IF YOU’VE BEEN DIAGNOSED WITH TYPE 2 DIABETES – or have been told you’re prediabetic (which means you have a real risk of developing the condition), the idea that you can bring blood sugar levels down to a healthy level simply by losing weight will be a welcome prospect. In the April issue of HFG, our nutritionist Amanda Ursell reviewed a diet that claims to do exactly that: The 8-Week Blood Sugar Diet by Michael Mosley (Short Books, £8.99). Michael, presenter of BBC Two’s Trust Me,I’m a Doctor, is the man who previously came up with the 5:2 diet, and our feature received a lot of feedback from readers. Most were interested in finding out whether losing a significant amount of weight (14kg/31lb) over two months really can ‘reverse’ type-2 diabetes – and, just as importantly, whether it’s a healthy approach.
What it could mean for millions
There are already four million people in the UK suffering with diabetes. And the latest figures from Diabetes UK show that about another 700 of us are being diagnosed each day – that’s equivalent to one person every two minutes. By 2025, it’s estimated, five million people in the UK will have diabetes, and the majority of these will be type 2 cases.