According to an Italian study by the I.R.C.C.S. Neuromed, regardless of the nutritional value of a person's diet, eating highly processed foods which are frequently made in factories increases the risk of death for those who have type 2 diabetes.

The study was published in the journal, American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. Eating a healthy and balanced diet should be your first priority if you have type 2 diabetes. A diabetic person's life includes paying close attention to the calories and nutrients present in different foods.

The level of processing of the foods that end up on the dish may play a significant role in determining the future health status of people with this condition, so this alone may not be sufficient.

According to reports from general population studies, these products are referred to as "ultra-processed" and are linked to detrimental health outcomes.

The study has now examined whether consuming highly processed foods could pose risks to those who are more susceptible, like those with type 2 diabetes.

The findings demonstrate that regardless of the nutritional quality of the diet, as demonstrated by adherence to the Mediterranean Diet, high consumption of ultra-processed foods is associated with a significant increase in the risk of mortality, especially from cardiovascular diseases.

Ultra-processed foods are products that have undergone often intense processing, made, in part or entirely, with substances that are not usually used in the kitchen (e.g., hydrolysed proteins, maltodextrins, hydrogenated fats) and generally contain several food additives, such as colourings, preservatives, antioxidants, flavour enhancers and sweeteners.

Their main purpose is not to improve the nutritional properties of food but rather to enhance its taste, appearance and shelf life. Packaged snacks and sugary drinks, ready-to-eat meals and fast food come immediately to mind.

It's true, but they don't represent the whole situation: the level of processing, as well as the use of additives, are features that can also be found in foods that we might consider healthful, such as fruit yoghurt, breakfast cereals, crackers, and a large part of meat substitutes.

The Italian researchers analysed data from the large Moli-sani Study and specifically examined 1,066 participants who were affected by type 2 diabetes at study entry in 2005-2010.

"Over an average follow-up of 12 years - saidMarialaura Bonaccio, epidemiologist of the Department of Epidemiology and Prevention of the IRCCS Neuromed of Pozzilli and first author of the study - we observed that a diet rich in ultra-processed foods exposed people with diabetes to a greater risk of death. Participants reporting a higher consumption of ultra-processed foods had a 60 per cent increased risk of dying from any cause, compared to people consuming less of these products. The risk of mortality from cardiovascular diseases, which is a leading cause of death for people with diabetes, was more than doubled."

"One of the most interesting results of this study - said Licia Iacoviello, Director of the Department and full professor of Hygiene at the University of Insubria of Varese and Como - is that the increased risk linked to ultra-processed foods was observed even when participants reported good adherence to the Mediterranean Diet. These findings suggest that if the dietary share of ultra-processed foods is high, the potential advantages of a healthful Mediterranean Diet risk be overlooked”.

"These results - commented Giovanni de Gaetano, President of the IRCCS Neuromed of Pozzilli - may have important implications for future dietary guidelines to manage type 2 diabetes. In addition to the adoption of a diet based on well-known nutritional requirements, dietary recommendations should also suggest limiting the consumption of ultra-processed foods as much as possible. In this context, and not only for people with diabetes, the front-of-pack nutrition labels should also include information on the degree of food processing".