BOSTON—Middle-aged women who consume high amounts of refined carbohydrates and drink moderate amounts of alcohol have a 30% lower risk of developing type 2 diabetes than women with similar eating habits who don’t drink, according to a new study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.
Researchers at the Harvard School of Public Health examined data from more than 81,000 participants in the Nurses’ Health Study who were free of type 2 diabetes, cancer and cardiovascular disease.
Their cumulative averages of glycemic index, glycemic load, total carb intake and total alcohol intake were calculated every two to four years using food-frequency questionnaires. Over the course of 26 years, 6,950 participants developed type 2 diabetes. Participants who ate a diet high in refined carbohydrates had a 30% lower risk of developing diabetes than women with similar eating habits who didn't drink alcohol.
The researchers classified moderate alcohol intake to about two drinks a week. There was no association between heavy drinking, which was classified as 2 ounces or more a day.
