Issue 153 Item 13 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

================================

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.