Cases of Type 2 diabetes in adults have tripled in less than two decades — to more than 450 million worldwide in 2019 from 150 million in 2000. Diabetes can cause complications such as heart disease and damage the kidneys, eyes, and nervous system.

A new study suggests that eating a healthy, plant-based diet may help you head off the disease. Researchers analyzed data from more than 10,600 participants in three long-term studies. Most were white and middle-aged (average age 54) and had an average body mass index (BMI) of 25.6, which is considered overweight.

Compared with study participants who did not develop diabetes, those who ate fewer plant-based foods had a higher average BMI and were more likely to have high blood pressure and high cholesterol.

Participants provided blood samples that were analyzed for metabolites associated with their diets. Metabolites are produced when the body breaks down food, drugs, chemicals, or its own tissue to make energy.

“While it is difficult to tease out the contributions of individual foods, individual metabolites from consumption of polyphenol[1]rich plant foods such as fruits, vegetables, coffee, and legumes are all closely linked to a healthy plant-based diet and lower risk of diabetes,” observed study author Frank Hu, a professor at Harvard’s T.H. Chan School of Public Health.