Pain Relief for Neuropathy Is Available Here

Diabetes Food Guide

A new diabetes food guide recommends a Mediterranean diet that may trim the risk of diabetes. The diabetes article appeared in the journal Diabetes Care in October 2010. You will read about this research study on this web page.

The Study

A study of 418 older Spanish adults, diabetes-free, between the ages of 55 and 80 had at least three risk factors for heart disease. Those risk factors were high blood pressure, excess weight and smoking. The researchers worked under Dr. Jordi Salas-Salvado of the University of Rovira i Virgili in Reus, Spain.

The men and women were randomly assigned to follow one of three diets.

1. A traditional Mediterranean diet with added emphasis on boosting consumption of olive oil, a rich source of monounsaturated fat.
2. The same diet, with a focus on getting polyunsaturated fats from nuts.
3. A low-fat diet that encouraged cutting down on all types of fat.

Participants in the olive oil group were given a free allotment of the oil – a liter per week. Those in the nut group were given enough mixed nuts to have about an ounce per day. None of the groups were told to limit calories or get more exercise.

The Results

Over the four years of the study the researchers found 10 percent to 11 percent of participants in the two Mediterranean groups developed diabetes. That compared with 18 percent of those in the low-fat group.

When the researchers accounted for a number of other factors – such as weight, smoking history, and reported exercise levels – the Mediterranean diet itself was linked to a 52 percent reduction in diabetes risk compared with the low-fat diet.

Other Recommendations

Constance Brown-Riggs is a registered dietitian and certified diabetes educator based in Massapequa, New York. The findings of the study support existing dietary advice for people with diabetes and those at risk of the disease, said Brown-Riggs.

“This pretty much backs up what we’ve been recommending.” The traditional Mediterranean diet is generally high in vegetables, fiber-rich grains, legumes, fish and plant-based sources of unsaturated fat – particularly olive oil and nuts. It is low in red meat and high-fat dairy, prime sources of saturated fat. This is a new diabetes food guide.

All of those features are healthy choices for anyone, Brown-Riggs pointed out. But the study does not say that you don’t have to exercise nor does it say that calories are unimportant.

Lower Diabetes Risk

Both Mediterranean diet groups showed a lower diabetes risk over time without evidence that weight loss was the reason. This was according to the Salas-Salvado team. When comparing participants who did or did not develop diabetes, the researchers found that average weight and exercise levels were the same in the two groups at the end of the study.

In contrast, the participants in the low-fat group who remained diabetes-free did lose a few pounds on average. But, those who eventually developed diabetes gained a few pounds on average.

The findings support the idea that components of the Mediterranean diet have health benefits independent of any effects on weight. Past research in this same study group found that participants on the diet had improvements in blood sugar levels and sensitivity to the blood-sugar-regulating hormone, insulin.

The researchers added that the unsaturated fats in the Mediterranean diet are thought to have anti-inflammatory effects. Researchers believe that chronic, low-level inflammation in the body may have a role in a number of disease processes, including underlying diabetes.

Brown-Riggs agreed that the diet’s anti-inflammatory effects might help explain its health benefits. She also pointed out that for overweight individuals, shedding excess pounds could curb inflammation as well. Exercise can have numerous health benefits, including a reduced risk of heart disease.

Calorie control and regular exercise should remain goals for type 2 diabetes patients.

Conclusion

The new diabetes food guide of a Mediterranean diet needs to be taken seriously. The diabetes article about the research in Spain points to its success. If you have any diabetes related questions, please send them our way. We are always happy to hear from our readers.

Written by: Margaret Stenerson

10 18 2010