Study Links Processed Meat to Type 2 Diabetes

In another diabetes study focusing on diet, researchers warn us to watch our intake of hot dogs, bacon, and other processed meats.

The study, published in the journal Diabetes Care, states that a diet laden with bacon, bologna, sausage, and other processed meats raises the risk for type 2 diabetes.

In this study, researchers tracked the health of more than 45,000 participants from across the country, who at the study's initial stages were free of diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and cancer.

The participants were asked to complete 131-item food frequency questionnaire at the beginning of the study in 1986, again four years later in 1990, and then again in 1994.

In addition, participants were asked to complete a health questionnaire every two years. The health questionnaire, along with the participant's medical record, enabled the researchers to identify new cases of type 2 diabetes as well as other diseases.

For the study, the researchers also noted whether the individual smoked or exercised.

Questions from the food questionnaire were specific with regards to food portion sizes and how often the food was consumed - daily, monthly, or never. Questions about the types of fat commonly used for cooking and at the table were also asked of the participants.

The researchers then computed each participant's nutrient intake - carefully calculating the amount of total fat, saturated fat, monounsaturated fat, polyunsaturated fat, and cholesterol.

Comparisons were then made between the fat totals of each participant and the individual's health.

Processed Meats Five Times a Week Could Be Potentially Hazardous to Health

When analyzing the answers from the food questionnaires and comparing them to the participant's health questionnaire and medical record, it was found that the participants who frequently (up to five times a week or more) consumed processed meats such as hot dogs, bologna, bacon, and sausage were nearly 50 percent more likely to develop type 2 diabetes than the other participants.

Not All Meat is the Same - Risk Depends on Meat Type

Although the researchers determined that meat was a major contributor to the individual's total fat intake, there still was a disease risk difference among the types of meat consumed by the participants. The authors found that processed meats, not other meats such as poultry and unprocessed red meat, raised the risk of type 2 diabetes.

The study's authors conclude that the type 2 diabetes may be connected with nitrates, which are used in processed meats for preservation. The body's interaction with nitrates, along with a high-fat diet, may be a contributing factor of type 2 diabetes.

They add that further studies are needed to positively confirm their theory.

Type 2 Diabetes at Epidemic Proportions

Statistics from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) show that type 2 diabetes accounts for up to 95 percent of all diabetes cases and is associated with obesity (more than 80 percent of people with type 2 diabetes are overweight), inactivity, family history, and racial or ethnic background.

The NIH states that type 2 diabetes is at epidemic proportions, with the number of cases tripling over the last 30 years. The health experts say much of the increase is due to the dramatic increase in obesity. People with a body mass index of 30 or greater have a five-times greater risk of diabetes than people with a normal body mass index of 25 or less.

Symptoms of Type 2 Diabetes

The following are the most common symptoms of type 2 diabetes. However, each individual may experience symptoms differently. Symptoms may include:

• frequent infections that are not easily healed
• high levels of sugar in the blood when tested
• high levels of sugar in the urine when tested
• unusual thirst
• frequent urination
• extreme hunger but loss of weight
• blurred vision
• nausea and vomiting
• extreme weakness and fatigue
• irritability and mood changes
• dry, itchy skin
• tingling or loss of feeling in the hands or feet

Some people who have type 2 diabetes exhibit no symptoms. Symptoms may be mild and almost unnoticeable, or easy to confuse with signs of aging. Half of all Americans who have diabetes do not know it.

The symptoms of type 2 diabetes may resemble other conditions or medical problems. Always consult your physician for more information.

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