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Weight control or glucose control?

T

twoolfson

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I've just done a survey on the other side of the Atlantic about what was of most concern to people with Type 2 diabetes.

I will give a summary of the results in this forum, but I'd be very interested to know whether UK responses are similar.

Clearly weight control and glucose control are related, but if you had to target one of these to get to grips with, which would it be?

Looking forward to finding out...

Tony Woolfson

Dr Tony Woolfson MB BS DM MRCP
 
Going by my own experience,Tony,I would say that bringing the weight down has stabilised the glucose so in my case the weight control was the one to target.In Type 2 bringing weight down by 10% of body weight(no matter what you weigh)has a good effect on blood glucose.

Knowledge is the key to control
 
For Type IIs especially, weight control is always going to be a factor and controlling weight will have a good knock-on effect on BG control.

However, generally speaking my priority (Type I) will ALWAYS be to acheive good BG control. Without good control, I risk developing complications which clearly is to be avoided at all costs.

LJ
 
Tony,

As a Type 2, for me the priority has to be glucose control. Weight loss is just a means to an end (one of several), that end being glucose reduction.
 
As a type 2 diabetic I find that weight control and glucose control go hand in hand. If you have a healthy diet with lots of veg, low carbs and reduced fat then this helps with the weight control and keeps your blood glucose levels good. The weight loss may appear slower then if you go onto specialist diets but you are also training your appetite and your body to accept different foods and lower portions. Doing this your weight will (hopefully) stay off once you reach your target weight. Exercise also helps both with blood glucose control and weight loss (or weight re-distribution) and as you lose weight you become more active and have greater energy levels.
Hope this helps
Talia
 
As I have osteomyelitis in my foot, good glucose control has been my aim with rest (HBA1C 5.9% last month). Now I am better, I am more active . Now I need to lose that stone and a half...

Marty B
 
Too much of a generalisation - it's got to be a combination of both unless you have specific issues to deal with. I am more concerned if my BG is going too high than if my weight is increasing, i.e if my A1B.. was to go start increasing I would be really annoyed wheras if I put on 1 stone, I would be less concerned
 
My husband was diagnosed 16+ years ago as a type 1 and in recent years re-diagnosed as a type 2.

Over the years he has off and on controlled his bg's. In most recent years he has been very negligent and ended up in the hospital with congestive heart failure and renal failure added to all his other complications.

He tells everyone now that whatever it takes, you must keep your bg's in control, that's the most important.

Thank God we've been able to slow down and reverse some of his complications with nutrition. http://www.diabetes.co.uk/diabetes-forum/viewtopic.php?t=1012

Happy Trails,
Proverbs 17:22
 
Thanks very much for the replies. This is really useful information.

From my US survey, there was an even greater emphasis on blood glucose control. What surprised me was how many people said that good BG control (using the right priciples, not an increase in medications) had helped them lose weight. Wow! For me, that is really important, and offers hope to a lot of people.

Trouble is, while the ADA, Diabetes UK and most doctors and dieticians remain wedded to a high carb diet, it may be difficult to convince people to change to a lower level.

More anon...

Tony
 
Exactly, Tony

I'm type 1 and lost 60lbs by reducing my insulin levels through changing my diet.
Normal blood sugars and normal body weight are inextricably linked, and both are made harder if one follows the dietary advice given by the ADA and Diabetes UK.

All the best,

fergusc
 
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