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Diabetes Risk Influenced by Diet
Previous studies have shown that by maintaining a healthy weight through diet and exercise, people can reduce their risks of developing Type 2 diabetes. Additionally, some studies have shown that diet affects diabetes risk independent of causing weight concerns. Jennifer Nettleton, from the University of Texas Health Sciences Center (Houston Texas, USA), and colleagues studied a group of 5.011 US adults, including men ages 45 to 84 of multiple ethnicities. The researchers found that those men whose diets were highest in whole grains, fruits, nuts, low-fat diary, and vegetables (particularly leafy greens) were 15% less likely to develop Type 2 diabetes over a five-year period, as compared to those who ate the lowest amounts of these foods. Additionally, the team found an 18% increase in diabetes risk among study subjects whose diets were high in red meat, high-fat dairy, and refined grains. [Jennifer A. Nettleton, Lyn M. Steffen, Hanyu Ni, Kiang Liu, and David R. Jacobs, Jr. “Dietary Patterns and Risk of Incident Type 2 Diabetes in the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis (MESA).” Diabetes Care 31: 1777-1782; published online before print as 10.2337/dc08-0760.]
Broccoli, Cauliflower, and Cabbage Fight Prostate Cancer
The cruciferous family of vegetables, which includes broccoli, cauliflower, and cabbage, have by many studies been shown to cut the risk of prostate cancer by up to 25%. Maria Traka, from the Institute of Food Research (Norwich, UK), and colleagues have determined that consumption of these vegetables actually exerts cellular changes that result in the risk reduction effect. In the researchers’ study, 22 men with pre-malignant prostate lesions were given either 400 grams of broccoli to eat a week, or 400 grams of peas for the week, to eat in addition to their normal diets. At 6 and 12 months, PSA (prostate specific antigen) level was measured and a needle biopsy of the prostate gland was conducted. The men who ate broccoli, and also had a gene variant known as GSTM1, present in about 50% of the population and which elevates the risk of prostate cancer, were found to have changes in the chemical pathways linked to cancer formation and inflammation. Conclude the researchers: “These findings suggest that consuming broccoli … result[s] in complex changes … associated with inflammation and carcinogenesis in the prostate.” [Traka M, Gasper AV, Melchini A, Bacon JR, Needs PW, et al. (2008) Broccoli Consumption Interacts with GSTM1 to Perturb Oncogenic Signalling Pathways in the Prostate. PLoS ONE 3(7): e2568 doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0002568.]
Soluble Dietary Fiber Aids Weight Loss, Benefits Cardiovascular Health
Soluble fiber is found in foods such as oat/oat bran, dried beans and peas, nuts, barley, flax seed, fruits such as oranges and apples, vegetables such as carrots, and psyllium husk. It binds with fatty acids and prolongs stomach emptying time so that sugar is released and absorbed more slowly. Jordi Salas-Salvado, from Hospital Universitari de Sant Joan (Spain), and colleagues randomly assigned 200 overweight or obese study subjects to receive a daily soluble fiber supplement (comprised of Plantago ovata husk and glucomannan) two or three times a day, or placebo, for 16 weeks. At the end of the study, weight loss was higher in both fiber groups (4.52 and 4.60 kg lost, respectively), compared to the placebo group (0.79 kg weight loss). Additionally, LDL (“bad”) cholesterol levels decreased by 0.38 and 0.24 mmol/l in the fiber-supplemented groups, and the ratio of total cholesterol to HDL (“good’)-cholesterol, and HDL to LDL, were also improved. [Salas-Salvado J, Farr_s X, Luque X, Narejos S, Borrell M, Basora J, Anguera A, Torres F, Bullo M, Balanza R; for the Fiber in Obesity-Study Group. “Effect of two doses of a mixture of soluble fibres on body weight and metabolic variables in overweight or obese patients: a randomised trial.” Br J Nutr. 2008 Jun;99(6):1380-1387. Epub 2007 Nov 22.]
Vegetable-Rich Diet Slashes Diabetes Risk
In the latest of studies studing the association between dietary food intake and the incidence of Type 2 diabetes, Raquel Villegas, from Vanderbilt Epidemiology Center (Nashville, Tennessee USA), and colleagues followed over 64,000 women residing in China, ages 40 to 70, for nearly 5 years, assessing their daily fruit and vegetable intakes and the onset of diabetes. Those women who consumed the most vegetables -- averaging 428 grams, or 15 ounces, daily – had a 28% lower risk of developing the disease. [Villegas R, Shu XO, Gao YT, Yang G, Elasy T, Li H, Zheng W. “Vegetable but not fruit consumption reduces the risk of type 2 diabetes in Chinese women.” J Nutr. 2008 Mar;138(3):574-80.]
Berries Bring Heart Health Benefits
Berries are a rich source of polyphenols and other bioactive substances (such as Vitamin C), demonstrating their antioxidant potential. Iris Erlund, from the National Public Health Institute (Finland), and colleagues have found that a diet rich in berries may bring heart health benefits as well. In a study of 77 men and women (average age 58), the team found that those who consumed a 100 grams or more of whole berries [or 50 grams or more of berry products (nectars or purees)] for two months were able to reduce their systolic blood pressure by 7.3 mm and increase their levels of HDL cholesterol by 5% or more. In addition to improvements in blood pressure and cholesterol levels, the berry-rich diet also was associated with an 11% inhibition of platelet function (increased rates of which are correlated to blood clotting and atherlersclerosis). [Erlund I, Koli R, Alfthan G, Marniemi J, Puukka P, Mustonen P, Mattila P, Jula A. “Favorable effects of berry consumption on platelet function, blood pressure, and HDL cholesterol.” Am J Clin Nutr. 2008 Feb;87(2):323-31.]
The Gut Brain Connection: Cassandra Nelson-Dooley, MS
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Important: The statements contained above and in hyperlinked documents have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. These statements are for educational purposes only, and are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.
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