Eating right and taking daily vitamin supplement may do more than keep adults healthy and alert. According to new research, using nutrition to prevent or control type 2 diabetes may in turn lower a person’s risk of cancer.

Statistics presented at the annual conference of the American Association for Cancer Research indicates that mature adults who have diabetes are at a higher risk of many types of cancer.

Researchers analyzed medical questionnaires filled out by more than 500,000 American adults, as well as follow-up data collected 11 years later. The group found that having type 2 diabetes increased the participants’ risk of cancer by nearly 10 percent.

Similarly, men and women with diabetes had a 17 and 11 percent higher risk of death, respectively, over the study’s interval.

The team noted that the connection between diabetes and cancer appeared even when they controlled for other risk factors, like obesity and tobacco use.

They concluded that controlling one’s blood sugar and reducing the risk of diabetes can have long-lasting health benefits.

Adults who want to consume adequate amounts of vitamins and minerals, and thereby to maintain good nutrition, may consider purchasing a daily multivitamin or herbal supplement.