Plant Based Diet Is The Hero
The worldwide epidemic
Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2D) is a chronic metabolic disorder characterized by persistent hyperglycemia (elevated glucose levels), resulting from a combination of insulin resistance and impaired insulin secretion.
According to a recent report by the International Diabetes Federation (IDF), approximately 537 million adults worldwide were living with diabetes in 2021. This number is expected to rise to 783 million by 2045.
This condition is a major global health issue, leading to increased morbidity and mortality through its contribution to serious complications such as cardiovascular disease, kidney dysfunction, neuropathy, retinopathy, and diabetic foot problems.
Excess weight as a leading risk factor
Since 1975, the prevalence of obesity has nearly tripled worldwide, and it has been estimated that more than 1.9 billion adults were overweight in 2016, of whom over 650 million were obese. Increased body weight is considered a major risk factor for a number of chronic diseases, including type 2 diabetes mellitus.
Genetics explain only a small part of the obesity epidemic. A sedentary lifestyle with excessive intake of food according to energy requirements is the main contributing factor. Given the rising prevalence of obesity and metabolic disorders leading to impaired glucose metabolism, effective strategies to prevent and/or delay the onset of disease are of great need.
Healthy food is essential for managing blood sugar levels and preventing complications. People who eat any processed meat are one third more likely to develop diabetes compared with those who do not consume any.
Benefits of plant-based diets
Diabetes is a pressing global health issue, affecting 10.5% of adults worldwide. Although the causes of type 2 diabetes are complex, diet is a leading risk factor. Data suggests that a healthy diet can not only prevent type 2 diabetes but may also treat and reverse it. A promising approach is whole-food, plant-based (WFPB) diets, which are predominated by whole foods such as vegetables, fruits, legumes, whole grains, nuts and seeds.
Clinical trials in adults with type 2 diabetes have found that WFPB diets lower HbA1c, reduce the need for diabetes medications and allow some individuals to wean off all medications.
For example, one small study found that 55% of individuals with insulin-dependent type 2 diabetes no longer needed exogenous insulin after only 16 days on a WFPB diet. In addition, WFPB diets can reduce body weight without deliberate energy restriction.
Animal products in your diet
Research indicates that a reduction in the intake of animal products and an increase in plant-based foods have several positive health outcomes. Due to the high intake of dietary fiber, antioxidants, and unsaturated fatty acids in combination with reduced intake of cholesterol and saturated fatty acids, a plant-based diet is associated with a number of health benefits.
The exclusion of foods of animal origin, has been shown to reduce the risk of obesity and T2DM, as well as cardiovascular disease (CVD), hypertension, and some cancers.
Plant-based diet improves glycemic control and leads to increased insulin sensitivity, hence suggesting that a plant-based diet offers an advantage compared to an omnivorous diet with respect to both prevention and management of T2DM.
The treatment is not about pills and surgery, but about a knife and fork.