People who eat too much fast food gain more weight and are more likely to develop early signs of diabetes, a study of more than 3,000 white and black American adults said. The participants reported their fast-food dining habits for 15 years, starting when they were 18-30 years old. “Appropriate action would be to take whole-grain bread or buns, fat-reduced mayonnaise, more vegetables, lower-fat fried potatoes and reduced-sugar soft drinks,” writes Arne Astrup in an accompanying editorial in The Lancet. In the study, those who ate fast food more than twice a week gained 10 more pounds during the study than the participants who ate fast food less than once a week. They also doubled their insulin resistance, a sign of early diabetes. It’s no secret that many people struggle with their weight. Nearly two-thirds of adults are overweight or obese, according to University of Minnesota researcher Dr Mark Pereira and colleagues. Diabetes is also widespread. More than a million new cases are diagnosed each year, says the American Diabetic Association.
A little more than 6 percent of American adults have diabetes. It’s even more common among older adults. About 18 percent of people aged 60 or older have diabetes, according to the American Diabetic Association. Diabetes can lead to heart attacks, stroke, blindness, and kidney failure. The researchers don’t exclusively blame fast food. They also note other lifestyle choices.