Eating chips three times a week may increase the risk of developing type 2 diabetes by 20%, according to a study published in the British Medical Journal. The research, led by public health expert Seyed Mohammad Mousavi from Harvard University, analysed food questionnaires from 205,000 US health professionals over nearly four decades.
Consuming french fries five times a week raised the risk by 27%, while baking, boiling or mashing potatoes with the same frequency increased it by only 5%. The findings suggest that the cooking method is key, with frying contributing to higher fat, salt and calorie content.
Replacing potatoes with whole grains lowered diabetes risk by 8%, and swapping chips for grains cut the risk by 19%. However, substituting any form of potato with white rice was linked to an increased risk of type 2 diabetes.
Dr Kawther Hashem, a lecturer in public health nutrition at Queen Mary University of London, noted that boiled, baked or mashed potatoes are naturally low in fat and provide fibre, vitamin C and potassium. She advised enjoying potatoes but not relying on chips as a go-to option, and swapping them for whole grains when possible.
The researchers emphasised that the study was observational and did not prove a direct cause-and-effect relationship. The Food Standards Agency and Department of Health and Social Care declined to comment.
