Green Tea Consumption May Be Associated with Cardiovascular Disease Risk and Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease in Type 2 Diabetics: A Cross-Sectional Study in Southeast China

Abstract

Dietary factors play a crucial role in the management of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) by reducing cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk. Therefore, we aimed to examine the associations between habitual green tea consumption and risk factors of CVD among T2DM patients. A total of 1013 patients with T2DM were included in a community-based cross-sectional study. Data on dietary habits, including tea consumption, were collected using a food frequency questionnaire. A multivariable logistic regression model was used to analyze the associations. In men, as compared with nongreen tea drinkers, odds ratios (ORs) (95% confidence interval [CI]) of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) were 2.06 (95% CI, 1.20–3.55) for those with green tea consumption of once per day and 2.45 (95% CI, 1.31–4.58) for more than or equal to twice per day (P-trend = .004); ORs (95% CI) of general obesity were 2.19 (95% CI, 1.02–4.68) and 2.70 (95% CI, 1.18–6.21), respectively (P-trend = .021); whereas no such association was found in women. Sensitivity analysis according to self-awareness of their T2DM status revealed that the positive association between green tea consumption and general obesity was not reliable. Higher intake of green tea was still positively associated with NAFLD, but it only persisted in participants aged ≥52 years or the lower dietary quality subgroup in further analyses. Our findings suggest that tea consumption was associated with an increased risk of NAFLD among male T2DM patients aged 52 years or older, and those with lower dietary quality, which needs to be confirmed in future prospective studies.