14 Million Cases of Type 2 Diabetes Linked to These Common Foods: Here’s How to Prevent It

An estimated 14 million cases of type 2 diabetes were caused by a bad diet, according to a study that was published this week. One specific type of food was singled out by researchers.

Diets that did not include enough whole grains or had too much refined wheat, refined rice, or processed meats were linked to the disease, said researchers in a Nature Medicine study published on April 17.

“Our study suggests poor carbohydrate quality is a leading driver of diet-attributable type 2 diabetes globally, and with important variation by nation and over time,” senior author Dariush Mozaffarian, Jean Mayer Professor of Nutrition and dean for policy at the Friedman School said in a news release. “These new findings reveal critical areas for national and global focus to improve nutrition and reduce devastating burdens of diabetes.”

After researching the dietary intakes of people in 184 countries via a model developed by the Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy at Tufts University, the study’s author said that over 14.1 million cases of type 2 diabetes were linked to “poor diet.” That represents more than 70 percent of new diagnoses worldwide of diabetes, which is characterized by the body’s cells having resistance to insulin.

They looked at 11 dietary factors and found that three factors made an “outsized contribution” to the increase in type 2 diabetes. They cited the lack of whole grains and too much refined rice and white, as well as too much processed meat products.

Further, the study authors said in a release that “factors such as drinking too much fruit juice and not eating enough non-starchy vegetables, nuts, or seeds, had less of an impact on new cases of the disease.”

“Regionally, Central and Eastern Europe and Central Asia—particularly in Poland and Russia, where diets tend to be rich in red meat, processed meat, and potatoes—had the greatest number of type 2 diabetes cases linked to diet,” the researchers said in the April 17 release. “Incidence was also high in Latin America and the Caribbean, especially in Colombia and Mexico, which was credited to high consumption of sugary drinks, processed meat, and low intake of whole grains.”

Type 2 diabetes happens when the pancreas doesn’t produce enough insulin and prevents the body’s capacity to use and regulate sugar. Some 37 million Americans, or around 1 in 10 people, have diabetes—and it’s the seventh-leading cause of death U.S.-wide, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). About 96 million Americans, meanwhile have prediabetes and about 80 percent don’t know they have it, the CDC says.

There is no cure for the condition. However, doctors recommend a number of lifestyle changes to help mitigate the effects of the disease, such as weight loss, having a better diet, and exercise.

“Left unchecked and with incidence only projected to rise, type 2 diabetes will continue to impact population health, economic productivity, health care system capacity, and drive health inequities worldwide,” study author Meghan O’Hearn said in the release. “These findings can help inform nutritional priorities for clinicians, policymakers, and private sector actors as they encourage healthier dietary choices that address this global epidemic.”

According to the news release, funding for the research was supported by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, founded by Microsoft billionaire Bill Gates.

The findings of the study come as U.S. health officials have warned that type 2 diabetes is on track to surge some 700 percent among young Americans.

In 2022, the CDC and National Institutes of Health issued an alert to the public that the number of younger people with type 2 diabetes will surge to 220,000 by the year 2060.

“Even if the rate of new diabetes diagnoses among young people remains the same over the decades, type 2 diabetes diagnoses could increase nearly 70 percent and type 1 diabetes diagnoses could increase 3 percent by 2060,” the CDC warned. Type 1 diabetes, a condition where the body cannot make insulin, is more common among younger people.

Prevention

Federal officials say that “following a healthy eating plan” is one of the key ways to avoid type 2 diabetes, and that “it is important to reduce the amount of calories you eat and drink each day, so you can lose weight and keep it off.” Regular exercise, not having an “inactive lifestyle,” losing weight is also a way to avoid the condition—namely if one was diagnosed with or suspects they are prediabetic.

“To do that, your diet should include smaller portions and less fat and sugar. You should also eat a variety of foods from each food group, including plenty of whole grains, fruits, and vegetables. It’s also a good idea to limit red meat, and avoid processed meats,” it says.

Smoking cigarettes also can lead to the body developing insulin resistance, which can lead to type 2 diabetes, officials say.