Correlation Study of Branched-Chain Amino Acids in the Diet of Chinese Community old adults and Diabetes

Objective: Although there was a substantial body of research on the association between branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs) and diabetes, studies focusing on BCAA levels in relation to diabetes in the elderly population are scarce. This study aims to explore the correlation between BCAA levels and diabetes among community-dwelling older adults in China.Methods: Based on the health management cohort project for the elderly in Nanshan District, Shenzhen City, a multistage stratified sampling method was employed from May 2018 to December 2019 to select 4,278 elderly individuals over the age of 65 as the subjects of the study. Validated semi-quantitative food frequency questionnaires, as well as anthropometric and physical performance measurements, were used to collect data. Binary Logistic regression analysis was applied to examine the relationship between dietary branched-chain amino acids (isoleucine, leucine, and valine) and diabetes in the elderly.Results: A total of 4,278 elderly individuals aged 65 and above were included in this study, with an average age of 72.73 ± 5.49 years, of which 1,861 (43.50%) were male. After adjusting for confounding factors, isoleucine remained a risk factor for diabetes (OR=3.575, 95%CI:1.321,10.692), while leucine was a protective factor (OR=0.540, 95%CI:0.357,0.817); these relationships persisted after adjusting for covariates such as age, education level, BMI, etc.; no significant association was observed between valine and diabetes comorbidity.Conclusion: There is a potential correlation between certain branched-chain amino acids, such as isoleucine and leucine, that could serve as risk markers for diabetes in the elderly population.