Vegetarian diet and diabetes:
Vegetarian diet may lower the risk of developing diabetes. In a two-year study of non-diabetic participants, 15,200 men and 26,187 women were followed for 2 years. It was inclusive of 17.3% African Americans. During that time period the development of diabetes cases were significantly reduced in vegans, lacto ovo, and semi vegetarians compared to non-vegetarians. It was proven that vegetarian diets are associated with reduction in diabetes incidence. Those with black ethnicity on vegetarian diets also were found to have lower incidence of diabetes. The vegetarian diets appeared to negate the higher risk of diabetes present in blacks due to their ethnicity. (11)