CBC Second Opinion, November 2018
When I talk about exercise being the solution to just about everything, I see some people roll their eyes but it turns out to be very true. Given the wide range of health problems that come with diabetes, this fact is especially pertinent to those suffering from or at risk of this disease. Here’s the latest:
‘Even for people at high risk, it is possible to stop the diabetic disease progression. Sometimes a medication is prescribed. Most often people are encouraged to lose weight and become more active. Which method lasts longer?
| Dr. Sonya Haw, an endocrinologist at Emory University in Atlanta, wanted to find out.
She analyzed a series of clinical trials investigating ways to prevent diabetes in high-risk populations — people who are considered pre-diabetic based on measurements of blood glucose levels. Without intervention more than 50 per cent of those people would be expected to develop diabetes within three years. Haw’s conclusions? In clinical trials that tested drugs for diabetes prevention, the effects were short term. “With medications, when you stop the effect goes away right away.,” she told CBC News. But intensive diet and exercise kept diabetes at bay for years. “It should be encouraging for people who are pre-diabetic to see that if they are very diligent about lifestyle changes — exercise and healthy diet, which are the two biggest components of lifestyle modification — that they can prevent diabetes, and continue to prevent diabetes for a fairly significant amount of time.” The study is also further proof that diabetes can be prevented even in high-risk people. “If individuals in this high-risk group continue to do the 150 minutes of physical exercise a week, and continue to eat a low-calorie, low-carb diet, and continue those efforts long term they may be able to continue to prevent progression to diabetes.” The study also confirmed that losing even a small amount of weight helps prevent diabetes. “Even just one kilogram of weight loss was associated with reduced diabetes risk,” Haw said.’ |