Usual dietary glycemic load is associated with cardiometabolic risk factors in physically active Brazilian middle-aged men.

Introduction: The effects of dietary glycemic load (GL) on cardiometabolic risk factors in physically active subjects are not completely known.

Objective: This cross-sectional study assessed the association of habitual dietary GL with cardiometabolic risk factors in physically active Brazilian middle-aged men.

Methods: One-hundred seventy-six subjects (Age: 50.6 ± 5.0 years, BMI: 25.5 ± 3.6 kg/m2) were evaluated. Anthropometry, lifestyle features, insulin resistance, oxidative stress biomarkers (8-iso-prostaglandin F2α; 8-iso-PGF2α and 8- hydroxydeoxyguanosine; 8-OHdG) and lipid profile were assessed. Dietary intake was estimated through a quantitative food frequency questionnaire.

Results: The dietary GL was positively associated with free fatty acid concentrations (β= 0.311, r2 = 0.13, P-value = 0.034) and triglycerides/HDL cholesterol ratio (β = 0.598, r2 = 0.19, P-value = 0.028) regardless of confounding factors (central obesity, red meat consumption, age and energy intake). The oxidative stress biomarker, 8-OHdG, was associated with habitual dietary GL (β = 0.432, r2 = 0.11, P-value = 0.004), regardless of previous confounding factors plus excessive alcohol consumption, iron intake and current smoking status.

Conclusions: The dietary GL was positively associated with lipid profile (free fatty acid concentrations and triglyce rides/HDL cholesterol ratio) and oxidative stress biomarker (8-OHdG). These results indicate potential harmfulness of diet with higher GL to cardiometabolic risk factors in middle-aged men, even in physically active individuals.