THIS is one of the best things you can do to improve your health.

A new study sheds light on one of the best things you can do to improve your health, and possibly avoid some of the leading causes of death in the United States (and the rest of the developed world). Global diabetes has more than doubled in the last 30 years. 25.8 million children and adults in the United States – 8.3% of the population – have diabetes. 7 million people have diabetes and do not know it because they are undiagnosed. 79 MILLION PEOPLE HAVE PRE-DIABETES!

In 2007, diabetes was listed as the underlying cause on 71,382 death certificates, and was listed as a contributing factor on an additional 160,022 death certificates. This means that diabetes contributed to a total of 231,404 deaths.

According to a report from the American Diabetes Association, the U.S. cost of diabetes grew to $245 billion in 2012. Now, a new study published in PLOS ONE reveals strong evidence that sugar (not other diet and lifestyle factors) is the primary cause of Type 2 diabetes. The study’s researchers from the University of California at San Francisco studied data on sugar intake and diabetes from 175 countries. The researchers found, “that every 150 kcal/person/day increase in sugar availability (about one can of soda/day) was associated with increased diabetes prevalence by 1.1%.”

The researchers went on to state: “The impact of sugar on diabetes was independent of sedentary behavior and alcohol use, and the effect was modified but not confounded by obesity or being overweight. Duration and degree of sugar exposure correlated significantly with diabetes prevalence in a dose-dependent manner, while declines in sugar exposure correlated with significant subsequent declines in Diabetes rates independently of other socioeconomic, dietary and obesity prevalence changes.”

In other words, if the results of this study are accurate, sugar is directly related to developing Type 2 diabetes and cutting back on sugar is directly responsible for improving Type 2 diabetes. Limiting the amount of sugar you eat might drastically change your health and your life.