Food preservatives associated with increased risk of type 2 diabetes

A French cohort study of 108,723 adults published in Nature Communications found that higher intake of food preservatives was associated with about a 47% higher incidence of type 2 diabetes, and 12 of 17 individual preservatives examined showed links; the authors say further research is needed to confirm the findings.

A study published in Nature Communications reports an association between consumption of certain food preservatives and higher incidence of type 2 diabetes. Researchers analysed dietary and health data collected from 108,723 French adults between 2009 and 2023. They identified 58 preservatives, focused on 17 consumed by at least 10% of participants, and adjusted analyses for smoking, alcohol and overall diet quality. The authors say the results are consistent with experimental data but require confirmation by further research. Key facts: - The analysis included 108,723 participants and recorded 1,131 cases of type 2 diabetes during follow-up. - Participants with the highest preservative intake had about a 47% higher incidence of type 2 diabetes compared with those with the lowest intake. - Non-antioxidant preservatives and antioxidant additives were associated with increased incidence, reported as roughly 49% and 40% higher respectively. - Of the 17 preservatives examined individually, higher consumption of 12 was associated with an increased risk of type 2 diabetes. - The lead researcher noted the study supports existing recommendations to favour fresh, minimally processed foods, and the authors called for additional studies to confirm these associations. Summary: The study reports an association between higher intake of many food preservatives and increased incidence of type 2 diabetes in this cohort. Undetermined at this time.