A groundbreaking study led by an expert in the field of Health Health of Harvard University has demonstrated a relevant association between regular consumption of chips and an increased risk of type 2 diabetes.
The research, conducted by Seyed Mohammad Mousavi, analyzed food questionnaires of 205,000 health workers in the United States, collected according to nearly four decades from 1984 to 2021, according to The guardian.
The study, published in the British Medical Journal, emphasized that people who surrender to chips three times a week with a 20% higher risk of the disease, with the risk that up to 27% rises for those who consume chips five times a week.
On the other hand, baked, cooked or potato puree with the same frequency with the same frequency with only 5%, the study showed.
Researchers emphasized that potatoes themselves do not constitute a direct health threat, but fry them to make chips – often with added fat, salt and large portion sizes – is linked to a greater chance of a diabetes diagnosis.
“The high starch content of potatoes, which leads to a high glycemic index and load, combined with possible loss of nutrients and possible health risks as a result of different cooking methods, could contribute to adverse health results,” the study noted.
The findings also showed that replacing potatoes with full grains reduced the risk of diabetes by 8%, while replacing chips with grains it reduced it by 19%. However, exchanging potatoes for white rice increased the risk.
Dr. Kawther Hashem, a public health teacher at the Queen Mary University of London, said: “Potatoes can be part of a healthy diet, but it is how we prepare them that makes it a difference. Cooked, baked or potato puree are of course low in fat and a source of fiber, vitamin C and potassium.
“But when we bake them deeply in chips or fries, especially in large portions and with added salt, they become less healthy with their high-fat, salt and calorie content that is much more likely to contribute to weight gain and to increase the risk of type 2 diabetes.”
Potatoes are the third most consumed food harvest after rice and wheat worldwide. In the UK, nine out of 10 of the estimated 5.8 million people with diabetes have the type 2 form, which is closely linked to lifestyle and diet.
The researchers emphasized that their findings were observational and have not proven direct cause and-effect relationship. The Food Standards Agency and the Department of Health and Social Care refused to comment.
