Multiple studies have shown that many of the same healthy eating choices that can help one control diabetes can also help you prevent it. The exact relationship between eating specific types of foods and the risk of developing diabetes remains somewhat controversial. But the study findings are consistent with what experts consider to be healthy eating habits for most adults, according to Harvard's HealthBeat.

Your regional health providers should consider targeting the diabetic audience. Use AudienceSCAN's research to pitch them ways to reach diabetics and pre-​diabetics with your medium. 9.5% of adults responded that they are diabetic in AudienceSCAN's survey.

Lower risk

Fiber. Men and women who eat lots of whole grains have up to a 40% lower risk of diabetes than those who eat scarce amounts. Fiber from cereals, breads, and grains seems to be the most beneficial.

Coffee. The number of health benefits associated with drinking a couple cups of coffee per day keeps growing. Lowering your risk of diabetes is just one of them.

Moderate alcohol consumption. Drinking a little alcohol may decrease your risk of type 2 diabetes. For example, men who have an average of one drink per day develop diabetes less often than teetotalers.

Nuts. Eating nuts at least five times a week is associated with a decreased risk of developing diabetes compared with rarely eating them. But keep the portions small — nuts have lots of calories.

According to AudienceSCAN, 49.4% of diabetics want to buy things that make them feel "healthy" in the next 12 months. You can help your advertisers target consumers who are trying to avoid diabetes by using these tidbits in ad pieces. Newspaper (print, online, mobile or tablet) ads could be especially effective, because 27.1% of diabetics took action after reading them in the past month.

Higher risk

Sugary drinks. Women who drink two or more sugar-​sweetened soft drinks per day have a 24% higher risk of developing diabetes, compared with women who sip less than one per month. Two or more daily fruit drinks (which contain little, if any, real fruit juice) lead to a 31% higher risk.

Meat. Women who eat the most red meat (about one serving per day) have about a 20% higher risk of diabetes than those who eat the least (about one serving a week). And men who eat processed meats like hot dogs, bacon, and lunch meats five times a week are nearly twice as likely to develop diabetes as men who eat such foods just twice a month.

Trans fats. Trans fats have been linked to a higher risk of both diabetes and heart disease. One study documented a 30% increased risk of diabetes among women who ate the most trans fats, compared with those who ate the least.

Let marketers know that 55.3% of diabetics set personal goals to eat healthier this year, and 52.8% of diabetics set goals to lose weight, according to AudienceSCAN.

AudienceSCAN data is available as part of a subscription to AdMall for Agencies, or with the SalesFuel API. Media companies can access AudienceSCAN data through the AudienceSCAN Reports in AdMall.