Diet is one of the main risk factors for type 2 diabetes. However, it is known that this risk can be reduced by changing the diet. If a person adopts healthier eating habits, they can reduce the risk of developing this metabolic disease.

In recent years, many studies have suggested that a vegan diet, a vegetarian diet, or a diet simply high in plants could significantly reduce the risk of diabetes. In a study published July 22, 2019 in the journal JAMA Intern Med, researchers reveal the results of an in-depth meta-analysis on this topic. The findings provide comprehensive evidence that consistently following a healthy, plant-based diet could help reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes by 23%.

The benefits of a healthy plant-based diet

According to the WHO, “Diabetes is a chronic disease that occurs when the pancreas does not produce enough insulin or when the body is unable to use the insulin it produces effectively. This results in an increased concentration of glucose in the blood (hyperglycemia). Type 2 diabetes results from the body’s inadequate use of insulin. It is often the result of being overweight and inactive. “

A real scourge, diabetes has increased from 108 million people affected in 1980 to 422 million in 2014.

A team of researchers conducted an in-depth review and meta-analysis of nine studies examining the association between eating habits and the risk of type 2 diabetes. These studies involved 307,099 participants, of whom 23,544 had Type 2 diabetes.

Plant-based eating habits have grown in popularity in recent years, and researchers wanted to quantify their overall association with diabetes risk, especially since the composition of these foods can vary widely.

Reduced risk of diabetes with a plant-based diet

In their analysis, the researchers first looked at how adherence to a plant-based diet of any type was linked to the risk of diabetes.

“The idea of ​​a predominantly plant-based diet could mean a diet that focuses on both healthy plant foods, including fruits, vegetables, nuts, and legumes, and less healthy ones, such as apples.” of earth and sugars ”, explain the authors.

These types of diets could also include certain animal products, but in limited quantities. Next, the team assessed the link between the risk of diabetes and the adoption of healthy plant-based diets, mainly comprising a large amount of healthy fruits, vegetables, legumes, whole grains and nuts. . The researchers found that in general, participants who adhered more strictly to plant-based diets had a 23% lower risk of type 2 diabetes than those who adhered less to these diets.