Massive analysis shows diabetes may be bigger danger to women’s hearts

Professor Rachel Huxley,
University of Queensland 

DIABETES DIGEST – May 27, 2014 – One of the things about participating in a clinical trial is that it is a gift that keeps on giving. Such is the case of a new study out this week that included data from people who participated in diabetes trials nearly 50 years ago. Data from those people added to others through the years keeps adding to researchers’ understanding of how damaging diabetes is. The result of the new investigation shows that women with type 2 diabetes appear to be at a much greater risk of heart disease than previously thought. 

Cutting carbs better than cutting fat for type 2 diabetes patients

Lena Jonasson, professor of
cardiology, Linköpings University

DIABETES DIGEST – May 16, 2014 – For years people at risk for, or diagnosed with type 2 diabetes have been advised to consume a low-fat diet, but a growing body of evidence is showing that it might be better to reduce carbohydrates. The latest study comparing type 2 diabetes patients on a low-fat or low-carb diet showed that the low-carb diet significantly reduced inflammation, whereas the low-fat diet didn’t.

Go for a double over the ‘grand slam’ for breakfast

Heather Leidy, of
the University of
Missouri  

DIABETES DIGEST – April 30, 2014 – If you skip the pancakes and stick to the sausage and eggs on your Denny’s Grand Slam breakfast, you might be protecting yourself from developing type 2 diabetes. 

At least that’s the early conclusion of researchers at the University of Missouri who compared the blood sugar levels of healthy women who ate three different breakfasts. They presented their study results at the 2014 Experimental Biology meeting this week in San Diego, Calif.

Previous research has shown that extreme increases in glucose and insulin in the blood can lead to poor glucose control and increase an individual's risk of developing diabetes over time. In other words, too much sugar in the diet can lead to type 2 diabetes.

Does Gastric Banding Help Overweight People With Type 2 Diabetes?

While the evidence showing that weight-loss surgery can halt type 2 diabetes in obese people grows, less is known about whether such a drastic intervention might also benefit people who are overweight, but not obese. (The difference between overweight and obese is a technical one. Obese refers to people with a body mass index of over 30. Overweight refers to people with a body mass index between 25 and 29.9. To calculate your own BMI, visit this link on the NIH website.)