Dietary Cholesterol Intake Is Not Associated with Risk of Type 2 Diabetes in the Framingham Offspring Study

Identification of diet and lifestyle risk factors for prevention of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is of great importance. The specific role of dietary cholesterol (DC) in T2DM risk is unclear. This study uses data from 2192 Framingham Offspring Study subjects to estimate the effects of DC alone and in combination with markers of a healthy diet and other lifestyle factors on fasting glucose and risk of T2DM or impaired fasting glucose (IFG) over 20 years of follow-up. Dietary data were derived from two sets of three-day food records. Statistical methods included mixed linear regression and Cox proportional hazard’s modeling to adjust for confounding. There were no statistically significant differences in glucose levels over 20 years of follow-up across DC intake categories (<200, 200–<300, and ≥300 mg/day) and no increased risk of T2DM/IFG associated with higher intakes. The HR for T2DM/IFG associated with consumption of ≥300 mg/day of DC was 0.87 (95% CI: 0.68–1.10). In contrast, subjects with lower intakes of fish, whole grains, and fiber had higher T2DM/IFG risk. DC consumption was not associated with fasting glucose levels or risk of T2DM/IFG over 20 years of follow-up.