The core finding from a recent paper by Dr Isao Muraki (summarised on page 179) and colleagues suggests the consumption of whole fruits can lower the risk of developing type 2 diabetes compared to fruit juice, with the consumption of some whole fruits reducing the risk more than others.
From surveying a segment of the population most at risk from developing type 2 diabetes, this multinational study found that eating fruits such as apples, pears, grapes and blueberries reduced this risk the most, while strawberries and cantaloupe increased the risk.
Fruit juice was found to increase the risk of developing type 2 diabetes, which the authors suggested could be because the speed that fruit juice passes through the intestines means that it is not as protective.
In total, nearly 200 000 people took part in the food frequency questionnaires to investigate their eating habits, and 12 000 of these developed type 2 diabetes.
This paper gives added bite to the growing evidence for benefits of consuming whole fruits over fruit juice.
The Guardian, 30 August 2013
A myth? The risk of eating saturated, fatty foods
An opinion piece in the British Medical Journal by Dr Aseem Malhotra suggests too much emphasis is put on the role of saturated fats in foods in cardiovascular disease, and other factors, such as sugar intake, are being ignored.
Dr Malhotra said the “myth should be busted” as saturated fats have been “demonised”, and their link to cardiovascular disease is not fully supported.
However, the British Heart Foundation said there is conflicting evidence on the link between diet and disease, and eating a balanced diet, taking regular exercise and maintaining a healthy weight do lower the risk of cardiovascular disease.
BBC News, 23 October 2013
Five million people with type 2 diabetes by 2025
It is expected that, by 2025, five million people in the UK will have developed type 2 diabetes, a report by the charity Diabetes UK has revealed.
This predicted figure is double what was seen 5 years ago, and reasons given by Diabetes UK for this predicted increase include people not taking the condition seriously, not understanding the serious complications, and thinking diabetes is a mild condition. Barbara Young, Chief Executive of Diabetes UK, said: “This is a misconception that is wrecking lives and is the reason that as a country we are sleepwalking towards a public health disaster of an almost unimaginable scale.”
The Telegraph, 23 September 2013
Children in Wales with T1D missing out on insulin pumps
A number of health boards in Wales have been missing the target NICE guidelines by failing to provide insulin pumps to children with type 1 diabetes in a timely manner, an investigation by BBC Radio Wales has revealed.
A total of 29 children who were entitled to receive insulin pumps, were still waiting to receive theirs at the time of the investigation.
The reasons for the delay include the £3000 up-front cost and the varying levels of demand across Wales.
Diabetes.co.uk, 21 October 2013
Results from the first National Care Home Diabetes Audit
Results from the first National Care Home Diabetes Audit have found that almost a fifth of UK care home residents with diabetes who self-medicate are not checked by staff to ensure they have taken their medication.
The audit, which was carried out by the Institute of Diabetes for Older People (IDOP) in partnership with the Association of British Clinical Diabetologists (ABCD) and other key collaborators, also found that over 60% of the 2043 premises polled did not have a designated member of staff with responsibility for diabetes management, and nearly two thirds of homes had no policy on screening for diabetes.
Diabetes.co.uk, 8 October 2013
Amid accumulating evidence of benefits with new diabetes drugs, Vinod Patel asks whether the costs can be justified.
9 Nov 2023