"French Fries Increase Type 2 Diabetes Risk by 20%"

Eating Habits and Type 2 Diabetes Risk: What You Need to Know

If you place your fast-food order minus fries, kudos to your self-discipline. Noted in 2024 consumer data from market research company CivicScience, around three out of every 10 American diners report ordering fries “at least weekly.” Hold the side: just-released research done at Harvard’s T.H. Chan School of Public Health serves up a caution to consider before your next meal out.

Harvard Study Reveals Surprising Connection Between Potato Consumption and Type 2 Diabetes

Compiling more than three decades’ worth of data, the review, published Wednesday in the peer-reviewed British Medical Journal, analyzed the diets of more than 205,000 participants who’d been enrolled in three studies. Over an average of 33 years, they “regularly” reported out their dietary habits, including how often they ate baked, boiled, or mashed potatoes, as well as french fries and whole grains.

The Impact of Potato Preparation on Type 2 Diabetes Risk

Ultimately, the potato preparation mattered in a major way. Nearly 22,300 people reported developing type 2 diabetes in that average three-decade period. It turned out that consuming three french fry servings per week increased the risk of developing type 2 diabetes by 20%. However, baked, mashed, or boiled potatoes “were not significantly associated” with a type 2 diabetes risk.

Insights from Lead Researcher of the Study

Though previous studies had shown some connection between type 2 diabetes and potatoes, this study “offers deeper, more comprehensive insights by looking at different types of potatoes, tracking diet over decades, and exploring the effects of swapping potatoes for other foods,” says lead author Seyed Mohammad Mousavi, PhD, postdoctoral research fellow in the Harvard’s Department of Nutrition.

Healthy Alternatives to Reduce Type 2 Diabetes Risk

The study found that opting for vegetables (including starchy ones), rice, and whole grains resulted in a 4% reduced type 2 diabetes risk. The maximum benefit was found among participants who ate whole grains while others ate fries: This choice appeared to lower diabetes risk by 19%. Concludes Walter Willett, MD, DrPH, a corresponding author and professor of epidemiology and nutrition at Harvard University: “The public health message here is simple and powerful: Small changes in our daily diet can have an important impact on risk of type 2 diabetes. Limiting potatoes—especially limiting French fries—and choosing healthy, whole grain sources of carbohydrate could help lower the risk of type 2 diabetes across the population.”

Final Thoughts

While the weather is good, try grilling potatoes with the skin on to get the full experience, as well as the health perks. For daily wellness updates, subscribe to The Healthy by Reader’s Digest newsletter and follow The Healthy on Facebook and Instagram.