Association between dietary glycemic index and glycemic load and glioma: a case-control study

ABSTRACT

Objective

Although glycemic index (GI) and load (GL) have been linked with several health outcomes, no information is available linking dietary GI and GL with glioma. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between dietary GI and GL and odds of glioma.

Methods

This hospital-based case-control study was conducted between November 2009 and September 2011 in the hospital affiliated to Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences. We recruited 128 newly diagnosed cases of glioma and 256 age- and sex-matched controls. All cases were pathologically diagnosed with glioma patients, with no history of any type of other pathologically confirmed cancers and chemotherapy or radiotherapy (due to cancers). Dietary GI and GL were measured by using a validated, self-administered, dish-based, semi-quantitative food-frequency questionnaire.

Result

A significant positive association was found between dietary GI and glioma (OR: 3.01; 95% CI: 1.75–5.17, P < 0.001); such that after considering for potential confounders, participants in the highest tertile of dietary GI had 3.51 times greater risk of glioma than those in the lowest tertile (OR: 3.51; 95% CI: 1.69–7.28, P_trend = 0.001). Furthermore, we observed a significant positive association between dietary and glioma (OR: 3.74; 95% CI: 1.97–6.11, P_trend < 0.001). This association remained significant even after further controlling for potential confounders (OR: 2.42; 95% CI: 1.02–5.69, P_trend= 0.04).

Discussion

We observed a significant positive association between dietary GI and GL and risk of glioma in adults. However, prospective cohort studies are required to confirm this association.

KEYWORDS:

• Glycemic index
• glycemic load
• glioma
• FFQ
• case-control study
• brain tumor
• Iran
• Nutrition epidemiology

Acknowledgements

F.S and M.Sh contributed to conception, design, search, statistical analyses, data interpretation, and manuscript drafting. M.M and A. A contributed to design and data interpretation. G. Sh and A. E contributed to conception, design, statistical analyses. A. E supervised the study. All authors approved the final manuscript for submission

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Data availability statement

The datasets generated or analyzed during the current study are not publicly available but are available from the corresponding author on reasonable request.

Additional information

Funding

The project was financially supported by the School of Nutritional Sciences and Dietetics, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.

Notes on contributors

Fatemeh Sheikhhossein

Fatemeh Sheikhhossein is an M.Sc. candidate at the Department of Clinical Nutrition, School of Nutritional Sciences and Dietetics, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.

Mehdi Shayanfar

Mehdi Shayanfar is a research associate at the Department of Clinical Nutrition and Dietetics, National Nutrition and Food Technology Research Institute, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.

Minoo Mohammad-Shirazi

Minoo Mohammad-Shirazi is a research associate at the Department of Clinical Nutrition and Dietetics, National Nutrition and Food Technology Research Institute, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.

Giuve Sharifi

Giuve Sharifi is a research associate at the Department of Neurosurgery, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.

Azadeh Aminianfar

Azadeh Aminianfar is a Professor assistant at research Centre for Biochemistry and Nutrition in Metabolic Diseases, Kashan University of Medical Sciences, Kashan, Iran.

Ahmad Esmaillzadeh

Ahmad Esmaillzadeh is a Professor (full) at the Department of Community Nutrition, School of Nutritional Sciences and Dietetics, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran. His research interest is to develop and validate dietary strategies that effectively protect against obesity-related chronic conditions; including metabolic syndrome, cardiovascular disease, gastrointestinal disease, psychological disorders, and different types of cancer.