New findings suggest people who even follow a Mediterranean Diet may be at increased risk of dying early.

Diabetics may assume that a balanced, nutritious diet is the key to managing Type 2 Diabetes. However, a study by the Italian research institution I.R.C.C.S. Neuromed suggests otherwise, particularly if the diet includes a high amount of ultra-processed foods.

Research indicates that the degree of food processing could significantly impact the health outcomes of those living with type 2 diabetes. Consuming a large amount of ultra-processed foods, often produced industrially, may substantially increase mortality risk.

This risk remains prevalent regardless of the overall nutritional quality of the diet, including those adhering to a Mediterranean Diet.

These ultra-processed foods undergo intensive processing methods, often involving substances not typically found in our kitchens, such as hydrolyzed proteins, maltodextrins, and hydrogenated fats.

Loaded with various food additives like colorings, preservatives, antioxidants, flavor enhancers, and sweeteners, these foods primarily aim to improve taste, appearance, and shelf life rather than nutritional value.

While we commonly associate packaged snacks, sodas, ready-to-eat meals, and fast food with this category, even seemingly healthy options like fruit yogurt, breakfast cereals, and meat substitutes can fall into the ultra-processed category due to their level of processing and additive content.

The team at I.R.C.C.S. Neuromed analyzed data from the Moli-sani Study, focusing on 1,066 participants diagnosed with type 2 diabetes between 2005 and 2010.

As Marialaura Bonaccio, an epidemiologist at the institution, adds, “A diet rich in ultra-processed foods exposed people with diabetes to a greater risk of death. Participants reporting a higher consumption of ultra-processed foods had 60% increased risk of dying from any cause, compared to people consuming less of these products.

“The risk of mortality from cardiovascular diseases, which is a leading cause of death for people with diabetes, was more than doubled.”

“One of the most interesting results of this study,” comments Licia Iacoviello, Director of the Department and full professor of Hygiene at the University of Insubria of Varese and Como, “is that the increased risk linked to ultra-processed foods was observed even when participants reported a good adherence to the Mediterranean Diet.

“These findings suggest that if the dietary share of ultra-processed foods is high, the potential advantages of a healthful Mediterranean Diet risk to be overlooked.”

Given these findings, Giovanni de Gaetano, President of the IRCCS Neuromed, advocates for future dietary guidelines for managing type 2 diabetes to emphasize limiting the intake of ultra-processed foods.

“Furthermore, food packaging should include information about the degree of food processing, a crucial consideration not only for diabetes patients but for the broader population as well.

“In addition to the adoption of a diet based on well-known nutritional requirements, dietary recommendations should also suggest limiting the consumption of ultra-processed foods as much as possible. In this context, and not only for people with diabetes, the front-of-pack nutrition labels should also include information on the degree of food processing.”

Source: 10.1016/j.ajcnut.2023.07.004

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