New research suggests that most Americans are open to making big dietary changes if it could help prevent or control diabetes.

A national poll conducted by the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine and Morning Consult found that 65% of U.S. adults would consider adopting a low-fat, plant-based diet if their doctor recommended it.

While many people know that eating more vegetables and fruits can lower diabetes risk, far fewer are aware that a low fat, plant-based eating pattern — rich in fruits, vegetables, grains, and beans — can help prevent or even reverse the disease.

In fact, only about 1 in 5 respondents recognized this connection. The poll surveyed 2,203 U.S. adults, aiming to assess awareness of dietary approaches to type 2 diabetes prevention and management, as well as openness to trying plant-based eating patterns. Respondents were asked about their knowledge of the role of fruits, vegetables, and plant-based diets in reducing diabetes risk, and about their willingness to adopt such diets if recommended by their physicians.

Among respondents whose healthcare providers had discussed type 2 diabetes with them, 57% knew that high vegetable intake can lower their risk, and 34% were aware that high fruit intake can do the same. However, only 21% recognized that a low-fat, plant-based diet could help prevent or improve type 2 diabetes.

The poll also revealed a striking misconception: half of the adults who had spoken with their doctors about diabetes believed that a low-carbohydrate diet is the best approach. Research cited by the Physicians Committee indicates that low-carb diets based on animal products are associated with an increased risk of type 2 diabetes.

Specifically, diets emphasizing animal protein and saturated and trans fats were linked to a 35% higher risk of developing type 2 diabetes, and that risk rose to 39% if the diet also minimized whole grain intake. Physicians Committee experts explain that eating less of certain types of fat — especially from animal products, fried foods, and oils — allows insulin to work more effectively.

In type 2 diabetes, insulin resistance occurs when fat accumulates inside muscle and liver cells, preventing glucose from moving out of the bloodstream and into cells where it is used for energy. This fat buildup is a key driver of elevated blood sugar levels.

Blood sugar spikes cause insulin surges and high insulin (hyperinsulinemia) over time, which can make cells more insulin-resistant and drive up high blood sugar even more.

Decades of clinical research show that low-fat, plant-based diets that do not restrict healthy carbohydrates can be beneficial for those with type 2 diabetes. However, for the reasons outlined above, refined and processed carbs can actually have the opposite effect, and should be avoided.