Men
with a high consumption of whole grains reduces their risk of type 2 diabetes.
Researchers at Simmons College in Boston, Massachusetts found that men who ate
the most wholegrain foods, including brown rice, oats, and barley, were less
likely to be diagnosed with type 2 diabetes than men with a high intake of
refined grains, such as those found in pasta, white rice, and many refined
sugary foods.
The scientists studied the diets and lifestyle of
around 43,000 healthy men for about 12 years. After this time they found that
1,197 men had developed type 2 diabetes.
Those who ate the least wholegrain foods were
nearly 60 per cent more likely to develop type 2 diabetes compared with men who
consumed the most – about 3.2 servings of wholegrains daily.
The researchers also discovered that obese men
also benefited from a wholegrain-rich diet. They found that obese men who were
exercising regularly and consuming wholegrains were more than 50 per cent less
likely to develop type 2 diabetes.
"We found a reduced
risk of type 2 diabetes in persons with high whole-grain intake. This reduced
risk was apparently due to cereal fiber intake," the investigators note.
Cutting overall
calories, exercising and maintaining a healthy weight can prevent type 2
diabetes, but the effects of specific dietary components have been unclear,
according to Dr. Montonen's team.
Fiber intake might
help reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes in a couple of ways, the authors note.
Compared with simple carbohydrates, fiber-rich carbohydrates are slowly digested
and absorbed, leading to less insulin demand. Insoluble fiber passes through the
intestines more rapidly, leaving less time for carbohydrates to be absorbed,
they explain.
"Given the current overall low intake of
wholegrains, efforts should be made to decrease the cost and increase the
availability and consumption of wholegrain products," wrote Teresa Fung and
her team. "This has the potential to reduce substantially the incidence of
type 2 diabetes and possibly other chronic diseases when sustained over time."
The study was funded by America's National Institutes of Health and the American Diabetes Association.
Source: Diabetes In Control Dot Com: American Journal of Clinical Nutrition 2002;76:535-540.
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