WITH a “global epidemic of diabetes” on our doorstep, experts are urging people make simple lifestyle changes to prevent developing the ‘silent killer’ disease.
The combination of three specific changes could lead to a 31 per cent reduced risk, say scientists.
Type 2 diabetes has become a major public concern so experts are urging people make simple lifestyle changes to reduce their risk[/caption]
The Mediterranean diet has been hailed for its health benefits, and when coupled with two other lifestyle changes, could reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes by 31 per cent[/caption]
There are around 4.6 million people diagnosed with diabetes in the UK, with about 90 per cent having type 2 diabetes.
Type 2 diabetes in particular has become a major public health concern because of the high rates of both diagnosed and undiagnosed cases
Often dubbed the ‘silent killer’ because symptoms don’t always appear, the condition is often preventable through lifestyle changes.
In a new study published in Annals of Internal Medicine, experts found a Mediterranean-style diet, in combination with reduced caloric intake, and moderate physical activity may cut the risk of type 2 diabetes by 31 per cent.
Participants also received professional support for weight loss.
“We’re facing a global epidemic of diabetes,” said co-author Frank Hu, Fredrick J. Stare Professor of Nutrition and Epidemiology and chair of the Department of Nutrition.
“With the highest-level evidence, our study shows that modest, sustained changes in diet and lifestyle could prevent millions of cases of this disease worldwide.”
Previous research has linked the Mediterranean diet – which emphasises high intake of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and healthy fats, moderate intake of dairy and lean proteins, and little to not intake of red meat – to better health outcomes, including type 2 diabetes.
The diet has been shown to do this through improved insulin sensitivity and reduced inflammation.
A team of collaborators from the PREDIMED-Plus clinical trial, the largest nutrition and lifestyle randomised trial in Europe, sought to understand how the diet’s benefits may be enhanced with additional healthy lifestyle changes.
The researchers from 23 universities in Spain and Harvard Chan School split 4,746 participants, into an intervention group and a control group and followed their health outcomes for six years.
They were aged 55 to 75, were overweight or obese and had metabolic syndrome, but didn’t have type 2 diabetes.
The intervention group followed a Mediterranean diet, reduced their caloric intake by about 600 calories per day, engaged in moderate physical activity, such as brisk walking and strength and balance exercises, and received professional support for weight loss control.
The control group followed a Mediterranean diet without calorie restriction, exercise guidance, or professional support.
The study found those in the intervention group had a 31 per cent lower risk of developing type 2 diabetes compared to those in the control group.
The intervention group also lost an average of 3.3 kilograms and reduced their waist circumference by 3.6 centimetres, compared to 0.6 kilograms and 0.3 centimetres in the control group.
“In practical terms, adding calorie control and physical activity to the Mediterranean diet prevented around three out of every 100 people from developing diabetes—a clear, measurable benefit for public health,” said co-author Miguel Martínez-González, professor at the University of Navarra and adjunct professor of nutrition at Harvard Chan School.
How to lower your risk of type 2 diabetes
According to Diabetes UK, there are a few diet tweaks you can make to lower your risk of type 2 diabetes:
- Choose drinks without added sugar – skip out the sugar in your tea and coffee and stay away from fizzy and energy drinks
- Eat whole grains such as brown rice, wholewheat pasta, wholemeal flour, wholegrain bread and oats instead of refined carbs
- Cut down on red and processed meat like bacon, ham, sausages, pork, beef and lamb
- Eat plenty of fruit and veg – apples, grapes, berries, and green leafy veg such as spinach, kale, watercress, and rocket have been associated with reduced risk of type 2 diabetes
- Have unsweetened yoghurt and cheese
- Cut down on booze – and have a few days a week with none at all
- Have healthy snacks like unsweetened yoghurt, unsalted nuts, seeds and fruit and veg
- Eat healthy fats included in nuts, seeds, avocados and olive oil
- Cut down on salt
- Get your vitamins and minerals from food instead of tablets