I was honoured to be invited to take part in a debate on diabetes, recently broadcasted on BBC World, service to an estimated 40 million listeners globally.
The other participants included a World Health Organisation government advisor and a former food industry executive.
One of the questions posed by the excellent presenter Anu Anand was, “can type 2 diabetes
be cured?”
There is growing scientific literature that states; by adopting specific dietary changes one can at the very least significantly reduce the need for medications and even send type 2 diabetes into remission.
And although they can marginally reduce the risk of developing kidney disease, eye disease and nerve disease, through better glucose control medications for type 2 diabetes do not prolong life or have any significant impact on reducing the risk of heart attacks or strokes; whereas the right dietary changes do.
But how many patients and members of the public are explicitly given this information by their doctor?
And side effects from diabetes medications are a major issue estimating to result in approximately 100,000 emergency room visits in the United States every year.
If you want to learn more you can listen to the full debate and my view on how we can reduce the global burden of type 2 diabetes here:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p03gygs0