Eating a few pieces of dark chocolate five times a week while avoiding milk chocolate has been linked to a reduced risk of type 2 diabetes.
The connection between chocolate consumption and type 2 diabetes risk is “controversial”, according to researchers, although they highlight that most previous studies did not explore the difference between types of chocolate.
These subtypes – dark, milk and white – have varying levels of cocoa, sugar and milk, which “may influence the association with risk of type 2 diabetes”, they added.
For the study, the team used data from three long-term studies of nurses and healthcare workers in the US.
The analysis of food frequency questionnaires taken every four years examined the link between type 2 diabetes and total chocolate consumption in 192,028 people, and chocolate type – dark or milk – in 111,654 people.
The average monitoring period was 25 years.
In the group whose total chocolate intake was analysed, 18,862 people developed type 2 diabetes, which happens when the body does not use insulin properly, resulting in high blood sugar.
Researchers found those who were eating a one ounce serving, or 28.3 grams, at least five times a week, were 10% less likely to develop type 2 diabetes compared with those who never or rarely ate chocolate.
In the group, analysed by chocolate type, 4,771 people developed type 2 diabetes.
The risk of type 2 diabetes among the people who ate one serving of dark chocolate five times a week was 21% lower, the study found. However, an increased intake of milk chocolate, but not dark, was associated with long-term weight gain.
Researchers said further trials were needed to confirm the findings, which have been published in the BMJ.
Diabetes UK estimates that about 4.4 million people in the UK are living with a diabetes diagnosis, with an additional 1.2 million people possibly having undiagnosed type 2 diabetes.
The number of people under 40 diagnosed with type 2 diabetes in the UK has risen 39% in six years, fuelled by rising obesity and cheap junk food.
Britain has one of the highest obesity rates in Europe. Two in three adults are overweight or obese and the NHS spends £6bn a year treating obesity-related ill-health. That is forecast to rise to £10bn a year by 2050.
As of 2022, about 830 million people globally have diabetes, according to the World Health Organization.
English (US)