Diets that lacked whole grains or had too much refined rice, wheat or processed meats were linked to the disease.
Those that included overconsumption of fruit juice or insufficient amounts of non-starchy vegetables, nuts or seeds also had some impact on diagnoses, though not as much.
The rise of type 2 diabetes cases represents “a growing burden on individuals, families, and healthcare systems,” a press release noted.
Type 2 diabetes occurs when the pancreas fails to produce enough insulin, impeding the body’s ability to regulate and use sugar as fuel.
More than 37 million Americans — about 1 in 10 — already have incurable diabetes, making it the seventh leading cause of death in the nation.
In the new study, researchers at Tufts University analyzed the diets of 184 countries worldwide using data from 1990 and 2018, revealing that more than 70% of new diagnoses in 2018 were believed to have been caused by unhealthy dietary patterns.
More than 70% of new type 2 diabetes diagnoses in 2018 were believed to have been caused by unhealthy dietary patterns.Shutterstock
Of the 184 countries included in the study, all reported a rise in type 2 diabetes in the nearly 30 years that were analyzed.
There is no cure for diabetes but a myriad of recommended lifestyle changes to help manage the condition, such as losing weight, exercising and eating well.
Diets that included insufficient amounts of whole grains were found to be linked to the increasing number of type 2 diabetes diagnoses. Bloomberg via Getty Images see also Overconsumption of rice and wheat was also found to have an oversized connection to the chronic disease. Shutterstock Eating large quantities of processed meats was another major factor that research correlated to type 2 diabetes. Shutterstock