Dietary patterns and type 2 diabetes

The role of diet in the development of type 2 diabetes mellitus remained unsettled for sometime. In a study carried out at the Harvard University School of Public Health to examine the association between dietary patterns and risk for developing this disease, it was observed that men whose diets are rich in red meat, high-fat dairy products and baked goods made from refined flour are 60 per cent more likely to develop diabetes after the age of 40. Type 2, non-insulin dependent or adult-onset diabetes mellitus NIDDM is the most common form of diabetes mellitus, and is strongly associated with obesity. In this, the body produces normal or even high levels of insulin, but certain factors make its utilization ineffective. Obesity is one factor that disables the efficient use of insulin. This study done over 12 years from 1986 to 1998 examined 42,504 male health professionals aged 40 to 75, who answered questionnaires on diet, exercise and weight. During this time just over 1,300 participants developed type-2, or adult onset diabetes. Researchers found that men who are on a ''prudent'' diet of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, fish and poultry had 20 per cent less risk of developing type 2 diabetes. In contrast, the western dietary pattern was associated with an increased risk for type 2 diabetes. They also suggested that low-fat diets may offer little protection against type-2 diabetes, as total fat intake had less to do with disease risk than a lack of cereal fibres and magnesium that are contained in whole grains, but not the refined grains used to make white bread. These findings suggest that dietary pattern is associated with a particularly high risk for type 2 diabetes in men.

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