Whole Fruit May Reduce Diabetes Risk

04/22/08 Prevention

Women who include whole fruit in their diets rather than fruit juice may reduce their risk of developing type 2 diabetes, according to a multi-site study.

The research, published in Diabetes Care, recorded the dietary habits of 71,346 female nurses ages 38-63 years for 18 years, with contact every four years. None of the group initially had diabetes, heart disease, or cancer.

The results of eating three servings of fruit and green vegetables a day was not associated with any increase in diabetes. Instead, eating whole fruit was associated with a significant reduction in risk of the disease. Eating one green vegetable a day also statistically lowered diabetes risk. However, women who increased fruit intake by means of fruit juices had a higher incidence of DM.

The outcomes and conclusions are interesting, but leave many questions. For instance, diabetics are known to have a sweet tooth. Consuming fruit juice could have been a result of a craving for something sweet  that preceded the dietary manifestation. Juices are concentrated and have higher glucose content.

Also, were those consuming juice overweight? Overweight can contribute to developing diabetes.

The ingestion of leafy greens and whole fruit suggests those nurses probably didn’t have high-fat diets, or have other habits that would increase diabetes risk, like smoking. I’d be curious to know about the other foods that made up the diets of those with and without the diagnosis of diabetes through the study period.

Source:

Diabetes Care April 4, 2008