Researchers at The University of Texas at Austin have uncovered a significant link between the intake of ultra-processed foods and elevated blood sugar levels in individuals with type 2 diabetes. Their findings, published in the Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, indicate that these heavily processed items—ranging from diet sodas to packaged snacks and certain cereals—are associated with increased average blood glucose levels over time.
The interdisciplinary team, comprised of experts in nutritional sciences, kinesiology, and health education, discovered that it’s not just the sugars and salts present in these foods that contribute to poor blood sugar control. Senior author Marissa Burgermaster, an assistant professor at UT, noted the importance of understanding dietary patterns for effective diabetes management.
“Our research aimed to determine which aspects of diet correlate with better glycemic control among those diagnosed with type 2 diabetes,” said Burgermaster. “We found a clear relationship: higher consumption of ultra-processed foods resulted in poorer blood sugar regulation, whereas diets rich in minimally processed or whole foods led to improved outcomes.”
The study analyzed baseline data from an ongoing clinical trial called Texas Strength Through Resilience in Diabetes Education (TX STRIDE), directed by Mary Steinhardt from UT’s College of Education. The trial involved 273 African American adults living with type 2 diabetes who were recruited through local churches. Participants provided two 24-hour dietary recalls alongside blood samples for measuring HbA1C levels.
Upon examining these dietary recalls against three established indexes assessing overall diet quality, researchers found no correlation between these measures and blood glucose control. Instead, they identified that the amount of ultra-processed food consumed had a direct impact on participants’ glycemic management. Those who included more whole or minimally processed foods in their diets experienced better results.
Previous studies have linked high consumption rates of ultra-processed foods to various health issues such as cardiovascular disease, obesity, sleep disturbances, anxiety disorders, depression, and premature death. Although these foods are often high in added sugars and sodium, the researchers concluded that increases in HbA1C could not be attributed solely to these factors since they did not align with overall nutrition quality metrics.
Graduate student Erin Hudson proposed that synthetic additives like artificial flavors, colors, emulsifiers, and sweeteners may play a role in this phenomenon. This suggests a potential need for dietary guidelines to emphasize reducing ultra-processed food intake.
Among participants not using insulin therapy within the study group, those whose diets consisted of an additional 10% ultra-processed food saw their HbA1C levels rise by an average of 0.28 percentage points. In contrast, those who consumed a greater proportion—by 10%—of minimally processed or unprocessed foods recorded an average decrease of 0.30 percentage points in their HbA1C levels.
For individuals managing type 2 diabetes, maintaining an HbA1C below 7 is deemed ideal; notably, participants consuming less than 18% of their total food intake from ultra-processed sources were more likely to reach this target level.
Published on October 17, 2024 and Last Updated on October 17, 2024 by: Priyank Pandey
