Take control of diabetes

Source: Tufts University
August 24, 2000 (Reviewed: December 13, 2002)

For people with type 2 diabetes, lifestyle modifications are an essential part of disease management. Following a heart-healthy diet, exercising, losing weight, and abstaining from smoking are recommended to help prevent the debilitating complications associated with this condition. However, many people have difficulty adopting and maintaining these behaviors. Researchers from the Indiana University Center for Aging Research in the US set out to determine just how well American adults with type 2 diabetes are following these recommendations.

Information was collected from 558 men and women with type 2 diabetes between the ages of 50 to 62; all were older than 30 when they were diagnosed with the disease. Specifically, the people were asked if they were trying to treat or control their condition by any of these four means: following a special diet, trying to lose weight, exercising, and refraining from smoking. Four years later, the respondents were asked about these same behaviors to see which habits had persisted and which had been discontinued.

The results were discouraging. The number of people engaging in health-promoting behaviors dropped over the course of the study. The number of those who reported following a special diet to manage diabetes decreased by 17% over the four years. An even more drastic change was seen in their exercise habits: 70% were physically active at the beginning of the study but only a dismal 38% were still active four years later. There was one encouraging finding, though. The number of respondents who answered "yes" to being a smoker dropped significantly from 22% to 16%.

So why were the researchers so distressed over these findings? The four behaviors they examined are important for all people in order to stay healthy, but they are critical for those with type 2 diabetes. Diabetes is a serious medical condition, but it is one that can be controlled. The complications associated with poor control include impaired circulation and nerve damage, which can lead to amputation; eye damage; kidney disease; and heart disease. Proper control, however, requires a steadfast commitment to healthful eating and exercise.

If you have diabetes and your healthy habits have waned over the years, you may want to re-evaluate their importance. The major factors leading to complications-poor control of blood sugar, high blood pressure, high cholesterol levels, and obesity-can be minimized with moderate weight loss, regular exercise, and a low-fat, high-fiber diet.

Source

• Health-promoting behaviors among adults with type 2 diabetes: findings from the health and retirement study. F. Nothwehr,  et al., Preventive Medicine, 2000, vol. 30, pp. 407--414

Related Links
The American Diabetes Association
National Institute of Diabetes & Digestive & Kidney Diseases
Managing Diabetes, Joslin Diabetes Center
Pathway, the Novartis Journal

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