Common Food Preservatives Linked to Higher Type 2 Diabetes Risk

A large study from France suggests that people who consume more food preservatives may have a higher risk of developing type 2 diabetes. The research, published in Nature Communications, followed nearly 109,000 adults over about 14 years, from 2009 to 2023.

Participants regularly reported what they ate using detailed 24-hour food diaries. Over the course of the study, about 1,100 people were diagnosed with type 2 diabetes. Researchers looked closely at exposure to food preservatives, which are commonly added to processed foods to extend shelf life. Importantly, the analysis accounted for overall diet quality and nutritional content, such as sugar, fat, and calories.

The study examined 58 different preservatives in total. Of the 17 preservatives consumed by at least 10% of participants, 12 were linked to a higher risk of developing type 2 diabetes. These included widely used additives like potassium sorbate, sodium nitrite, citric acid, phosphoric acid, calcium propionate, and even some additives often thought of as antioxidants, such as sodium ascorbate and vitamin E–related compounds. While this type of study is not designed to prove that preservatives directly cause diabetes, it adds to growing evidence that certain food additives may be associated with the condition.