How
Self Help Improves Diabetes
The
benefits of a free choice, but sensible, diet combined with intense
exercise are demonstrated in a group with diabetes.
.
Researchers at the
University of Pittsburgh have studied the impact of diet and exercise
upon 52 overweight participants with diabetes, who were not on
insulin. They followed a diet where they had the freedom to choose
what they ate, within low fat reduced calorie guidelines. They also
followed a program of intense exercise - increasing walking to 45
minutes a day for five or six days a week. They had weekly visits to a
dietician and also took either orlistat (a weight loss drug) or
placebo.
The
participants weighed an average of 220 pounds before the start. A year
on they had lost an average of ten per cent of their weight and their
blood sugar had gone down significantly. 39 participants stayed the
course and of these 25 had been on oral medication at the start of the
study. At the end, 18 of these had normal blood sugar and no longer
needed drug treatment. This study is an impressive demonstration of
the impact diet and exercise can make in diabetes. Source
American Diabetes Association Annual Meeting 17th June 2002
FACT
1/3 of All Heart Attacks and Strokes are Preventable
About
one third of all heart attacks and strokes in people at high risk can
be avoided by using statins
to lower blood cholesterol. The benefits are the same, whether a
patient is male or female, or classed as having high or low
cholesterol levels. The
study involved people with existing coronary disease, diabetes or
other vascular problems that put them at high risk of a heart attack
or stroke. These findings should tear up the rule-book on statin
prescribing," says Richard Horton, editor of the Lancet.
"This marks a major conceptual shift in our understanding of the
prevention of heart disease. "This from a 5 year study of 20,000
people aged 40 to 80 and published in July 6th issue The
Lancet.
