in patients with type 2 diabetes

Background While dietary interventions are critical for managing diabetes, there is limited research on the role of specific minerals in regulating lipid metabolism. This study aims to examine the correlation between dietary mineral intake and serum lipid profiles in patients with type 2 diabetes. Methods Daily mineral intake was accessed using a validated dietary questionnaire administered to 149 subjects. Partial correlation and multivariable linear regression analysis were conducted to examine the relationship between daily mineral intake and serum lipid profiles. Results According to the Dietary Nutrient Reference Intakes (DRI) for Chinese Residents, daily intake of calcium, zinc, potassium, and dietary fiber was significantly lower in both men and women (all P  < 0.001). In contrast, sodium, iron and iodine intake were elevated. Partial correlation analysis indicated that daily intake of calcium, iron, iodine, zinc and selenium was positively associated with serum high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) ( P  < 0.05), whereas dietary iodine intake was negatively related to HDL-C (r= -0.181, P  = 0.049). Multivariable linear regression analysis showed that dietary intake of calcium, iron, iodine, zinc and selenium was significantly associated with HDL-C after adjusting for covariates (all P  < 0.05). However, there existed not significant correlation of dietary mineral intake with total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, or triglyceride. Conclusions The dietary mineral intake of patients with type 2 diabetes was largely suboptimal. Dietary calcium, iron, zinc and selenium intake were positively associated with serum HDL-C, suggesting a potential benefit for lipid homeostasis in this population.