Weekly Nutrition Classes Improve Type 2 Diabetes

Educating diabetes patients about nutrition in a weekly clinical setting improves health, according to a study published in the Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. Researchers from the Physicians Committee assigned patients from an endocrinologist's office to either a low-fat, vegan diet or a portion-controlled eating pattern for a 20-week period and tracked weight, HbA1c, and other blood measurements. Results showed improvements in weight, LDL cholesterol, and HbA1c levels for both groups. The vegan diet led to more weight loss while the portion-controlled diet led to greater reductions in LDL cholesterol, although the differences did not reach statistical significance. These results suggest the potential for dietary interventions through a group setting to improve diabetes management.