Dietary glycemic index,glycemic load and blood lipid levels in middle-aged japanese men and women

Aims: this study investigated the association between dietary glycemic index (gi)/glycemic load (gl) and serum lipids in middle-aged japanese men and women. methods: the study participants were employees of a metal products factory in japan: 2,257 men and 1,598 women aged 35 years or older. dietary gi and gl were assessed using a self-administered diet history questionnaire. serum lipid levels,adjusted for age,body mass index,alcohol consumption,smoking,physical activity,menopause status,and dietary intake of total energy,saturated fatty acids,monounsaturated fatty acids,polyunsaturated fatty acids,cholesterol and fiber,were compared among gi/gl quintiles for each gender. results: no significant associations were observed between gi and adjusted serum lipids in men or women. in contrast,gl was inversely associated with hdl-cholesterol in men and women (p for trend= 0.001 for men and <0.001 for women),and positively associated with non-hdl-cholesterol (p for trend = 0.010),ldl-cholesterol (p for trend = 0.035) and triglycerides (p for trend = 0.011) in women; however,alcohol drinking affected these associations; there was no association between gl and serum lipids in male nondrinkers and between gl and ldl-cholesterol in female nondrinkers. conclusion: gl was inversely associated with hdl-cholesterol and positively associated with non-hdl-cholesterol in japanese women. these associations in men were not observed in nondrinkers. a high-gl diet for women may have an atherogenic effect through these serum lipid abnormalities.