- Avocados are rich in fiber, antioxidants, and healthy fats that support metabolic health and insulin sensitivity.
- New research suggests that avocado consumption may significantly reduce the risk of diabetes, especially in women.
- Experts recommend a balanced and varied diet rather than placing an overemphasis on any one food for diabetes prevention, but including avocados in your diet is a healthy choice.
New research published Journal of the Academy of Nutrition These findings suggest a potential association between avocado consumption and diabetes risk in Mexican adults.
Diabetes is the second leading cause of death in Mexico, with approximately 15.2% of adults (12.8 million)
To investigate the relationship between avocado consumption and diabetes risk, researchers studied primarily self-reported dietary habits and diabetes diagnosis information from questionnaires given to a subset of the Mexican population, the majority of whom were classified as overweight or obese.
The results showed that women who ate avocados were less likely to develop diabetes than those who did not, but this association was not seen in men.
The study included Mexican adults aged 20 years and older. Mexico National Health and Nutrition Survey (ENSANUT) 2012, 2016, 2018.
After excluding certain individuals, including those who were pregnant or breastfeeding, and those with missing or unreliable data on diabetes and avocado intake, the final sample included 25,640 participants.
Approximately 59% were women, and more than 60% had abdominal obesity.
To determine avocado consumption habits, the study assessed dietary information using a 7-day food frequency questionnaire and strictly classified participants into avocado consumers (regardless of the amount of avocado consumed) and non-consumers.
The presence of diabetes was identified primarily through self-reported diagnosis, with a proportion of participants having their diabetes cases confirmed using clinical measurements of blood glucose levels.
Participants also self-reported demographic and cardiometabolic risk factors, including age, sex, socioeconomic level, education, body mass index (BMI), and abdominal obesity. Healthy Eating Index (HEI-2015) score, calorie intake, lifestyle habits, medical history, etc.
However, trained personnel measured participants' weight, height, and waist circumference.
After collecting the survey data, the researchers analyzed the data using descriptive statistics and logistic regression models to examine the association between avocado consumption and diabetes risk in the Mexican adult population.
Approximately 45% of participants reported consuming avocados, with the average daily intake being 34.7 grams (g) for men and 29.8 grams for women.
Those who ate avocado were generally better educated and belonged to a higher socio-economic class than those who didn't eat avocado.
Additionally, more than three-quarters of avocado consumers lived in urban areas.
For both men and women, avocado eaters tend to have slightly higher scores on the Healthy Eating Index, indicating they eat a more nutritious diet overall.
These findings suggest that people who consumed avocados were likely to have had greater access to and resources to make healthier food choices, although it is important to note that the study's adjustment models took these factors into account and accounted for them.
Among women, those who consumed avocados The unadjusted and adjusted models reduced the risk of developing diabetes by 22% and 29%, respectively, although this protective effect of avocado consumption was not observed in men.
This association was consistent when using test-confirmed diabetes diagnoses rather than self-reported diagnoses.
Today's Medical News He said Avantika Waring, MDDr. Schneider, an endocrinologist, diabetologist and metabolic specialist and chief medical officer at 9amHealth who was not involved in the study, said avocados may help reduce women's risk of diabetes.
Waring explained:
“There are several ways in which avocado consumption may lower diabetes risk in women. One is the presence of antioxidants, which can reduce inflammation and cell damage that increase the risk of diabetes and other conditions. Avocados are rich in fat and fiber and have a low glycemic index, meaning they won't spike your blood sugar or increase your insulin levels, which is undesirable for your metabolism.”
However, she noted that these mechanisms are only speculative, and suggested that the high fiber and healthy fats in avocados may promote satiety, thereby reducing the intake of less nutritious foods.
Thomas M. Holland, MD, MScDr. Robert G. Schneider, a physician-scientist at the Rush Institute for Healthy Aging at Rush University Health System, who was not involved in the study, similarly emphasized that avocados, being rich in “insulin-sensitive nutrients,” may stabilize the progression of diabetes.
“But it remains difficult to determine exactly why this association was only seen in women and not in men,” he said.
He proposed that factors influencing the course of the disease in women include: Gender differences in diabetes These relate to hormonal changes throughout the lifespan, genetic and environmental factors, and psychosocial stressors that have unique effects on women's diabetes risk.
Waring agreed, highlighting the major hormonal changes women experience at key times in their lives: “For example, during pregnancy a woman's insulin resistance increases, and during menopause, estrogen levels drop, which can change a woman's body fat patterns and increase her risk of diabetes,” she said.
Ultimately, the reasons for the gender differences in the effect of avocado consumption on diabetes risk in this study are unclear, highlighting the need for further research into gender-specific dietary interventions and individualized nutrition recommendations.
Eliza Whitaker, MS, RDNDr. David G. Schneider, a registered dietitian and medical nutrition advisor at Dietitian Insights, who was not involved in the study, noted that a major limitation of the study is that it broadly classifies avocado consumers, making it difficult to determine the beneficial amounts of avocado intake.
She said lumping occasional avocado eaters together with frequent eaters makes it hard to understand the exact effect on diabetes risk.
As far as we can tell based on the current science, she said, “Avocados may lower the risk of diabetes, but avocados alone are not enough to reduce that risk. You need to consider your whole diet to reduce your risk of developing diabetes.”
Waring agreed, saying the study supports the idea that eating whole, heart-healthy foods like fruits and vegetables can improve metabolic health, but suggested it stops short of providing specific dietary advice on avocado consumption.
Overall, “maintaining a healthy lifestyle, including diet, increases your ability to control the progression of the disease,” Holland added, emphasizing a holistic approach to disease prevention.
While the study cannot draw definitive conclusions about avocado consumption and diabetes risk, Holland suggested the associations it uncovered could still be influential.
As for whether people should eat avocados to reduce their risk of diabetes, Holland concluded:
“Given the richness and diversity of nutrients contained in avocados, there is compelling evidence that incorporating avocados into a healthy diet, such as the DASH diet, Mediterranean diet, or MIND diet, is highly recommended for diabetes management.”