Prestigious Diabetes Center Announces Lower Carbohydrate Recommendations for Diabetics!

Prestigious Diabetes Center Announces Lower Carbohydrate Recommendations for Diabetics

In what is hopefully the beginning of a positive trend, the Harvard-affiliated Joslin Diabetes Center has crafted new nutrition guidelines for overweight and obese individuals with type 2 diabetes and those at risk for developing diabetes.

The new guidelines recommend approximately 40 percent of a person's daily calories come from carbohydrates; 20 to 30 percent from protein (unless the person has kidney disease); 30-35 percent come from fat (mostly mono- and polyunsaturated fats); and at least 20-35 grams of fiber. To initiate and continue weight reduction, a modest goal of one pound every one to two weeks is advised by reducing daily caloric intake by 250 to 500 calories. Total daily calories should not be less than 1,000 to 1,200 for women and 1,200 to 1,600 for men. A target of 60 to 90 minutes of modest intensity physical activity most days of the week with a minimum of 150-175 minutes/week is encouraged and should include cardiovascular, stretching and resistance activities to maintain or increase lean body mass.

The new guidelines are a significant change from Joslin's previous recommendations that promoted a higher carbohydrate intake. According to a recent Joslin press release: "Scientific data show that reducing one's carbohydrate intake while simultaneously increasing healthier protein and fat choices may be a better approach to weight control."

"Since obesity doesn't seem to be slowing down and the complications of diabetes are so serious, we were especially alarmed about the health of the American public. We felt the best way to impact the largest number of people was to strengthen our nutrition guidelines," said James L. Rosenzweig, M.D, Director of Joslin's Disease Management Program and Assistant Professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School. The team of physicians, dietitians, exercise physiologists and educators spent months reviewing the scientific literature to draw up new guidelines. "The search was on for guidelines that would improve insulin sensitivity, cardiovascular health and reduce body fat. And most importantly, we wanted to deliver a plan that makes clear what people need to do to achieve their goals," said Dr. Rosenzweig.

Source:

http://joslin.org/news/nutritionarticle.shtml

Tweet