The study, conducted by Pakistani researchers, involved 30 diabetic men and 30 diabetic women who were divided into six groups. The first three groups consumed 1, 3 or 6 grams of cinnamon per day in the form of a cinnamon supplement while the final three groups received placebos.

The cinnamon and placebo tablets were consumed for 40 days and the fasting blood glucose, cholesterol, and triglyceride levels of the patients were recorded on days 0, 20, 40, and 60 of the study.

After 40 days, the researchers found a significant reduction in fasting blood sugar, LDL cholesterol, and triglyceride levels in the cinnamon groups. Fasting blood glucose levels were reduced by 25% for the 1 g per day group, 18% in the 3 g per day group, and 29% in the 6 g per day group. After 60 days (20 days after cinnamon supplementation had finished), fasting blood glucose levels were still significantly lower than they were prior to the cinnamon supplementation.

Cinnamon also lowered LDL cholesterol by up to 27%, and triglyceride levels by as much as 30%.

It is believed that a compound in cinnamon, known as methylhydroxy-chalcone polymer (MHCP), is responsible for the ability of cinnamon to lower blood sugar levels. MHCP appears to increase the metabolism of glucose by fat cells. One study found that MHCP added to fat cells in a test tube resulted in as much as a 20 fold increase in glucose uptake.

MHCP is water soluble and is therefore not present in cinnamon oil, a product often sold as a gourmet food. The water soluble components of cinnamon tend to be less toxic in high doses than the fat soluble portion because excess amounts of the water soluble compounds can be easily eliminated through urine.

• Pre Diabetes - What It Is And What You Can Do About It
• Salsalate Improves Glycemic Control, May Treat Diabetes
• Successful Stem Cell Treatment In Mice Gives Hope For Diabetics
• Common Symptoms Of Diabetes
• Six Supplements That Help Treat Diabetes

The study involved 20 individuals aged under 30 who were classified as obese (BMI greater than 30). The participants were divided into two groups; the first group received 4g of salsalate each day for a month while the second group received an identical placebo.

The researchers found that the fasting glucose levels of the salsalate group decreased by 13% over the study period relative to the placebo group. Glycemic albumin (another measure of glycemic control) decreased by 17%, and glycemic control improved by 20% relative to the placebo following an oral glucose tolerance test.

Despite these improvements, insulin levels were unchanged in the salsalate group suggesting the improvements in glycemic control were due to an improvement in insulin sensitivity rather than an increase in insulin secretion.

Higher than normal fasting glucose levels is a known risk factor for type-2 diabetes suggesting that salsalate could be used both as a treatment for type-2 diabetes and a preventative measure in high risk individuals.

Salsalate belongs to a family of compounds known as the salicylates which includes acetylsalicylic acid (aspirin). Aspirin is also known to reduce blood sugar levels however the dosage required to achieve this reduction is around 4 to 7g of aspirin a day. Long term aspirin use at this level results in adverse effects such as gastrointestinal bleeding and ulcers. Salsalate, on the other hand is better tolerated by the body and has a much more favorable side-effect profile.

A three year trial, funded by the National Institutes of Health, is currently underway to determine the effectiveness of salsalate over a longer duration.

• Can Cinnamon Be Used To Treat Diabetes?
• How Effective Is Gastric Bypass Surgery In Curing Type-2 Diabetes?
• Low GI Diets And Diabetes Risk
• Pre Diabetes - What It Is And What You Can Do About It
• Six Supplements That Help Treat Diabetes

Gastric bypass surgery belongs to a class of operations known as bariatric surgeries which are designed to help morbidly obese individuals lose weight. The gastric bypass procedure is carried out by closing off a small stomach pouch from the rest of the stomach. The intestines are then detached from the stomach and connected directly to the pouch so that the remainder of the stomach is “bypassed”. The treatment reduces the volume of food the stomach can hold leading to a reduction in hunger cravings and a feeling of fullness after only a small amount of food is consumed.

The procedure not only leads to weight loss, but also leads to the remission of type-2 diabetes in the overwhelming majority of patients. One study, published in the New England Journal of Medicine in December, 2004, compared the health outcomes of 2,000 obese individuals who underwent gastric bypass surgery with 2,000 control subjects who did not undergo surgery.

The researchers found that the incidence of type-2 diabetes was over seven times lower in the surgery group compared to the control group two years after the surgery and four times lower in the surgery group ten years after the surgery. Furthermore, 72% of diabetic patients who underwent the surgery no longer had diabetes two years after the surgery however this figure dropped to 36% ten years after the surgery.

Another study, published by the Journal of the American Medical Association in 2004 reviewed the results of 136 previous studies and found that gastric bypass surgery led to complete remission of type-2 diabetes 83.7% of the time and improved or resolved type-2 diabetes in 93.2% of cases.

Finally a report published in the Annals of Surgery found that just 30 out of 288 diabetic patients did not achieve remission following gastric bypass surgery.

It was initially believed that the beneficial effects of gastric bypass surgery on diabetes were due solely to the loss of excess weight however recent evidence has suggested that this is not the case. First, in diabetics who lose weight without surgery, modest improvements in glycemic control are observed but complete remission of type-2 diabetes is quite rare. Second, diabetes remission often occurs just days after surgery, long before significant weight loss has occurred.

Scientists have proposed several possible mechanisms that might further explain the ability of gastric bypass surgery to achieve remission of diabetes.

One explanation is that the dramatic reductions in caloric intake lead to a reduction in glucose levels, an improvement in insulin response, and a remission of type-2 diabetes in many cases. One study, published in the Archives of Internal Medicine looked at the effects of a very low calorie diet of 420 calories a day on six obese, diabetic women. The diet led to a reduction in fasting blood glucose levels from an average of 293mg/dL to 126mg/dL. A second study found that a 300 calorie a day liquid diet reduced fasting blood glucose levels from an average of 291mg/dL to 95mg/dL. An individual is considered to be diabetic if they have a fasting blood glucose level above 125mg/dL.

Although both these studies involved extremely low calorie intakes (average daily calorie intake is around 1600 calories after gastric bypass surgery), it is clear that calorie restriction can lead to a significant reduction in blood sugar levels.

A second possible mechanism is that gastric bypass surgery might interfere with the secretion of some unknown chemical from the upper intestine that is responsible for insulin resistance however to date, no such chemical has been isolated.

Those who undergo gastric bypass surgery need to be aware of the risks of the surgery. The surgery carries a mortality rate of between 0.2 and 1.0% depending on the age and weight of the patient, and the experience of the surgeon. Around 10% of patients have post-operative complications such as hemorrhaging, infection, leakages from the pouch into the stomach, or the development of a hernia.

It is also possible for type-2 diabetes to redevelop in those who had previously achieved remission, however this is rare in those who exercise regularly and follow a healthy eating plan. Remission of diabetes following surgery is less common in the elderly, and those with either severe diabetes or who have had the disease for a long period of time.

Current recommendations for gastric bypass surgery require the patient to have a BMI over 40, or a BMI of over 35 and at least one obesity related medical condition such as type-2 diabetes, hypertension, or sleep apnea.

• Can Cinnamon Be Used To Treat Diabetes?
• Successful Stem Cell Treatment In Mice Gives Hope For Diabetics
• Common Symptoms Of Diabetes
• What Fruits Can A Diabetic Eat?
• Pre Diabetes - What It Is And What You Can Do About It

The study, conducted by Finnish researchers at the National Public Health Institute in Helsinki, Finland, involved the analysis of 2,285 men and 2,019 women aged between 40 and 69 who were initially free of diabetes.

During the 23 year study period, 164 males and 219 females developed type-2 diabetes. The researchers found that those individuals who consumed diets rich in vitamin E and the carotenoid cryptoxanthin were less likely to develop type-2 diabetes. Vitamin C, beta-carotene, and lycopene on the other hand did not appear to reduce the risk of type-2 diabetes. Consumption of the carotenoids lutein and zeaxantin were associated with a modest reduction in type-2 diabetes risk however this was only marginally statistically significant.

After adjusting the results for potential confounding factors such as age, BMI, and a family history of diabetes, those in the highest quartile for Vitamin E intake were found to be 31% less likely to develop type-2 diabetes compared to those in the lowest quartile. For cryptoxanthin intake, those in the highest quartile were 42% less likely to develop type-2 diabetes than those in the lowest quartile.

Cryptoxanthin belongs to a group of chemicals known as carotenoids. Carotenoids are flavonoids that are responsible for the pigmentation of many fruits and vegetables. Cryptoxanthin is also an antioxidant and therefore may prevent oxidative damage to the body due to free radicals. Rich sources of cryptoxanthin include papaya (pawpaw), egg yolk, apples, oranges, peaches, watermelon, and corn.

Zeaxanthin and lutein are commonly found in yellow and orange fruits and vegetables such as peaches, mangoes, prunes, papaya, tangerines, and oranges. Egg yolk is also a rich source of both lutein and zeaxanthin.

Vitamin E rich foods include almonds, spinach, olives, peanuts, avocado, blueberries, tomatoes, kiwifruit, and broccoli.

• Low Fat Dairy Products Reduce Type-2 Diabetes Risk In Women
• Low-Carb Diets Best For Reducing Diabetes Risk
• Vitamin D Deficiency Leads To Type-1 Diabetes Later In Life
• What Fruits Can A Diabetic Eat?
• Six Supplements That Help Treat Diabetes

One of the largest studies on the impact of exercise on type-2 diabetes risk was conducted in 1992 by researchers from the Department of Medicine at the Harvard Medical School in Boston, USA. The researchers used data from the Physicians’ Health Study which involved 21,2171 male physicians from the United States aged between 40 and 84 who were followed for five years.

During the course of the study, 285 of the participants were diagnosed with type-2 diabetes. The researchers found that those who exercised more than once a week were 36% less likely to develop type-2 diabetes than those who exercised less than once a week. Furthermore, the incidence of type-2 diabetes continued to decrease with increasing levels of exercise. Compared to those who exercised less than once a week, there was a 23% reduction in type-2 diabetes in those who exercised one to two times a week, a 38% reduction for those exercising between two and four times a week, and a 42% reduction for those who exercised at least five times each week.

It is believed that exercise helps reduce diabetes risk in two ways. First exercise is known to reduce body weight and in particular body fat levels. High body levels of body fat, especially around the abdominal area, is an established risk factor for type-2 diabetes. Secondly, sustained physical activity leads to improvements in insulin sensitivity meaning the body needs less insulin in order to control blood sugar levels.

The study appears in the appears in the July 1, 1992 issue of The Journal of the American Medical Association.

• Eating Nuts May Reduce Type-2 Diabetes Risk
• Exercise Improves Insulin Secretion & Sensitivity In The Elderly
• Red And Processed Meat Linked To Type-2 Diabetes
• Whole Grain Breakfast Cereals Reduce Diabetes Risk
• Lack Of Sleep A Risk Factor For Diabetes

The study, conducted by Spanish researchers and published in the British Medical Journal, followed 13,380 Spanish university graduates for an average of 4.4 years. The graduates adherence to a Mediterranean diet was calculated by giving each participant a score of zero or one for their consumption of nine components of a Mediterranean diet. These components were high intake of fish, low intake of meat and meat products, high intake of legumes, high intake of nuts, high intake of grains, high intake of fruits, moderate alcohol consumption, moderate intake of dairy products, and a high ratio of mono-unsaturated to saturated fat in their diets. The scores were added together to give a total between zero and nine with high scores indicating closer adherence to a Mediterranean diet.

During the study 103 of the participants developed type-2 diabetes. The researchers found that those who closely followed the Mediterranean diet (scores between 7 and 9) were 83% less likely to develop type-2 diabetes compared to those with low adherence to a Mediterranean diet (scores between 0 and 2). Moderate adherence to a Mediterranean diet (scores between 3 and 6) was associated with a 59% reduction in type-2 diabetes risk compared to low adherence.

Interestingly those who followed the Mediterranean diet were heavier, more likely to smoke, were older, and had a higher prevalence of diabetes in the family compared to those who did not follow a Mediterranean diet. Despite having many diabetes risk factors, these individuals were still much less likely to develop type-2 diabetes suggesting diet is a very important risk factor in determining diabetes likelihood.

It is believed that the high levels of mono-unsaturated fats found in Mediterranean diets may improve insulin sensitivity and reduce blood lipid levels which in turn reduces the probability of a person developing type-2 diabetes. Mediterranean diets also tend to have lower amounts of red and processed meats than western diets. Previous studies have found a link between red and processed meat consumption and higher rates of type-2 diabetes.

• Vegetarians Are Less Likely To Develop Diabetes
• Red And Processed Meat Linked To Type-2 Diabetes
• Eating Nuts May Reduce Type-2 Diabetes Risk
• Low-Carb Diets Best For Reducing Diabetes Risk
• Diet Soda, Red Meat & Fried Food Boost Diabetes, Heart Disease Risk

One of the largest studies on the link between a vegetarian diet and diabetes came from a study of 25,698 seventh day adventists in 1960 over a 21 year study period. The study was published in the American Journal of Public Health in 1985.

Seventh day adventists are discouraged from consuming meat, eggs, drinking alcohol, and smoking cigarettes and as a result the number of vegetarians in the study was quite high with slightly over half the group considered to be vegetarians.

When compared to vegetarians, the risk of diabetes for meat eaters was found to be 70% higher for men and 40% higher for women. In particular, those men who consumed large amounts of meat (6 or more servings a week) were 2.7 times more likely to develop diabetes. Women who consumed 6 or more servings of meat a week were 2.3 times more likely to develop diabetes compared to vegetarians.

The study also found that the incidence of heart disease was much lower in the vegetarian group than for meat eaters.

It is thought that red meat is the type of meat most strongly linked to diabetes due to the large amounts of saturated fat contained in it. Poultry and fish on the other hand are not thought to increase diabetes risk. Saturated fat is known to stimulate the secretion of insulin and may eventually lead to insulin insensitivity. Certain compounds such as nitrosamide which are particularly prevalent in processed and cured meats have also been shown to induce diabetes in animal studies.

Vegetarian diets also tend to be higher in fiber than non-vegetarian diets. A high fiber intake is associated with a reduction in diabetes risk. Vegetarian diets are also generally lower in calories and studies suggest that BMI levels, another diabetes risk fator,  are lower for vegetarians compared to the general population.

• Low-Carb Diets Best For Reducing Diabetes Risk
• Mediterranean Diets Lower Type-2 Diabetes Risk
• Red And Processed Meat Linked To Type-2 Diabetes
• Alcohol Consumption Associated With Lower Diabetes Risk
• Diet Soda, Red Meat & Fried Food Boost Diabetes, Heart Disease Risk

The study was published in The Journal of the American Medical Association in November 2002 by researchers at the Department of Nutrition at the Harvard School of Public Health. The authors analyzed data on 83,818 women which was collected from the Nurses Health Study (NHS) over a 16 year period from 1980 to 1996.

Around 35% of the study participants reported to consume nuts rarely or never, 36% consumed nuts less than once a week, 24% consumed them between 1 and 4 times a week, and the remaining 5% consumed nuts 5 or more times a week. Nut consumption was defined as one 28g serving of nuts and included peanuts and peanut butter (peanuts are technically classified as a legume).

The researchers found that those who consumed nuts regularly tended to have a lower body mass index (BMI), were more likely to smoke, consumed more fiber, magnesium, and polyunsaturated fat and had a higher daily energy intake.

Nut consumption was also found to be associated with a much lower risk of type-2 diabetes. When compared to those who consumed nuts rarely or never, those who consumed nuts 5 or more times a week were 45% less likely to develop diabetes and those who consumed nuts between 1 and 4 times a week were 31% less likely to develop type-2 diabetes.

Even after the results were adjusted for BMI, consuming nuts 5 or more times a week still reduced the risk of type-2 diabetes by 26%.

Researchers believe that it is the type of fats contained in nuts that may explain the beneficial effects on diabetes. Nuts tend to be high in monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats but contain relatively low amounts of saturated fats. Several studies have linked diets high in saturated fats with an increased likelihood of developing type-2 diabetes.

Many people avoid nuts because they are concerned that the high energy and fat content of nuts may lead to weight gain and an increased risk of heart disease and other weight related problems such as diabetes. This particular study found that the opposite is the case and in fact nut consumption may lead to a reduction in both BMI and diabetes risk.

• Red And Processed Meat Linked To Type-2 Diabetes
• Regular Exercise Cuts Type-2 Diabetes Risk
• Mediterranean Diets Lower Type-2 Diabetes Risk
• Exercise Improves Insulin Secretion & Sensitivity In The Elderly
• Low Fat Dairy Products Reduce Type-2 Diabetes Risk In Women

The study conducted by American researchers involved a group of 1,709 men from Boston, Massachusetts aged between 40 and 75. The participants were followed over an average of 15 years during which 90 cases of type-2 diabetes were diagnosed.

The researchers found that those individuals who got 7 hours of sleep a night were younger, better educated, less likely to smoke, and weighed less than individuals who slept for more than 8 or less than 6 hours a night.

Those who slept for 5 or less hours a night were found to be 2.59 times more likely to develop type-2 diabetes than those who slept for 7 hours a night. Those who got 6 hours or 8 hours of sleep a night were 1.91 times and 1.4 times more likely to develop diabetes respectively. Those who slept for more than 8 hours a night were at the highest risk with 3.69 times the risk of developing type-2 diabetes.

After adjusting the results for other factors such as waist circumference, smoking status, and education levels, the diabetes risk associated with long and short sleep duration decreased slightly but still remained significant. Those who slept for 6 or less hours a night were two times more likely to develop type-2 diabetes and those who slept for more than 8 hours a night were three times more likely to develop type-2 diabetes.

Short term sleep deprivation is known to reduce insulin secretion, glucose tolerance, and the function of the pancreas. Furthermore it appears that if sleep deprivation continues for an extended period of time, permanent impaired glucose tolerance and subsequently type-2 diabetes becomes increasingly likely.

Sleeping for very long or short periods of time is also known to reduce testosterone levels. Low testosterone levels are associated with several diabetes risk factors such as obesity and elevated blood glucose levels.

The findings back up the results of other studies that between 7 and 8 hours of sleep is optimal for reducing the risk of type-2 diabetes.

The amount of time spent sleeping is steadily decreasing in the western world, almost half of American adults get less than 7 hours sleep a night and a third get less than 6 hours sleep a night.

• Can Diabetics Drink Alcohol?
• How Effective Is Gastric Bypass Surgery In Curing Type-2 Diabetes?
• Diabetics At Same Risk Of Cardiovascular Death As Heart Attack Survivors
• Eating Nuts May Reduce Type-2 Diabetes Risk
• Six Supplements That Help Treat Diabetes

The study, published in the journal Diabetes Care in 2006, involved following 37,183 healthy middle-aged women for an average of 10 years. The women were asked to complete questionnaires on their consumption of 130 common food products.

Over the course of the study 1,603 of the women developed type-2 diabetes. Women in the highest 20% for dairy consumption (2.9 or more servings a day) were 32% less likely to develop type-2 diabetes than women in the lowest 20% for dairy consumption (less than 0.85 servings a day).

Low fat dairy products such as skim milk, cottage cheese, and yogurt led to the biggest reductions in type-2 diabetes risk. Those in the highest 20% for low fat dairy consumption (2 or more servings a day) were 31% less likely to develop type-2 diabetes than those in the lowest 20% for low fat dairy consumption (0.27 servings or less per day). There was no association between type-2 diabetes and the consumption of high fat diary products such as whole milk, cream, ice-cream, and butter.

The graph below shows the risk of type-2 diabetes for different levels of dairy consumption in the study.

Specific dairy foods that were associated with a reduction in type-2 diabetes were yogurt (18% diabetes reduction in people who consumed two or more servings a week), and cottage cheese (14% diabetes reduction in people consuming two or more servings per week).

Women who had no history of diabetes appeared to benefit from dairy consumption to a greater extent than women with a family history of diabetes.

The researchers concluded that: “A dietary pattern that incorporates higher low-fat dairy products may lower the risk of type 2 diabetes in middle-aged or older women.”

It s thought that specific fatty acids found in dairy products known as conjugated linoleic acids (CLA) may be responsible for the beneficial effects of dairy foods. Researchers were successfully able to treat diabetes in rats using these CLA’s. The fatty acids may also help reduce cholesterol levels and prevent some forms of cancer such as colon cancer.

Dairy products are also rich in Vitamin D and magnesium which may both play a role in the prevention of type-2 diabetes.

While this study focused on women only, other studies have produced similar findings in men. A study, published in the journal Archives of Internal Medicine involving over 40,000 men, found that type-2 diabetes risk dropped by 9% for each 1 serving increase in dairy intake per day.

• Diet Soda, Red Meat & Fried Food Boost Diabetes, Heart Disease Risk
• Low-Carb Diets Best For Reducing Diabetes Risk
• Vitamin E, Cryptoxanthin May Cut Diabetes Risk
• Red And Processed Meat Linked To Type-2 Diabetes
• Six Supplements That Help Treat Diabetes

The researchers used data from the Iowa Women’s Health Study which was conducted between 1986 and 1997 and involved 28,812 post menopausal women.

In total, 10% of the women in the study did not drink coffee, 11% consumed between 0 and 1 cups per day, 50% consumed 1 to 3 cups, 19% consumed 4 to 5 cups and the remaining 10% consumed 6 or more cups of coffee per day. Regular coffee was around twice as popular as decaffeinated coffee. Heavy coffee drinkers tended to have lower blood pressures, used less skim milk, consumed less tea, and were more likely to smoke cigarettes and drink alcohol than light or non-coffee drinkers.

After adjusting for variables such as BMI, alcohol consumption, energy intake, physical activity, and cigarette use, there was no significant association between coffee and diabetes risk at levels of consumption below 4 cups a day. Consumption of 4 to 5 cups of coffee a day was associated with a 16% lower risk of type-2 diabetes and consumption of 6 or more cups of coffee a day was associated with a 22% lower risk of type-2 diabetes.

The association was stronger for decaffeinated coffee compared to regular coffee (33% vs 21% for 6 or more cups per day) which suggests that the caffeine in coffee wasn’t responsible for the reduction in diabetes risk.

The correlation also existed after adjustments for magnesium intake, which is present in coffee and is thought to reduce diabetes risk, and phytate which is also present in coffee.

While caffeine, magnesium, and phytate in coffee did not appear to lower the risk of diabetes, it is thought that other minerals, antioxidants, and phytochemicals such as chlorogenic acid, caffeic acid, and ferulic acid present in coffee beans may be responsible for the reductions in diabetes risk observed in the coffee drinkers.

• Alcohol Consumption Associated With Lower Diabetes Risk
• Can Diabetics Drink Alcohol?
• Six Supplements That Help Treat Diabetes
• Eating Nuts May Reduce Type-2 Diabetes Risk
• Red And Processed Meat Linked To Type-2 Diabetes

One of the largest studies on the link between meat consumption and diabetes risk involved the study of 37,309 initially healthy women aged over 45 years who were followed for an average of 8.8 years.

At the conclusion of the study, 1,558 (4.2%) new cases of type-2 diabetes were diagnosed. After adjusting for factors such as total energy intake, BMI, smoking, and exercise levels, the researchers found that those women who consumed the most red meat (5 or more servings a week) were 29% more likely to develop type-2 diabetes than those who consumed less than 1 serving of red meat a week.

Processed meat consumption was found to be even more strongly linked to type-2 diabetes. Those who consumed 5 or more servings of processed meat a week were 38% more likely to develop diabetes than those who consumed less than 1 serving a week while those who consumed 2 to 4 servings of processed meat per week were 27% more likely to develop diabetes.

Hamburger meats, bacon, and hot dogs were the specific types of meat that were most associated with type-2 diabetes risk.

A second study published in the journal Diabetes Care found a similar link between meat consumption and type-2 diabetes in men. That study found that total processed meat consumption of more than 5 servings a week increased diabetes risk by 46% compared to those who consumed processed meats less than once a month however no link was found between red meat consumption and diabetes risk in that study.

Both red and processed meat contain preservatives and various other chemicals which may be responsible for the observed increased in the incidence of type-2 diabetes. Nitrates and nitrites are used in the process of curing meats and have been associated with an increased risk of diabetes in some animal studies.

Red meats tend to be high in both saturated fats and cholesterol. While the evidence is mixed, some studies have found an association between the consumption of saturated fats and/or cholesterol and a higher risk of type-2 diabetes.

Finally, most red meats are rich in iron and some studies have found evidence of a link between higher than normal iron levels in the body and an increased risk of type-2 diabetes.

• Diet Soda, Red Meat & Fried Food Boost Diabetes, Heart Disease Risk
• Vegetarians Are Less Likely To Develop Diabetes
• Mediterranean Diets Lower Type-2 Diabetes Risk
• Low Fat Dairy Products Reduce Type-2 Diabetes Risk In Women
• Eating Nuts May Reduce Type-2 Diabetes Risk

The study involved analyzing data from the US National Health Interview Survey and involved more than 200,000 American participants aged between 18-84. Overall 15,843 (6.5%) of the study participants had been diagnosed with diabetes.

The researchers found that overall the lifetime risk of developing diabetes was slightly higher in women than men with 39% of American women developing diabetes in their lifetime compared to 33% of American men.

At the age of 18, underweight men (those with a BMI less than 18.5) had a 7.6% chance of developing diabetes during the remainder of their lifetime. Men in the normal weight range (BMI between 18.5 and 24.9) had a lifetime risk of diabetes of 19.8%. The lifetime risk of diabetes was 29.7%, 57% and 70.3% for men with BMI’s of 25-30 (overweight), 30-35 (obese) and 35+ (morbidly obese) respectively.

At the age of 18, women with a BMI less than 18.5 had a remaining lifetime risk of diabetes of 12.2% compared to 17.1% for a BMI between 18.5 and 25, 35.4% for women with a BMI between 25-30, 54.6% for women with a BMI between 30 and 35, and 74.4% for women with a BMI greater than 35.

The impact of BMI on diabetes risk appeared to decrease as age increased however even at a relatively old age, BMI was still an important risk factor of diabetes. Women who were free of diabetes at the age of 65 and had a BMI greater than 35 still had a remaining lifetime diabetes risk of 36% (34.7% for men).

The absolute increase in diabetes risk was greater between obese individuals (BMI 30-35) and overweight individuals (BMI 25-30) than between overweight individuals and those of a normal weight. Underweight individuals only had a slightly lower lifetime risk of type-2 diabetes compared to people of a normal weight.

The researchers concluded that “Taken as a whole, our data suggest that adult lifetime risk of diabetes is most strongly affected by a BMI greater than 30 and that the impact of BMI, expressed in terms of absolute risk of diabetes, diminishes with increasing age at risk.”

Obesity rates have exploded in the United States over the last 50 years as have the rates of diseases associated with obesity such as heart disease, diabetes, pancreatic cancer, liver cancer, and colo-rectal cancer. The percentage of Americans with a BMI greater than 25 is currently 65% while one third of Americans have a BMI greater than 30. The percentage of Americans considered morbidly obese (BMI greater than 35) is currently 15%.

• Pre Diabetes - What It Is And What You Can Do About It
• Weight Training Helps Prevent Diabetes
• How Effective Is Gastric Bypass Surgery In Curing Type-2 Diabetes?
• Salsalate Improves Glycemic Control, May Treat Diabetes
• Whole Grain Breakfast Cereals Reduce Diabetes Risk

The researchers analyzed data from 71,346 healthy female nurses between the ages of 38 and 63 over an 18 year period between 1984 and 2002. Over the study period, 4,529 new cases of type-2 diabetes were diagnosed.

The researchers found that a 3-serving increase in fruit each day resulted in an 18% decreased risk of developing type-2 diabetes. Vegetable consumption as a whole was not associated with a decrease in diabetes risk, however consumption of green leafy vegetables was associated with a slight reduction in diabetes risk. Each additional serving of green leafy vegetables per day led to a 9% decrease in the risk of diabetes.

Green leafy vegetables include bok choy, cabbage, lettuce, kale, spinach, watercress, and mustard greens.

Interestingly, fruit juice consumption was linked to an increase in diabetes risk with each additional serving of fruit juice raising diabetes risk by 18%.

The researchers recommend eating fresh fruits rather than fruit juices whenever possible. In particular, people should avoid processed fruit drinks that have large amounts of added sugar as these high calorie beverages provide little nutritional benefit.

The researchers also recommend people limit their consumption of potatoes, white rice, and processed grains as heavy consumption of these foods has been linked to type-2 diabetes in some studies.

It is believed that fiber, which is naturally present in high amounts in both fruit and vegetables may be responsible for their observed benefits. Fresh fruits and vegetables are also high in antioxidants and tend to have lower glycemic index values than processed foods meaning they have a smaller impact on blood sugar levels.

• What Fruits Can A Diabetic Eat?
• Diet Soda, Red Meat & Fried Food Boost Diabetes, Heart Disease Risk
• Vitamin E, Cryptoxanthin May Cut Diabetes Risk
• Red And Processed Meat Linked To Type-2 Diabetes
• Diabetics At Same Risk Of Cardiovascular Death As Heart Attack Survivors

The researchers used data from 46,892 male health professionals who were sent questionnaires every two years for the 12 year study period. The participants were questioned on their use of alcohol and cigarettes, diet, lifestyle, family history of diabetes, and their use of medications.

The group as a whole averaged less than 6g o and family history of diabetes, the group who consumed an average of between 10g and 14.9g of alcohol daily (around one standard drink) had a 35% reduced risk of developing type-2 diabetes compared to non-drinkers.

Furthermore the group consuming between 30 and 49.9g of alcohol daily (around three standard drinks) had the highest reduction in risk with 43% reduced risk compared to non-drinkers. Even heavy drinkers who consumed more than 50g of alcohol a day reduced their risk of type-2 diabetes compared to non-drinkers by 39%.

The beneficial effects of alcohol were lessened amongst those who consumed alcohol sporadically, suggesting that daily consumption of small amounts of alcohol reduces diabetes risk more so than heavy alcohol consumption on one or two nights a week.

The type of alcoholic beverage consumed did not matter with beer, white wine, red wine, and liquor all reducing diabetes risk by a similar amount.

Alcohol consumption is believed to increases both the amount of insulin secreted by the pancreas and an individuals sensitivity to insulin. The effects of alcohol on sugar metabolism are believed to be relatively short lived which may explain why frequent consumption of alcohol provides a greater benefit than periodic consumption of large amounts of alcohol.

The studies finding that even heavy alcohol consumption is associated with reduced diabetes risk goes against the findings of of similar studies which have tended to find that the beneficial effects of alcohol are present at only light to moderate levels of consumption.

The study, published in October 2001, appears in issue 50 of the journal Diabetes.

• Can Diabetics Drink Alcohol?
• Four Or More Cups Of Coffee A Day Reduces Type-2 Diabetes Risk
• How Effective Is Gastric Bypass Surgery In Curing Type-2 Diabetes?
• Can Cinnamon Be Used To Treat Diabetes?
• Low Fat Dairy Products Reduce Type-2 Diabetes Risk In Women

The study of 3.3 million residents of Denmark over the age of 30 was conducted between 1997 and 2002. 71,801 of those studied had been diagnosed with either type-1 or type-2 diabetes while a further 79,575 had suffered a prior heart attack.

At the conclusion of the study, the researchers found that those with diabetes were 2.32 and 2.48 times more likely to die from either a stroke, heart attack or another form of cardiovascular disease for men and women respectively compared to non-diabetics.

Those who had been suffered a previous heart attack, were 2.48 and 2.71 times more likely to die from another heart attack, stroke, or other form of cardiovascular disease for men and women respectively compared to those who had not suffered a heart attack previously.

The cardiovascular risks were similar for both type-1 and type-2 diabetes. Furthermore, those with diabetes who suffer a heart attack are twice as likely to die from it compared to non-diabetics.

Many diabetics are unaware just how much higher their risk of developing cardiovascular disease is. Lead researcher Dr. Tina Ken Schramm, of the Department of Cardiology believes that diabetics need to be more aggressive in reducing controllable cardiovascular disease risk factors. According to Schramm: “We’ve talked about ‘the lower, the better’ for cholesterol and blood pressure to reduce the risk of heart attack. Now I think we should be saying ‘the sooner, the better’ for primary prevention of cardiovascular diseases in diabetics.”

Diabetics should focus on the factors relating to cardiovascular disease that they can change, for example: losing excess weight, dietary changes such as increasing consumption of fresh fruit and vegetables, quitting smoking, and exercising regularly. Medications such as cholesterol lowering drugs (statins), blood pressure lowering drugs, or over the counter medications such as aspirin may also be required.

• Six Supplements That Help Treat Diabetes
• Diet Soda, Red Meat & Fried Food Boost Diabetes, Heart Disease Risk
• Pre Diabetes - What It Is And What You Can Do About It
• Nine Myths About Diabetes
• What Fruits Can A Diabetic Eat?

The study, which appears in the journal Archives of Disease in Childhood, found that across the five studies, vitamin D supplementation resulted in a 30 percent reduction in the probability of developing type-1 diabetes later in life.

The findings are backed up by previous observations that those living in sunnier climates or close to the equator have lower levels of type 1 diabetes because strong sunlight stimulates production of vitamin D in the body.

The largest single study of vitamin D’s role in preventing type 1 diabetes came from a Finnish study that followed 10,366 children for 31 years from 1966 to 1997. Vitamin D supplementation during the first year of life was recorded along with the presence of suspected rickets. At the end of the study, 81 of the participants had developed type-1 diabetes.

The researchers found that those children who had received the recommended daily intake of vitamin D (2000 IU) during their first year of life had a 78% reduced probability of developing type-1 diabetes compared to the children who did not receive the recommended daily intake of vitamin D. Furthermore, regular vitamin D supplementation was associated with an 88% reduction in type-1 diabetes compared to those infants who received no vitamin D supplementation during their first year of life.

216 of the children were suspected to have rickets during their first year of life and those children were three times more likely to develop type-1 diabetes than those who did not have rickets. Rickets is a childhood disease that causes the bones to soften and eventually deform and fracture. The primary cause of rickets is a lack of vitamin D and although rare in the United States, rickets is still a significant health problem in many third world countries.

Type-1 diabetes is an autoimmune disease and vitamin D is thought to be an immunosuppresant meaning it reduces immune system activity. It is thought that vitamin D may help prevent an overactive immune system from destroying its own insulin producing beta cells.

The study comes on the back of a similar study that found vitamin D deficiency may also increase the risk of cardiovascular disease.

Type-1 diabetes makes up approximately 5% to 10% of all diabetes cases in the United States. It is estimated that as many as 65,000 children worldwide under the age of 15 develop type-1 diabetes each year.

• Breastfed Babies Less Likely To Develop Diabetes
• Six Supplements That Help Treat Diabetes
• Nine Myths About Diabetes
• Vitamin E, Cryptoxanthin May Cut Diabetes Risk
• Alcohol Consumption Associated With Lower Diabetes Risk

In one study, published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition and led by Christopher G. Owen of St George’s University in London, data was analyzed from seven studies that had previously examined the impact of breast feeding on diabetes risk. The researchers found that in the seven studies, breastfeeding lowered diabetes risk by between 15 percent and 56 percent with an average reduction in risk of 39 percent.

The researchers concluded that “early breastfeeding was consistently associated with a lower risk of type 2 diabetes in later life compared to those initially formula fed”.

A further study, published in the journal Diabetes Care in March 2008, analyzed the effect breast feeding had on diabetes development in young people aged between 10 and 21.

The study found that in white youths, just 39.1% of the individuals diagnosed with diabetes were breastfed compared to a 77.6% breastfeeding rate in those without diabetes. In Hispanic youths, 50% of those with diabetes were breastfed compared to 83.8% in those without diabetes. Among black youths, 19.5% of those with diabetes were breastfed compared to 27.1% in non-diabetics.

It is not known precisely why formula fed children are more likely to develop diabetes later in life. One possible explanation is that mothers of a lower socio-economic class are more likely to breastfeed their babies. Children born to parents of a lower socioeconomic class are likely to make poorer diet choices through life leading to a greater risk of obesity and therefore diabetes risk.

Another explanation is that formula fed babies tend to have higher concentrations of blood glucose and serum insulin than those who are breastfed, it is possible that this could put additional stress on the pancreas in early life leading to an increased risk of diabetes.

The findings come on the back of other studies that suggest breastfed babies are less likely to develop lymphoma, celiac disease, Crohn’s disease, and are less likely to die of SIDS (Sudden Infant Death Syndrome).

• Vitamin D Deficiency Leads To Type-1 Diabetes Later In Life
• Exercise Improves Insulin Secretion & Sensitivity In The Elderly
• Low-Carb Diets Best For Reducing Diabetes Risk
• How Effective Is Gastric Bypass Surgery In Curing Type-2 Diabetes?
• Nine Myths About Diabetes

The research, conducted at the Department of Internal Medicine at the University of Michigan, involved 12 elderly people with impaired glucose tolerance (IGT) performing an hour of supervised aerobic exercise for a period of 7 days. The exercise consisted of sessions on either a treadmill, cross training machine, or exercise bike with participants working at between 60 and 70 percent of their maximum heart rate capacity.

A frequently sampled IV glucose tolerance test (FSIGT) was administered to each individual prior to the beginning of the exercise regime and again 24 hours after the final exercise session.

The research, carried out by Cathie J. Bloem and Annette M. Chang, found that the exercise regime improved insulin sensitivity increased by an impressive 59 percent while beta-cell function increased by 31 percent. Beta-cells are located in the pancreas and are responsible for insulin secretion in response to blood glucose spikes.

Diabetes and IGT are significant health problems for elderly people because as a person ages, they both secrete less insulin and become less sensitive to the insulin they do secrete. While other studies have shown that exercise improves insulin sensitivity, it had not been clear until now whether exercise also increased the ability of beta cells to secrete insulin.

The prevalence of IGT or diabetes in individuals over 65 years of age is thought to be around 34 percent for men and 38 percent for women. Among overweight elderly individuals the prevalence of abnormal glucose tolerance is even greater with over half of all overweight elderly people suffering from IGT or diabetes.

• Pre Diabetes - What It Is And What You Can Do About It
• Six Supplements That Help Treat Diabetes
• Can Diabetics Drink Alcohol?
• Lifetime Diabetes Risk More Than 70% When BMI Is Greater Than 35
• Breastfed Babies Less Likely To Develop Diabetes

The study, which were published online by the journal Nature Biotechnology, reported that researchers had  produced insulin secreting cells through a complicated process that involved first turning the stem cells into endoderm cells in the lab. These endoderm cells, which are the building blocks of various other cells, were then injected into both diabetic and non-diabetic mice. In 92% of the mice, the endoderm cells developed into functional, insulin producing, islet cells, a very impressive success rate.

“There is something in the living organism that signals these cells to develop into islet cells” said Emmanuel Baetge, chief scientist at Novocell, “We’ve finally gotten to a point where we can say that we can make this function well and can now work on how this can be turned into a product,” Baetge added.

When a toxin was used to destroy the mice’s own islet cells, the mice continued to produce insulin from the implanted human cells and showed improved blood sugar levels compared to the mice who did not receive the implanted cells.

The researchers admit that there are still some issues that need to be ironed out before research is conducted in humans, for example 7 of the 105 mice in the study developed tumors known as teratomas. Baetge believes the tumor rate could’ve been reduced if the cells were purified prior to being implanted into the mice.

The study is encouraging because it brings the possibility of a source of clean, insulin-secreting cells that could be used by diabetic patients as a replacement for traditional diabetes treatments. Currently the only source of insulin producing cells for diabetics is from cadavers, however the supply of these is limited and the risk of contamination or infection is much higher than for cells produced in the lab.

Novocell hopes to bring the product to market in the immediate future but is currently looking for a corporate partner as they lack the required resources to develop, manufacture, and commercialize the product on a large scale.

• Weight Training Helps Prevent Diabetes
• Can Cinnamon Be Used To Treat Diabetes?
• Vitamin D Deficiency Leads To Type-1 Diabetes Later In Life
• Low Fat Dairy Products Reduce Type-2 Diabetes Risk In Women
• Vitamin E, Cryptoxanthin May Cut Diabetes Risk