Wednesday December 9, 2009
According to a press release, a Loyola University Health System study has shown that 1 in 5 people with type 2 diabetes is morbidly obese.
One hundred or more pounds overweight is considered morbidly obese. This is also a BMI of 40 or above. The study looked at data from the NHANES study which spans 30 years. During that time, the incidence of morbid obesity has risen 141 percent in people with type 2 diabetes.
The researchers offer these reasons for the increase in obesity...
- Inexpensive food
- Larger portion sizes
- Increase in consumption of sugary soda
Read about the study here...
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Tuesday December 8, 2009
A study from The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia and the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine shows that one of the genes that may be responsible for causing type 2 diabetes may also be linked to the risk of childhood obesity
According to a press release, study leader Struan F.A. Grant, Ph.D., a researcher and associate director of the Center for Applied Genomics of The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia says, "This finding suggests that there may be genetic activity during childhood that lays the foundation for the later development of type 2 diabetes."
Obesity is thought to be a risk factor for developing type 2 diabetes. Type 2 typically occurs in adults over 40, although in recent years the incidence of type 2 diabetes is affecting younger adults and even kids. More studies on genes associated with type 2 diabetes are needed, but if the same genes that cause diabetes also cause childhood obesity, then it may someday be possible to prevent diabetes, by treating obesity in kids.
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Wednesday December 2, 2009
Most people who have diabetes are aquainted with the A1c test. This test measures average blood sugars over the course of two or three months. But did you know that there is another test, called the fructosamine test which measures average blood sugars over the course of a few weeks?
When does your doctor use this test?
Usually the A1c test is all that's required to let you and your doctor know how your overall blood glucose levels are doing. But, if your medications or insulin have been changed or if your doctor would like to check how treatment changes might be affecting your blood sugar, he or she might order the fructosamine test. It gives results in a shorter period of time than the A1c.
Also, if you are pregnant and have gestational diabetes, the doctor might order the fructosamine test, because dramatic changes in blood sugar can happen more frequently during pregnancy. The fructosamine test can alert your doctor to these changes.
Find out more about the fructosamine test...
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Wednesday December 2, 2009
When you're trying to manage type 2 diabetes, keeping the meal plan interesting is a high priority. What's more interesting than a pomegranate? These ruby red fruits appear in late October and disappear in March, so availability is short.
Pomegranates have recently been labeled as a wonder fruit, full of antioxidants and vitamins. High in fiber, low in carbs, they can help you round out your healthy eating plan.
For carb counts and tips on how to prepare a pomegranate, click here...
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