Maintaining a healthy diet is a crucial aspect of managing type 2 diabetes as it can significantly impact glycemic control. Recent research from the Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare shed light on the benefits of shifting towards healthier and more environmentally sustainable diets with a focus on plant-based foods to reduce the risk of developing type 2 diabetes.

      Pooled data from five Finnish cohorts, comprising a total of 41,662 participants, with a median follow-up of 10.9 years and 1750 incident cases of type 2 diabetes. Diet was assessed using a validated food frequency questionnaire. In the substitution models, 100 g/week of red meat or 50 g/week of processed meat were substituted with similar amounts of plant-based substitutes. Cohort-specific hazard ratios (HRs) were estimated by Cox proportional hazards multivariable model and pooled using a two-staged random-effects model.

      The findings revealed that substituting 100 g/week of red meat or 50 g/week of processed meat with fruits, cereals, or a combination of plant-based foods was associated with a reduced risk of type 2 diabetes, particularly in men. Although similar associations were observed in women, they did not reach statistical significance after adjusting for relevant factors such as BMI and socio-economic and lifestyle factors. Interestingly, no significant associations were found with substitutions involving legumes or vegetables. However, the inclusion of fruits such as apples, pears, and berry fruits was strongly associated with a reduced risk of type 2 diabetes.

      The researchers emphasize that these findings are in line with previous literature suggesting that partial substitution of red meat and processed meat with cereals may be associated with a reduced risk of type 2 diabetes. This study revealed a similar associations for red meat or processed meat substitutions with fruits, further highlighting the benefits of plant-based diets in mitigating the risk of type 2 diabetes.