In a recent discussion, Dr. JoAnn Manson, a professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School and Brigham and Women’s Hospital, addressed a significant study published in the journal Diabetes Care focusing on the consumption of ultraprocessed foods (UPFs), weight gain, and the risk of developing type 2 diabetes, particularly among women with a history of gestational diabetes.
The study, which analyzed data from over 4,000 women from the Nurses’ Health Study II, revealed more than 1,000 new cases of type 2 diabetes during long-term follow-up. Dr. Manson, a researcher involved in the study, highlighted the critical nature of this health issue given the strong association between type 2 diabetes, weight gain, and dietary habits.
Ultraprocessed foods have been recognized for their high calorie content, added sugars, saturated fats, and low dietary fiber, making them a major concern for public health. However, previous research has lacked rigorous evaluation of the impact that UPFs have on the onset of type 2 diabetes.
The findings from this extensive study confirmed a robust link between high consumption of UPFs and both weight gain and increased risk of type 2 diabetes. Women with low UPF intake gained approximately 1 pound every four years, whereas those with higher UPF consumption experienced weight gain three to four times greater. The statistical significance of this difference was strong, with a P value of less than .001.
Furthermore, the study found that women with elevated UPF intake faced a 20%-25% increased risk of developing type 2 diabetes. While this relative risk may not seem excessively high, it translates to a substantial number of potential diabetes cases, indicating that UPFs could be responsible for millions of diabetes diagnoses across the United States. Notably, this elevated risk was observed irrespective of the overall dietary quality, as assessed by the Alternative Healthy Eating Index, indicating that even women who maintain healthy dietary practices are still at risk when consuming higher quantities of UPFs.
Dr. Manson emphasized the implications of these findings, calling for enhanced nutritional counseling aimed at reducing UPF intake, especially in high-risk populations. She also urged for broader changes to the US food supply to lessen public exposure to ultraprocessed foods, underscoring the need for a collective effort in enhancing dietary health and fighting the increasing prevalence of type 2 diabetes.