Of the 11 items evaluated, three had the greatest influence on the increase in the global incidence of the disease:
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- excess refined carbohydrates such as rice and wheat;
- excess processed meats;
- and insufficient consumption of whole grains.
Other factors, such as a lack of fruits, vegetables, seeds and grains, in addition to excessive intake of sugary drinks, are also behind the high rates of the disease.
Those most affected are young men living in urban areas.
Diet and diabetes
The novelty of the study is the size of the influence of diet on diabetes: previous studies indicated that diet would contribute to only 40% of cases.
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But the authors of this new study point out that the difference in percentages is due to the inclusion of refined grains, one of the main causes of the disease, in addition to using data from individual food surveys, which are more reliable than information on agricultural crops.
“It is known that in type 2 diabetes there is an important association between behavioral and genetic factors”, says Levimar Araújo, president of the Brazilian Diabetes Society.
In people with a predisposition, excessive consumption of certain foods and obesity favor so-called insulin resistance, which occurs when this hormone cannot correctly perform its function of taking glucose into cells. Thus, there is an increase in blood glucose in the bloodstream. In some cases, it is possible to keep the disease under control with proper diet and weight loss.
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“We have seen an increase in the disease in adolescents and young people, as well as pregnant women,” says Araújo. “It is necessary to warn about the risks of obesity, poor diet and sedentary lifestyle, and a harmful lifestyle that predisposes to the disease”, adds the specialist.
exponential growth
Between 1980 and 2020-2021 the number of adults with diabetes in the world jumped from 108 million to 537 million. In this same period, obesity increased from 100 million to 764 million.
According to doctors, diabetes has serious impacts on health, as it increases the risk of cardiovascular disease, kidney failure, blindness, among other complications.
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(Source: Einstein Agency)
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