Fries, with a side of diabetes

Eating three servings of fries a week is associated with a 20% increased risk of developing type 2 diabetes, but similar amounts of potatoes cooked in other ways — boiled, baked or mashed — do not substantially increase the risk, according to a study published in medical journal The BMJ on Wednesday.

- Rhythma Kaul

The study also found that replacing any form of potatoes with whole grains is associated with a lower risk of type 2 diabetes mellitus, or T2D, but swapping them for white rice is linked to an increased risk.

"In the pooled analysis of the three cohorts, adjusted for age and total energy intake, a strong association was found between total potato intake and higher risk of T2D," the study said.

While the study did not specify the exact portion size it took into account, according to one of the authors, one serving of baked, boiled or mashed one serving was around one medium potato or one cup, while for fries, it was between 110g and 170gm.