Common additives lurking in thousands of ultra-processed foods (UPFs) may increase the risk of type 2 diabetes, research suggests.
Emulsifiers, a group of ‘E numbers’, are used to preserve and add texture to cakes, ice cream, mayonnaise and even bread.
French scientists analyzed the diets of more than 100,000 adults to uncover the latest health fears.
Adults who ate a lot of emulsifiers were up to 15 percent more likely to develop type 2 diabetes, the study found.
However, critics tore up the academic paper, arguing that it was only observational and seriously flawed.
Emulsifiers, a group of ‘E numbers’, are used to preserve and add texture to cakes, ice cream, mayonnaise and even bread. French scientists analyzed the diets of more than 100,000 adults to uncover the latest health fears
Nearly 4.3 million people were living with diabetes in 2021/22, according to the latest figures for Britain. And another 850,000 people have diabetes and are completely unaware of it, which is worrying because untreated type 2 diabetes can lead to complications including heart disease and stroke.
Dozens of other factors could have influenced the findings, published in a journal by The Lancet.
Co-authors Dr Mathilde Touvier, research director at the French National Institute for Health and Medical Research, and Dr Bernard Srour, epidemiologist at research institute INRAE, said: ‘These findings… cannot in themselves be used to establish a causal link to set. relation.
‘However, our results represent key elements to enrich the debate on re-evaluating regulations surrounding the use of additives in the food industry to better protect consumers.’
Additive-rich foods have long been vilified for their supposed risks, with some experts even calling for the elimination of UPFs (usually anything edible that contains more artificial ingredients than natural ones) from diets.
The 104,000 French adults involved in the study were asked about their dietary habits – including their average daily intake of different groups of emulsifiers – personal medical history and physical activity level.
During an average follow-up of seven years, 1,056 volunteers were diagnosed with type 2 diabetes.
After taking into account other risk factors such as obesity and smoking, researchers said seven groups of emulsifiers were linked to type 2 diabetes.
Every 500 mg of tripotassium phosphate (E340), found in sliced ham, canned soups and cake mixes, daily was associated with a 15 percent increased risk.
An increased risk was also observed with guar gum (E412) and xanthan gum (E415). They can be found in cottage cheese, salad dressings and sauces.
To write The Lancet Diabetes and endocrinology researchers said study ‘raises concerns’ on the need to review acceptable daily intakes for various food additives, including emulsifiers’.
But experts today criticized the article.
Dr. Sarah Berry, an expert in nutritional sciences at King’s College London, said: ‘These types of large-scale epidemiological studies are an essential part of the scientific process.
‘However, these studies cannot prove that emulsifiers cause type 2 diabetes.
‘Because products containing emulsifiers often contain a large number of other ingredients, it is challenging to disentangle the effects of each compound.’
She added: ‘Although emulsifiers are individually carefully monitored for safety, few studies examine how cocktails of these chemicals affect our health. This type of research should therefore form the basis for future, more strictly controlled clinical trials.’
Dr. Duane Mellor, a dietitian at Aston University, said: ‘What this article does not fully consider is the difference in how the human body might process and manage emulsifiers.’
The study also takes into account a varied range of emulsifiers, including sodium bicarbonate, for example, he added.
“This is one of its uses, but it may be more commonly used as a leavening agent in the form of baking powder,” he said.
The number of Americans with diabetes has also increased dramatically over the past two decades. Estimates from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention show that between 2001 and 2004, 10.3 percent of the population had the condition. This increased to 13.2 percent between 2017 and 2020.
‘So it appears that there is some overlap between how ingredients can be classified, as they can have different uses in cooking and commercial food production.’
Type 2 diabetes occurs when the body does not produce enough insulin or the insulin it makes does not work properly.
This hormone is needed to lower blood sugar levels.
If you have high blood sugar over time, it can cause heart attacks and strokes, as well as problems with the eyes, kidneys and feet.
Patients may need to revise their diet, take medications daily, and have regular checkups.
Symptoms of the condition, which is diagnosed with a blood test, include excessive thirst, fatigue and increased urination. But many people have no signs.
According to the latest figures for Britain, almost 4.3 million people were living with diabetes in 2021/2022.
And another 850,000 people have diabetes and are completely unaware of it.
About 90 percent of diabetes cases are type 2 diabetes, which is linked to obesity and typically diagnosed in middle age, rather than type 1 diabetes, a genetic condition usually diagnosed early in life.