Diet, Exercise Thwart Diabetes: Study

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It is no secret that diet and exercise can prevent chronic disease, not just diabetes. The results can be magnified if people also address sleep and stress management. As a Registered Dietitian, I always promote the benefits of an overall healthy lifestyle for improved quality of life and disease prevention. For more information, see my book, "How To Eat Fried Chicken and Be Thin Too" on Amazon or at strategicbookpublishing.com

Kellie Glass RD, LD of KY 7:17PM November 05, 2009

Bonnie Adcock- Neither I, nor anyone else commenting here, are qualified in any way whatsoever to give you medical advice, especially on a subject as serious as your husband's seems to be. One of the distinguishing features of the Net is its facility for anonymity. Anyone can pretend to be something they're not, and can use google and wikipedia to sound like doctors or others in the field. I'm going to suggest you take the advice of medical professionals you've met face-to-face, people who've trained for years to answer your questions. If they cannot help him, I submit that anonymous forum posters will hardly be in a position to do otherwise.

Captain Obvious of CO 3:02PM November 04, 2009

In the midst of a healthcare system that focuses almost solely on disease treatment instead of prevention, it will take more than mere suggestion for people to take dramatic steps toward major diet and lifestyle changes. I agree with Dr. Knowler that access to weight loss clinics could be the modality for making those changes. Completely removing oneself from the usual environment, gaining new knowledge and creating new habits, and having the support of others can all be invaluable for making sustainable changes and preventing or reversing disease. I work at 70 year-old wellness program in NC, and I have seen this over and over again with Diabetes. Countless patients have been helped. For some, clinical symptoms of diabetes entirely disappear and medications can be significantly reduced or ceased. For others on the verge of developing diabetes, blood sugars normalize and medications are no longer needed. This can happen even when patients are eating only carbohydrates (rice and fruit)! Patients here lose weight quickly under medical supervision, they eat whole foods high in soluble fiber, exercise, and they learn how to maintain a healthy way of eating at home. Learning how to adopt a new way of eating and way of life can be very economical considering the cost of diabetes medications and the multitude of healthcare costs for complications.
Anna LaBarre, RD, LDN
Registered Dietitian
Rice Diet Program
Durham, NC

Anna LaBarre of NC 9:46AM November 04, 2009

My husband has diabetes and tries to control it by diet. He has been having pain in his hands (redness) and numbness in his feet. He thinks that by keeping his sugar level normal that he shouldn't have neuropathy.
If he keeps his blood sugar levels within normal range, why is he have symtoms of neuropathy? And after a period of time of this lack of circulation in his extremities, would this demand amputation or loss of them? He's going to see his internist today. Do you feel they have enough knowledge to help him?
Thank you for your help.

bonnie adcock of MD 11:46AM November 02, 2009

David Smith- What more can doctors do? People have been told, and told, and told that to keep from getting diabetes, they need to eat right and exercise regularly. And people still refuse to listen. So the doctors do what they can and prescribe drugs that'll at least help a little better than nothing at all. Because that's exactly what'll happen if people are told that only diet and exercise will help them. Nothing.

Captain Obvious of CO 9:35PM October 31, 2009

Duh.... like this is new information.
Most doctors will still keep pushing the drugs; and drug companies will still keep advertising.

David Smith of TX 2:48PM October 31, 2009

Some very nice comments, especially the Captain's. I agree with some of the other comments that this is like commissioning a study to discover if the sky is blue.
The actual amount that diet and exercise can reduce type 2 diabetes is 100%.
The reason the article makes no mention of the fact everything he is writing about applies to only type 2 is because journalists are, for the most part, clueless. That's too bad because they are the ones "educating" the public.

Steelj of IN 10:25AM October 30, 2009

but will American physicians embrace this old news? will they reluctantly say, "yes, go ahead and exercise if you want, but there have been no long-term studies that show longer life expectancies (ok, a few doctors are not so shy about focusing on lifestyle vs. medication and surgical procedures.)

jaya jeff of HI 2:46AM October 30, 2009

Duh....
This just in.. Fat people overweight.

Robert of CA 1:03AM October 30, 2009

Bill Stout- The trend towards blaming diabetes sufferers for their illness is quite logical. It's as clear as blaming smokers for their emphysema and lung cancer. The truth is unequivocal. Nine out of ten cases of diabetes is caused and exacerbated by lifestyle choices. There is no debate on this point. My mother has Type II diabetes, among a lot of other health problems. The reason for this is clear, and she doesn't deny it: she is obese. I love her and have tried, and tried, and tried to get her to exercise and eat healthier. She has an endless litany of excuses, but in the end it's on her. I listen to her litany of woes whenever a new health problem crops up, and I sympathize, I really do. But at the same time, I'm angry at her for being too fcking lazy to do what she needs to do.
Yes, exercising regularly is difficult. Yes, not eating crap food when it's so convenient is difficult. But if I, or anyone else, succumb to the temptation of sedentary life, I'd deserve exactly what I'd have coming to me.
And by the way, why on earth would anyone -want- to be overweight? I mean, really... why?! Life is SO much better when you're in shape. I love being able to go for a hike, play sports with friends, snowboard freshly-fallen powder, and a million other things without getting out of breath or falling behind. I like the admiring looks I get from others. Is eating too much and sitting around doing nothing really worth missing out on so many other things?

Captain Obvious of CO 7:09PM October 29, 2009