The results of a new American study on fast foods may seem obvious but could be a good motivator for people looking to cut down on eating out in 2010. Pointing out that the rapid increase in type 2 diabetes in Western countries may be related to the changes in our eating habits, particularly the consumption of foods prepared outside the home, researchers from the Boston University investigated the relationship between restaurant meal consumption and the rate of type 2 diabetes among African American women. They studied more than 44000 women who did not have diabetes at the start of the research. The results, published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, showed after 10 years – almost 2900 women developed type 2 diabetes. Women who regularly ate restaurant meals were significantly more likely to develop type 2 diabetes. In particular, eating two or more hamburger meals per week increased the risk of being diagnosed with type 2 diabetes by 40 per cent while eating two or more meals of fried chicken per week increased the risk almost 70 per cent. The researchers found these risks were reduced when weight was controlled, suggesting that fast foods increase risk mainly by contributing to weight gain. The study concludes that reducing intake of fast food is a simple dietary change that individuals can make to lower their diabetes risk.