Eating more vegetables like carrots or broccoli doesn't appear to lower the risk of type 2 diabetes, according to a review of five large studies tracking thousands of adults over many years.

Scientific Claim

No significant association was found between total vegetable intake (excluding green leafy vegetables) and incidence of type 2 diabetes in middle-aged and older adults, based on data from five prospective cohort studies with 204,654 participants and 8,563 incident cases.

Original Statement

“The summary estimates showed no significant benefits of increasing the consumption of vegetables... (hazard ratio 0.91, 95% confidence interval 0.76 to 1.09, P=0.32).”

From study:Fruit and vegetable intake and incidence of type 2 diabetes mellitus: systematic review and meta-analysis

Evidence Quality Assessment

Claim Status

appropriately stated

Study Design Support

Design supports claim

Appropriate Language Strength

association

Can only show association/correlation

Assessment Explanation

The claim accurately reflects the non-significant result with appropriate non-causal language. The confidence interval includes 1.0 and p-value >0.05, supporting neutrality.

Evidence from Studies

Supporting (1)

Fruit and vegetable intake and incidence of type 2 diabetes mellitus: systematic review and meta-analysis

Systematic Review With Meta-Analysis

Human

This study found that eating regular vegetables (like carrots or broccoli) didn’t lower diabetes risk, but eating leafy greens like spinach did. So the claim that non-leafy veggies don’t affect diabetes risk is backed up.

Contradicting (0)

No contradicting evidence found

Source Study

Fruit and vegetable intake and incidence of type 2 diabetes mellitus: systematic review and meta-analysis

Score: 39

DOI: 10.1136/bmj.c4229

Similar Assertions

Eating more fruit and vegetables together doesn't seem to lower the risk of type 2 diabetes, according to a review of four large studies tracking thousands of adults over many years.

91%

People who eat more leafy greens like spinach and kale tend to have a lower chance of getting type 2 diabetes, according to studies tracking thousands of adults over many years.

89%

Even when researchers looked at different groups of people, different ways of measuring diet, or different countries, eating more leafy greens still seemed to be linked to lower diabetes risk, which makes the finding more reliable.

83%

Eating more fruit doesn't seem to lower the risk of getting type 2 diabetes, according to a review of five large studies tracking thousands of adults over many years.

82%

The benefit of eating more fruits and vegetables for preventing diabetes is less strong in older people than in younger ones, possibly because aging changes how the body responds to nutrients.

78%