According to a new study published in Nature Medicine on April 17, 2018, researchers estimate that poor food choices are responsible for 7 out of 10 cases of type 2 diabetes worldwide.
The study, conducted by the Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy at Tufts University, found that poor diet was a significant factor in the development of over 14.1 million cases of type 2 diabetes in 184 countries in 2018, accounting for over 70% of all new diagnoses worldwide.
The study offers valuable insights into the dietary factors responsible for the burden of type 2 diabetes by region, based on an analysis of data from 1990 to 2018. Of the 11 dietary factors considered, three had an outsized contribution to the rising global incidence of type 2 diabetes: Insufficient intake of whole grains, excesses of refined rice and wheat, and the over-consumption of processed meat.
Factors such as drinking too much fruit juice and not eating enough non-starchy vegetables, nuts, or seeds had less of an impact on new cases of the disease. Type 2 diabetes is characterized by the resistance of the body’s cells to insulin, and all 184 countries included in the study saw an increase in type 2 diabetes cases between 1990 and 2018, representing a growing burden on individuals, families, and healthcare systems.
The research team based their model on information from the Global Dietary Database, along with population demographics from multiple sources, global type 2 diabetes incidence estimates, and data on how food choices impact people living with obesity and type 2 diabetes from multiple published papers. The analysis revealed that poor diet is causing a larger proportion of total type 2 diabetes incidence in men versus women, in younger versus older adults, and in urban versus rural residents at the global level.
This study establishes a clear correlation between a poor diet and 14 million cases of type 2 diabetes worldwide, making it a crucial addition to the growing body of research on the link between diet and chronic disease. The findings highlight the need for policymakers, healthcare providers, and individuals to prioritize healthy dietary choices to curb the global incidence of type 2 diabetes.
