Diabetes risk more easily controlled by food choice in blacks, Hispanics

[kebaldwin]

NewsTarget.com printable article
Originally published July 14 2006

Diabetes risk more easily controlled by food choice in blacks, Hispanics
(NewsTarget) A study in the July issue of Diabetes Care shows that blacks, Asians and Hispanics in the United States run a higher risk of type 2 diabetes, but it is easier for those groups to reduce their diabetes risk through dietary changes than it is for whites.
Researchers studied 78,000 nurses in good health who didn't have diabetes, and who participated in the Nurses' Health Study beginning in 1980. The nurses filled out diet and lifestyle questionnaires in 1980, 1984, 1986, 1990, 1994 and 1998 before the researchers completed their study in 2000. In the 20 years that the nurses were studied, 3,844 developed type 2 diabetes.

After adjusting for age and body mass index (BMI), researchers concluded that compared to whites, blacks were 34 percent more likely to have diabetes, Hispanics were 86 percent more likely, and Asians were 126 percent more likely.

While Asians had the lowest average BMI, they ran the highest risk of experiencing diabetes after weight gain. The researchers recommended lowering the cutoff BMI values that identify Asians as high-risk for diabetes. Blacks had the highest average BMI, but weight gain appeared to have a lower impact on diabetes risk than it did for whites.

However, blacks, Hispanics and Asians who adjusted their diet to include more fiber and unsaturated fats, while eating fewer foods that spike blood sugar or contain trans fats, experienced a greater reduction in diabetes risk than whites who similarly adjusted their diet.

Recent research conducted at UCLA shows that type-2 diabetes can be cured in over fifty percent of patients in only a few weeks through simple changes in diet that eliminate sugars, refined carbohydrates and processed foods. Despite the clear evidence demonstrating the causal link between foods and diabetes, the American Diabetes Association continues to claim that sugar consumption does not cause type-2 diabetes and suggests that diabetics control blood sugar through medication (prescription drugs and insulin) rather than food choice.

http://www.newstarget.com/z019652.html

[NewRuth]

Recent research conducted at UCLA shows that type-2 diabetes can be cured in over fifty percent of patients in only a few weeks through simple changes in diet that eliminate sugars, refined carbohydrates and processed foods. Despite the clear evidence demonstrating the causal link between foods and diabetes, the American Diabetes Association continues to claim that sugar consumption does not cause type-2 diabetes and suggests that diabetics control blood sugar through medication (prescription drugs and insulin) rather than food choice.


The ADA is your friend :thdown:

[Citruskiss]

This makes me really angry. My uncle has Type 2 diabetes, and has had it for at least 25 years now - unfortunately, when he was diagnosed, he was put on the standard "diabetic" diet. He lost some weight...but now he's having to take all sorts of medications, has some eye problems and so on.

They keep having to increase his medications, and add new ones.

And yet, he still eats things like pasta and bread. He thinks it's just about not having sugar - so he'll avoid desserts but that's about it. I'm not sure he realizes that things like potatoes and pasta and bread will increase blood sugars just as much as a piece of chocolate cake - the only difference is that the pasta or bread takes a little longer to be converted into sugar. I feel like saying, "Why don't you just pour a bunch of sugar on your plate" when I see him with so much bread, potatoes, pasta etc.

Now that he's on all these medications (some of which are fairly new to him), he's had to really work on getting those medication levels 'just right' - which means that when I suggest a low-carb diet, he says, "But won't that mess with my medication?".

Frustrating....and very sad.

[kebaldwin]

Everyone should have to take a tour of a hospital for type 2 diabetics to see all the horrible things it does to you.

Watching a loved one go through -- is a tough thing to do.

[HairOnFire]

Type II put my dad in a wheelchair, and ultimately killed him. My sister, who is 45, has type II and obesity. She went on a "diet" back in February to drop a bunch of weight - that would be the "Sit on Your Ass All Day & Starve Yourself Diet," which was her idea of a plan, and she dropped 40 pounds in about 3 months. She looked horrible after it was all said and done - horrible. She has since put back on about 30 pounds ( surprise - her appetite came back!), and she refuses to educate herself about the risks and what she needs to do to get and stay healthy as a T2 diabetic.

What irks me (can you tell I'm angry at my sister?!) is that she got a shitload of praise from the family for having the "willpower" to "diet" for 3 months and lose all of her weight. This was during a period of time when I was struggling with my weight and still doing Weight Watchers. Grrrrr......

[Sherrielee]

What happened to Native Americans? I am one. Are we off the "diet hit list"?

[LC FP]

Recent research conducted at UCLA shows that type-2 diabetes can be cured in over fifty percent of patients in only a few weeks through simple changes in diet that eliminate sugars, refined carbohydrates and processed foods.

Anybody know what research this is?

Mike Adams makes a lot of sense in many ways, but I think he's a vegan, and not too up on the benefits of saturated fat. :)

[mirielle]

I am a little dubious about the validity of the nurse's health study. I also disagree that there is a "cure" for AODH. You can treat it with diet, but go back to the same eating habits and you will be ill again.

I also agree...why no Native Americans? Or how about bi-racials and tri-racials...there are getting to be more and more of us out there. I look white but my grandmother was part African descent, part Native American, and part God knows what all; she and my mom had African facial features and both had hypertension, AODH, and died of strokes. I have the same build they did, but I am blonde and look like my dad's side of the family. I also have had the same medical problems...but stroke is a less likely possibility if I can get my weight down and remain on CALP. Diet fixes my problem with insulin just fine....I have managed to stay on the right side of the border with borderline diabetes for 10 years.

And the ADA... They are FOS. A little carb is fine. The amount they say I should eat on their exchange lists would kill me.

I have a friend who is suffering terribly. I have told him about my WOE and how easy it is, but he continues to eat at Wendys.

[LC FP]

I am a little dubious about the validity of the nurse's health study.
It's not really a study, it's just a ton of data about these poor nurses who have been followed, some for 30+ years. It has been a gold mine, though, for "researchers" who look for associations between certain behaviors and outcomes, like low-fat diets and breast cancer.

The NHS intimated that low fat might be protective, so in the early 1990s the Women's Health Intiative was begun. 10 years and 500 million dollars later we find that breast cancer rates decrease about 8%, but it's not statistically significant. Also colon cancer increases 8%, again not statistically significant. Also there's no benefit at preventing heart disease. The only statistically significant result in the whole study was that women with heart disease at the start of the study had 26% more "events" if they ate low fat (compared to SAD no less!). This result was "very" statistically significant, but the published report in JAMA stated that no conclusions should be drawn about this until a complete review of the data is done.

Of course in the mean time we continue to put women diagnosed with heart disease on a strict low fat diet...

And the ADA... They are FOS.
We certainly agree about this!