A new study has revealed that an increase in the consumption of processed carbohydrates and red meat is fueling the growth of new cases of type 2 diabetes worldwide. The study, which models data from 1990 to 2018, estimates that poor food choices were the primary drivers of over 14 million new cases of type 2 diabetes in 2018 alone. The research model was applied to 184 countries, and it was found that compared to 1990, there were 8.6 million more cases of type 2 diabetes in 2018 due to poor diet.
The study identified three key factors contributing to the increase in type 2 diabetes cases: eating too few whole grains, eating too many processed grains, and consuming too much red and processed meat. In fact, the research found that poor carbohydrate quality was one of the leading drivers of diet-attributable type 2 diabetes globally. Additionally, over 60% of the total global diet-attributable cases of the disease were due to excess intake of just six harmful dietary habits: eating too much refined rice, wheat, and potatoes; too many processed and unprocessed red meats; and drinking too many sugar-sweetened beverages and fruit juice.
On the other hand, inadequate intake of five protective dietary factors, including fruits, non-starchy vegetables, nuts, seeds, whole grains, and yogurt, was responsible for just over 39% of the new cases. The study found that people in Eastern and Central Europe, Central Asia, and Latin America and the Caribbean had the highest percentage of new type 2 diabetes cases linked to diet.
While the study's modeling approach does not prove causation, the findings highlight critical areas for national and global focus to improve nutrition and reduce the devastating burden of diabetes. The authors of the study have called for increased awareness of the risks associated with poor food choices and for a greater emphasis on the importance of a healthy and balanced diet to prevent type 2 diabetes.