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Promising new study using Diet changes to treat Type 2 Diabetes
The role of diet in determining pancreatic function and body fat distribution in individuals with type 2 diabetes
Type 2 diabetes develops because the pancreas is no longer able to secrete enough insulin to control blood sugar. Patients with type 2 diabetes have more fat in their pancreas than healthy individuals, and if pancreas fat is reduced, insulin secretion returns. In previous research, we have shown in individuals at risk for type 2 diabetes that an intervention with a weight-maintaining low-glycemic (LG) diet selectively depletes unwanted muscle and organ fat while preserving healthy subcutaneous fat and lean body mass. This observation suggests that such diets are able to “remodel” body composition by re-partitioning energy away from metabolically harmful lipid stores. Participants on the LG diet also demonstrated improved insulin sensitivity and a dramatic (9-fold) increase in first-phase insulin secretion from the pancreas.
In our ongoing study, we are comparing the ability of two diets, a low sugar (low glycemic) diet and a low fat diet, to reduce pancreas fat and improve insulin secretion and glucose control in patients with type 2 diabetes. All patients eat a weight-maintaining diet for 12 weeks. This NBC News segment provides more information about the study.