Bran Cuts Death Risk in Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus Patients

Scientists at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention projected in a study recently published in Population Health Metrics that by 2050, nearly one third of Americans will live with type 2 diabetes mellitus if measures are not taken to curb the epidemic. In comparison, 7.8 percent of the U.S. population in 2007 lived with the disease, according to the CDC.

James P Boyle and colleagues, authors of the study, said the projected increase is due largely to the aging population, increasing numbers of members of higher risk minority groups in the population and longer life-span for people with type 2 diabetes mellitus.

Type 2 diabetes mellitus is considered a Western disease which in many cases can be prevented by following a modified lifestyle. Studies have suggested that even those who have acquired the disease may well control or even reverse their condition by following a healthy diet.

For example, eating whole grain cereal particularly bran supplemented foods may help reduce risk of premature death in women with type 2 diabetes mellitus, a new study recently published in the journal Circulation suggests.

The study led by Meian He Ph.D. and colleagues from Harvard School of Public Health in Boston Massachusetts found eating high amounts of bran was not only associated with significantly reduced risk of death from all causes, but also from cardiovascular disease (heart disease and stroke) or CVD in women with type 2 diabetes mellitus. 

Bran is a hard outer layer of cereal grains such as rice, corn, oats, barley, millet and wheat and consists of combined aleurone and pericarp. It is full of dietary fiver and omegas and contains high amounts of starch, protein, vitamins and dietary minerals.

Type 2 Diabetes mellitus is a health condition that can lead to serious complications including  bladder control problems for women, heart disease and stroke, nerve damage, eye disease, erectile dysfunction, foot problems, and kidney failure.

Whole-grain consumption has early been associated with lower risk of heart disease and stroke and mortality in the general population, according to the background in the study report.

The study was meant to determine the association of whole grain, cereal fiber, bran and germ with all-cause and CVD-specific mortalities in women with type 2 diabetes mellitus.

For the study, 7,822 U.S. women with type 2 diabetes mellitus enrolled in the NUrse' Health Study were followed for up to 26 years during which 852 all-cause deaths and 295 CVD deaths were identified. Subjects' dietary intakes and potential confounders were assessed regularly with questionnaires.

The subjects were divided into five groups based on their intakes of whole grain, cereal fiber, bran and germ.  After adjusted for age, the highest intakes of whole grain, cereal fiber, bran and germ were associated with a 16 to 31 percent reduction in the risk of death from all causes compared to the lowest intakes.

After further adjustment for possible lifestyle and dietary risk factors, only bran intake was correlated with reduced risk.

Specifically, women in the group with the highest intake of bran were 28 percent less likely to die from all causes compared to those in the group with the lowest intake. This is an inverse association with higher intake leading to lower risk of all-cause death.

Bran intake was also inversely associated with CVD-related death with the highest intake linked with 45 percent reduction in the risk of heart disease and stroke or CVD compared to the lowest intake.

The researchers concluded "Whole-grain and bran intakes were associated with reduced all-cause and CVD-specific mortality in women with diabetes mellitus. These findings suggest a potential benefit of whole-grain intake in reducing mortality and cardiovascular risk in diabetic patients."

Previous studies have suggested Mediterranean diet, green leafy vegetables, breastfeeding, brown rice, plant-based diet, soy foods, black tea, vitamin D, L-carnitine, turmeric, selenium, bitter melon, fish oil, psyllium fiber and drinking coffee may help prevent type 2 diabetes mellitus.

David Liu