High-Carb Diet Raises Women's Diabetes Risk

High-Carb Diet Raises Women's Diabetes Risk
TUESDAY, Nov. 27 (HealthDay News) -- Black American women and Chinesewomen who ate foods high on the glycemic index -- which measures theeffect of carbohydrates on blood glucose levels -- were at increased riskfor developing type 2 diabetes, two new studies found.
One of the studies also found that eating more cereal fiber may beassociated with a reduced risk of type 2 diabetes in black Americanwomen.
In one study, Boston University School of Public Health researchersexamined data on more than 40,000 black American women who filled out afood questionnaire in 1995. Every two years through 2003, the womenprovided updates about their weight, health and other information.
During those eight years of follow-up, 1,938 of the women developedtype 2 diabetes.
Women who ate high-glycemic index foods or ate a diet with a highglycemic load were more likely to develop diabetes. Women who ate morecereal fiber were less likely to develop diabetes.
"Our results indicate that black women can reduce their risk ofdiabetes by eating a diet that is relatively high in cereal fiber," thestudy authors wrote. "Incorporating fiber sources into the diet isrelatively easy: A simple change from white bread (two slices provides 1.2grams of fiber) to whole wheat bread (two slices provides 3.8 grams offiber) ... will move a person from a low fiber intake category to amoderate intake category, with a corresponding 10 percent reduction inrisk."
In the second study, researchers from Vanderbilt University MedicalCenter in Nashville, Tenn., followed more than 64,000 Chinese women for anaverage of five years. During the study, 1,608 of the women developeddiabetes.
High consumption of carbohydrates increased the risk of diabetes. Womenwho consumed the most carbohydrates (about 337.6 grams per day) had a 28percent greater risk of developing diabetes than those who consumed theleast (about 263.5 grams per day).
Women who had high glycemic index diets and who ate more food staplessuch as bread, noodles and rice also had an increased risk. For example,those who ate more than 300 grams of rice per day were 78 percent morelikely to develop diabetes than those who ate less than 200 grams of riceper day.
"Given that a large part of the world's population consumes rice andcarbohydrates as the mainstay of their diets, these prospective datalinking intake of refined carbohydrates to increased risk of type 2diabetes mellitus may have substantial implications for public health,"the researchers concluded.
More information
The U.S. National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and KidneyDiseases has more about type 2 diabetes.