Kill the Sugar and Reduce Type 2 Diabetes
Do you want to reduce the risk of developing type 2 diabetes by 14-25%?
Findings from a Cambridge study published May 2015 in Diabetologia, the journal of the European Association for the Study of Diabetes has concluded that some simple alterations in our daily routine could make a lot of difference.
Replacing a serving of soft drink or cordial with a serving of water or unsweetened tea or coffee, cuts the risk of developing type 2 diabetes by 14%.
Surprisingly by replacing a serving of sweetened milk beverage (milkshakes, flavoured milk) with water or unsweetened tea or coffee cuts the risk of developing type 2 diabetes by an even greater degree – 20 to 25%!
Researchers studied the impact of sweetened drinks on more than 25,000 men and women aged 40—79 years living in the UK.
Participants were asked to record everything they ate for 7 consecutive days, covering weekdays and weekend days, paying particular attention to amounts and food-preparation methods. Food diaries were collected throughout the year and over a 4 year period, allowing for seasonal variation in dietary intake. At the end of the study 847 participants were diagnosed with developing type 2 diabetes.
The UK research team determined that by increasing the consumption of sweet drinks by 5% of the total energy intake, the risk of getting type 2 diabetes increases by 18%.
If individuals reduced their sweet beverage intake to below 2% of their total energy intake, 15% of type 2 diabetes might be prevented.
The Cambridge study has questioned research that indicated artificially sweetened beverages can also increase your risk of type 2 diabetes.
While there was an association between consumption of artificially sweetened soft drinks and type 2 diabetes, the diabetes risk became insignificant when this was adjusted for the patient’s weight.
“The positive association of artificially sweetened beverages and type 2 diabetes may be an artefact of reverse causality where those who are overweight or obese and at higher risk of chronic disease consume a higher amount of artificially sweetened beverages than those at lower risk,” the authors found.
(It is indeed ironic that news.com.au, who were agonising about aspartame being demonised last week, are noting that artificial sweeteners maybe associated of developing type 2 diabetes this week!).
As the lead scientist Dr Nita Forouhi, of the UK Medical Research Council Epidemiology Unit, University of Cambridge, said
“The good news is that our study provides evidence that replacing a daily serving of a sugary soft drink or sugary milk drink with water or unsweetened tea or coffee can help to cut the risk of diabetes, offering practical suggestions for healthy alternative drinks for the prevention of diabetes.”
Type 2 Diabetes in Australia and New Zealand
There are approximately 890,000 Australians and 270,000 New Zealanders currently diagnosed with diabetes.
In addition to these numbers, it is also predicted that there are thousands of people with undiagnosed diabetes.
Type 2 diabetes was once only seen in adults over 40 years of age, however it is now more and more common in younger people.
This is largely (poor) diet and lifestyle related.
The most recent Australian Health Survey in 2011-12 found one in four Australians were eating at least 100 grams of total sugars per day. This is equivalent to at least 23 teaspoons of naturally present or added sugars.
Emed – How We Can Help You
Are you concerned about yourself or a loved ones risk of developing type 2 diabetes?
Emed is well placed to provide sound, practical advice.
Emed can pinpoint how supplementation, nutritional and lifestyle changes can modify the risk of developing type 2 diabetes by prescribing preventive health recommendations and treatment options.
Our qualified Integrative Practitioners prescribe Australia’s best practitioner only products to achieve better health.
Contact Emed today to arrange a consultation at your place or ours.
The initial consultation is free!
Further Reading
- Metabolic Syndrome and Diabetes
- Does Your Brain Have Diabetes? A New Take on Alzheimer’s Disease
- Diabetes – The New Health Epidemic
- Low Vitamin D Increases Your Risk of Type 2 Diabetes
- Fish Oil Can Help Fight Diabetes
- Can Magnesium benefit 2 Million Australians set to Develop Diabetes by 2025?
- Type 1 Diabetes and Wheat Consumption Link Found
- Insulin Resistance – Why You Can’t Lose Weight
- How to Quit Sugar in 5 Simple Steps
- Step Away From The Soft Drink – It’s Killing You!
- Optimal Water Intake
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