| Title: | An atlas of associations between dietary nutrients and the risk of 36 major chronic diseases |
| Journal: | The journal of nutrition health & aging |
| Published: | 22 Jan 2026 |
| Pubmed: | https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41576680/ |
| DOI: | https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jnha.2026.100785 |
Publication 18480
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Abstract
BACKGROUND: Diet and nutrition affect chronic diseases, but large-scale evidence on nutrient patterns and disease risk is limited. This study aims to explore nutrient-based dietary patterns and their links to major chronic diseases and multimorbidity risk.</p>
METHODS: Dietary intake was assessed via dietary questionnaires in 208,312 UK Biobank participants. Principal component analysis (PCA) was used to derive principal components (PCs) of 63 nutrients. Cox regression was used to analyze hazard ratios (HRs) for 36 chronic conditions, and negative binomial regression was applied to examine associations of multimorbidity with nutrients.</p>
RESULTS: A total of 15 distinct nutrient patterns were identified, covering a broad range of nutritional characteristics, including macronutrients, vitamins, minerals, and pure energy food items. A total of 540 associations (15 PCs × 36 disease outcomes) were tested, with 66 associations met the FDR-adjusted (false discovery rate) significance threshold (P < 0.01). Nutrient patterns, especially those characterized by macronutrients, are closely associated with the risk of chronic conditions, including cardiometabolic disorders, neurodegenerative and mental health disorders, chronic liver diseases, as well as respiratory, genitourinary and musculoskeletal system diseases. The conditions most closely associated with dietary nutrients include cardiometabolic diseases (hypertension, diabetes, myocardial infarction), chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), chronic kidney disease (CKD), mental/behavioural disorders, hepatitis/cirrhosis, prostate problems, osteoporosis, and anemia. No nutrient patterns showed significant effects on cancer, autoimmune diseases, or nervous system disorders. Additionally, specific and distinct roles of proteins, fats, free sugars, alcohol, and salt in multimorbidity were identified in the population.</p>
CONCLUSION: Diverse patterns of nutrient intake have been observed in the population. Nutrient patterns are closely linked to chronic diseases, with distinct disease spectra corresponding to different nutrient patterns. Some patterns correlate significantly with the number of multimorbidities. Our findings highlight balanced nutrient intake's role in managing chronic disease risk and inform evidence-based dietary interventions.</p>
10 Authors
- Zongjie Luo
- Hangyu Chen
- Shuqian Huang
- Qihua Lai
- Xiaoying Hu
- Yuan Wang
- Yuanqin Wang
- Jing Wang
- Yanni Li
- Fengqiong Liu
1 Application
| Application ID | Title |
|---|---|
| 477103 | Identification of predictive risk Biomarkers for Chronic Non-communicable disease |
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