"Spam" in a Can Tied to Diabetes Risk

Native Americans who often ate processed meat in a can (generically known as "spam," a common food on reservations, and subsidized by the U.S. government) had a two-fold increased risk of developing diabetes over those who ate little or none, according to a U.S. study. Native Americans are at especially high risk of developing diabetes with nearly 50% having the condition by age 55. Among the 500 people in the original study group who ate the most canned processed meat, 85 developed diabetes. In contrast, among the 500 people who ate the least amount of "spam," just 44 developed the disease. After five years, a follow-up survey found that 243 people had developed diabetes. Journal of Clinical Nutrition Jan 2012