Ultra-Processed Foods and Diabetes: New Study Reveals Connection
You know the old adage, “You are what you eat?” A new study is leading scientists to believe that consuming ultra-processed foods significantly increases the risk of Type 2 diabetes.
The study, conducted by the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC) and published in a September 2024 issue of The Lancet Regional Health—Europe, analyzed the consumption of ultra-processed foods and the development of Type 2 diabetes in more than 300,000 people from eight different countries throughout Europe.
The research findings point to a clear need for a shift in popular dietary choices and highlight the dangers ultra-processed foods present to our health, including elevating the likelihood of one day getting a diabetes diagnosis.
Scientists conducting the study found that for every 10% increase in the amount of ultra processed foods in a participant’s diet, their risk of developing Type 2 diabetes shot up a whopping 17%. Additionally, when ultra-processed food consumption was decreased, the risk of Type 2 diabetes fell accordingly.
While this was an observational study, meaning it cannot determine a direct causal link between these foods and diabetes, it does present compelling evidence of a connection between eating too many ultra-processed foods and Type 2 diabetes.
What are Ultra Processed Foods?
The reality is that the vast majority of the foods we eat are processed in some way. In a recent post on CNN.com regarding the study, Dr. Hilda Mulrooney, from the London Metropolitan University, points out, “Picking an apple off a tree is a type of processing. Processing is often beneficial because it helps ensure food safety and adds to its lifespan. It is the degree of processing that’s being questioned.”
Therein lies the rub. Ultraprocessed foods are packaged goods in your local supermarket that contain so many ingredients that they only slightly resemble the marketed core product. Most of these are ingredients you would never think of cooking with at home and often sound more like chemicals than foods.
Some popular ultra-processed foods include fruit drinks, ready-made meals, chicken nuggets, snack foods (chips and crisps), and many plant-based alternatives brilliantly marketed as healthy or low-fat options that often fall under the ultra-processed umbrella.
How Do Ultra-Processed Foods Lead To Type 2 Diabetes?
While more research is needed before conclusive statements can be made, researchers have some pretty strong hypotheses about why ultra-processed foods might increase diabetes risk.
For starters, these foods tend to be extremely high in calories in relation to their volume. In other words, you need to eat more of an ultra-processed food to feel full and satisfy your hunger. Additionally, we already know that obesity is a big risk factor in the development of Type 2 diabetes, and eating foods high in calories—a lot of them—can certainly lead to an excess of body fat and an unhealthy body mass index (BMI).
Dr. Samuel Dicken, lead author of the study, stated, “We know that increased body fat increases the risk of Type 2 diabetes. When we considered body weight, an increase in waist-to-height ratio (increased belly fat) potentially explained nearly half of the association (between Type 2 diabetes and ultra processed foods).”
What Does This Mean For Those With Diabetes?
Oddly, this study, hopefully, has little impact on those already living with Type 2 diabetes. After all, eating a healthy diet is critical to managing the disease, and people with diabetes properly doing so should already be limiting the intake of ultra-processed foods.
These new findings should reaffirm the need to follow your doctor-recommended dietary plan and inspire you to shed excess pounds through diet and exercise.
The fundamental insight here is for the 98 million Americans who are prediabetic and on track to develop Type 2 diabetes without significant lifestyle and dietary changes. That’s more than a third of the nation’s population! By limiting unprocessed foods, these individuals might be able to avoid a Type 2 diabetes diagnosis shortly or, at the very least, delay the progress of the disease.
How Can I Avoid Ultra Processed Foods?
The big problem with ultra-processed foods is that they are everywhere and often among the most affordable mealtime and snacking options.
One trick to avoiding them is to check the label. If you notice a list of ingredients for so long, it boggles the mind, and chances are that’s a food you want to leave out of your shopping cart. Additionally, if the end product doesn’t resemble the starting food, such as plant-based items that look nothing like their primary ingredient, there’s a good chance it’s not as healthy as you might think.
Bottom line. It’s a buyer-beware situation. You must look out for yourself and your family on this one. One recommendation from Dr. Dicken is that the next time you’re shopping, swap out soda for water (sparkling water is good, too), flip the script on the chips, and opt for an unsalted trail mix.
Takeaways
Whether you’re living with Type 2 diabetes or looking to avoid being diagnosed, limiting the amount of ultra-processed foods you eat is an important part of staying healthy. Read those product labels when shopping. Also, consider tracking what you eat for a few weeks. You might be surprised at how much ultra-processed food is in your diet.
FAQs
What are ultra-processed foods?
While most foods undergo some degree of processing, ultra-processed foods go to the extreme, adding a long list of ingredients that include dozens of synthetic additives, including preservatives, emulsifiers, and artificial dyes and flavorings. Common ultra-processed foods include sodas, fruit juices, chips, hot dogs, and, surprisingly, many plant-based products.
How do ultra-processed foods increase diabetes risk?
While further research needs to be done, a recent European study points to the fact that consumption of ultra processed foods increases the risk of Type 2 diabetes. This may be because these foods are high in calories and contribute to obesity. Additionally, you often have to eat more ultra-processed food to feel full, further contributing to the weight issues that factor into Type 2 diabetes risk.
How can I avoid ultra-processed foods?
The best way to avoid ultra-processed foods is to examine the ingredient labels on the packaged foods you purchase. If you notice a long list of ingredients, particularly additives and preservatives you wouldn’t cook with at home, then that’s an ultra-processed food. Also, make a conscious effort to switch out ultra-processed foods for healthier alternatives. For instance, swap out sodas for sparkling water and potato chips for unsalted trail mix or fruit.
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