Item #15

Western Diet Increases Diabetes Risk

We are what we eat

A western diet substantially increases the risk of developing type 2 diabetes in men, according to new research.

In a prospective cohort study of 42,504 male health professionals (40-75 years) without diagnosed diabetes, cardiovascular disease or cancer at baseline, the researchers collected information about dietary intake from food-frequency questionnaires. The risks associated with a ´prudent´ versus a ´western´ diet (high consumption of red and processed meat, French fries, high-fat diary products, refined grains and sweets and desserts) were adjusted for cofounders including BMI, physical activity and smoking. During the 12-year follow-up, 1,321 cases of diabetes were recorded.

A ´prudent; diet was associated with a lower risk of type 2 diabetes (RR 0.84) compared to a ´western´ diet (RR 1.59). Higher scores were found in individuals who also did little exercise or were obese.

Reference:Van Dam RM et al. Dietary patterns and risk for type 2 diabetes mellitus in US men. Ann Intern Med 2002; 136: 201-9. 

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Fact:

For every one-percentage point drop in the Hemoglobin A1c diabetes complication rates drop by more than 25%.    Source: Diabetes 2001: Vital Stats.

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