Issue 12, 2024

Associations between dietary macronutrient quality and asthenozoospermia risk: a hospital-based case-control study

Abstract

Background & aims: Macronutrients are the main part of the human diet and can affect multiple health outcomes. Nevertheless, associations between dietary macronutrient quality and asthenozoospermia risk have not been reported to date. Thus, this study aimed to be the first to explore the associations between macronutrient quality and asthenozoospermia risk using the novel multidimensional macronutrient quality index (MQI). Methods: A case-control study was conducted at infertility clinics of Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University during June and December 2020, including 552 asthenozoospermia cases and 585 normozoospermia controls. Data on diet were collected using a validated food frequency questionnaire. MQI was estimated according to the carbohydrate quality index (CQI), fat quality index (FQI), and protein quality index (PQI). Binary logistic regression models were performed to calculate the odds ratio (OR) with a 95% confidence interval (CI). Subgroup and interaction analyses were performed based on age, body mass index, physical activity, smoking, drinking, and education level. Dose–response relationships were evaluated by restricted cubic splines. Sensitivity analyses were performed in two ways. First, participants with a dietary change were excluded to lower potential reverse causation. Then, we used the healthy plate protein source quality index instead of PQI to redefine MQI. Results: No statistically significant association was observed between dietary MQI and asthenozoospermia risk (OR = 1.24, 95% CI: 0.88–1.73). The sub-indices of MQI, CQI, FQI, and PQI, failed to be identified as having a statistically significant association with asthenozoospermia risk (OR = 1.35, 95% CI: 0.92–1.97 for CQI; OR = 1.13, 95% CI: 0.84–1.53 for FQI; OR = 1.28, 95% CI: 0.92–1.78 for PQI). However, CQI showed a positive association with the risk of asthenozoospermia among non-drinkers (Ptrend < 0.05) and highly educated participants (OR = 1.82, 95% CI: 1.13–2.94; Ptrend < 0.05). Additionally, there was a multiplicative interaction between CQI and education level for asthenozoospermia risk (P < 0.05). Conclusions: Our findings demonstrated no association of MQI and its sub-indices with asthenozoospermia risk except for CQI. Although our findings are mostly non-significant, they contribute novel knowledge to this research field and lay the foundation for future studies.

Graphical abstract: Associations between dietary macronutrient quality and asthenozoospermia risk: a hospital-based case-control study

Supplementary files

Article information

Article type
Paper
Submitted
15 มี.ค. 2567
Accepted
08 พ.ค. 2567
First published
31 พ.ค. 2567

Food Funct., 2024,15, 6383-6394

Associations between dietary macronutrient quality and asthenozoospermia risk: a hospital-based case-control study

X. Li, Y. Zhang, X. Wang, Y. Nan, D. Wang, M. Sun, H. Chen, R. Guo, X. Leng, Q. Du, B. Pan, Q. Wu and Y. Zhao, Food Funct., 2024, 15, 6383 DOI: 10.1039/D4FO01234H

To request permission to reproduce material from this article, please go to the Copyright Clearance Center request page.

If you are an author contributing to an RSC publication, you do not need to request permission provided correct acknowledgement is given.

If you are the author of this article, you do not need to request permission to reproduce figures and diagrams provided correct acknowledgement is given. If you want to reproduce the whole article in a third-party publication (excluding your thesis/dissertation for which permission is not required) please go to the Copyright Clearance Center request page.

Read more about how to correctly acknowledge RSC content.

Social activity

Spotlight

Advertisements