# Association between triglyceride-glucose index-a body shape index and atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease, and the modification effect of dietary patterns

**Authors:** Ping Xiao, Xiao Fu, Haiwei Rao, Xia Tao, Xin Luo

PMC · DOI: 10.3389/fnut.2026.1682636 · Frontiers in Nutrition · 2026-03-10

## TL;DR

The study finds that a new index combining glucose and lipid metabolism with obesity is strongly linked to heart disease and suggests diet patterns may influence this relationship.

## Contribution

The novel TyG-ABSI index is shown to have a significant linear association with ASCVD and better diagnostic performance compared to existing indices.

## Key findings

- TyG-ABSI is significantly and linearly associated with ASCVD, with a 152.2% higher odds ratio per unit increase.
- Inflammation and oxidative stress markers mediate the association between TyG-ABSI and ASCVD.
- Dietary patterns like aMed, HEI-2020, and DASH may modify the relationship between TyG-ABSI and ASCVD.

## Abstract

The association of the triglyceride-glucose index-a body shape index (TyG-ABSI), a novel indicator integrating glucose and lipid metabolism with obesity status, with atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD), and the underlying mechanisms, have not been elucidated.

We conducted a retrospective cross-sectional study using data from the health examination center of Nanchang University Second Affiliated Hospital. The multivariable logistic regression models, restricted cubic spline (RCS) regression models, receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis, subgroup analyses, mediation analyses, and sensitivity analyses were used to evaluate the potential relationship and explore potential mechanisms between TyG-ABSI and ASCVD.

Individual TyG and ABSI were both positively associated with ASCVD, and TyG and ABSI had a significantly synergistic effect on ASCVD. Furthermore, TyG-ABSI was significantly linear and positively associated with ASCVD. In the fully adjusted model, each unit increment in TyG-ABSI was associated with a 152.2% higher odds ratio of ASCVD (OR = 2.522, 95% CI: 1.388–4.054). This positive association was robust in most subgroups. In addition, TyG-ABSI presented better diagnostic performance for ASCVD diagnosis compared with TyG, ABSI, TyG-BMI, TyG-WC, and TyG-MHtR. In addition, inflammation-related indicators (CRP, SIRI, MLR, and NLR) and the oxidative stress-related indices (GGT, UA) had significant mediation effects on the association between TyG-ABSI and ASCVD. Some dietary patterns, such as aMed, HEI-2020, DASH, may have modifying effects on the association.

This study elucidates the significant positive dose-response linear relationship of TyG-ABSI with ASCVD, the moderately diagnostic performance of TyG-ABSI for ASCVD, and the mediation effects of CRP, SIRI, MLR, NLR, GGT, and UA. However, these inflammation and oxidative indicators should be viewed strictly as exploratory and hypothesis-generating for a mediating role, due to our cross-sectional design. Dietary patterns, such as aMed, HEI-2020, DASH, may have modifying effects on the association.

## Linked entities

- **Diseases:** atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (MONDO:1060134)

## Full-text entities

- **Genes:** GGTLC5P (gamma-glutamyltransferase light chain 5 pseudogene) [NCBI Gene 653590] {aka GGT}, CRP (C-reactive protein) [NCBI Gene 1401] {aka PTX1}
- **Diseases:** inflammation (MESH:D007249), obesity (MESH:D009765), ASCVD (MESH:D050197)
- **Chemicals:** glucose (MESH:D005947), TyG (-), triglyceride (MESH:D014280), lipid (MESH:D008055)

## Full text

_Full body text omitted from this summary view._ Fetch the complete paper as Markdown: https://tomesphere.com/paper/PMC13008743/full.md

## Figures

6 figures with captions in the complete paper: https://tomesphere.com/paper/PMC13008743/full.md

## References

73 references — full list in the complete paper: https://tomesphere.com/paper/PMC13008743/full.md

---
Source: https://tomesphere.com/paper/PMC13008743