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More evidence for diabetes and CVD protection by whole grains.
20 Feburary 2006
Eating a diet rich in whole grains, a rich source of
bran, fibre, minerals and vitamins, could reduce the risk of type-2 diabetes
and heart disease, claims a new study that adds to a growing body of evidence
on the subject.
The study, published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition (vol.
83, pp. 275-283), adds to the number of observational studies linking
whole grains to lower risks of the diseases - news that has already been
grasped by cereal makers as the number of wholegrain products look set
to rise.
Sales of whole grains products in the US have increased following recommendations
of the health benefits in the USDA's new Dietary Guidelines for Americans.
In Europe, the Healthgrain Integrated Project was recently launched to
identify new sources of nutritionally enhanced grain, as well as to develop
methods to make cereal products more appealing to consumers.
The joint Danish-American cross-sectional study analysed diet records,
assessed by a 131-item food frequency questionnaire, and took blood analyses
of 468 men and 473 women.
The researchers measured intake of whole grains, bran and germ to markers
of glycemic control, blood lipids, cholesterol, and inflammation.
"Compared with participants in the bottom quintile [lowest intake
group], participants in the highest quintile had 17, 14, 14 and 11 per
cent lower concentrations of homocysteine, insulin, C-peptide, and leptin,
respectively," wrote lead author Majken Jensen from Aarhus University
Hospital and Harvard School of Public Health.
"Inverse associations were also observed with total cholesterol,
HDL (good) cholesterol, and LDL (bad) cholesterol," reported Jensen.
No link was observed between the intake of whole grains and markers of
inflammation, however.Although, the limitations of using food frequency
questionnaires have been well noted, the researchers are confident with
their conclusions: "The results suggest a lower risk of diabetes
and heart disease in persons who consume diets high in whole grains."
An estimated 19 million people are affected by diabetes in the EU 25,
equal to four per cent of the total population. This figure is projected
to increase to 26 million by 2030.
In the US, there are over 20 million people with diabetes, equal to seven
per cent of the population. The total costs are thought to be as much
as $132 billion, according to 2002 American Diabetes Association figures.
Source: http://www.nutraingredients.com/news/ng.asp?n=65935-whole-grain-diabetes-cvd
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