Enhanced risk of developing diabetes by 20% observed
In a recent study published in the British Medical Journal, researchers have found that the risk of developing type 2 diabetes (T2D) may vary depending on how potatoes are prepared. The study, which involved over 205,000 adults across three US cohorts followed for nearly 40 years, found that regular consumption of French fries is associated with a significantly increased risk of developing T2D.
The study, which controlled for various lifestyle and dietary factors, found that for every three weekly servings of total potatoes, the risk of T2D increased by 5%. However, this increase was mainly driven by French fries.
Swapping potatoes, especially French fries, for whole grains like brown rice or wholewheat pasta may reduce the risk of T2D by up to 19% for fries and 4-8% for other potato forms. Replacing potatoes with white rice, however, was linked to increased diabetes risk in this study.
Experts interpret these results as consistent with existing dietary advice to prefer whole grains and use lower fat cooking methods. They suggest that the higher fat and glycemic load in fried potatoes likely contribute to the increased risk.
It is important to note that as an observational study, it cannot prove causality, and residual confounding by other lifestyle factors cannot be ruled out. Moreover, the participants were mostly health professionals of European descent, which may limit generalizability.
The study does not establish a causal relationship between the consumption of French fries and the increased risk of T2D; it only suggests a correlation. The study does not specify the timeframe over which the consumption of three servings of fries per week was observed, nor does it provide information on potential counteracting factors that may mitigate the increased risk.
The analysis did not specify the type of potatoes or cooking methods used in the studies. Another study suggests that consuming a similar amount of potatoes in cooked, baked, or mashed form does not appear to have the same negative impact on the risk of T2D.
The current evidence indicates that while potatoes contain nutrients like vitamin C, magnesium, and fiber, they also contain a lot of starch and have been criticized for increasing the risk of diabetes. The debate about potatoes and diabetes risk has not considered the type of potato preparation or possible alternative carbohydrates.
In summary, the study suggests a link between French fry consumption and a higher risk of type 2 diabetes, whereas other potato preparations like baking, boiling, or mashing do not show this risk increase. Dietary substitution with whole grains may be beneficial. However, more research is needed to establish causality and to understand the role of potato preparation and alternative carbohydrates in diabetes risk.
- The study indicates that the risk of developing type 2 diabetes may be higher with frequent consumption of French fries, while other potato preparations like baking, boiling, or mashing do not seem to increase this risk.
- Experts recommend dietary substitution of potatoes, particularly French fries, with whole grains like brown rice or wholewheat pasta to potentially reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes.
- The study found that replacing potatoes, especially French fries, with white rice was linked to an increased risk of type 2 diabetes, contrary to swapping them with whole grains.
- The current evidence suggests that while potatoes contain nutrients like vitamin C, magnesium, and fiber, they also have a high starch content and have been criticized for potentially increasing the risk of chronic diseases like type 2 diabetes.
