PT Health Life – A healthy, nutritious diet can reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes, including genetic risk, according to a new study published online in the journal PLOS Medicine.
Developing type 2 diabetes can be the result of both genetic and lifestyle factors. A family history of diabetes increases a person’s risk of developing diabetes, but it remains unclear whether positive lifestyle practices can actually “overcome” these chances. New research shows that a low-quality diet is associated with an increased risk of diabetes and vice versa.
To determine whether genetic risk and diet quality influence the development of diabetes, Dr. Jordi Merino, a research associate at the diabetes unit and genomic medicine center, Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston, and colleagues used data from 35,759 U.S. men and women who participated in the 3 health studies.
From those data, the team evaluated the overall associations of polygenic risk scores, diet quality, and complicated type 2 diabetes. The data used included available genetic data from people who were not diagnosed with diabetes, cardiovascular disease or cancer at the start of data collection. The results have been published in PLOS Medicine.
Specifically, the results of this study show that, regardless of genetic risk, a low-quality diet is associated with a 30% increased risk of type 2 diabetes. Researchers have noted “a risk gradient with increasing genetic risk and low diet quality, which suggests that people at high genetic risk for diabetes may need a combination of lifestyle other than a healthy diet to minimize their genetic risk.”
The combined association between low diet quality and increased genetic risk is comparable to the total risk associated with each individual factor.
Although there is data suggesting that following a healthy diet and lifestyle is associated with a reduced risk of type 2 diabetes, regardless of genetic risk factors, limitations These differences have made it difficult to definitively determine whether these interventions can actually impact diabetes risk .
The study’s lead author, Jordi Merino, said previous studies have shown that both genes and diet are linked to diabetes risk. Understanding whether both factors interact will allow specific dietary recommendations to be made according to an individual’s genetic susceptibility.
“Our findings provide new evidence for the lack of synergistic effects, suggesting that everyone benefits from a healthy diet, regardless of their genetic susceptibility,” Merino explains. .”
The research team says these results are essential for understanding why people develop diabetes and contribute to supporting evidence-based type 2 diabetes prevention strategies.
The study’s authors emphasize the importance of following a healthy, nutritious diet. People who are genetically at risk for diabetes can reduce their risk by focusing on a quality diet rich in whole foods and nutrients , emphasizing intake of fruits, whole grains, vegetables (except potatoes), nuts and beans, and polyunsaturated fatty acids and long-chain fatty acids found in foods such as fish and walnuts.
Other factors include drinking alcohol and eating less red meat, processed meat, sugary drinks, fruit juice, sodium and trans fats that reduce the risk of diabetes.