Diabetes: Lifestyle Can Make a Difference

If there was ever any doubt that a steady diet of buttery, creamy fried foods leads to health problems, Paula Deen has just confirmed it for us in my mind. I don’t think many of us were surprised when she recently announced that she was diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes and had been living with it for three years.

She is far from alone in her battle. In the United States there are more than 25 million people, over 8 percent of the population, believed to be living with diabetes, most of it Type 2 or “adult onset.” Of those with the disease, it is estimated that almost 6 million people do not know they have this disorder. This is serious stuff. Diabetes is the main cause of kidney failure, limb amputation and new-onset blindness in American adults. People with diabetes are more likely to develop and die from cardiovascular disease. Adults with diabetes have heart disease death rates about two to four times higher than adults without diabetes, and the risk for stroke is two to four times greater as well.

Risk factors for pre-diabetes and diabetes include:
• being physically inactive
• being obese
• being age 45 or older
• having a parent, brother or sister with diabetes
• having a family background that is African-American, an Alaska Native, American Indian, Asian American, Hispanic/Latino or Pacific Islander
• giving birth to a baby weighing more than 9 pounds or being diagnosed with gestational diabetes, which is first found during pregnancy
• having high blood pressure
• having HDL, or "good," cholesterol below 35 mg/dL, or a triglyceride level above 250 mg/dL
• having polycystic ovary syndrome, also called PCOS, which is a hormone imbalance in women
• having impaired-fasting glucose (IFG) or impaired-glucose tolerance (IGT) on previous testing
• having other conditions associated with insulin resistance, such as severe obesity or a condition called acanthosis nigricans, characterized by a dark, velvety rash around the neck or armpits
• having a history of cardiovascular disease

Known for her high-calorie, high-fat dishes, Ms. Deen’s cooking was exactly the kind that puts people at an increased risk for Type 2 diabetes. But I’m glad she’s talking about it. Often, it takes an event, like someone famous coming forward, for people to start thinking about their own health. Paula Deen’s son has started his own cooking show that makes healthier versions of his mom’s favorite meals.

Ms.Deen has talked a lot about how heredity plays an important role in who will contract the disease. Though it is true that our genetics do play a role, the factors you can control, such as diet and exercise, are just as important.

So, how can you prevent Type 2 diabetes? It’s nothing new or revolutionary, and I’m sure you’ve heard them a million times before:
• Lose excess weight
• Exercise regularly
• Limit foods high in sugar, fat and cholesterol

It’s not flashy or exciting, but it really can help. In fact, the Diabetes Prevention Program (DDP) proved that participants who were at risk for developing diabetes and lost a modest amount of weight through dietary changes and increased physical activity sharply reduced their chances of developing diabetes. By eating less fat and fewer calories and exercising for a total of 150 minutes a week, participants aimed to lose 7 percent of their body weight and maintain that loss. DPP participants in the lifestyle intervention group reduced their risk of developing diabetes by 58 percent during the study.

We love you, Paula, and hope you inspire all of us to take care of ourselves.

Tagged as: Paula Deen, diabetes, type 2, high-fat food, sugar, butter, cream, lifestyle, heart disease, stroke, diet and health and wellness

Dr. Anita Varkey is medical director of the general medicine clinic at Loyola Outpatient Center at Loyola University Health System. Dr. Varkey is an internist, researcher and professor who specializes in primary care, preventive medicine and women's health. "TCWell" focuses on health and wellness issues.