Diabetes Prevention (cont.)
Is gestational diabetes a risk for developing type 2 diabetes later in life?
The simple answer is yes.
The risk for type 2 diabetes is higher in women who have
had gestational diabetes (diabetes of pregnancy). In general, type 2 diabetes
will occur in about 40% of women with gestational diabetes over the following 10
years. This number increases to the 50% range if obesity is present.
There are currently efforts underway to see if treating women with
gestational diabetes (using lifestyle, and medications such as
thiazolidinediones) can change the course of development of type 2 diabetes. The
results appear promising, and further work is being done to identify who will
potentially respond to treatment.
Are certain dietary patterns associated with the development of type 2 diabetes?
Diet becomes a critical issue when dealing with disease
processes. A study looking at dietary factors as a contributor to disease
processes must take a number of things into account. For example - is it the
food itself, or the weight gain associated with its consumption that is the risk? Is it the food, or
the age/lifestyle of those consuming it that is the risk? While cinnamon,
coffee, and fenugreek seeds are among the many food products that some feel are associated with
development/prevention of diabetes, none of these have truly been fully
scientifically evaluated. The food patterns mentioned below have been adequately
studied, and the results are independent of weight, age, physical activity, and
family history. Therefore, with these nutritional topics, it truly looks like
the results are related to the specific foods themselves.
A "Western" diet vs. a "healthy" diet
In a study of over 42,000 men, diets high in red meat, processed meat, high
fat dairy products, and sweets, were associated with an increased risk of
diabetes by almost two times that of those eating a "healthy" diet. Again, this is
independent of weight gain and other factors mentioned previously.
Dairy foods
The data on dairy products seems to vary, depending if the person is obese or
not. In obese individuals, the more dairy consumed, the lower the risk for the
metabolic syndrome. Specifically, those consuming more than 35 servings of diary
a week had a much lower risk compared to those consuming less than 10 servings a
week. Interestingly, this association is not as strong in lean individuals.
Sugar
Sugar consumption alone has not been associated with the development of type
2 diabetes. There is of course, weight gain associated with sugar consumption.
However, after adjusting for weight gain and other variables, there appears to
be a relationship between drinking sugar-laden beverages and the development of
type 2 diabetes. Women who drink one or more of these drinks a day have almost
twice the risk of developing diabetes than women who drink one a month or less.
Next: Is there anything that can help to prevent the onset of
type 2 diabetes? »
- metformin, Glucophage - Drug information about metformin (Glucophage, Glucophage XR, Glumetza, Fortamet, Riomet), a drug used for treating type II diabetes in adults and children.
- Hemoglobin A1c Test - Hemoglobin A1c test is used as a standard tool to determine blood sugar control for patients with diabetes
- Diabetes - Learn about type 1 and 2 diabetes (Diabetes Mellitus) symptoms including increased urination, thirst, weight loss, fatigue, nausea, vomiting, skin infections, and blurred vision. Causes and diagnosis information is provided in the information.
Latest Medical News
Diabetes RSS