Eating fewer potatoes can reduce risk of type 2 diabetes, Harvard researchers report

[DCUK NewsBot]

Harvard researchers report that greater consumption of potatoes can increase the risk of type 2 diabetes, but replacing potatoes with whole grains can lower the risk. The study, published in Diabetes Care, was conducted by a research team led by Qi Sun, MD, ScD, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. Sun and colleagues analysed data from male and female health professionals in the United States who didn't have diabetes, cancer or cardiovascular disease. 70,773 women from the Nurses' Health Study (1984-2010), 87,739 women from the Nurses' Health Study II (1991-2011) and 40,669 men from the Health Professionals Follow-up Study (1986-2010) were evaluated to assess how potato consumption affected the risk of type 2 diabetes. 15,362 cases of type 2 diabetes were identified during 3,988,007 person-years of follow-up. Higher consumption of total potatoes (including boiled, mashed baked potatoes and french fries) was significantly associated with a heightened risk of type 2 diabetes. These findings existed even after adjustment for confounding factors such as diet, demographic, lifestyle and BMI. Eating seven servings of potatoes per week led to the highest risk of type 2 diabetes, while each additional three servings per week also increased the risk. However, replacing three or more servings per week with the same amount of whole grains reduced the risk of type 2 diabetes. As part of the Nurses' Health Study, whole grains included dark bread, whole-grain breakfast cereal, popcorn, cooked oatmeal, wheat germ, brown rice, bran, and other grains (such as bulgar, kasha, and couscous). Limiting potato intake is also useful if you have type 2 diabetes, as potatoes contain a significant amount of carbohydrate. A low-carb diet can have benefits such as improved blood glucose control and weight loss for people with type 2 diabetes. For more information, sign up to the Low-Carb Program: a free online education program that was developed with the help of 20,000 type 2 diabetes patients and can help reduce dependency on medication.

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[freddy2]

not laying down on the road reduces your chance of being run over J/K

 

[Brunneria]

Not jumping out of aeroplanes significantly reduces your chance of a parachuting accident.

 

[Lamont D]

I'm just considering the enormous cost and time spent on this study!

Perhaps it's the cynic in me that says this will not be front page news!

Also I bet the farmers won't be happy, especially Irish ones!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[phoenix]

actual conclusion
"CONCLUSIONS:
Greater consumption of potatoes, especially french fries, was associated with a higher T2D risk, independent of BMI and other risk factors. Replacement of potatoes with whole grains was associated with a lower T2D risk."
(shouldn't there be a paragraph break before 'Limiting potato consumption' since that bit is not part of the news report and is not what the study said.
Fortunately, it is just another paper retrospectively analysing data from the Nurses Health studies and the Healthcare professionals study.Some of them are more useful than others. You will be pleased to know that they didn't spend lots of money just to look at potato consumption)

 

[zand]

Well I reckon it's the potatoes that did it for me. I love them

 

[Bluetit1802]

and I still eat them almost daily, in very small portions, as they do very little to my levels, but wholegrain stuff spikes me right up.

 

[Lamont D]

actual conclusion
"CONCLUSIONS:
Greater consumption of potatoes, especially french fries, was associated with a higher T2D risk, independent of BMI and other risk factors. Replacement of potatoes with whole grains was associated with a lower T2D risk."
(shouldn't there be a paragraph break before 'Limiting potato consumption' since that bit is not part of the news report and is not what the study said.
Fortunately, it is just another paper retrospectively analysing data from the Nurses Health studies and the Healthcare professionals study.Some of them are more useful than others. You will be pleased to know that they didn't spend lots of money just to look at potato consumption)

Nothing about which type of oil or fat used to cook, deep fry them in!

 

[zand]

and I still eat them almost daily, in very small portions, as they do very little to my levels, but wholegrain stuff spikes me right up.

I'm soooooo jealous!

 

[Lamont D]

I'm soooooo jealous!

I'm not, I really hate not eating chip butties!

 

[zand]

I'm not, I really hate not eating chip butties!

lol chip butties, yummy - two fats and two carbs.