- More than 462 million adults around the world have type 2 diabetes.
- Although type 2 diabetes is not curable, the condition is sometimes reversible through medications and lifestyle changes, such as diet.
- Researchers from the University of Southern Denmark say a low-carb, high-fat diet can help people with type 2 diabetes lose weight and control glucose levels.
More than 462 million adults from trusted sources globally are currently living with type 2 diabetes. And over one millionpeoplee e distrustesourcesce each year from diabetes.
While there is no cure for type 2 diabetes, the condition is sometimes reversible through a combination of medications and lifestyle changes, including diet.
Researchers from the University of Southern Denmark, Odense, Denmark, found new evidence suggesting a low-carbohydrate, high-fat, calorie-unrestricted diet helps people with type 2 diabetes lose weight and keep glucose levels under control better than a high-carbohydrate, low-fat diet. Type 2 diabetes and diet choices
Of the two types of diabetes, type 2 diabetes is the most common — more than 95%Trusted Source of people with diabetes have type 2 diabetes.
Type 2 diabetes occurs when a person’s body becomes insulin resistant and no longer responds to insulin correctly. The hormone insulin regulates the amount of glucoseTrusted Source allowed into the body’s cells, giving them energy.
Unlike type 1 diabetes, type 2 diabetes happens through a combination of genetics and certain lifestyle factors, including obesityTrusted Source, trusted Source, sedentary lifestyle true trustedsourcend family historyTrusted Source.
In the United States, research shows certain ethnic groups, including African American TrustedSource, Latinx Trusted Source, American Indian TrustedSource, and Alaska Native, Trusted Source are at a higher risk for developing type 2 diabetes.
Treatment for type 2 diabetes may include medications and lifestyle changes, including weight loss, exercise, and dietary changes.
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Kline is an online, personalized program for people with prediabetes and diabetes. Sign up to receive meal plans, educational content, and more. Benefits of low carb, high fat diet
Upon conclusion of the study, researchers found people on the low-carbohydrate, high-fat diet lowered their hemoglobin A1c levels by 0.59% compared to those on the high-carbohydrate low-fat diet. And those on the low-carb diet also lost more body fat and reduced their waist circumference compared to the high-carb group.
“Diet is very important in the management of type 2 diabetes,” said an MD and Ph.D. student at the Department of Clinical Research at the University of Southern Denmark in Odense, Denmark, and the Department of Medical Gastroenterology and Hepatology at Odense University Hospital. Hansen is also the first author of this study.
“The patients can control the diet themselves. This gives them a feeling of control and the feeling that they can do something themselves in the management of their disease,” Hansen told Medical News Today.“We were very surprised to see that participants on the (low-carbohydrate, high-fat) diet improved their
Trusted Source by 9.5mmol/mol (0.88%) and lost 5.5 kg even though they were eating the same amount of calories as they were used to,” she told Medical News Today. “This will hopefully mean that long-term compliance will be more successful because patients will Type 2 diabetes and lifestyle changes
After the study, the researchers also found participants did not sustain the changes they experienced during the study once they went back to their typical eating patterns.
“This shows us that this diet approach needs to be considered as a long-term lifestyle choice and not only sustained for a short period,” Hansen said clinical nutritionist at the Kellman Wellness Center in New York,
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