• Experts are interested in aspects of diet that can reduce the risk of developing type 2 diabetes.

• A study examining data from three cohorts suggests that dark chocolate consumption may reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes, but that milk chocolate consumption does not provide similar protection.

• Research highlights the importance of food choices for disease prevention.

In 2022, 830 million people around the world suffered from diabetes. The vast majority of people with diabetes have type 2 diabetes, which is why researchers are particularly interested in its prevention.

A study published in The BMJ analyzed the relationship between chocolate consumption and the risk of type 2 diabetes. This research made it possible to differentiate the consumption of dark chocolate and milk chocolate.

Researchers found that participants who ate 5 or more servings of dark chocolate per week had a 21% reduced risk of developing type 2 diabetes.

Further research can confirm the results of this study and seek to understand the reasons for these observations.

People who opt for milk chocolate also prefer other unhealthy foods

The researchers wanted to further examine the relationship between chocolate consumption and type 2 diabetes risk because previous research had yielded inconsistent results. They also wanted to examine the impact of chocolate subtypes, as this was missing in previous research.

The current trial included a large amount of data from three cohorts: The Nurses’ Health Studythe Nurses’ Health Study II and the Health Professional Follow-up Study.

The researchers included data from 192,208 participants when analyzing total chocolate consumption data and from 111,654 participants when examining chocolate subtypes.

For the main analysis, researchers excluded participants who had diabetes at baseline, cancerOr cardiovascular disease.

Each of the cohort studies assessed diet every four years by completing participant food frequency questionnaires. Information on chocolate subtypes began to be included in these assessments in 2006 and 2007.

Cohort studies also included information on several covariates, such as data on weight, alcohol consumption, high blood pressureand a family history of diabetes.

Participants completed questionnaires on covariates every 2 years. There was also regular monitoring of cases of type 2 diabetes that occurred, as well as monitoring of body weight.

Researchers have discovered interesting associations between chocolate consumption and other food choices. For example, milk chocolate was associated with other less healthy food choices like added sugar and processed meat.

During study follow-up, 18,862 people developed type 2 diabetes.

Dark chocolate reduces the risk of type 2 diabetes by 21%

When looking at overall chocolate consumption, researchers found that participants who consumed 5 or more servings of any chocolate per week had about a 10% reduction in type 2 diabetes risk compared to people who did not. never or rarely ate chocolate. The relationship seemed non-linear.

However, when looking at the subtypes of chocolate, the benefits seem to lie in dark chocolate over milk chocolate.

Participants who consumed 5 or more servings of dark chocolate each week had a 21% reduced risk of type 2 diabetes. There was a 3% reduction per serving per week of dark chocolate. The observed relationship was linear.

Researchers found no significant association between milk chocolate consumption and type 2 diabetes risk. Additionally, increased milk chocolate consumption was associated with weight gain.

Subgroup analyzes suggested that participants with a high-quality diet were most likely to benefit from a reduction in type 2 diabetes risk from dark chocolate.

Author of the study Binkai Liudoctoral student at the Harvard TH Chan School of Public Health, explained to Medical news today that:

Was the data on chocolate consumption consistent with actual eating habits?

The study has limitations. First, some data, such as those on chocolate consumption, were collected through self-reports, which do not always accurately reflect actual consumption.

The study authors acknowledge the possibility of measurement error in food frequency questionnaires. There were differences in covariate data collection between the three cohorts, as well as in the data points available for each cohort.

For example, one cohort had data on chocolate subtypes for three 4-year cycles, while the others had only one and two 4-year cycles, respectively.

Additionally, the analysis included more women than men, since two of the cohorts were composed of women, while only one of the cohorts was composed of men. Most participants were white and over the age of 50 at baseline, and all participants were healthcare professionals.

This means that the results cannot necessarily be generalized to other populations.

Participants actually had fairly low chocolate consumption compared to the national average, according to data reviewed by the researchers. This could have affected researchers’ “ability to assess the dose-response association at higher intake.”

There was significant heterogeneity in the results of the three cohorts, which also deserves careful attention. For example, there was no statistically significant reduction in type 2 diabetes risk from eating chocolate, dark or otherwise, in the Nurse Health Study cohort.

In contrast, the benefits of dark chocolate consumption were more pronounced in the Health Professionals Follow-up Study cohort, which consisted of only male participants.

The researchers acknowledge that confusion was possible. They were also limited by the fact that a small number of people in the high chocolate consumption groups developed type 2 diabetes.

The paper notes that this could have made it more difficult to detect more modest associations between dark chocolate consumption and the development of type 2 diabetes.

Finally, it is important to note that sensitivity analyzes adjusting for things like added sugar and foods predicting diabetes showed a lesser association between dark chocolate and type 2 diabetes. Thus, other factors are probably also in play, and further research will be helpful.

Dark chocolate: what makes it healthier than other sweets?

Overall, the study highlights the potential benefits of dark chocolate.

People interested in the topic of food choices can discuss options with their doctor. Liu noted that:

Andres Splenser, MDan endocrinologist affiliated with Memorial Hermann, who was not involved in this research, emphasized that “the greatest clinical implication of this study is that patients realize that food choices affect health.”

“If a simple change from the less healthy milk chocolate to its healthier alternative, dark chocolate, can reduce the risk of diabetes, then imagine what other dietary changes could lead to,” he said. MNT.

“The main point of this study and many other dietary intervention studies is that eating more antioxidant-rich whole foods leads to many health benefits, such as reduced cancer, heart diseasehigh blood pressure, high cholesteroland lower risk of type (diabetes 2),” Splenser added.

See the original article on Medical news today