• Kana Higuchi, Isao Saito, Koutatsu Maruyama, Eri Eguchi, Hiromi Mori, Sakurako Tanno, Susumu Sakurai, Taro Kishida, Wataru Nishida, Haruhiko Osawa, and Takeshi Tanigawa.
• Department of Basic Nursing and Health Science, Ehime University Graduate School of Medicine, Toon, Japan; Department of Diabetes and Molecular Genetics, Ehime University Graduate School of Medicine, Toon, Japan.
• Nutrition. 2015 Jul 1; 31 (7-8): 975-80.

ObjectiveAlthough green and yellow vegetables have beneficial effects against type 2 diabetes, the relationship of their nutritive content with insulin resistance is poorly understood. The aim of this study was to examine the associations of serum β-carotene and retinol concentrations with glucose and insulin concentrations.MethodsWe recruited 951 Japanese men and women ages 30 to 79 y who were not undergoing treatment for diabetes and measured their serum β-carotene and retinol concentrations. A 75-g oral glucose tolerance test was performed and the homeostasis model assessment for insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) and the Matsuda Index were calculated as measures of insulin resistance. Several confounding factors were adjusted for with multivariable logistic models.ResultsMultivariable-adjusted odds ratios of the highest quartile of serum β-carotene compared with the lowest quartile for HOMA-IR >1.6 and Matsuda Index <4.9 were 0.56 (95% confidence interval, 0.34-0.94) and 0.62 (0.37-1.02), respectively. When stratified by sex and overweight status, these associations were observed for women and non-overweight individuals. Serum retinol concentration was not associated with either index. Furthermore, according to the nutritional survey, serum β-carotene concentration was associated with green and yellow vegetable intake (P = 0.01).ConclusionOur findings suggest that higher serum β-carotene levels, associated with higher intake of green and yellow vegetables, confer beneficial effects against insulin resistance.Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

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