比較糖尿病前期素食者及非素食者在生理指標、飲食型態及經絡能量之初步研究

Comparing the Physiological Indicators, Dietary Patternand Meridian Energy between Vegetarian and Nonvegetarian in Prediabetes: A Preliminary Study

目的：糖尿病會增加死亡率及醫療成本支出。而糖尿前期為糖尿病的高風險族群，許多研究指出素食飲食型態能降低空腹血糖、醣化血色素及膽固醇，目前我國民眾選擇素食飲食型態的主要原因為健康養生，養生觀念與中醫理論息息相關，且廣受我國患者所接受。經絡為中醫重要的基礎概念之一，經絡能量可反應身體臟腑的功能，近代許多中醫研究使用科學化的經絡能量儀報告來調整經絡能量的平衡。目前對於中醫概念是否能納入預防糖尿病的飲食建議仍不清楚，因此，本研究目的為初步探討糖尿病前期素食者及非素食者在生理指標、飲食型態及經絡能量的差異。

方法：本研究採橫斷性設計。研究對象為85位在新北市某醫院的糖尿前期患者，所有受試者分為素食者(n=20)及非素食者(n=65)。收案期間自2020年1月至8月。資料收集方式包括儀器量測、結構性問卷及病歷查閱。生理指標包含身體質量指數、血壓、空腹血糖、醣化血色素、總膽固醇及三酸甘油酯；飲食型態採用飲食型態問卷，分數越高表示其飲食型態符健康飲食原則；經絡能量的測量工具為MEAD Me-Pro型經絡能量分析儀。

結果：糖尿病前期素食者相較於非素食者在有使用另類補充療法(85% vs. 58.4%, p=0.03)及有使用營養補充品(75% vs. 46.2%, p=0.03)皆有顯著較高的比例。在醣化血色素方面，糖尿病前期素食者較非素食者高（中位數：6.25 vs. 6.10, p=0.04）。糖尿病前期素食者相較非素食者在飲食型態問卷總分有顯著較高的得分（中位數：37.00 vs. 31.00, p<0.001）。糖尿病前期素食者的左側腎經經絡（中位數：12.20 vs. 28.10, p=0.02）相較於非素食者顯著較低。

結論：本研究為初步研究，研究發現糖尿病前期素食者有較高的醣化血色素、較常食用水果的頻率及較低的腎經經絡能量，建議未來醫療從業人員於臨床可以針對糖尿病前期素食者提供些許飲食建議，像是於飲食內容中可酌量攝取生薑、花椒、胡椒、茴香、大豆等，減少食用西瓜或火龍果，可能得以增加患者的經絡能量，進而改善患者的健康狀況。

 

Purpose: Diabetes could lead to a rise in mortality and medical costs. As indicated in previous studies, healthy diet can decrease fasting plasma glucose (FPG), hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) and total cholesterol (TC). Many Taiwanese choose a vegetarian diet in response to the widely accepted regimen prescribed by traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), in which meridian is an important concept. Meridian energy is believed to be able to reflect problems of zang and fu (i.e. viscera or internal organs). TCM doctors are known to have used meridian energy reports to treat patients by modulating their levels of energy and balance of meridian network. However, whether the TCM concept can be incorporated into the development of dietary strategies for individuals with prediabetes remains unclear. The study accordingly aimed to compare the differences in physiological indicators, dietary patterns and meridian energy between vegetarians and nonvegetarians among people with prediabetes.

Methods: The cross-sectional study recruited 85 prediabetes patients in a teaching hospital in New Taipei City. Participants were categorized as vegetarians (n=20) and non-vegetarians (n=65). Data were collected from January to August 2020 using measurement instruments, questionnaires, and medical record review. Physiological indicators included body mass index, blood pressure, fasting plasma glucose, hemoglobin A1c, total cholesterol and triglycerides; a dietary pattern questionnaire was used to measure dietary patterns, with a higher score indicating a healthier diet. Meridian energy was examined by using MEAD Me-Pro.

Results: The prevalence of participants taking complementary and alternative medicine and dietary supplement in the vegetarian group was significantly higher than the one in the nonvegetarian group. Compared to non-vegetarians, vegetarians were significantly lower in HbA1c (median: 6.25 vs. 6.10, p=0.04). As for dietary pattern, vegetarians had significantly higher total scores on the dietary pattern than non-vegetarians (median: 37.00 vs. 31.00, p<0.001). Compared to their non-vegetarian counterparts, vegetarians reported significantly lower scores for the left kidney meridian (median: 12.20 vs. 28.10, p=0.02).

Conclusion: The preliminary study finds vegetarian patients with prediabetes marked with a higher HbA1c, more fruit intake, and lower right kidney meridian energy. Physicians are advised to offer vegetarian patients with prediabetes appropriate dietary suggestions, such as increasing consumption of ginger, pepper, fennel, and soybeans while reducing intake of watermelon or pitaya so as to improve their health through enhancement of meridian energy.