Three long-term studies published in Archives of Internal Medicine show how food choices lead to type 2 diabetes. Researchers at Boston University followed 43,960 African American women over 10 years, and found that type 2 diabetes developed more often among those who consumed more sweetened beverages. Researchers at Addenbrook’s Hospital in Cambridge, England, found that higher plasma vitamin C levels and greater consumption of fruits and vegetables were associated with a lower incidence of type 2 diabetes among 21,831 adults followed over 12 years. A third article, from Fred Hutchison Cancer Research Center, Seattle, found that among 48,835 Women’s Health Initiative participants, women assigned to a low-fat diet trended toward a reduced disease incidence, which authors attributed to weight loss.

Palmer JR, Boggs DA, Krishnan S, Hu FB, Singer M, Rosenberg L. Sugar-sweetened beverages and incidence of type 2 diabetes mellitus in African American women. Arch Intern Med. 2008;168:1487-1492

Harding AH, Wareham NJ, Bingham SA et al. Plasma vitamin C level, fruit and vegetable consumption, and the risk of new-onset type 2 diabetes mellitus: the European Prospective Investigation of Cancer-Norfolk Prospective Study. Arch Intern Med. 2008;168:1493-1499.

Tinker LF, Bonds DE, Margolis KL et al. Low-fat dietary pattern and risk of treated diabetes mellitus in postmenopausal women: The Women's Health Initiative Randomized Controlled Dietary Modification Trial. Arch Intern Med. 2008;168:1500-1511.

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health [ from Meatout Mondays online Newsletter Meatout.org ]
     Increased levels of vitamin C, as well as daily consumption of fruits and vegetables, has been found to reduce the risk of developing type-2 diabetes. A new study from the University of Cambridge examined the diet of nearly 22,000 men and women for 12 years.    
      Correlating levels of vitamin C and diabetes, the researchers found that study participants with the highest levels had a 62% reduction in their risk of developing type-2 diabetes, compared to participants with the lowest levels. Moreover, men and women with the highest fruit and vegetable intake had a 22% reduction in their risk of developing type-2 diabetes, compared to men and women with the lowest fruit and vegetable intake.
     In the U.S., more than 20 million people (7% of the population) suffer from diabetes. The total costs are thought to be as much as $132 billion, with $92 billion being direct costs from medication, according to 2002 American Diabetes Association figures.

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