Diabetes, particularly Type 2 diabetes, is associated with obesity and cardiovascular disease risk. Research by scientists at the University of Kentucky in Lexington and published in the "Journal of the American College of Nutrition" in October 2003 reports managing weight is important to treat in overweight Type 2 diabetics and 12-week, calorie-restricted diets are associated with reduced body weight, blood sugar, cholesterol and blood pressure. Consult your doctor about calories and foods that are right for you.
Calories
Calories are a measurement of energy provided to the body from food. Fats provide the most calories of any type of macronutrient. Fats contribute 9 calories per 1 g, alcohol contributes 7 calories per 1 g and carbohydrates and proteins each contribute 4 calories per 1 g. Increasing your calorie intake from food can lead to weight gain, while reducing your calorie intake from food can lead to weight loss. Your level of physical activity can affect how much weight you gain or lose. The Dietary Guidelines for Americans encourages you to achieve a healthy weight and to balance the calories you consume from foods with the calories you expend from physical activity.
Portion Sizes
Portion sizes can affect the number of calories you consume. Choose smaller portion sizes to limit calories. Read the labels of products to determine the number of calories per serving.
Low Glycemic Foods
Low glycemic foods can help you control your blood sugar and lose weight. The glycemic index is a measurement of speed it takes your body to absorb sugars from food into your bloodstream. The higher the index, the faster you absorb sugars, while the lower the index, the slower you absorb sugars. Low glycemic foods enable you to prevent blood sugar spikes and lower risk of diabetes complications. Low glycemic foods include whole foods, such as whole grains, legumes, nuts, seeds and most fruits and vegetables. Research by scientists at the University of Copenhagen in Denmark and published in "The New England Journal of Medicine" in November, 2010 discovered a modest reduction in glycemic index of foods in a low-calorie diet can lead to weight loss and maintenance of weight loss, whereas increasing glycemic index can lead to weight gain.
Healthy Fats
Eat healthy fats and avoid unhealthy fats so you can lower your risk of cardiovascular disease and lose weight. Healthy fats include monounsaturated fatty acids from avocados, almonds, pumpkin seeds and olive oil and polyunsaturated fatty acids, such as omega-3 fatty acids, from fish, soy, walnuts and flaxseeds and omega-6 fatty acids from vegetable oils, while unhealthy fats include saturated fatty acids from meat and dairy and trans fatty acids from processed foods. Eating monounsaturated fatty acids leads to reduced number of fat cells and omega-3 fatty acids and omega-6 fatty acids leads to reduction in fat cell size, while eating saturated fatty acids leads to increased number and size of fat cells, according to research by scientists at the University of Murcia in Spain and published in the "International Journal of Obesity" in June 2006.
References
- "Journal of the American College of Nutrition"; Importance of Weight Management in Type 2 Diabetes: Review with Meta-Analysis of Clinical Studies; James Anderson, et al.; October 2003
- The Regents of the University of California; Calories Count; 2005
- U.S. Department of Agriculture; Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2010; 2010
- University of Wisconsin Hospitals and Clinics Center for Integrative Medicine: Glycemic Index
- "The New England Journal of Medicine"; Diets with High or Low Protein Content and Glycemic Index for Weight-Loss Maintenance; Thomas Meinert Larsen, et al.; November 2010
- American Diabetes Association: Fat and Diabetes
