New research finds people newly diagnosed with type 2 diabetes are less likely to need drugs for lowering blood sugar if they eat a Mediterranean diet.
Fifty-six percent of diabetics who had developed the disease recently and followed the meal plan for four years were found to not subsequently require antihyperglycemic drugs, compared with 70% of patients on the standard low-fat diet recommended by cardiologists, according to an ABC News summary.
The Mediterranean diet consisted mainly of vegetables, whole grains, healthy fats such as olive oil and poultry and fish instead of red meat. Women were restricted to 1,500 calories per day and men to 1,800, and no more than half of all calories could come from complex carbohydrates while no less than 30% of daily calories came from fat.
The others followed a low-fat regimen endorsed by the American Heart Association, rich in whole grains while restricting fats, sweets and high-fat snacks. The caloric limits were the same as for the Mediterranean diet group, but no more than 30% could come from fat and no more than 10% from saturated fat.
The findings emphasize the impact of lifestyle interventions, often overlooked by doctors too quick to medicate, the authors say.
The study is published this week in the journal Annals of Internal Medicine.
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