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Diabetes mellitus is a term which refers
to a group of metabolic disorders characterised by high blood glucose
levels. High blood glucose levels are caused by a defect in
insulin secretion or insulin action, or both. A lack of insulin
is usually Type 1 diabetes and insulin resistance is usually characterised
as Type 2 diabetes.
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The risk of developing Type
2 diabetes rises as body weight increases: diabetes is approximately
three times more common in people who have gained around 10 kg in
weight during adulthood than those who maintain their weight.
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The risk of stroke is two
to four times higher among people with diabetes than in those without
the condition.
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People with diabetes are twice
as likely to be admitted to hospital as those without the condition.
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The incidence of Type 1 diabetes
is increasing in all age groups but the rise is particularly steep
among children under five years old.
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Men with diabetes have more
than three fold increase in erectile dysfunction compared to men
without the condition.
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Lifestyle interventions (such
as exercise combined with dietary advice) have been found to reduce
the incidence of diabetes by 58%.
 Positive healthy lifestyles
Together with healthy eating, staying active
is one of the best things you can do to control your weight and
improve your blood sugars. Regular activity, for a total of
at least 30 minutes a day on 5 to 7 days of the week is recommended.
To gain the most benefit the activity should be of moderate intensity
(i.e. enough to raise your heart rate and make you feel a little
warm, without getting completely out of breath). Brisk walking,
cycling, swimming and dancing are all ideal. See the
Physical Activity section for more information.
The risk of developing type 2 diabetes increases
if:
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Waist measurement is 31.5
inches or over for women;
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Waist measurement is 35.5
inches or over for Asian men
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Waist measurement is 37 inches
or over for white and black minority ethnic men
See the
Healthy Weight section for more information.
Ten steps to
eating well
| 1. |
Eat three meals a day. Avoid skipping meals and
space out your breakfast, lunch and evening meal over
the day. This will not only help control your appetite
but will also help control your blood glucose levels.
It is not necessary for all people with diabetes to
snack between meals or ‘eat little and often’. |
| 2. |
At each meal include starchy carbohydrate foods such
as bread, pasta, chapatis, potatoes, yam,
noodles, rice and cereals. The amount of carbohydrate you
eat is important to control your blood glucose levels. Especially
try to include those that are more slowly absorbed (have a lower
glycaemic index - see below). Carbohydrate portion size is
a very important consideration and should be individualised. |
| 3. |
Cut down on the fat you eat, particularly saturated
fats, as a low fat diet benefits health. Choose
unsaturated fats or oils, especially monounsaturated fat
(eg olive oil and rapeseed oil) as these types of fats are better
for your heart. |
| 4. |
Eat more fruit and vegetables. Aim for at
least five portions a day to provide you with vitamins,
minerals and fibre to help you to balance your overall
diet. One portion is, for example, a small banana
or apple, a handful of grapes, a tablespoon of dried
fruit, a small glass of fruit juice or fruit smoothie, three heaped tablespoons of vegetables or a cereal
bowl of salad. As a rough guide a portion of fruit should
fit into your hand. |
| 5. |
Include more beans and lentils such as kidney beans,
butter beans, chickpeas or red and green lentils. |
| 6. |
Aim for at least two portions of oily fish a week of
which one should be oily e.g. mackerel, sardines, salmon
and pilchards. Oily fish contains omega 3 which helps
protect against heart disease. |
| 7. |
Limit sugar and sugary foods. This does not mean you
need to eat a sugar-free diet. Using sugar-free,
no added sugar or diet fizzy drinks/squashes, instead of
sugary versions can be an easy way to reduce the sugar
in your diet. |
| 8. |
Reduce salt in your diet to 6g or less a day – More
than this can increase blood pressure which will
increase risk of heart disease and stroke. To
reduce your intake, try to avoid foods high in salt (eg. Processed and
smoked/cured foods, cheese, crisps, salted nuts, ready meals) or
cooking with salt or adding it at the table. |
| 9. |
Drink alcohol in moderation only – that’s 2-3 units
of alcohol per day for women and 3-4 units per day for
men. For example one unit of alcohol = ½ Pint of
regular strength lager or cider, 125 mls wine (8% proof), 1 measure
of spirits (25 mls). It is important to have two or three
alcohol-free days and not save your units and have them all at once.
It is also important to remember that the alcohol strength will
affect the number of units e.g. 125 mls of 12% wine equals 1.5 units:
pub wine glasses are usually 175mls and a single pub measure of
spirits can be 37.5 mls. |
| 10. |
Don’t use diabetic foods they offer no benefit to
people with diabetes, for example “diabetic chocolate or
sweets”. |
Glycaemic Index
(GI)
This is a measure of how quickly foods containing
carbohydrate (starch or sugar) raise blood sugar levels. Foods
that are slowly absorbed can keep blood sugars more stable and avoid
a peak in blood glucose after eating. They also make you feel
fuller for longer and so reduce the need for snacking. Foods
are given a GI rating according to their effect on blood sugar levels.
Non carbohydrate foods do not have a GI value.
Glucose and white bread are the quickest
absorbed foods (given the highest rating) and cause blood sugar
levels to rise very rapidly. However, combining with low to
medium GI foods will help to lower the overall GI value (e.g. Baked
potato and beans).
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Low |
Medium |
High |
Apples, oranges, pears, peaches
Beans and lentils
Pasta
Porridge and oatcakes
Custard
Wholegrain bread
Sweet potato or yam
Basmati rice
All-bran
Rye bread
Yoghurt |
Shredded Wheat
Weetabix
Ice cream
New potatoes—boiled
Pitta bread
Couscous
Honey and jam
Banana
Rye crispbread |
Glucose
White and wholemeal bread
Cornflakes
Rice Krispies
Baked and mashed potato
All other varieties of rice
Crumpets
Rice cakes
Water melon |
Please see the
Diabetes factsheet for more
information.
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Useful Information
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Diabetes UK |
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Diabetes Factsheet |
| Local
Diabetes Centres Craven & Harrogate
01423 553472
Hambleton & Richmondshire
01609 764810
Scarborough Whitby Ryedale
01723 368111
Selby York
01904 725492 |
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