{"id":17457,"date":"2019-11-14T14:08:37","date_gmt":"2019-11-14T19:08:37","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/caloriecontrol.org\/?p=17457"},"modified":"2022-07-19T15:58:02","modified_gmt":"2022-07-19T19:58:02","slug":"pre-diabetes-and-the-role-of-low-calorie-sweeteners","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/caloriecontrol.org\/pre-diabetes-and-the-role-of-low-calorie-sweeteners\/","title":{"rendered":"Pre Diabetes and The Role of Low-Calorie Sweeteners"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
Keith Ayoob, EdD, RDN, FAND<\/strong> —<\/p>\n\n\n\n The latest <\/a>statistics<\/a> from the Centers for Disease Control indicate that 9.4% of the US population \u2013 more than 1 in 11 persons \u2013 has some form of diabetes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The most common types of diabetes are called \u201ctype 1\u201d and \u201ctype\n2\u201d. Type 1 usually emerges in childhood and is also called \u201cinsulin-dependent\u201d\ndiabetes, because the body\u2019s pancreas malfunctions and produces little or no\ninsulin. <\/p>\n\n\n\n More than 90% of diabetes however, is type 2, in which the\nbody still produces insulin, but not enough to reduce blood glucose to normal\nlevels in a reasonable amount of time, if at all. <\/p>\n\n\n\n As troubling as the statistics on diabetes are, more than 1\nin 4 Americans has \u201cpre-diabetes\u201d — where\nblood glucose levels are often higher than normal but not high enough to be\nconsidered full-blown diabetes. Without any intervention, pre-diabetes is\nlikely to transition into type 2 diabetes. However, with proper intervention,\nthis transition to diabetes can be prevented or delayed. At the same time, most people with pre-diabetes\ndon\u2019t seek out medical advice or support for their pre-diabetes because they\ndon\u2019t even know they have it. <\/p>\n\n\n\n How does someone become pre-diabetic?<\/em> <\/p>\n\n\n\n Genetics play a role, but so does\nfamily history of diabetes or simply being overweight or obese. Poor diet and\nhaving a sedentary lifestyle play important roles as well. Pre-diabetes is also\ntied to other silent health conditions, such as metabolic syndrome, hypertension\nand high blood cholesterol levels.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Does sugar \u201ccause\u201d diabetes?<\/em> <\/p>\n\n\n\n No. But eating too much sugar can\naggravate the condition by forcing your body to work extra hard to lower your\nblood glucose levels.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Does obesity cause diabetes?<\/em> <\/p>\n\n\n\n Here things get more tricky.\nObesity doesn\u2019t directly cause diabetes, but it can cause \u201cinsulin resistance\u201d.\nHaving excess body fat can cause your cells to react differently to the insulin\nyour body puts out. Insulin resistant people react LESS to the same amount of\ninsulin that they did before they gained weight. As a result, your body has to\nproduce more and more insulin to keep blood glucose levels under control.\nEventually, even those higher levels of insulin just don\u2019t do the trick, and\nblood glucose stays high. Then you\u2019re either prediabetic or diabetic. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Prevention is where nutrition, diet, and lifestyle have\ntheir greatest impact. If you have\npre-diabetes, the good news is that you\u2019re at a \u201cfork in the road\u201d — you still\nhave a chance to determine your direction. \n<\/p>\n\n\n\n Overweight or obesity usually accompany pre-diabetes, so\nlosing weight is key, but you don\u2019t need to lose massive amounts of weight to\nget healthier. Losing as little as 5% of\nyour weight (think 10 pounds if you\u2019re 200 pounds now) can be enough to bring\nblood glucose levels under control. Keeping\nit under control also requires some tweaks to your diet and lifestyle so you\ndon\u2019t regain the weight and perhaps approach an even healthier weight.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Gradually becoming more physically active can go a long way\ntowards managing your blood glucose level. There\u2019s no need for extreme activity, but a\n20-minute brisk walk on most days can not only help with weight management but\nhelps prevent spikes in blood glucose. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Even being \u201cless sedentary\u201d throughout the day helps. Taking the stairs when you can, parking further\naway from the store, and going to pick up your lunch instead of having it\ndelivered, can get you moving and prevent your metabolism from slowing\ndown. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Most people eat too much added sugar. As you can see here, beverages are the\nlargest source of added sugars, followed by snacks and sweets like candy:<\/p>\n\n\n\nA few of the facts about pre-diabetes<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n
Preventing Type 2 Diabetes Is Possible! <\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n
Low-Calorie Sweeteners: A Huge Tool<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n