Effects of the DASH4D Diet on Biomarkers of Glycemia in Adults With Type 2 Diabetes: A Secondary Analysis of the DASH4D Randomized Clinical Trial.

OBJECTIVE: To examine the effect of the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension for Diabetes (DASH4D) diet (a DASH-style diet tailored for diabetes) on biomarkers of glycemia. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: In this controlled feeding trial, adults with type 2 diabetes were fed four diets in a random order: DASH4D diet and comparison diet (representative of a typical American diet), each with higher and lower sodium. Each feeding period lasted 5 weeks. Using a modified intention-to-treat approach, we estimated the effect of the DASH4D (versus comparison) diet on fructosamine, fasting glucose, and HbA1c with linear mixed-effects models. RESULTS: Among 101 participants (mean age 67 years, 65% female, 87% Black adults), compared with the comparison diet, the DASH4D diet significantly reduced end-of-period fructosamine (adjusted difference: -5.6 μmol/L, P = 0.002), fasting glucose (adjusted difference: -4.5 mg/dL; P = 0.02), and HbA1c (adjusted difference: -0.09 percentage points; P = 0.04). CONCLUSIONS: Our results support recommending the DASH4D diet for glycemic management in type 2 diabetes.