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Defeat Diabetes Foundation

Defeat Diabetes
Foundation
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How Self Help Improves Diabetes

Posted: Thursday, July 18, 2002

The benefits of a free choice, but sensible, diet combined with intense exercise are demonstrated in a group with diabetes.

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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