Abstract 17328: Frequency of Consumption of French Fries Is a Strong Predictor of Plasma Trans-Fatty Acids in Persons with Type 2 Diabetes

Abstract

Trans -fatty acids (TFA) increase cardiovascular disease risk. However, relative contribution of foods to plasma TFA concentrations is unknown in persons with type 2 diabetes. We investigated how seven food sources of TFA (French fries, doughnuts, biscuits, nondairy creamer, chips, pretzels, and margarine on bread) were related to plasma 18-carbon TFA. Our population included persons randomized into Look AHEAD at two clinics (Baltimore, n=92; Houston, n=177) who participated in an ancillary study of oxidative stress and completed the Look AHEAD Food Frequency Questionnaire (LAFFQ). Look AHEAD is a multi-center controlled trial of lifestyle intervention for weight loss in overweight or obese adults (aged 45-75) with type 2 diabetes. Representation of women (57%) and minorities (18.6% AA, 8.2% Hispanic, 4.1% other race/ethnicity) was similar to Look AHEAD. TFA were measured before intervention in plasma collected between December 2002 and April 2004. Nutrients and eating frequency of food sources of TFA were determined from LAFFQ before intervention. In models with single sources of TFA adjusted for age, sex, race/ethnicity, clinic, sampling time, and plasma total fatty acid concentration, eating frequency of French fries (p<0.01) and doughnuts (p=0.03) and margarine on bread (p=0.02) were significant predictors of log-transformed fasting plasma TFA (model R-square = 0.49 to 0.50) whereas eating frequency of biscuits, nondairy creamer, chips, and pretzels were not. Results were similar after further adjusting for body mass index, total dietary fat, dietary saturated fat, total calories, physical activity, serum insulin, and statin use. In a similarly adjusted model also mutually adjusting for all seven TFA sources (model R-square = 0.54), French fries was the only TFA food source that remained significantly associated with plasma log-transformed TFA (p<0.005). Compared with ≤ once per month (lowest tertile), eating French fries ≥ twice per week (highest tertile) was associated with about 10% increase in log-transformed fasting plasma TFA. These results both emphasize the importance of continued efforts to reduce TFA in French fries and suggest frequency of eating French fries as a useful measure of modifiable TFA exposure.