High Intake of Green Leafy Vegetables Is Associated with Lower Risk for Type 2 Diabetes

High intake of fruits and vegetables is associated with lower risk for cardiovascular disease and cancer. What about risk for type 2 diabetes mellitus? Investigators attempted to answer this question in a meta-analysis involving six prospective studies (median length, 13.4 years) and more than 220,000 people (age range, 30–74).

The highest levels of intake of vegetables only, fruits only, and fruits and vegetables combined were not associated with lower risk for type 2 diabetes. However, in the four studies that provided information on intake of green leafy vegetables (e.g., spinach, kale, lettuce), the highest intake of green leafy vegetables (about 1.4 servings daily) was associated with 14% lower risk for type 2 diabetes, compared with th…