Newswise — This week Southern chef Paula Deen put rumors to rest and announced she has type 2 diabetes, a condition on the rise among Americans.
Deen, 64, star of Food Network’s Paula’s Best Dishes, built her career on making calorie-rich, indulgent Southern dishes, the kind of foods that can contribute to obesity, which increases the risk of developing type 2 diabetes.
Experts at the University of Michigan Comprehensive Diabetes Center are available to discuss the impact of diet on diabetes and what the public can do to prevent developing the condition that can lead to heart attacks, blindness, kidney failure and nerve damage.
“Type 2 diabetes has a genetic component, but the food we eat has a big role in its development,” says University of Michigan diabetes and metabolism expert Charles Burant, M.D., Ph.D., director of the Michigan Metabolomics and Obesity Center.
“The amount of food is probably what is the most important. High-fat foods are very dense in calories, so the amount of calories goes up rapidly with even small servings,” says Burant.
His advice: “The things that Ms. Deen prepares are very tasty, but if you’re going to eat them, you should choose only small servings and resist second helpings.”
What is diabetes? About 26 million adults and children in the United States have diabetes, which is diagnosed when the body has an abnormally high level of glucose, or blood sugar. Type 2 diabetes is the most common form, affecting 90 percent of diabetics, and is associated with older age, obesity and family history.
What can be done about it? There is no cure for diabetes, but those with diabetes can prevent complications by controlling blood sugar through diet and medications.
ResourcesU-M Comprehensive Diabetes Centerhttp://www.med.umich.edu/diabetes
U-M Metabolism, Endocrinology & Diabetes Clinicshttp://www.uofmhealth.org/medical-services/endocrinology+diabetes+and+metabolism
Brehm Center for Diabetes Researchhttp://www.med.umich.edu/diabetes/brehmcenter/
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