Over the past 40 years, the rates of diabetes and obesity have skyrocketed worldwide. Researchers have mapped the changes in our diet over the last 40 years and discovered which three eating habits are most often linked to type 2 diabetes.
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Causes of type 2 diabetes
Researchers from the Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy at Tufts University have studied our dietary habits over the past forty years in no fewer than 184 countries. For example, it turned out that in 2018, seven out of ten diagnoses of type 2 diabetes were related to the patient’s diet. In fact, they discovered which foods had the greatest influence on the development of the disease.
Of the 11 nutritional factors that were monitored, these three culprits stood out:
Other factors that may also play a role in the development of the disease, but had significantly less influence, are:
- too much fruit juice
- too many potatoes
- too little yogurt
- inadequate intake of fruits, vegetables, nuts or seeds
Also read: Six golden tips to prevent diabetes
“Our study suggests that poor carbohydrate quality is one of the most important factors in diet-related type 2 diabetes worldwide, with significant variation across countries and over time,” said lead author Professor Dariush Mozaffarian. “These new findings show that we must focus nationally and globally to improve nutrition.”
Also read: What is prediabetes and what can you do about it?
The analysis found that globally, diet-induced type 2 diabetes affects more men than women, more young adults than older people and more urban residents than rural residents.
Europe (Central and Eastern Europe) and Central Asia, especially Poland and Russia, where diets are generally rich in red meat, processed meat and potatoes, recorded the highest number of diet-related cases of type 2 diabetes. The incidence was also high in Latin America and the Caribbean, particularly in Colombia and Mexico, due to high consumption of sugary drinks, processed meats and low consumption of whole grains.
Also read: Diabetes and depression: a worrying duo
Last updated: December 2023
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2023-12-17 23:01:32
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