A number of healthy diets have been linked to a reduced risk of type 2 diabetes, regardless of a person’s ethnicity.
Researchers suggest the eating habits, all of which place a focus on consuming more fruits, vegetables and whole grains, “can be promoted across all populations”.
The analysis included 826,000 people, with researchers from the University of Cambridge looking at 33 studies on three different diets.
These were:
- The Mediterranean diet, which is high in olive oil, vegetables, fruit, nuts and fish
- The Alternative Healthy Eating Index (AHEI), which emphasises the importance of fruit, vegetables, whole grains, healthy proteins and oils to avoid chronic disease
- The Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (Dash), designed to help lower blood pressure and rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, low-fat dairy and lean protein, while limiting saturated fat, cholesterol and salt.
The study found that the top 10 per cent of people who adhered to the diets had a significantly lower risk of developing type 2 diabetes than the bottom 10 per cent.
Type 2 diabetes happens when the hormone insulin does not work properly, causing high blood sugar.
Treatment can include lifestyle changes such as healthier eating and exercise to help lower these levels and avoid medication.
The review suggests the Dash diet reduced the risk of developing type 2 diabetes by 23 per cent, while the Mediterranean diet was linked to a 17 per cent lower risk and AHEI was linked to a 21 per cent lower risk.
The benefits of following each diet also did not appear to vary across African, Asian, European and Hispanic ethnic groups, according to researchers.
Researchers said the findings “suggest that major ethnic groups benefit equally from higher adherence to these dietary patterns”, although more research is needed for specific populations.
They added: “This study strengthens the evidence that the Mediterranean, AHEI, and Dash dietary patterns may reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes across diverse ethnic groups, and that they can be promoted across all populations.”
The findings will be presented at the European Association for the Study of Diabetes (EASD) in Vienna in September.
