Whole Diet Rather Than Individual Foods May Be Better Predictor Of Diabetes

Often, studies investigate the effect of a particular food or food group, for example whole grains or processed meat, with its impact on developing diabetes. A study appearing in the September issue of Diabetes Care instead investigated the effect of multiple food groups.¹

It found:

"Multiple food groups collectively influence type 2 diabetes risk beyond that of the individual food groups themselves."

The food group that was associated with a decreased risk for diabetes (15% lower risk) included (not surprisingly) whole grains, vegetables (especially leafy greens), fruit, nuts and seeds, low-fat dairy foods, and coffee.

The food group that was associated with an increased risk for diabetes (18% greater risk) included red meat, processed meat, high-fat dairy foods, ined grains, and soda.

Interestingly, tomatoes and beans were part of the group that increased diabetes risk. The authors speculated that consumption of these foods may lect a less-than-nutritious diet, since theyre often found in highly-processed, high-fat convenience foods such as pizza and tacos.

In this study, no individual food group was associated with diabetes risk.

Participants were 5,011 White, Black, Hispanic, and Chinese-American men and women who took part in the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis (MESA).
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¹ Dietary Patterns and Risk of Incident Type 2 Diabetes in the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis (MESA)