MedicineEnvironmental Science

D. Stern, M. Aguilar-Lopez, Liliana Gómez-Flores-Ramos, Sonia Rodríguez-Ramírez, Mildred Chávez-Cárdenas, Deirdre K. Tobias, M. Lajous, Yu-Han Chiu

2026.2.23AMERICAN JOURNAL OF EPIDEMIOLOGY

DOI: 10.1093/aje/kwag037

tlooto Summary

A modest potential benefit is suggested if all participants had adhered to the adapted Dietary Guidelines at baseline compared with no intervention, and a small benefit if all participants had adhered to the adapted Guidelines at baseline compared with no intervention.

Abstract

In 2023, Mexico revised its Dietary Guidelines to promote healthy and sustainable diets, yet their impact on type 2 diabetes (T2D) prevention remains unexamined. We emulated a target trial within the Mexican Teachers Cohort to estimate the 9-year risk of T2D under an intervention adopting the Guidelines at baseline, compared to usual diet, using the parametric g-formula. Eligible participants were women aged ≥40 years without prior T2D, cardiovascular disease, or cancer between 2008-2010. Due to low baseline adherence to several components, we adapted thresholds so that ≥10% of the population met each recommendation. Incident T2D was identified through self-report or administrative data linkage. Among 11,307 eligible participants (mean age 46.0 years), 636 developed T2D over 9-years. The estimated 9-year risk of T2D was 8.44% (95% CI: 7.84, 9.12) under the usual diet and 7.11% (95% CI: 5.05, 9.82) under the intervention (risk ratio 0.84; 95% CI: 0.61, 1.15; risk difference -1.33 percentage points; 95% CI: -3.21, 1.29). These findings suggest a modest potential benefit if all participants had adhered to the adapted Guidelines at baseline compared with no intervention. The 95% confidence intervals indicate data are compatible with a small benefit, no effect, or a slight increase in risk.

Citation format

STERN, D., et al. Evaluating the 2023 mexican dietary guidelines for type 2 diabetes prevention: A target trial emulation in mexican women. AMERICAN JOURNAL OF EPIDEMIOLOGY, 2026, 195(6): 1698–1706.