Do specific foods 'cause' diabetes?

[Vegwoes]

Not sure where to put this, so hope it's ok in chat?!

We recently watched a doc about diabetes and were surprised to learn that it has become much more prevalent in Asia, places such as Japan, etc. Even France and many of the Med countries are experiencing large increases in cases.
Most online discussion just says 'it's the white rice!!'
But weren't they eating it for many years before this upswing in cases?

I have googled but can't find any definitive info regarding HOW people actually become diabetic (type 2), since there is a lot of what I presume to be misinformation flying around, and not a lot of detailed literature at specialist sites or the nhs.

Some groups suspect seed oils (!!), along with refined carbs as a sole cause for diabetes, some suspect too much meat. More medically focused websites site 'eating too much and not exercising' as a more likely cause - which is a bit vague...or is it?

Is there a particular type of food that will cause it? I don't mean what triggers insulin AFTER diagnosis, but more before? Since some info includes people having diabetes at a low BMI, is it always as simple as being overweight?

I am new to this subject and am interested in finding out more - my dad had it late in life and I have heard that there can be a genetic component.

Obesity is the biggest factor in developing type 2 diabetes. Genetics is also a big factor.
Diets high in sugar & carbs will contribute but the biggest risk factor is being overweight.

It may be helpful if you ask MN to alter the title to type 2 diabetes, rather than just diabetes.

Constant eating, snacking, treats

you go back to 1970s and people didn’t eat between 3 meals a day, children weren’t allowed food between meals as it would spoil their appetite.

marketing by food companies made snacking seem normal - it’s not

the affect it has on the body is to overwork hour cells as they never get a rest, they burn out and type 2 occurs

pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3325839/

Snacking, not moving, not having a fasting window I think probably contribute. These things are driven by a western lifestyle so long working hours, grabbing convenience foods, driving rather than walking because you're short on time etc.

Your chances of developing type 2 diabetes will depend on a combination of:
1- your genetic constitution
and
2 -your lifestyle.

https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3325839/

another study concerning breakfast skipping and snacking

Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune condition. Nothing that you do or eat causes it, there's nothing you can do to prevent it or cure it.

Type 2 - as PPs have said, genetics and lifestyle. High carb diets are potentially dangerous. I suppose it's more prevalent nowadays because people don't move as much as they used to. And they probably eat more than people did in the past as food has become cheaper and more available.

I don’t think obesity per se is a cause but the lifestyle that leads to obesity that causes diabetes. It’s absolute a thing that you can reverse diabetes by changing your lifestyle dramatically whilst you are still obese (and I did). A high processed carb diet needs a lot of insulin and eventually your insulin production gives up the ghost. A Low carb lifestyle is promoted by both Diabetes UK and the NHS as the best way to combat type 2 diabetes.

there is absolutely a genetic element eg PCOS is inherited and tends to predispose to insulin resistance.

i suspect, but I don’t know, that increasing diabetes in Japan is due to changes in diet. Although we tend to think of a Japanese diet as being high in refined white rice there are three offsetting factors 1 - quantity 2- lots of rice eaten chilled next day so is more resistant starch 3- broad range of vegetables eaten.

the Japanese have a philosophy (can’t remember what it is in Japanese!) that you should only eat until you’re 80% full.

No. No one specific food causes diabetes (of any type).

High sugar, high carb Western diets mixed with a genetic predisposition

Type 1 is an autoimmune disease that has no cause or cure. Please re write your title to type 2!

Too much sugar and carbs do I think, cause type two. But some people are more prone to it than others genetically.

I think it also depends on if you store lots of fat in your middle section. That's meant to be worse.

Agree with PPs who please ask you change your title to say type 2 diabetes.

Yeah I think this is a big factor for type 2 diabetes. My dad would have had this problem, carried all weight on his stomach and eventually ended up as type 2. It contributes to fatty liver and then the pancreas can't work properly. I'm the same and was recently told I was pre diabetic (type 2) and all my weight is on my middle. Have cut out carbs and am doing the fast 800, so far 2 stone down and most of it off my middle.

Take a look at this book “Life without diabetes” by Prof Roy Taylor it has a great explanation of how small amounts of fat accumulating in the liver and pancreas can affect how we resond less well to insulin. He has been researching on diabetes for many years and is based in Newcastle

Prof Roy Taylor developed a diet to reverse type 2
that had some great successes

Obesity and snacking (so your blood sugar is kept too high) some people are genetically more susceptible hence certain ethnicities having higher prevalence

Globally people eat a staggeringly higher amount of processed food. Particularly snacks, particularly carbs with a high GI. Very highly processed cakes with a shelf live of about 2 years are prevalent in many countries. Sugary breakfasts are more prevalent than they used to be. Portions are bigger, carbs are more refined, snacks are 4 biscuits instead of one etc. The white rice, white pasta and white bread that people have been eating for generations may not have changed much but the bowls and plates are holding portions 3x the size. People are fatter across much of the world. 64% of UK adults are overweight and 28% obese but the UK is only 80th in the world for obesity.
I’ve read that the traditional model of 3 meals a day is best for T2 prevention - better than one or two meals with fasting between and better than meals plus snacks. I don’t know why that is but every 3rd person I know is doing some sort of meal skipping or fasting carry on. Staying within a healthy weight range, 3 balanced meals a day, reducing “white carbs” and snacking a few times a month instead of a few times a day - basically live like it’s the 1930s - and the chances of developing T2 are reduced hugely.

Thanks everyone.
Apologies I did mean type 2, although only clarified that in the post itself.

It is a minefield out there, such strong yet polarised views.
So many people providing extremist causes and solutions, with some sort of source to back it up.
I am not surprised so many of us are confused these days.

I did read a fascinating take on dietary fats leading to visceral fat having a large correlation, but yes, it does seem that eating too much has the greatest risk.

I suppose in the past we ate both fat and carbohydrates whenever they were available, but we were most definitely working them off with activity! Not so much now.

I wonder if the rising rates of type 2 in east Asia has something to do with the introduction of the western diet?

Must admit i was surprised about Japan.

I am seeing threads on Reddit where actual diabetics (T2) are being advised to eat only red meat and high fat dairy.

I think there is a real issue at present, culturally, with disordered views about nutrition. The concept of moderation does not appear to be in fashion!

It seems many people are happy to locate any source they can to confirm their own bias. It makes it so difficult to find the 'middle ground'.

Sounds interesting @Gassyladywill check this out thanks.

We are more sedentary: more desk jobs, car journeys, etc. Walking around the block or up-and-down stairs or doing ten squats all moderate blood sugar levels. So that, in addition to much more readily available carby snacks: disaster.

The Western diet is now very high in sugar and refined carbs , which is contributing to the obesity and type 2 diabetes prevalence shooting up. I like the metabolic mind channel on you tube which talks about the affect of diet on diabetes, Alzheimer’s and mental health. This video is specifically talking about type 2 diabetes

a diet too high in carbs causes type 2 diabetes. The body generates insulin to turn carbs to glycogen (energy). Over time the insulin response becomes less effective. Obesity is usually a side effect of a high carb diet - it’s the excess carbs that cause diabetes rather than obesity itself. If someone lived on a high protein and fat diet, cutting carbs, but still ate more than they burned and were subsequently obese, it would be incredibly unlikely to develop type 2 diabetes.