Scientists Find Common Kitchen Appliance May Increase Your Risk of Type 2 Diabetes

Yahoo

4 days ago

"Hearst Magazines and Yahoo may earn commission or revenue on some items through these links."
A new study explores the connection between exposure to 'forever chemicals' and type 2 diabetes.
The man-made chemicals are already scientifically tied to cancer, thyroid disease, brain cell death, and more.
Experts explain the findings and how to limit your exposure.
Forever chemicals—also known as per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, or PFAs, that don't break down, but linger in the environment and our bodies—have been linked to brain cell death, cancer, obesity, infertility, thyroid disease, and more. A new study adds type 2 diabetes to that condition list.
Meet the Experts: Don Thushara Galbadage, Ph.D., M.P.H., an associate professor of public health at Texas Christian University; and Grant Fowler, M.D., chair of family medicine at the Anne Burnett Marion School of Medicine at Texas Christian University.
Researchers (some of whom were compensated by pharmaceutical companies Eli Lilli and Novo Nordisk), collected health data from a small, ethnically diverse population of patients at Mount Sinai Hospital in New York. In participants' data, researchers identified PFAS exposure, metabolic disruption, and the incidence of type 2 diabetes.
Below, experts explain what the findings could illuminate on a large scale.
What did the study find?
Put simply, the study found that people with higher levels of PFAS in their blood, which are man-made chemicals typically found in water, food packaging, and household products, showed as high as a 31% increased chance of developing type 2 diabetes, likely due to disruptions in metabolism and amino acid pathways, which are the pathways cells use to produce amino acids, 'the building blocks of proteins and regulators in metabolism,' explains Don Thushara Galbadage, Ph.D., M.P.H., an associate professor of public health at Texas Christian University. 'When PFAS disrupt these pathways, the body's ability to manage blood sugar, inflammation, and energy balance may not work properly,' he adds. 'For example, alterations in glutamate metabolism have been linked to obesity and insulin resistance, two precursors to diabetes.'
How 'forever chemicals' could raise type 2 diabetes risk
'PFAS could interfere with the body's metabolism by disrupting pathways that control insulin sensitivity, amino acid balance, and fat storage,' explains Galbadage. 'Over time, these subtle shifts can increase the risk of insulin resistance, setting the stage for type 2 diabetes, even in people without traditional risk factors for diabetes.'
He adds: 'Type 2 diabetes is not solely an inherited disease, but one driven by lifestyle and external factors, including environmental exposures, as this study showed. This also means that if we are able to identify these external factors and address them, it could lead to a reduced incidence of disease.'
How to lower exposure to 'forever chemicals'
'By and large, we have lowered our levels of these chemicals in our blood nationally for the last few decades,' says Grant Fowler, M.D., chair of family medicine at the Anne Burnett Marion School of Medicine at Texas Christian University, 'through government regulation resulting in decreased use of these chemicals.' To lower ongoing exposure, Galbadage recommends the following habits:
Use PFAS-removing water filters
Replace non-stick cookware with cast iron or stainless steel
Choose PFAS-free cosmetics, clothing, and cleaning products
Reduce takeout food in grease-resistant packaging
'Think of it like minimizing secondhand smoke exposure. Limiting PFAS in your environment lowers your long-term risk,' he concludes.
Other ways to lower type 2 diabetes risk
There are studies showing that maintenance of body weight and exercising regularly, 150 minutes per week, can be effective for preventing certain types of diabetes, says Dr. Fowler. 'Any exercise is helpful,' he adds. 'It immediately lowers insulin resistance in your muscles, which helps you use less insulin and preserves your ability to produce insulin. If you are prediabetic, which can be determined by seeing your primary care provider and certain blood tests, medications can be added to your regimen of exercise and diet.'
Galbadage concurs with those recommendations, and adds one: Eat a fiber-rich diet, as emerging research suggests that gel-forming fibers like oat β-glucan may help reduce blood levels of certain PFAS.
Ultimately, this research 'emphasizes that diabetes prevention is not just personal—it needs to involve both health policy and environmental action,' concludes Galbadage. 'Communities with high PFAS exposure, often low-income or socioeconomically marginalized, face an unfair health burden,' he says. 'We need stronger regulations, corporate accountability, and environmental cleanup efforts. Individuals can take steps, but system-level change is essential to protect future generations.'
Dr. Fowler adds that the limited size of this study warrants the need for larger studies to corroborate the findings.
You Might Also Like
Can Apple Cider Vinegar Lead to Weight Loss?
Bobbi Brown Shares Her Top Face-Transforming Makeup Tips for Women Over 50
Solve the daily Crossword