Yes, dietary choices can contribute to diabetes risk: What foods to avoid

Diabetes is one of the most common and debilitating diseases affecting people today. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), nearly 15% of U.S. adults have it - many of whom deal with regular symptoms like fatigue, frequent urination, blurred vision, and decreased immune health related to the disease's abnormal blood glucose levels. 

While most people know they don't want diabetes, less people understand the difference between type 1 and type 2 diabetes and how their diet and daily activity levels can make a difference in avoiding the most common form of the disease. 

What causes diabetes? 

Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune condition where the pancreas doesn't make insulin. (Insulin helps blood sugar enter the body's cells so it can be used for energy and also signals the liver to store blood sugar for later use, per the CDC.) An estimated 5-10% of people with diabetes have type 1. The other 90-95% have type 2 diabetes. In type 2, the pancreas makes less insulin than it used to, causing higher than normal blood glucose levels. Left untreated, high blood glucose levels can damage the body's organs and can lead to heart attack or stroke. 

Though type 1 diabetes can be successfully treated, it's a chronic condition and cannot be prevented. Type 2 diabetes, however, is both treatable and preventable. An active lifestyle and healthy diet are instrumental in keeping the disease at bay. Eating healthy foods in moderation and sticking to regular mealtimes are key, per Mayo Clinic, but avoiding certain foods is also critical. 

Can you get diabetes from eating too much sugar? 

One such food that is often recommended to avoid overconsumption of is sugar. "Despite what many people hear, sugar does not necessarily cause diabetes," says Kelly Jones MS, RD, CSSD, a performance dietitian and owner and founder of Student Athlete Nutrition. She says type 2 diabetes is a multifactorial disease, "with risk factors including genetics and ethnicity, physical activity level, blood pressure and heart health, smoking status and even chronic stress." 

Still, the American Heart Association recommends limiting added sugars in one's diet as a way of "potentially preventing" type 2 diabetes since excess sugar can contribute to the disease in multiple ways. One way is that getting too much sugar can lead to being overweight or obese and multiple studies show that excess weight is related to significantly increased diabetes risk. "More than 70% of obese population are insulin resistant," says Lori Shemek, PhD, a certified nutritional consultant based in Dallas and author of "How to Fight FATflammation."

Another reason is that, "if one eats too much sugar, the cumulative effect over time is also insulin resistance," she adds. "This equates to inflammation and can lead to heart disease, type 2 diabetes and more."

How much sugar is too much sugar?

To reduce one's risk of such consequences and to have better health overall, it's recommended to limit one's daily sugar intake. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recommends staying under 50 grams of added sugars each day. "It's important to differentiate between added sugars and natural sugars," says Jones. Sugars found naturally in fruits and vegetables, for example, are absorbed differently than table sugar or sugars added to foods to make them sweeter. 

Beyond added sugars, other foods can also increase one's risk of diabetes. Recent research has shown that even a modest amount of red meat increases one's risk of diabetes. Processed meats and refined carbs found in foods like white bread, cookies, cakes and white rice are associated with increased type 2 diabetes risk as well. "Sugar-sweetened beverages have also been linked to diabetes," says Natalie Allen, MEd, RDN, a clinical associate professor and a team dietitian in the athletics department at Missouri State University. 

"Diabetes is a complex disease and while there is no one exact cause," says Allen, "diet is a piece of the puzzle."

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