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Three Healthy Dietary Patterns Lower Incidence of Type 2 Diabetes Across Ethnicities

By Elana Gotkine HealthDay Reporter

Medically reviewed by Carmen Pope, BPharm. Last updated on July 31, 2025.

THURSDAY, July 31, 2025 -- Three of the most widely studied healthy dietary patterns are associated with lower incidence of type 2 diabetes (T2D), regardless of an individual's ethnicity, according to the results of a review scheduled to be presented at the annual meeting of the European Association for the Study of Diabetes, held from Sept. 15 to 19 in Vienna.

Jia Yi Lee, from the University of Cambridge School of Clinical Medicine in the United Kingdom, and colleagues conducted a systematic literature review to examine the association of three healthy dietary pattern indices with incidence of T2D in adults (Mediterranean diet [MedDiet], Alternative Healthy Eating Index [AHEI], and Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension [DASH]). Results from subgroup analyses by ethnicity were extracted whenever available.

A total of 33 publications from 29 cohorts reporting 107 ethnic-specific associations were included; of the estimates, one-third to half were from cohorts or their subgroups with European ethnicity. The researchers found that for the 90th versus the 10th percentile of adherence to the dietary index, the overall pooled relative risks were 0.83 for MedDiet, 0.79 for AHEI, and 0.77 for DASH, with considerable heterogeneity noted between studies. For most ethnic groups, the number of studies was small (<10), but no significant evidence was seen for either heterogeneity in the associations across ethnic groups or small-study bias.

"Although more research is needed in specific populations, this study strengthens the evidence that the Mediterranean, AHEI, and DASH dietary patterns may reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes across diverse ethnic groups, and that they can be promoted across all populations," the authors conclude.

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Disclaimer: Statistical data in medical articles provide general trends and do not pertain to individuals. Individual factors can vary greatly. Always seek personalized medical advice for individual healthcare decisions.

© 2025 HealthDay. All rights reserved.

Posted July 2025

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