AUTHOR=Chu Natural , Chan Tsz Yeung , Chu Yuen Kiu , Ling James , He Jie , Leung Kathy , Ma Ronald C. W. , Chan Juliana C. N. , Chow Elaine TITLE=Higher dietary magnesium and potassium intake are associated with lower body fat in people with impaired glucose tolerance JOURNAL=Frontiers in Nutrition VOLUME=10 YEAR=2023 URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/nutrition/articles/10.3389/fnut.2023.1169705 DOI=10.3389/fnut.2023.1169705 ISSN=2296-861X ABSTRACT=Introduction

Obesity and diabetes are public health concerns worldwide, but few studies have examined the habitual intake of minerals on body composition in people with prediabetes.

Methods

In this prospective cross-sectional study, 155 Chinese subjects with IGT [median age: 59 (53–62) years, 58% female] had an assessment of body composition including body fat percentage, oral glucose tolerance tests (OGTT), Homeostatic Model Assessment of Insulin Resistance (HOMA-IR) and 3-day food records from nutritional programme analysis.

Results

Dietary intake of minerals was negatively correlated with body fat. People with obesity had the lowest daily consumption of iron median (IQR) 10.3 (6.9–13.3) mg, magnesium 224 (181–282) mg, and potassium 1973 (1563–2,357) mg when compared to overweight [10.5 (8.0–14.5) mg, 273 (221–335) mg, and 2,204 (1720–2,650) mg] and normal weight individuals [13.2 (10.0–18.6) mg, 313 (243–368) mg, and 2,295 (1833–3,037) mg] (p = 0.008, <0.0001, and 0.013 respectively). Amongst targeted minerals, higher dietary magnesium and potassium intake remained significantly associated with lower body fat after the adjustment of age, gender, macronutrients, fibre, and physical activity.

Conclusion

Dietary magnesium and potassium intake may be associated with lower body fat in people with impaired glucose tolerance. Inadequate dietary mineral intake may play contribute to obesity and metabolic disorders independent of macronutrients and fibre consumption.