Increased consumption of green leafy vegetables, but not fruit, vegetables or fruit and vegetables combined, is associated with reduced incidence of type 2 diabetes

Commentary on: 1. Carter P, 2. Gray LJ, 3. Troughton J, 4. et al . Fruit and vegetable intake and incidence of type 2 diabetes mellitus: systematic review and meta-analysis. BMJ 2010;341:c4229. [OpenUrl][1][Abstract/FREE Full Text][2] Medicine is science of uncertainty, affirmed by William Osler. We have two certainties about type 2 diabetes. The first certainty relates to its constant increase worldwide: the recent report on Health in the USA 20091 showed that 15% or more of the adult population aged 65 years and older is taking antidiabetic drugs, with an absolute increase of 6% compared with the years 1988–1994. The second certainty relates to diabetes-related death: in the USA, diabetes is the third cause of death for women and the fourth for men.2 Although lifestyle interventions can prevent type 2 diabetes, current nutritional recommendations for the primary prevention of type 2 diabetes are limited, with little that is truly evidence based.3 Fruit and vegetable consumption is one element of a healthy diet. Fruit and vegetable intake varies considerably among countries, reflecting economic, cultural and agricultural environments. Insufficient intake of fruit and vegetables is estimated to cause around 14% of gastrointestinal cancer deaths, … [1]: {openurl}?query=rft.jtitle%253DBMJ%26rft_id%253Dinfo%253Adoi%252F10.1136%252Fbmj.c4229%26rft_id%253Dinfo%253Apmid%252F20724400%26rft.genre%253Darticle%26rft_val_fmt%253Dinfo%253Aofi%252Ffmt%253Akev%253Amtx%253Ajournal%26ctx_ver%253DZ39.88-2004%26url_ver%253DZ39.88-2004%26url_ctx_fmt%253Dinfo%253Aofi%252Ffmt%253Akev%253Amtx%253Actx [2]: /lookup/ijlink?linkType=ABST&journalCode=bmj&resid=341/aug18_4/c4229&atom=%2Febmed%2F16%2F1%2F27.atom