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.

In general there wasn't, and the impact of food marketing to increase snacks has worked, which has had a large negative impact on peoples health, including a rise of type 2 which costs people their lives and cost the economy billions

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/w3ct8005

I heard this programme advertised on the radio - diabetes crisis in Pakistan. It’s being broadcast in Thursday

No one is saying snacking hasn't increased. You said in the 70s no one was eating between meals which is factually wrong, now you are saying jn general there wasn't, earlier you explained what snacks people were eating. Maybe make your mind up about what was happening.

Well if people out there are stupid enough to believe the online 'experts' rather than their own doctor, the NHS and advice from genuine expert websites such as Diabetes UK, it's nobody's fault but their own.

There will always be people peddling their own crackpot theories about all sorts of stuff online, and I'm sure that there are many rabbit holes to go down and to trap the unwary, but I prefer evidence-based scientific research and the advice of NHS professionals.

The snacks we ate when I was a primary school child in the 60's:

Elevenses - a cup of milk and one rich tea biscuit if you were at home, at school you just got the milk.

Mid-afternoon - squash watered down so much you could barely taste it and an apple.

Saturday we got our pocket money and went to the shop to buy sweets. We'd end up with a small paper bag of them which had to last the entire week. And when I say a small bag, I mean small.

Sunday afternoon in summer - an ice cream cornet from the ice cream van if you parents had enough money that week.

A couple of phrases that we all knew really well in those days: "No you can't have one now, it will spoil your tea" and "No, you can't have any more - don't be greedy".

I never had a whole Mars bar to myself until I was about 15. Until that time, my mum would buy one, cut it into slices and share it between us.

No one said that to me. I liked my dinner and managed to self regulate.

I find the 'online experts' stuff really quite frightening. Many young people are joining forums such as Reddit to seek advice about nutrition, a sub which is over run with orthorexic fear-mongering and extreme exclusion diets.

Moderation or portion control barely gets a mention, or is largely drowned out amongst the sheer, ceaseless noise of youtube driven trash. It is almost like a religion, with each 'special' diet forming separate churches, with reams of persuasive 'evidence' that their path is the one true path. And much of this information is deeply unscientific, even dangerous.

I have seen threads where keto fans have asked for help with spots in their vision, passing out or puking, and they are told to just push on and drink some electrolytes. Some of these are just kids seeking help.

Everyone claims to have the solution to every known auto immune issue ever diagnosed, if you just follow this particular diet....etc.

A huge proportion of online users believe that diabetes is solely caused by eating white bread. This insanity is so hardcore that diets of 90% saturated fat are offered as a solution to the 'carb problem'.
if anyone steps in to offer scientific data regarding how diabetes develops, they are acused of working for big Ag fgs, lol.

@Vegwoes I do agree - then again you only have to go on the weight loss injections threads here on mumsnet to see how anyone who doesn’t want to use them or is struggling with side effects is treated in some cases and it’s not good - definitely getting cult type vibes I’m afraid , people being obsessed - and I’ve lost weight both with and without using them recently .