Healthy eating patterns reduce type 2 diabetes risk across diverse ethnic groups worldwide.
A large new study combining data from over 800,000 people finds that sticking to certain healthy eating habits lowers the chance of developing type 2 diabetes, no matter the person’s ethnic background. The research, led by scientists at the University of Cambridge, looked at various popular diets known for their health benefits. Namely, the Mediterranean diet, the Alternative Healthy Eating Index (AHEI), and the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH). These diets focus on eating plenty of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, nuts, and lean proteins, while limiting processed foods, sugars, and unhealthy fats.
The researchers gathered 33 earlier studies that explored how these diets affected the risk of type 2 diabetes. They found that people who followed these eating patterns the most closely were less likely to develop the disease than those who followed them the least. Specifically, those in the top 10% for following the Mediterranean diet had a 17% lower risk. Those adhering to the AHEI had a 21% lower risk, and people following the DASH diet had a 23% lower risk of getting type 2 diabetes.
Importantly, the benefits of these various diets appeared across people from different ethnic groups. Whether someone was African, Asian, European, or Hispanic, eating in line with these patterns helped reduce their diabetes risk. This is notable because different ethnic groups have different traditional foods, eating habits, and levels of diabetes risk. The results suggest these healthy diets can be recommended broadly, across many populations.
However, the study also noted that the data was mostly from people of European descent, with fewer participants from other ethnic groups. This means more research is needed in underrepresented groups to confirm how well these diets work for everyone. Despite this, the results provide strong support for promoting healthy eating habits as a way to lower diabetes risk in diverse communities.
The study is part of a larger effort by researchers to understand how different eating styles impact health. They plan to look next at plant-based diets, including vegetarian and vegan patterns, to see if they offer similar protections against diabetes across ethnic groups.
Type 2 diabetes is a major health problem worldwide, linked to diet, lifestyle, and genetics. It occurs when the body cannot use insulin properly, leading to high blood sugar. Over time, this can cause serious health issues like heart disease, kidney failure, and nerve damage. Because it is so common and costly, preventing diabetes through lifestyle changes is a high priority for health experts.
The Mediterranean diet, based on foods common in countries like Greece and Italy, emphasizes vegetables, fruits, whole grains, olive oil, fish, and moderate wine. The AHEI scores a diet based on components like fruit and vegetable intake, type of fats, and sugar consumption. The DASH diet was originally designed to lower blood pressure but is also helpful for overall health, focusing on fruits, vegetables, low-fat dairy, and reduced salt.
By comparing these various diets, the researchers showed that following any of them closely can lower diabetes risk, even when people have different cultural backgrounds. This means that the main ideas behind these diets, more plant foods, less processed food, healthier fats, are likely good for anyone.
In the future, the team hopes to provide clearer advice for different populations, tailoring dietary recommendations based on more diverse study results. For now, the message is clear: adopting a healthy eating pattern is one of the best ways to reduce the chances of developing type 2 diabetes. This advice applies broadly, regardless of ethnicity.
Health professionals can use this information to encourage patients from all backgrounds to improve their diets. Public health campaigns might also emphasize these well-studied patterns as simple guides for eating well. While no diet is one-size-fits-all, these findings support promoting balanced, plant-rich eating habits as a universal strategy for diabetes prevention.
This study adds to a growing body of evidence that various healthy eating diets benefit many parts of the body, not just diabetes risk. It reinforces that changes to everyday food choices can have a powerful impact on long-term health and quality of life. The next step is to keep building knowledge on how diet works across different groups and to make it easier for everyone to access good food and nutritional guidance.
Sources include the European Association for the Study of Diabetes, which hosted the research presentation at its 2025 annual meeting in Vienna, Austria. The findings were gathered through careful review of existing studies and statistical analysis, offering strong support for diet’s role in preventing chronic disease across populations.
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Several healthy eating patterns may reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes across diverse ethnic groups
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