The “Western lifestyle” of consuming large amounts of animal fat and meat is suspected as one reason for the high incidence of type 2 diabetes. Research studies have long shown that the type of fat we eat can affect our insulin sensitivity. Now, scientists are looking more specifically to find out why.
Researchers looked at results from a study involving 42,504 men (called the Health Professionals Follow-Up Study) to find the relationship between dietary fat consumption and the incidence of type 2 diabetes. At the start of the study, the men were free of diagnosed diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and cancer. During the 12 years that the men were followed, 1,321 were diagnosed with diabetes.
When scientists analyzed the group’s dietary patterns, they discovered that men who ate processed meats at least five times a week were almost 50 percent more likely to develop diabetes than those who ate them less than once a month. The specific processed meats associated with diabetes risk were hot dogs, bologna, and bacon. Hamburgers were also associated with increased diabetes risk.
Unprocessed meat, including beef, lamb, pork, and poultry, was not associated with increased risk of type 2 diabetes. Other non-meat sources of fat, such as nuts and high-fat dairy products, also had no associated risk of the disease.
Interestingly, it appeared that linoleic acid had a protective affect against the development of diabetes, especially among thinner and younger men. This finding is consistent with other studies on women and diabetes. Linoleic acid is an omega-6 fatty acid found in fish oil, meat, dairy, and vegetable oils, such as sunflower and safflower oils.
It’s unclear whether the diabetes risk comes from the processed meat alone, or whether trans fat and saturated fat condiments or other foods eaten with the processed meats have a contributing role. The study authors have called for further research to determine what link, if any, exits between processed meats and various diseases such as cardiovascular disease and cancer.
To reduce your risk of type 2 diabetes, cut back on your consumption of processed meats. Instead, eat more whole grains, fruits, vegetables, and nuts. |
