A new study by researchers from University College London in the UK has found that people who eat ultra-processed foods have an increased risk of developing type 2 diabetes, but this risk can be reduced by consuming less processed foods.
The study, published in The Lancet European Regional Health, in collaboration with experts from the University of Cambridge and Imperial College London, on September 16, examined the relationship between the degree of food processing and the risk of type 2 diabetes, including identifying the most risky foods.
processed foods
The degree of processing of foods is usually assessed using the Nova classification, which divides foods into four groups:
- Unprocessed or minimally processed foods such as eggs, milk, and fruits.
- Processed food ingredients such as salt, butter, and oil.
- Processed foods such as canned fish and cheese.
- Ultra-processed foods such as ready-to-eat or reheat meals, salty snacks, and sweets.
The team analyzed the consumption of ultra-processed foods and the health consequences of more than 300,000 people from eight European countries over an average of 10 years and 9 months, during which 14,236 people were diagnosed with type 2 diabetes.
Researchers found that every 10% increase in the amount of ultra-processed foods in the diet increased the risk of type 2 diabetes by 17%, but this risk could be reduced by replacing them with less processed foods.
The riskiest categories of ultra-processed foods were salty snacks, animal products such as processed meats and ready-to-eat meals, sugary drinks and artificially sweetened beverages, suggesting that attention should be paid to these foods to help individuals avoid disease.
The exact reasons behind the link between ultra-processed foods and type 2 diabetes are not yet confirmed, but overeating and being overweight are thought to play a role. In a previous study, analysis showed that excess body fat accounted for about half of the link.
“We know that ultra-processed foods are associated with an increased risk of certain diseases, such as type 2 diabetes,” said study author Samuel Deakin, from the Department of Medicine at University College London. “As expected, our results confirm this association and show that every 10% increase in ultra-processed foods in the diet significantly increases the risk of diabetes.”
“Most studies to date have considered ultra-processed foods as a whole to be risky, but we believe that there are different risks associated with specific types of these foods, and that the risks of other processing groups have not been adequately studied,” he added, according to EurekAlert. “Our analysis goes a step further than previous studies by looking at all four processing groups in the NOVA classification to measure the effect of replacing ultra-processed foods with less-processed foods on diabetes risk, as well as looking at nine subcategories of ultra-processed foods.”
Additional analysis
Additional analysis was performed on the data to divide ultra-processed foods into nine subcategories, in order to better understand how the level of processing affects the risk of type 2 diabetes.
The results showed that replacing 10% of ultra-processed foods in the diet with 10% of less-processed foods reduced the risk of diabetes by 14%.
An analysis of nine subcategories of ultra-processed foods showed that salty snacks, animal products, ready-to-eat meals, sugary drinks and artificially sweetened beverages were associated with a higher incidence of type 2 diabetes.
High levels of these unhealthy foods were responsible for the increased overall risk of diabetes. Sweetened beverages alone accounted for 40% of the intake of ultra-processed foods among people with the highest intake.
However, other types of ultra-processed foods such as bread, crackers, cereals, sweets and plant-based alternatives have been associated with lower rates of type 2 diabetes.
“The analysis of the subcategories of ultra-processed foods in this study was revealing, confirming that not all foods classified as ultra-processed are equal in terms of their associated health risks,” said Professor Rachel Batterham, one of the study’s authors from the Department of Medicine at University College London.
“For example, bread and cereals are an essential part of the diet for many people. Based on our findings, I think they should be treated differently to salty snacks or sugary drinks in terms of the dietary advice we give,” Batterham added.
“The results of this study add to the growing body of research linking consumption of ultra-processed foods to an increased risk of some chronic diseases including obesity, cardiovascular disease and some cancers,” said Professor Mark Gunter, one of the study’s authors from University College London.
“While such a study cannot establish causal relationships, it does suggest that reducing consumption of some ultra-processed foods and replacing them with unprocessed foods may reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes. More research is needed to understand the mechanisms and potential causal relationships,” he added.