Association of lipid composition with diabetic foot ulcer size and depth: a cross-sectional study on plant versus animal oils, cholesterol, and omega fatty acids

Abstract

Background As no study has evaluated the association between fat intake and its components with diabetic foot ulcer (DFU) indices, our aim in the present cross-sectional study was to assess this association. Methods A total of 300 participants with DFUs were enrolled in this cross-sectional study, which took place at the Diabetes Clinic of Tehran University of Medical Sciences. To assess dietary intake, three 24-h dietary recalls were conducted. In addition to dietary assessments, sociodemographic information, anthropometric measurements and physical activity levels factors were evaluated. The evaluation of foot ulcer indices, including the length, width, and depth, was performed by reviewing the patients' medical records. A physician assessed all the foot ulcer indices. Results Intakes of total fat, saturated fatty acid (SFA), monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFA) and polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) increased progressively from the lowest to highest tertile of fat intake (all p < 0.001). No significant associations were observed between foot ulcer dimensions (length, width, depth) and dietary fat intake, including plant/animal oils, cholesterol, omega-3/6, trans fats, or PUFA/SFA ratios (Ptrend > 0.05). However, the (PUFAs + MUFAs)/SFAs ratio showed a significant inverse association with ulcer length in the fully adjusted model (OR: 0.71 vs. 0.42; Ptrend = 0.04). Conclusion In conclusion, we observed significant associations between an increase in the (PUFAs + MUFAs) / (SFAs) ratio and a notable reduction in foot ulcer length after adjusting for confounders. Further research with larger sample sizes could yield more comprehensive insights.