These days, it’s hard to find fruits and vegetables that are free from pesticides, which unfortunately have been linked to the spread of type 2 diabetes in recent years.

MedicalNewsToday.com reports that people who have been found with a high concentrations of DDE (Dichlorodiphenyldichloroethylene), a breakdown product DDT (dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane, a kind of pesticide) which is a common organochlorine pesticide, are four times more prone to developing type 2 diabetes than those who haven't. This was discovered by experts from the University of Granada in Spain, who examined fat tissue chemicals of 386 diabetes patients.

Researcher Juan Pedro Arrebola explains that fat tissue “can store potentially harmful substances, such as persistent organic pollutants," which include pesticides. This may be one of the reasons why obese people are more prone to type 2 diabetes than others.

Although other possible reasons for the rise of type 2 diabetes cases are still unclear, this proves to be practical to note, as you may lower your risk of developing the condition by peeling the skin off your fruits and vegetables as much as you can. You may also grow your own greens or go organic.

(Photo by Andy Powell via Flickr Creative Commons)