DIABETES

Despite what some people may think sugar hasn’t been established as a cause of type 2 diabetes (13).

You may be interested to learn that there are two types of diabetes. Type 1 is an autoimmune reaction where the body’s defence system attacks the cells that produce insulin. The exact cause of this are not known yet, but are linked to a combination of genetics and environmental conditions.

Type 2 is a little more complex. In the UK, it normally occurs in people over the age of 40, and 90% of people with the condition are overweight or obese. There is a seven times greater risk of type 2 diabetes in obese people compared to those of healthy weight. Other factors such as genetics, diet and ethnicity may also play a role (56).

If you have diabetes, the advice is to eat a healthy diet. Speak to your doctor if you want to find out more.

Further information on diabetes can also be found here.

Note: recent scientific evidence contained within a report published by the UK Government’s expert nutrition group (SACN), found no direct link between total sugars intake and diabetes. However it suggests a greater risk is associated with a higher intake of sugars-sweetened beverages (13).