Concepts about the ideal diet for the prevention or treatment of type 2 diabetes have evolved over the years. The use of high-carbohydrate diets (55-60% of energy) for the management of type 2 diabetes is now being reevaluated in recognition of a wealth of recent evidence. A review published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition (May 2008) summarizes the current evidence that diets lower in carbohydrate and higher in protein are better for weight management and glycemic control than high-carbohydrate, low-fat diets.
Diets higher in protein and lower in carbohydrates have been found to improve glycemic regulation in people with diabetes as well as in healthy individuals. The positive effects of high-protein, low-carbohydrate diets on glycemic regulation include reductions in post-prandial glucose response, insulin response and HbA1c. Higher protein diets also offer added advantages for people with diabetes who are at increased risk of heart disease. Studies have shown that high-protein, low-carbohydrate diets reduce blood triglyceride levels, increase HDL cholesterol, increase LDL particle size and reduce blood pressure. In addition, there is evidence that increasing protein intakes can facilitate weight loss in part because of effects on satiety. Overweight is a major risk factor for type 2 diabetes.
The Ontario Ministry of Health recently predicted that the number of people with diabetes will double from 2000 to 2010. Health Minister George Smitherman said this dramatic rise in the incidence of diabetes in just one decade is ‘stunning’, but not unique to Ontario. New approaches are needed to help people succeed at managing their weight and diabetes. In a 2004 joint statement, the American Diabetes Association, the North American Society for the study of Obesity and the American Society for Clinical Nutrition concluded that weight management should be a primary goal for management of type 2 diabetes. They further stated that weight loss and glycemic control is better with low-carbohydrate than with low-fat diet therapy in people with type 2 diabetes.
Current evidence indicates that reducing carbohydrate and increasing protein intakes may be an effective and healthy dietary approach for reducing the risk of diabetes.
Read the abstract for the article, Protein in optimal health: heart disease and type 2 diabetes by Donald Layman et al in Am J Clin Nutr, 2008; 87(suppl):1571-5S.
See also the joint statement of the American Diabetes Association, the North American Society for the study of Obesity and the American Society for Clinical Nutrition, Weight Management through lifestyle modification for the prevention and management of type 2 diabetes: rationale and strategies by Klein et al in Am J Clin Nutr, 2004; 80:257- 63.
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