A study published in the journal Nutrition & Diabetes reveals that increasing the intake of flavonoid-rich foods can reduce the risk of developing type 2 diabetes. Study: Higher habitual intakes of flavonoids and flavonoid-rich foods are associated with a lower incidence of type 2 diabetes in the UK Biobank cohort. Image Credit: DIVA.
photo / Shutterstock Type 2 diabetes has become a significant public health concern because of its steadily increasing prevalence worldwide. Currently, 415 million people are living with diabetes , and more than 4 million deaths are associated with this condition globally. Certain modifiable risk factors, such as obesity and overweight, are associated with the development of type 2 diabetes , which subsequently increases the risk of developing several health complications, including cardiovascular disease, kidney disease, dementia, and certain cancer types.
A higher intake of plant-based diet is known to reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes. Plants are rich sources of various polyphenolic compounds with different bioavailability and bioactivity. Flavonoids are a class of polyphenolic compounds grouped into six main subclasses: flavanones, flavones, flavan-3-ols, flavonols, anthocyanins, and isoflavones.
Evidence from randomized controlled trials (RCTs) indicates that higher intake of flavonoids is associated with increased insulin sensitivity, reduced insulin resistance, and improved blood lipid profile. In this study, scientists have investigated .
