Diabetic Diet - Later Developments

Later Developments

However, not all diabetes dietitians today recommend the exchange scheme. Instead, they are likely to recommend a typical healthy diet: one high in fiber, with a variety of fruit and vegetables, and low in both sugar and fat, especially saturated fat. A diet that is high in plant fibre was recommended by James Anderson (Anderson & Ward, 1979; cited in Murray & Pizzorno, 1990). This may be understood as continuation of the work of Denis Burkitt and Hugh Trowell on dietary fibre, which in turn, may be understood as a continuation of the work of Price (Murray & Pizzorno, 1990). It is still recommended that diabetics consume a diet that is high in dietary fiber.

In 1976, Nathan Pritikin opened a centre where patients were put on programme of diet and exercise (the Pritikin Program). This diet is high on carbohydrates and fibre, with fresh fruit, vegetables, and whole grains. A study at UCLA in 2005 showed that it brought dramatic improvement to a group of diabetics and pre-diabetics in only three weeks, so that about half no longer met the criteria for the disease.

On the other hand, in 1983, Dr Richard K. Bernstein began treating diabetics and pre-diabetics successfully with a very low carbohydrate diet, avoiding fruit, added sugar, and starch. Both the Pritikin approach and the Bernstein approach prescribe exercise.

An approach that has been popular with some Type One diabetics since 2000 is known as DAFNE (Dose Adjustment for Normal Eating). This approach involves estimating how much carbohydrates there will be in a meal and modifying the amount of insulin one injects before meal accordingly. An equivalent approach has for Type Two diabetics is known as DESMOND, which stands for Diabetes Education and Self-Management for On-Going and Newly Diagnosed (diabetics). DAFNE has its own newsletter and has received recommendation.