Eating fries over boiled potatoes ‘increases type-2 diabetes risk'
LONDON : A new international study suggests that people who eat three portions of French fries a week have a higher risk of developing type-2 diabetes.
But researchers say those who consume similar amounts of boiled, baked or mash potatoes do not have an increased risk, dpa reported.
The research team, which includes an expert from the University of Cambridge, set out to investigate links between potato consumption and type-2 diabetes. They analysed data on studies tracking the health of more than 205,000 health workers in the US.
Repeated surveys about people's diets were performed over almost four decades and, during follow-ups, some 22,000 cases of type-2 diabetes were documented.
Overall, the researchers found that consumption of baked, boiled or mashed potatoes was not linked to an increased risk of type-2 diabetes. But people who had a higher consumption of fries – at least three weekly servings – had a 20% increased risk.
Those who ate fries five times a week appeared to have 27% increased risk, the experts wrote in their study published in the journal BMJ.
The researchers also found that replacing three servings of potatoes each week with whole grains was found to lower the risk of type-2 diabetes by 8%.
This 'reinforces the importance of promoting whole grains as an essential part of a healthy diet', they wrote.
That said, when potatoes were replaced with white rice, there similarly occurred an increased risk of diabetes, they found.
In a linked editorial, experts from the US and Denmark wrote: 'These findings correspond with the observed associations between high intake of ultra-processed foods and high risk of type-2 diabetes: French fries are often ultra-processed, whereas baked, boiled, or mashed potatoes are often minimally processed.'
They added: 'With their relatively low environmental impact and their health impact, potatoes can be part of a healthy and sustainable diet, though whole grains should remain a priority.'
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Eating fries over boiled potatoes ‘increases type-2 diabetes risk'
Researchers set out to investigate links between potato consumption and type-2 diabetes. (Envato Elements pic) LONDON : A new international study suggests that people who eat three portions of French fries a week have a higher risk of developing type-2 diabetes. But researchers say those who consume similar amounts of boiled, baked or mash potatoes do not have an increased risk, dpa reported. The research team, which includes an expert from the University of Cambridge, set out to investigate links between potato consumption and type-2 diabetes. They analysed data on studies tracking the health of more than 205,000 health workers in the US. Repeated surveys about people's diets were performed over almost four decades and, during follow-ups, some 22,000 cases of type-2 diabetes were documented. Overall, the researchers found that consumption of baked, boiled or mashed potatoes was not linked to an increased risk of type-2 diabetes. But people who had a higher consumption of fries – at least three weekly servings – had a 20% increased risk. Those who ate fries five times a week appeared to have 27% increased risk, the experts wrote in their study published in the journal BMJ. The researchers also found that replacing three servings of potatoes each week with whole grains was found to lower the risk of type-2 diabetes by 8%. This 'reinforces the importance of promoting whole grains as an essential part of a healthy diet', they wrote. That said, when potatoes were replaced with white rice, there similarly occurred an increased risk of diabetes, they found. In a linked editorial, experts from the US and Denmark wrote: 'These findings correspond with the observed associations between high intake of ultra-processed foods and high risk of type-2 diabetes: French fries are often ultra-processed, whereas baked, boiled, or mashed potatoes are often minimally processed.' They added: 'With their relatively low environmental impact and their health impact, potatoes can be part of a healthy and sustainable diet, though whole grains should remain a priority.'
