Diabetes risk from sweet soft drinks

Long-term study: consumption of meat products, white bread and soft drinks favors type 2 diabetes

06/11/2013

Who consumes a lot of white bread, meat products and soft drinks, has an increased risk of diabetes. This was the result of a long-term study in which 21,616 women and men from seven European countries participated for more than twelve years, according to the German Institute for Human Nutrition (DifE). The Potsdam researchers investigated the influence of dietary habits on the development of diabetes. Previously, only a few studies dealt with this topic.

Dietary habits have a major impact on the development of diabetes
A diet low in meat products, white bread, and sugary soft drinks reduces the risk of developing type 2 diabetes. This resulted in a long-term observational study on dietary habits of the DifE. The research team around Janine Kröger and Matthias Schulze published his findings in the journal „Diabetologia“.

The study participants from Denmark, France, the Netherlands, Spain, Great Britain, Sweden and Germany would be accompanied for twelve years. At the beginning of the study, none of the subjects suffered from diabetes mellitus. Over time, however, of the 21,616 women and men, approximately 12,400 participants developed type 2 diabetes. The evaluation of the dietary habits showed that the affected had consumed a lot of processed meat, white bread and sugary sodas.

Whole wheat bread reduces diabetes risk
„As our data analysis shows, people who consume a lot of processed meat, sugary soft drinks and white bread have a higher risk of diabetes than people who eat or drink less of these foods. Only part of this relationship can be explained by body weight“, reports Janine Kröger, first author of the study.

„Our results are also consistent with other data from observational studies and from clinical trial results. In these, for example, a high intake of cereal ballast beneficial affects the insulin sensitivity of the body cells. In Germany, as in other countries, it can be clearly observed that people who regularly consume whole wheat bread instead of white bread suffer from diabetes less often or later“, adds Matthias Schulze, Head of the Department of Molecular Epidemiology at DIfE.

The so-called „European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC) InterAct Study“ is part of „EPIC study“, analyzed the relationships between diet, cancer and other chronic diseases. A total of 23 administrative centers in ten European countries are involved in the investigations. (Ag)

Picture: vms