Nuts may lower diabetes risk in women

Women who enjoy an occasional handful of almonds, peanuts or walnuts may have a lower risk for developing type 2 diabetes than women who rarely eat such food, according to recent findings. Nuts are high in unsaturated fat and other nutrients, which may improve the body's ability to use insulin and regulate blood glucose (sugar), two factors in warding off type 2, or adult-onset, diabetes that afflicts 135 million people worldwide. A survey was carried out of nearly 84,000 women nurses in 11 US states participating in Harvard University's Nurses' Health Study. The women were aged 34 to 59 years, had no history of diabetes, cardiovascular disease, or cancer, and they completed a validated dietary questionnaire at baseline in 1980, and were followed up for 16 years. The researchers found that consuming a one-ounce (28.3 gram) serving of nuts five or more times a week resulted in a 27 per cent lower risk of developing diabetes compared to those in the study who rarely or never ate nuts. Women who ate between 1 ounce and 4 ounces of nuts a week had a 16% lower risk, even when they had other diabetes risk factors. And those who reported eating less than 1 ounce of nuts a week had an 8% lower risk for the disease. They documented 3206 new cases of type 2 diabetes. Nut consumption was inversely associated with risk of type 2 diabetes after adjustment for age, body mass index (BMI), family history of diabetes, physical activity, smoking, alcohol use, and total energy intake. Adjustment for intakes of dietary fats, cereal fibre, and other dietary factors did not appreciably change the results. These findings suggest potential benefits of higher nut consumption in lowering risk of type 2 diabetes in women. To avoid increasing caloric intake, regular nut consumption can be recommended as a replacement for consumption of refined grain products or red or meat.