Sugar Intake Does Not Influence Diabetes Risk
In women, the risk of developing type 2 diabetes
seems to be unaffected by their consumption of
sugar, according to a report in the April issue
of Diabetes Care.
Dr. Simin Liu and colleagues from Harvard Medical
School, Boston, examined data from 39,345 women
at least 45 years old who completed validated
a semiquantitative
food frequency questionnaire. The main outcome
measure was the development of type 2 diabetes,
and the predictor
was sugar intake (including sucrose, glucose, fructose,
and lactose).
Over 222,521 person-years of follow-up, 918 incident
cases of type 2 diabetes were reported. After
adjustment for other risk factors, the highest
quintiles of
sugar intake had relative risks for developing
type 2 diabetes of 0.84 for sucrose, 0.96 for
fructose, 1.04 for glucose, and 0.99 for
lactose compared
with
the lowest quintiles.
Dr. Liu and colleagues therefore conclude that
intake of sugars does not have a deleterious
effect on the
prevention of type 2 diabetes.
However, "The results from this study should
not be interpreted as an endorsement for unlimited
sugar intake," they say. "Rather, it should
be emphasized that only moderate sugar intake should
be incorporated within the boundaries of acceptable
energy intake in a well-balanced diet."
Diabetes Care 4/03 2003; 1008-1015
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FACT: Results of a large U.S. nationwide study released
in August 2001 (DPS) showed that people with impaired
glucose tolerance can reduce their risk of type
2 diabetes by 58% with an intensive lifestyle modification
program that results in modest, sustained weight
loss and about 30 minutes per day of moderate exercise.
See the results of the 10,000 Step Study
