A study found that eating more ultra-processed foods increases the risk of developing type 2 diabetes, and replacing them with less processed foods can lower the risk of developing type 2 diabetes. Unlike type 1 diabetes, which is caused by a congenital inability to produce insulin, type 2 diabetes is caused by acquired factors such as diet.
In Korea, ultra-processed foods account for about 25% of total calorie intake. Compared to some countries such as the United States (60%), this is low, but it is on the rise.
Ultra-processed foods include ramen, ham, potato chips, chicken nuggets, ice cream, and soda. They are likely to contain dozens of synthetic additives, such as preservatives, emulsifiers, and artificial colors.
For a study recently published in the international journal The Lancet Regional Health – Europe, researchers followed 311,892 people from eight European countries for an average of 10.9 years to analyze the link between consumption of ultra-processed foods and the development of type 2 diabetes.
According to this, about 14,236 people developed type 2 diabetes during the study period. The researchers found that for every 10% increase in the proportion of ultra-processed foods in the diet, the risk of developing type 2 diabetes increased by 17%. They also confirmed that reducing the intake of ultra-processed foods lowered the risk of diabetes.
It was found that replacing 10% of ultra-processed foods with unprocessed or minimally processed foods or processed culinary ingredients such as salt, butter, and oil reduced the risk of type 2 diabetes by 6%, and replacing ultra-processed foods with processed foods reduced the risk of type 2 diabetes by 8%.
According to the NOVA food classification system developed by a Brazilian research team, foods are classified into four levels based on the degree of processing. ▽Level 1 minimally processed or natural foods (such as fruits), ▽Level 2 processed food ingredients (such as sugar), ▽Level 3 processed foods (such as cheese), ▽Level 4 ultra-processed foods (such as sausages).
The most risky ultra-processed food groups identified by researchers are ‘salty snacks’, ‘animal products such as processed meats’, ‘prepared meals’ that only need to be heated and eaten, and ‘sugar-sweetened beverages’ and ‘drinks containing artificial sweeteners’.
Researchers stressed that these foods should be given special attention and treated differently from breads and cereals.
“This study shows that not all foods classified as ultra-processed are created equal when it comes to health risks,” lead author Professor Rachel Batterham, from University College London’s School of Medicine, told The Independent. “For example, breads and cereals are a staple in many people’s diets and our findings suggest they should be treated differently to salty snacks or sugary drinks.”
Ultra-processed foods are easily identifiable because they combine multiple ingredients you wouldn’t use in a home meal, they’re ubiquitous, accessible, cheap, convenient and aggressively marketed, lead author Dr Samuel Dicken, a clinical scientist at UCL’s School of Medicine, told CNN.
“Examples include sugary drinks, convenience foods, salty snacks (like potato chips), cereals, and plant-based alternatives,” he explains. “These foods are often branded with long ingredient lists and a variety of colors on their packaging, and may also include nutritional and health claims, such as low-fat or high-fiber.”
The researchers aren’t sure why ultra-processed foods are more likely to be linked to type 2 diabetes, but they do offer a few hypotheses. For example, “ultra-processed foods tend to be higher in calories per gram, which can lead to more calories being consumed before feeling full,” Dr. Dicken said. “We also know that increased body fat (due to excess calories) increases the risk of type 2 diabetes. When taking body weight into account, increased waist-to-height ratio (abdominal fat) could explain about half of the association.”
Dr. Dicken also told Medical News Today, a medical news outlet, that “the most important takeaway from this study is that, in general, eating a less processed diet is good for reducing the risk of type 2 diabetes.” “Eating less processed foods and avoiding sugary drinks and salty snacks in particular are good ways to reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes.”
He recommended drinking water instead of soda and swapping potato chips for fruit or unsalted trail mix.
The study has limitations. It is an observational study, so it cannot prove a causal relationship between ultra-processed foods and the risk of type 2 diabetes. The researchers acknowledged that further research is needed.
Dr Hilda Mulrooney, a nutrition and health researcher at London Metropolitan University who was not involved in the study, emphasized that not all processing is created equal.
“The truth is that all foods are processed to some degree. Even picking an apple off a tree is a form of processing. Processing is often beneficial, such as ensuring food safety, extending shelf life, and reducing the risk of food poisoning. The issue is the degree of processing,” Dr. Mulrooney told CNN.
“A good starting point is to look at food labels. If the final product doesn’t resemble the original ingredients and has a long list of ingredients, it’s likely a very processed food,” he continued, explaining that ideally, you should eat as many foods that resemble the original ingredients as possible.
Dr Mulrooney said it’s important to remember that diet isn’t the only factor that affects diabetes risk, with activity levels, sitting time, sleep duration, fluid intake, smoking and drinking habits also playing a role.
Meanwhile, another study published in March of this year found that high intake of ultra-processed foods was linked to 32 negative health outcomes, including cancer, heart disease, metabolic syndrome, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, and type 2 diabetes.
2024-09-23 01:50:34