Replacing ultra-processed foods in diet cuts risk of diabetes, suggests study

New Delhi: If you are fearful of the health impact of processed foods that you are unable to eliminate from your diet, here's an alternate option; find food items that are less processed.

The Lancet study involved over three lakh people for an average of 10.9 years. Research found that each 10% increment of total daily food intake from UPF (%/day) was associated with 17% higher incidence of diabetes.

Even among the UPFs, researchers found, breads, biscuits and breakfast cereals, sweets and desserts, and plant-based alternatives were associated with lower incidence of diabetes.

Ultra-processed savoury snacks, animal-based products, ready-to-eat meals, and sugar-sweetened beverages/artificially-sweetened beverages were associated with higher risk of incident of diabetes, the study revealed.

Dr Anoop Misra, chairman of Fortis C-Doc, said "It is especially important for India, where fast food consumption and type 2 diabetes are on the rise, especially post Covid-19 pandemic. Currently, there is an increased reliance on ready-to-eat meals and snacks, increasing heart attack and fatty liver risk, besides diabetes," he said.