People who often consume meals prepared at home are less likely to develop diabetes than those who frequently eat out, a new study finds.

Internationally, there is an increasing tendency for people to eat out, which can involve consuming fast food, for example. Concerns have been raised that such a habit could lead to weight gain, which, in turn, is associated with an increased risk of diabetes.

Researchers from the Harvard School of Public Health evaluated large prospective datasets in which U.S. health professionals -- both men and women--were followed-up for long periods, taking note of a variety of health indicators, including self-reported information on eating habits and occurrence of diabetes.  All in all, the study researchers analyzed 2.1 million years of follow-up data, they said.

The findings indicate that people who reported consuming five-to-seven evening meals prepared at home during a week had a 15 percent lower risk of type 2diabetes than those who consumed two such meals or fewer in a week. A smaller, but still statistically significant, reduction was apparent for those who reported consuming more midday meals prepared at home.

Well-established diabetes prevention strategies include behavioral interventions aimed at increasing exercise and improving dietary habits. These findings suggest that the nutritional and lifestyle benefits of consuming meals prepared at home could contribute to these diabetes prevention efforts, the researchers say of their study, which appears in a special issue of PLOS Medicine.