Study Links 3 Weekly French Fry Servings to 20% Higher Diabetes Risk
Updated
Updated · ScienceDaily · Jun 3
Study Links 3 Weekly French Fry Servings to 20% Higher Diabetes Risk
1 articles · Updated · ScienceDaily · Jun 3
Summary
More than 205,000 U.S. health professionals tracked from 1984 to 2021 showed a 20% higher type 2 diabetes risk among people eating three weekly servings of French fries.
The same study found no statistically significant increase for three weekly servings of baked, boiled or mashed potatoes, suggesting preparation method drives much of potatoes' diabetes link.
During nearly 40 years of follow-up, 22,299 participants developed type 2 diabetes; overall potato intake was associated with a smaller 5% increase in risk.
Replacing three weekly servings of potatoes with whole grains was tied to an 8% lower diabetes rate, while swapping French fries for whole grains was linked to a 19% lower rate.
Because the research was observational and mostly involved health professionals of European ancestry, it shows association rather than causation and may not generalize broadly.