Holding that side of fries might help thwart type 2 diabetes, new research suggests, according to Reuters. In a long-term study of nearly 85,000 U.S. women, researchers at Harvard University found that those with the highest potato intake had a modestly elevated risk of developing type 2 diabetes. The link was strongest among obese women, who are already at increased risk of the disease, suggesting that heavy potato consumption may pose a particular problem for them, the researchers point out. The findings are published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. Though potatoes have healthful attributes, they also have a high glycemic index (GI) -- meaning they cause a rapid, strong rise in blood sugar. Over time, these surges may damage the pancreatic cells that produce the hormone insulin, which is needed to metabolize blood sugar. Overweight or sedentary adults may be particularly vulnerable to the effects of high-GI foods because they often have underlying insulin resistance -- a precursor to diabetes in which body cells lose their sensitivity to insulin. --More 20 42 Local Time 17 42 GMT
