Type 2 diabetes is a chronic condition that affects the way your body metabolizes sugar (glucose) -an important source of fuel for your body.
With type 2 diabetes, your body either resists the effects of insulin, a hormone that regulates the movement of sugar into your cells, or doesn’t produce enough insulin to maintain normal glucose levels.
Type 2 diabetes used to be known as adult-onset diabetes, but today more children are being diagnosed with the disorder, probably due to the rise in childhood obesity.
There’s no cure for type 2 diabetes, but losing weight, eating low calorie diet and exercising can help manage the disease.
Contrary to the conventional dietary recommendations for type 2 diabetics, a new study has revealed that patients with type 2 diabetes can improve their ability to regulate their blood sugar levels, if they eat food that contains less carbohydrate and more protein and fat.
The study, according to Sciencedaily.com, was conducted at Bispebjerg Hospital, Copenhagen, Denmark by researchers from Aarhus University, Denmark and the Department of Nutrition, Exercise and Sports at the University of Copenhagen.
Although experts believe that nutritional therapy was important in treating type 2 diabetes optimally, the recommendations are unclear.
According to the Danish Health Authority, up to 85 per cent of newly diagnosed patients with type 2 diabetes are overweight and they are typically advised to follow a diet that is focused on weight loss and contains fewer calories than they burn, low-fat content and a high content of carbohydrates with a low glycaemic index.
A Senior Consultant for the study, Dr. Thure Krarup, explained:
“The purpose of our study was to investigate the effects of the diet without interference from a weight loss. For that reason, the patients were asked to maintain their weight.
“Our study confirms the assumption that a diet with a reduced carbohydrate content can improve patients’ ability to regulate their blood sugar levels without the patients concurrently losing weight.”
The doctor said the result of the study was important as it removed weight loss from the equation, contrary to assertions by previous studies. He added:
“We have provided contradictory conclusions, and weight loss has complicated interpretations in a number of these studies.
“The study shows that by reducing the share of carbohydrates in the diet and increasing the share of protein and fat, you can both treat high blood sugar and reduce liver fat content. Further intensive research is needed to optimise our dietary recommendations for patients with type 2 diabetes.”
