Russian expert highlights key strategy for preventing prediabetes

Professor Oleg Medvedev of the Faculty of Fundamental Medicine at Moscow University and Scientific Director of the Healthy Nutrition Research Center said that growing scientific evidence supports the role of fruits and vegetables in reducing the likelihood of prediabetes, a condition that often precedes the onset of type 2 diabetes.

According to Medvedev, a recent systematic review and meta-analysis that examined data from 20 observational studies involving more than 182,000 participants found that higher consumption of fruits and vegetables was associated with an 18% reduction in the risk of developing prediabetes.

The expert explained that the health benefits of these foods extend beyond their vitamin and mineral content. Fruits and vegetables are also rich in dietary fiber and polyphenols, compounds known to improve insulin sensitivity and help maintain healthy blood glucose levels.

Medvedev stressed that a diagnosis of prediabetes should serve as a critical opportunity for intervention. He noted that lifestyle and dietary changes at this stage can slow, halt, or even reverse the progression to type 2 diabetes in some cases, restoring blood sugar levels to a normal range.

He also pointed out that the metabolic benefits depend on how these foods are consumed. Whole fruits, he said, offer greater advantages than fruit juices, while the nutritional value of vegetables can be influenced by cooking methods and the proportion of raw vegetables included in the diet.

While describing adequate fruit and vegetable intake as an essential component of diabetes prevention strategies, Medvedev cautioned that a direct causal relationship has not yet been conclusively established. He called for further research to determine which foods, cooking techniques, and dietary patterns are most effective in reducing the risk of prediabetes.

The Russian researcher concluded that incorporating a wide variety of fruits and vegetables into daily meals is a simple and affordable step toward better health, with the potential to help millions of people maintain healthy metabolism and lower their risk of developing diabetes.