At the 72nd ADA Annual Meeting, Professor Rob M. van Dam of the National University of Singapore gave a detailed analysis of the dietary factors associated with the risk of developing type 2 diabetes. Previous studies on diet and risk of type 2 diabetes have focused on total fat, saturated fat, and dietary fiber, but as the understanding of this area continues to grow, its focus has expanded to include design of carbohydrate quality, dietary patterns, and many other aspects. Diet affects insulin sensitivity and β-cell function, which in turn affects the development of T2DM. In addition, diet is also closely associated with obesity, which can affect insulin sensitivity and further influence the risk of developing T2DM. Several studies suggest that diet can influence the development of diabetes independently of energy balance and obesity. Inappropriate dietary composition and dietary practices may increase the risk of developing diabetes. Encouragingly, the current study found that the Mediterranean diet can reduce the risk of developing type 2 diabetes. Studies of the major components of the diet and the risk of type 2 diabetes show that: macronutrients, red meat and deeply processed meat increase the risk of diabetes; carbohydrates, especially rice and fine grains, also increase the risk, and the higher the glycemic index and glycemic load the greater the risk of diabetes; the correlation between fat intake and the risk of diabetes is uncertain, and cheese and trans-palmitic acid may help to reduce the risk of diabetes; and the weekly intake of vegetables and fruits may help to reduce the risk of diabetes. The correlation between fat intake and diabetes risk is uncertain, but cheese and trans-palmitic acid may help reduce the risk of diabetes; the greater the weekly intake of vegetables and fruits, the lower the risk of diabetes; coffee also reduces the risk of diabetes, and this effect may be related to its increased expression of lipocalin; and curcumin, which is present in high levels in the Chinese diet, improves insulin sensitivity. In addition, meal patterns and habits can also affect the onset of diabetes. Some studies have shown that skipping breakfast increases the risk of developing type 2 diabetes. In summary, diet quality can significantly affect the risk of developing type 2 diabetes independently of energy balance and obesity. Diets lower in red meat, especially deeply processed meat, and higher in unsaturated vegetable oils can reduce the risk of developing type 2 diabetes. For Asian populations, the main dietary problem is the high intake of fine grains. In addition to focusing on various dietary components, we also need to actively improve meal patterns. Future studies will further unravel the potential benefits of coffee, dark chocolate, a variety of vegetables and fruits, whole grains and spices for type 2 diabetes.