Youth and Long-Term Dietary Calcium Intake With Risk of Impaired Glucose Metabolism and Type 2 Diabetes in Adulthood.

Abstract

To the best of our knowledge, no previous studies have examined the role of youth calcium intake in the development of impaired glucose metabolism, especially those with long-term high calcium intake. To examine whether youth and long-term (between youth and adulthood) dietary calcium intake is associated with adult impaired glucose metabolism and type 2 diabetes (T2D). The Cardiovascular Risk in Young Finns Study is a 31-year prospective cohort study (n = 1134; age, 3 to 18 years at baseline). Dietary calcium intake was assessed at baseline (1980) and adult follow-up visits (2001, 2007, and 2011). Long-term (mean between youth and adulthood) dietary calcium intake was calculated. Adult impaired fasting glucose (IFG) and T2D. We found no evidence for nonlinear associations between calcium intake and IFG or T2D among females and males (all P for nonlinearity > 0.05). Higher youth and long-term dietary calcium intake was not associated with the risk of IFG or T2D among females or males after adjustment for confounders, including youth and adult body mass index. Youth or long-term dietary calcium intake is not associated with adult risk of developing impaired glucose metabolism or T2D.