A UK study into the impact of fruit and vegetable intake has suggested that the presence of leafy green vegetables in a persons diet could help to prevent the development of type 2 diabetes.
According to research carried out at Leicester University and published by the British Medical Journal, an increase of 1.15 servings per day of leafy green vegetables was found to decrease the occurrence of the disorder by 14 per cent.
Researchers at the University reviewed studies of some 220,000 adults in total, and found that while eating more fruit and vegetables in general was not strongly linked with a smaller chance of developing type 2 diabetes, there was a 'general trend in that direction'.
However, when the study turned to leafy green vegetables, the risk reduction was said to be 'significant', with a daily dose of 106g of produce cutting diabetes risk by 14 per cent.
'We know that the intake of fruit and vegetables is important, but this study suggests that green leafy vegetables seem to be particularly important in terms of preventing diabetes,' noted professor Melanie Davies, who led the study.
As a follow up, the researchers are now planning to study the impact of increased leafy green consumption in people described as 'high risk' for developing the disorder.
