Diabetes prevention can be accomplished by eating a healthy diet. A new study according to a recent study by the University of Eastern Finland and the Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare found that Increased consumption of whole grains could significantly reduce the economic impact of type 2 diabetes. The findings were published in Nutrients.
Recommendations on both the prevention and treatment of Type 2 diabetes are changing. In fact, new dietary treatment guidelines focus more on treating obesity and less on glucose monitoring.
Results of Diabetes Prevention Study
Type 2 diabetes is one of the fastest-growing chronic diseases both in Finland and globally. Healthy nutrition that supports weight management is key to preventing type 2 diabetes. The association of daily consumption of whole grain foods with a lower risk of diabetes has been demonstrated in numerous studies.
According to Professor Janne Martikainen from the University of Eastern Finland:
• By combining population-level data on the incidence of type 2 diabetes and the costs of its treatment, as well as published evidence on the effects of how consumption of whole grain foods reduces the incidence of type 2 diabetes, we were able to assess the potential health and economic benefits from both social and individual viewpoints.
• Our study shows that already one serving of full grains as part of the daily diet reduces the incidence of type 2 diabetes at the population level and, consequently, the direct diabetes-related costs, when compared to people who do not eat whole grain foods on a daily basis.
• Over the next ten years, society’s potential to achieve cost savings would be from 300 million (-3.3%) to almost one billion (-12.2%) euros in current value, depending on the presumed proportion of whole grain foods in the daily diet.
• On the level of individuals, this means more healthier years.
Research Manager Jaana Lindström from the Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare adds:
“According to nutrition recommendations, at least 3-6 servings of whole grain foods should be eaten daily, depending on an individual’s energy requirement.
One third of Finns do not eat even one dose of whole grains on a daily basis, and two thirds have a too low fibre intake.”
Click here to read more about the diabetes prevention research.
