Replacing ultra-processed foods in diet reduces risk of diabetes, study suggests | India News – Times of India

NEW DELHI: If you fear the health effects of processed foods that you cannot eliminate from your diet, here is an alternative option; find food products that are less processed.
According to a new study published in the journal: The Lancet Regional Health – Europe, which has investigated the possible link between the level of processing of food and the occurrence of diabetes, replacing ultra-processed foods or UPF with unprocessed/minimally processed foods (MPF), processed culinary ingredients (PCI) or processed foods (PF) lower the risk of developing the disease.
The Lancet study involved more than three lakh people over an average of 10.9 years. Research found that every 10% increase in total daily food intake over UPF (%/day) was associated with a 17% higher incidence of diabetes.
Even among the UPFs, researchers found that breads, cookies and cereals, sweets and desserts, and plant-based alternatives were associated with a lower incidence of diabetes.
Ultra-processed savory snacks, animal products, ready-made meals and sugar-sweetened/artificially sweetened drinks were associated with a higher risk of diabetes, the study found.
Dr. Anoop Misra, Chairman of Fortis C-Docsaid: “It is especially important for India, where fast food consumption and type 2 diabetes are on the rise, especially after the Covid-19 pandemic. Currently, there is a greater reliance on ready-made meals and snacks, which increases the risk of heart attacks and fatty liver disease, in addition to diabetes,” he said.