June 23, 2011

expert reaction to paper on diabetes and diet

Research suggested that Type 2 diabetes could potentially be ‘reversed’ by following a low-calorie diet.

Keith Frayn, Professor of Human Metabolism, University of Oxford, said:

“For many years, doctors have believed that Type 2 diabetes is a life-long condition: it can be treated, but not cured. In the last few years, that idea has been disproved. People who lose large amounts of weight following surgery to alter their stomach size or the plumbing of their intestines often lose their diabetes and no longer need treatment. But an unanswered question has been whether this is because of some special effect of altering the intestinal function, or simply because of the loss of weight. Professor Taylor’s study is extremely important as it shows that a period of marked weight loss can produce the same reversal of Type 2 diabetes. It offers great hope for many people with diabetes, although it must be said that not everyone will find it possible to stick to the extremely low calorie diet used in this study.”

‘Reversal of type 2 diabetes: normalisation of beta cell function in association with decreased pancreas and liver triacylglycerol’, E. L. Lim et al., published in Diabetologia on Friday 24th June.