Experts Link Surge in Diabetes in India to Ultra-Processed Foods and Harmful Dietary Habits

New Delhi: Experts stated on Sunday that the rising cases of diabetes in India are directly linked to the consumption of ultra-processed foods, such as deep-fried, baked, and grilled items, which have become a common part of daily diets and are readily available in almost every corner of the country, as reported by IANS.

India has an alarming 101 million people living with diabetes. According to the recent ICMR-NIN Dietary Guidelines for Indians, over 10 percent of children and adolescents aged 5 to 19 are pre-diabetic.

A new study published in the International Journal of Food Sciences and Nutrition highlights that ultra-processed foods, such as deep-fried, baked, and grilled items, are high in advanced glycation end products (AGE), which trigger inflammation and contribute to various diseases, including diabetes.

“When we fry or grill foods it leads to oxidative stress which is a promoter of inflammation. Chronic inflammation in the body is linked to diabetes, hypertension, heart disease, and even some forms of cancer. Ultra-processed foods and those foods which are high in trans fats are harmful to health,” diabetologist Dr. V Mohan from Madras Diabetes Research Foundation (MDRF) in Chennai, told IANS. Mohan and team led the study on AGEs in collaboration with the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR).

The study identifies AGE-rich foods as including red meat, fried foods, French fries, fried chicken, bacon, biscuits, bakery items, butter, margarine, and sugary treats. In contrast, low-AGE foods are categorized as fruits and vegetables, broccoli, legumes, oats, dairy products, eggs, fish, and tree nuts such as almonds, walnuts, and cashews.

“Our study showed that foods which are high in dietary ages were linked to type 2 diabetes and inflammation. Foods which were low in dietary AGEs were protective against diabetes,” Mohan said.

AGEs are created through a non-enzymatic process known as glycation, where sugar molecules attach to proteins or fats.

This process results in the production of compounds that can trigger harmful reactions in the body, particularly by promoting inflammation.

“Fried food means that we are having excess saturated fat and calories, so it will naturally not be good for us,” Dr. Ambrish Mithal, Chairman & Head - Endocrinology & Diabetes, Max Super Speciality Hospital, Saket, who was not part of the study, told IANS.

“Much of the food in India that is deep fried, especially street food, is of reheated oil. Reheated oil is very rich in trans fats -- a big factor for increasing the risk of heart disease, some types of cancers,” he added.

Then what about grilled or baked food?

Mithal said intuitively, one would think grilled food is healthy, but it’s actually not. “Although it isn’t fried, it exposes food to high temperatures which gives rise to the production of certain toxic aromatic carbons in the food, which can be carcinogenic,” the doctor said while noting that baked food is also not necessarily healthy because most baked food is carbohydrate-rich.

These foods that are fuelling the obesity rate are one of the major causes of diabetes in the country, Mohan told IANS, while urging the government to promote healthy eating habits.

Further, the MDRF study showed that "excess carbohydrate intake in the form of white rice or refined wheat is a direct driver of the diabetes epidemic," said Mohan.

Apart from this, stress, lack of sleep, and air pollution are other contributing factors.

“Government policy should therefore be directed towards encouraging the cultivation and promotion of foods which are low with dietary AGE’s, especially fruits with low glycemic index and green leafy vegetables,” the doctor said.