Three diet plans potentially reduce diabetes risk: What similarities do they share?
In a groundbreaking study, a comprehensive meta-analysis has revealed that adherence to the Mediterranean, DASH, and AHEI diets can significantly lower the risk of developing type 2 diabetes. This finding applies across a diverse range of ethnic groups, including African, Asian, European, and Hispanic populations.
The key commonalities between these diets lie in their emphasis on reducing the intake of unhealthy fats, sugars, and processed foods, while promoting higher consumption of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, nuts, legumes, and healthy protein sources. All three diets prioritise nutrient-dense, fiber-rich plant foods and limit red and processed meats and added sugars, which collectively help regulate blood sugar and improve metabolic health.
The Mediterranean diet, based on the eating patterns practiced by long-lived people living near the Mediterranean Sea, emphasises vegetables, fruits, whole grains, nuts, legumes, fish, moderate alcohol, and a healthy fat ratio favouring monounsaturated fats (like olive oil) over saturated fats.
The DASH diet, developed to lower high blood pressure, focuses on fruits, vegetables, nuts, legumes, low-fat dairy, whole grains, and limits sodium, sugar-sweetened beverages, and red/processed meats. It also offers a unique emphasis on certain micronutrients, such as potassium and magnesium, which play a key role in glucose metabolism and enhancing insulin sensitivity.
The least familiar diet mentioned in the meta-analysis is Harvard University's AHEI diet. This diet encourages high consumption of fiber-dense foods like vegetables, whole fruits excluding juice, whole grains, nuts, legumes; healthy fats like polyunsaturated fats, and lean proteins, specifically fish and poultry. It limits red and processed meats, refined grains, sodium, and sugar-sweetened beverages.
The AHEI diet is a research-based scoring system developed to assess diet quality based on how well it aligns with dietary patterns that lower chronic disease risk. The greatest reduction of diabetes risk, 23%, came for those closely following the DASH diet, followed by the AHEI diet, 21%, and the Mediterranean diet, 17%.
However, it's important to note that the meta-analysis findings did not reach a level of statistical significance for Hispanic people or mixed ethnic groups. Further investigation, particularly for these populations, is warranted due to the less data available for them in the original studies.
The results of this meta-analysis will be presented in September 2025 at the Annual Meeting of the European Association for the Study of Diabetes (EASD) in Vienna, Austria. While it remains unclear if these diets can reverse diabetes once it has developed, they can help reduce the progression of type 2 diabetes and obtain better sugar control and improved insulin sensitivity.
In summary, these diets' common beneficial effects on diabetes risk are driven by high consumption of plant-based, fiber-rich foods, healthy fats, and reduced intake of processed and sugary foods. By adhering to any of these diets, individuals can significantly lower their risk of developing type 2 diabetes.
- The findings of the meta-analysis suggest that diets like the Mediterranean, DASH, and AHEI, which focus on nutrition-dense, fiber-rich plant foods and limit unhealthy fats, sugars, and processed foods, can lower the risk of developing type 2 diabetes.
- The DASH diet, developed for managing high blood pressure, not only prioritizes healthy fats, fruits, vegetables, and whole grains but also has a unique emphasis on micronutrients like potassium and magnesium, crucial for glucose metabolism and insulin sensitivity.
- The AHEI diet, a research-based dietary scoring system, encourages a healthy-dietsrich in fiber-dense foods, healthy fats, and lean proteins, while limiting red and processed meats, refined grains, sodium, and sugar-sweetened beverages, thus helping to minimize the risk of developing type 2 diabetes.
- By promoting endocrine health through nutritious eating patterns, such as the Mediterranean, DASH, and AHEI diets, individuals can obtain health-and-wellness benefits, including better sugar control, improved insulin sensitivity, and a reduced risk of developing type 2 diabetes.
