Lower Glycemic Load to Lower Diabetes Risk

Previously, a number of studies have shown that adherence to a Mediterranean diet – rich in olive oil, nuts, as well as fruits, vegetables, and legumes, and limited amounts of dairy products, red meat, soda drinks, processed meats, and sweets – inversely associates with cardiovascular risks.    Italian researchers report that following the traditional Mediterranean diet and limiting high glycemic load foods such as those high in refined sugars and grains may reduce a person’s risk of type-2 diabetes. Carlo La Vecchia, from the Mario Negri Institute of Pharmacological Research (Italy), and colleagues examined data collected on 22,295 study subjects who resided in Greece and participated in the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC) trial.  Over 11 years of follow-up, 2,330 cases of type 2 diabetes were identified.  The researchers observed that those subjects adhering closely to the Mediterranean diet were at lower risks of developing type-2 diabetes.  Glycemic load was positively associated with a lower risk for diabetes for the highest versus the lowest glycemic load quartile.