Potatoes may increase risk of type 2 diabetes—depending on their preparation

French fries have long been a popular side dish or snack for many people, but a recent study conducted by Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health has shed light on their potential impact on health. In a study tracking the diets of over 205,000 adults over several decades, it was found that French fries were associated with an increased risk of developing type 2 diabetes (T2D), while other forms of potatoes like baked, boiled, and mashed did not show the same risk. The study, published in the BMJ, also highlighted that replacing potatoes with whole grains could potentially lower the risk of T2D.

Lead author of the study, Seyed Mohammad Mousavi, emphasized the importance of looking beyond the broad categorization of foods like potatoes and exploring how they are prepared and what they are replaced with in the diet. The researchers analyzed data from three large cohort studies, including the Nurses’ Health Study and Health Professionals Follow-up Study, where participants reported their dietary habits and health outcomes over a span of 30 years. The results showed that consuming three servings of French fries per week increased the risk of T2D by 20%, while other forms of potatoes did not have a significant association with T2D risk.

The study also found that replacing potatoes with whole grains, such as whole grain pasta or bread, could potentially reduce the risk of T2D by 4%. Swapping French fries for whole grains could bring the risk down by 19%, highlighting the importance of making small changes in daily diet to impact the risk of developing type 2 diabetes.

Corresponding author Walter Willett stressed the significance of these findings for public health and policymakers, emphasizing the need to pay closer attention to how foods are prepared and what they are substituted with. The study’s results were further supported by a meta-analysis that included data from over 500,000 participants and 43,000 T2D diagnoses across four continents.

In conclusion, the study’s findings suggest that limiting the consumption of French fries and opting for healthier carbohydrate sources like whole grains could play a crucial role in lowering the risk of type 2 diabetes in the population. This research provides valuable insights into the impact of different types of potatoes on health and underscores the importance of making informed dietary choices to promote overall well-being.