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Association between dietary onion intake and subclinical hypothyroidism in adults: a population-based study from an iodine-replete area

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Abstract

Purpose

The protective effect of onion against thyroid hypofunction has been reported in animal studies. However, in humans, the association between onion consumption and subclinical hypothyroidism (SCH) are unclear. The study sought to explore the association between habitual onion intake and SCH among adult population from an iodine-replete area.

Methods

A cross-sectional study (6515 men and 5290 women) was performed in Tianjin, China. Frequency of onion consumption was assessed using a valid self-administered food frequency questionnaire. Serum free triiodothyronine (FT3), free thyroxine (FT4), and thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) were determined by chemiluminescence immunoassay. SCH was diagnosed with TSH > 4.78 mIU/L. Multiple logistic regression was used to evaluate the association of onion intake with SCH.

Results

The prevalence of SCH was 2.56% in men and 7.18% in women, respectively. In women, the fully adjusted odds ratios [95% confidence interval (CI)] of having SCH across increasing frequency of onion intake were 1.00 (reference) for <1 time/week, 0.99 (0.73, 1.34) for 1–3 times/week, 0.74 (0.53, 1.03) for 4–6 times/week, and 0.67 (0.47, 0.97) for ≥7 times/week (P for trend <0.01). However, we observed no significant association between onion intake and SCH in men. Stratified analyses suggested a potential effect modification by age: the odds ratios (95% CI) across extreme quartiles was 0.37 (0.17, 0.80) in <40 women and 1.11 (0.51, 2.47) in >60 women.

Conclusions

Frequent consumption of onion is inversely associated with SCH in adult women from an iodine-replete area. Further studies are needed to explore the casual relationship.

Trial registration website

https://upload.umin.ac.jp/cgi-open-bin/ctr_e/ctr_view.cgi?recptno=R000031137

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Abbreviations

SCH:

subclinical hypothyroidism

FT3:

Serum free triiodothyronine

FT4:

free thyroxine

TSH:

thyroid-stimulating hormone

CI:

confidence interval

Se:

selenium

SAC:

Sallylcysteine

TCLSIH:

Tianjin Chronic Low-grade Systemic Inflammation and Health

CVD:

cardiovascular disease

FFQ:

Food Frequency Questionnaire

WDRs:

weighed dietary records

WC:

waist circumference

BMI:

body mass index

FBG:

fasting blood glucose

TG:

triglycerides

TC:

total cholesterol

LDL:

low-density lipoprotein cholesterol

HDL:

high-density lipoprotein cholesterol

BP:

blood pressure

SBP:

systolic blood pressure

DBP:

diastolic blood pressure

PA:

physical activity

IPAQ:

International Physical Activity Questionnaire

OR:

odds ratio

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Acknowledgements

The authors gratefully acknowledge all the people that have made this study.

Funding

This study was funded by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Nos. 91746205, 81872611, 81941024 and 81673166), China.

Author information

Author notes

  1. These authors contributed equallly: Juanjuan Zhang, Yeqing Gu

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Nutritional Epidemiology Institute and School of Public Health, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin, China

    Juanjuan Zhang, Ge Meng, Hongmei Wu, Shunming Zhang, Yawen Wang, Tingjing Zhang, Xuena Wang, Xu Zhang & Kaijun Niu

  2. Institute of Radiation Medicine, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Tianjin, China

    Yeqing Gu & Kaijun Niu

  3. Department of Toxicology and Sanitary Chemistry, School of Public Health, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin, China

    Ge Meng

  4. Health Management Centre, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin, China

    Qing Zhang, Li Liu, Xing Wang, Shaomei Sun, Ming Zhou, Qiyu Jia, Kun Song & Kaijun Niu

  5. Tianjin Key Laboratory of Environment, Nutrition and Public Health, Tianjin, China

    Kaijun Niu

  6. Center for International Collaborative Research on Environment, Nutrition and Public Health, Tianjin, China

    Kaijun Niu

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  1. Juanjuan Zhang
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Contributions

J.Z. and Y.G. analyzed data and wrote the paper. M.G., Q.Z., L.L., H.W., S.Z., Y.W., T.Z., X.W., X.Z., X.W., S.S., M.Z., Q.J. and K.S. conducted research. K.N. designed research and had primary responsibility for final content. All authors read and approved the final manuscript.

Corresponding authors

Correspondence to Ge Meng or Kaijun Niu.

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Zhang, J., Gu, Y., Meng, G. et al. Association between dietary onion intake and subclinical hypothyroidism in adults: a population-based study from an iodine-replete area. Endocrine 74, 616–624 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12020-021-02790-2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12020-021-02790-2

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