The association between insulin resistance and the consumption of nut including peanut, pine nut and almonds in working-aged Korean population

OBJECTIVE: Studies have reported that nuts intake is potentially beneficial to cardiometabolic health. However, there have been heterogeneous results regarding the association between nut intake/consumption and the risk of diabetes mellitus (DM). Insulin resistance (IR) is a major pathophysiology of DM. Thus, this study was to assess the association between nuts consumption and IR. DESIGN: A retrospective cross-sectional study. SETTING: Multivariable-adjusted OR and 95 % CI for increased IR (adjusted OR (95 % CI)) were calculated according to the frequency of consuming one serving dose (15 g) of nuts including peanut, pine nut and almond (< 1/month, 1/month–1/week, 1–3/week, 3–5/week, ≥ 5/week). Elevated IR was defined in homoeostasis model assessment-insulin resistance corresponding to the fourth quartile levels within each study group. Subgroup analysis was conducted for gender, glycaemic status (normal, prediabetes and DM) and age (≥ and < 40 years). PARTICIPANTS: 379 310 Koreans who received health check-up. RESULTS: Compared with nut consumption < 1/month (reference), nuts consumption ≥ 1/month had the lower OR and 95 % CI for elevated IR (1/month–1/week: 0·90 (95 % CI 0·89, 0·92), 1–3/week: 0·90 (95 % CI 0·87, 0·92), 3–5/week: 0·94 (95 % CI 0·89, 0·98) and ≥ 5/week: 0·90 (95 % CI 0·86, 0·94)). This association was more remarkable in women, normal glycaemic group and young age group (< 40 years). However, men, prediabetes, DM and old age group did not show the significant association. CONCLUSION: Nuts consumption ≥ 1/month was less associated with elevated IR. Increased nuts consumption may have a favourable effect on IR.