Dietary studies link French fries to increased diabetes risk and dried fruit to lower risk

Recent nutritional studies have highlighted the impact of specific food consumption patterns on the risk of developing type 2 diabetes.

Research published in The BMJ by Harvard Public Health researchers, involving over 205,000 participants in the U.S. over 30 years, found that regular consumption of French fries can increase the risk of type 2 diabetes by up to 20 percent. The study noted that preparation methods matter; consuming potatoes that are baked, boiled, or mashed did not show a similar increase in risk.

Conversely, a study published in Nutrition & Metabolism involving over 500,000 people across Europe suggests that dried fruit intake may reduce diabetes risk. Using Mendelian randomization, researchers found that modest increases in dried fruit consumption were linked to a significant reduction in the risk of developing type 2 diabetes, potentially due to the high fiber, antioxidant, and vitamin content found in fruits like figs, raisins, and apricots.