Leafy Greens May Protect Against Type 2 Diabetes

FRIDAY, Aug. 20 (HealthDay News) — A new analysis of existing research suggests that eating more green, leafy vegetables can significantly reduce the risk of developing type 2 diabetes, but more study is needed.

An estimated 6.4 percent of people in the world have diabetes, and the rates of type 2 diabetes have been going up in the United States as the population has become more overweight, the authors of the analysis noted. Scientists have been trying to understand the role that diet plays in the development of the disease.

Researchers, led by nutritionist Patrice Carter at the University of Leicester in the United Kingdom, examined six studies that looked at the links between diet and the incidence of type 2 diabetes. They found that compared with those who ate the least amount of green, leafy vegetables (0.2 servings daily), people who ate the most (1.35 servings daily) had a 14 percent reduction in risk for type 2 diabetes.

However, the analysis didn't show that increasing overall intake of fruit, vegetables, or a combination of both would make a significant difference in risk, Carter and colleagues reported in the Aug. 19 online edition of the BMJ.

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