DIET, LIFESTYLE, AND THE RISK OF TYPE 2 DIABETES MELLITUS IN WOMEN

We followed 84,941 female nurses from1980 to 1996; these women were free of diagnosedcardiovascular disease, diabetes, and cancer at baseline. Information about their diet and lifestyle wasupdated periodically. A low-risk group was definedaccording to a combination of five variables: a body-mass index (the weight in kilograms divided by thesquare of the height in meters) of less than 25; a diethigh in cereal fiber and polyunsaturated fat and lowin trans fat and glycemic load (which reflects the ef-fect of diet on the blood glucose level); engagement inmoderate-to-vigorous physical activity for at least halfan hour per day; no current smoking; and the con-sumption of an average of at least half a drink of analcoholic beverage per day.