Consuming ultra-processed food carries the risk of cardiovascular diseases, cancer, depressive symptoms ... A recent study confirms the risk of diabetes as well.
According to a study by JAMA Internal Medicine, excessive consumption of ultra-processed foods is associated with an increased risk of type 2 diabetes. More than 100.000 French adults were tested in this study. They carried out a series of 24-hour dietary recall questionnaires for two years. During a 6-year follow-up, approximately 820 participants were diagnosed with type 2 diabetes.
To more accurately measure results, the study took into account physical activity, body mass index and other confounding factors. In this way, the comparison could be made for those who ate more ultra-processed foods, showing that they had a higher risk of diabetes.
The authors have also noted that in previous studies, ultra-processed foods have been associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular disease, mortality and cancer.
What was the objective of this study?
The consumption of ultra-processed foods (UPF) has always been associated with the risk of suffering from chronic diseases such as cancer, cardiovascular diseases, hypertension, depression, dyslipidemia ... However, data was lacking on the risk of type 2 diabetes (T2D).
Why is the consumption of UPF so harmful to health?
The consumption of ultra-processed foods is increasingly present in Western diets. These products are composed mostly of fat, sodium, sugar, energy, less fiber ... What makes them products of a very low nutritional quality, with a very high glycemic index. These factors are directly associated with type 2 diabetes.
What have been the results and conclusions of the study?
This study underwent a total of 21800 men (20,8%) y 82907 women (79,2%), having a mean baseline age 42,7 (14,5) years. The absolute rates of T2D in UPF consumers were 133 the lowest and 166 the highest, per 100.000 people / year, respectively.
Almost a thousand people ended up suffering from type 2 diabetes, which is why the consumption of UPF has also been associated with a greater risk of suffering from T2D.
Different studies in other populations currently need to be carried out to guarantee the results of this single study. However, these data have served so that lhe public health authorities continue to fight to limit the consumption of ultra-processed.
What data currently exist in Canary Islands on diabetes?
It is expected that in Canary Islands there are about 300.000 patients with diabetes, with a total of 70.000 still undiagnosed. Between this number, the 92% have type 1 diabetes mellitus (DM1), characterized in that the body does not produce insulin. The rest of the patients suffer from type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM2), in which the body suffers from impaired glucose metabolism and insulin resistance.
The Autonomous Community of Canary Islandsis a national leader in the registry of high risk factors: poverty, obesity and diabetes. The three factors related to each other.
Besides, andhe Government of Canary Islandsspends 3.000 million on this disease, which represents 25% of the Health budget. This figure is higher than the money spent on cancer, Alzheimer's and HIV combined.
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