In the News: Animal Fat and Saturated Fat Associated With Type 2 Diabetes Risk

New research has indicated that a higher intake of animal fat and saturated fat may increase the risk of developing Type 2 Diabetes.  Scientists evaluated data from the PREDIMED  (Primary Prevention of Cardiovascular Disease with a Mediterranean Diet), a study on 3,349 adults without type 2 diabetes but at high risk for cardiovascular disease to look at the relationships between total fat, subtypes of dietary fat and foods rich in saturated fatty acids and the incidence of type 2 diabetes. Participants were assigned to a Mediterranean diet group or a control group. They were followed for approximately 4.3 years.  The results showed that participants who consumed higher amounts of saturated fatty acids and animal fat had two times the risk of developing type 2 diabetes than those participants with a lower intake of saturated and animal fat.  In contrast the mediterranean diet has long shown to be protective against chronic disease, possibly because its emphasis on unsatured fats like olive oil and nuts.  Check out a summary HERE.