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It's Not Nuts to Eat Nuts to Decrease Diabetes Risk

In a large prospective study, consumption of peanut butter and nuts was linked to lower risk for diabetes.

The association between the consumption of peanut butter and nuts and the risk for type 2 diabetes was examined recently in a prospective cohort study. As part of the Nurses' Health Study, more than 80,000 female nurses (mean age, 46) without histories of diabetes filled out questionnaires between 1980 and 1994 regarding their peanut butter and nut intake. Women who reported diabetes at biennial follow-up completed additional questionnaires regarding symptoms, diagnostic tests, and treatments; diabetes diagnoses then were made using established criteria.

Nut consumption was related inversely to risk for diabetes. This relation was independent of common risk factors for diabetes, and it persisted after adjustments for BMI, physical activity, smoking, caloric intake, and family history. On multivariate analysis, women who never or almost never ate nuts were significantly more likely to develop diabetes than were those who ate less than 1 serving (28 g [1 oz]) of nuts per week (relative risk, 0.92), 2 to 4 servings per week (RR, 0.84), or 5 or more servings per week (RR, 0.73). Findings for peanut butter intake were similar. Women with higher nuts intake tended to weigh less than did those with lower nut intake.

Comment: Peanut butter and nut intake clearly was protective in this study. According to conventional wisdom, high-fat foods are bad. However, fat type might be more important than total fat. Peanuts and nuts are high in unsaturated fats, which tend to improve insulin sensitivity. Although this is the likely mechanism by which peanuts and nuts protect against type 2 diabetes, their other constituents also might contribute to a protective effect. The authors conclude that higher intake of peanuts and nuts should be encouraged; however, to prevent an increase in caloric intake, they should serve as replacements for refined grains and red or processed meats.

— Ann J. Davis, MD

Published in Journal Watch Women's Health February 5, 2003

Citation(s):

Jiang R et al. Nut and peanut butter consumption and risk of type 2 diabetes in women. JAMA 2002 Nov 27; 288:2554-60.

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• good
  deepa kattil, bahrain, 15 Jun 2009 7:56 AM EST
  very valuable information,