Food & Nutrition

Arab Journal of Food & Nutrition
91. A Study of Zinc Deficiency as a Possible Risk Factor for Diabetes in Jordan
(2007)
Rana Omar Hassouneh\ University of Jordan
Supervisor: Dr. Ahmad M. Faqih
Co-Supervisor: Dr. Aly A. Mishal
Zinc depletion has a negative impact on glucose homeostasis and insulin
sensitivity in type-2 diabetes. The aim of this study is to compare serum zinc
concentration between type 2 diabetic and non-diabetic Jordanians. In addition, certain
risk factors associated with diabetes were studied.
Ninety-one persons with type 2 diabetes (43 M & 48 F) from the Diabetes Clinic
of the Islamic Hospital (IH) in Amman, and 100 non-diabetics (51 M & 49 F) were
recruited. The non-diabetic volunteers compromised 29 from the staff of the IH, 26
from the visitors of the IH, and 45 from the cities of Amman & Zarka via phone calls.
The mean age of the diabetics was 51.3 ± 9.9 years and that for the non-diabetics was
44.8 ±11.8 years. The mean duration of diabetes was 6.2 ± 6.4 years in the study
subjects.
Flame atomic absorption spectrophotometer was used for analyzing zinc in
serum of fasting subjects and in water used for drinking and cooking by the subjects.
Results are presented as means ± SD and are considered as significant with p ≤ 0.005.
It was found that diabetic subjects had significantly lower serum zinc concentrations
(70.6 ±12.3μg/dL) as compared to non-diabetics (81.8 ± 14.5 μg/dL), and
as might be expected they had significantly higher fasting blood glucose as compared
to controls. However, there were no significant gender differences in serum zinc levels
amongst both diabetic subjects and non-diabetic controls. Based on serum zinc levels
as an indicator for zinc status, the percentage of diabetic patients with low zinc
(53.2%) was about twice as much higher than in non-diabetics (23.0%). In the
diabetics, whereas a significant negative correlation (r = -0.249; p =0.017) was found
between serum zinc concentration and fasting blood glucose, there was no significant
correlation with glycosylated hemoglobin. Based on logistic regression, and
controlling for BMI, gender and age, low serum zinc concentration was found to be associated
with diabetes (odds ratio = 1.05; CI= 1.03 - 1.08; p =0.000)
A twenty-four hour recall method was used to determine dietary zinc intake and
it was found that diabetic subjects who consumed low dietary zinc had significantly
lower serum zinc concentration as compared to those who consumed adequate zinc.
In conclusion, the results of this study suggest that low serum zinc concentration
is associated with diabetes.
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Volume 267 11, No. 25, 2011