They discovered that following a vegetarian diet for the rest of one's life was connected with a 35% decreased chance of acquiring diabetes. Importantly, individuals who switched to a vegetarian diet after previously being non-vegetarians had a 53% reduced chance of getting diabetes than non-vegetarians. These findings support the hypothesis that a vegetarian diet may prevent or at least delay the onset of diabetes. Vegetarian diets are popular among people who want to lose weight or avoid meat products that contain antibiotics and other drugs. However, evidence suggests that they may also help prevent diabetes. Diabetes can cause serious long-term effects if not treated properly. Therefore, it is important that anyone who has blood sugar levels that are higher than normal gets tested by a doctor so that appropriate treatment can be started as soon as possible. The study included data from participants in the Framingham Heart Study. The researchers collected information on the dietary habits of the study participants over time. They then correlated these results with laboratory tests done every four years for diabetes diagnosis. The study included more than 5,000 men and women between the ages of 25 and 84 at baseline. It was published in the January issue of the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. It is important to note that this study showed an association between following a vegetarian diet and lower risk of developing diabetes. It did not prove that eating only plants will keep you free from this disease.