Omega-6 Could Lower Type 2 Diabetes Risk By 35 Percent

From an analysis of almost 40,000 adults across 20 studies, researchers found that people who had higher blood levels of linoleic acid — a main form of omega-6 — were less likely to develop type 2 diabetes than those with lower levels of the fatty acid.

Study co-author Dr. Jason Wu, of the George Institute for Global Health in Australia, and colleagues recently reported their findings in The Lancet Diabetes & Endocrinology.

Type 2 diabetes occurs when the body is no longer able to effectively use insulin — the hormone that regulates blood glucose — or when the pancreas does not produce enough insulin. As a result, blood glucose levels become too high.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), around 30.3 million people in the United States have diabetes, and the majority of cases are type 2.

Following a healthful diet is deemed one of the best ways to prevent type 2 diabetes.