Dietary Magnesium Intake Ameliorates the Association Between Household Pesticide Exposure and Type 2 Diabetes: Data From NHANES, 2007-2018.

Aims/hypothesis: This study aimed to explore whether household pesticide exposure in the general population increased the risk of developing type 2 diabetes and whether intake of dietary magnesium could lower type 2 diabetes from household pesticide exposure.

Methods: For this cross-sectional study, we obtained the data of 9,187 United States adults from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys, 2007-2018. Participants were subdivided into two groups based on the amount of daily dietary magnesium in the population: low group: <175 mg/day and high group: ≥175 mg/day. Using multivariable logistic regression analysis, we evaluated the relationship between pesticide exposure in the home and type 2 diabetes.

Results: Compared to those unexposed at home, individuals who were exposed to pesticides in their households had a relatively higher odds ratio for type 2 diabetes (OR = 1.22, 95% CI: 1.04-1.44). The association of pesticide exposure in the home with the incidence of type 2 diabetes was different for low and high dietary magnesium groups, OR = 1.66, 95% Cl: 1.19-2.33 vs. OR = 1.1, 95% Cl: 0.92-1.32, respectively. An interaction ( = 0.035) between household pesticide exposure and magnesium intake, suggested that high dietary magnesium intake may reduce the risk of developing type 2 diabetes from pesticide exposure.

Conclusions: Household pesticide exposure in the general population is associated with an elevated risk of type 2 diabetes. We report for the first time possible clinical relevance in that high magnesium intake may ameliorate the increased risk of type 2 diabetes from pesticide exposure.