High Vegetable Intake Reduces T2D Risk 21%

Vegetable intake is associated with a reduced risk for T2D, while potato intake does not increase risk after accounting for underlying dietary pattern, according to study published in Diabetes Care. Pratik Pokharel and colleagues examined associations between exposure to vegetables/potatoes and incident T2D and quantified mediation by BMI. A total of 7,695 cases of T2D were recorded during a median follow-up of 16.3 years among 54,793 participants. After multivariable adjustment, compared with those in the lowest total vegetable intake quintile (median, 67 g/day), participants in the highest quintile (median, 319 g/day) had a 0.35 kg/m2 lower BMI and a 21% lower risk for T2D. About 21% of the association between vegetable intake and incident T2D was mediated by baseline BMI. After multivariable adjustment, participants in the highest versus the lowest (median, 256 vs 52 g/day) quintile of potato intake had a 9% higher risk for T2D; after accounting for underlying dietary pattern, no association was found. A higher intake of green leafy and cruciferous vegetables was significantly associated with a reduced risk for T2D.