The idea that eating sugar causes diabetes is not true. Diabetes is a chronic illness that cannot be “caught” by over consumption of sugar or other foods. Insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (IDDM), or type 1, is an automimmune disease of the pancreas that is both hereditary and environmental. This form of diabetes typically manifest during childhood when autoantibodies have destroyed pancreatic beta-cells creating a hyperglycemic state. There are no preventive measures for type 1 diabetes nor a cure. Type 1 diabetes patients are reliant on insulin for the duration of their lives. Non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus, type 2 or adult onset diabetes, is a disease characterized by insulin resistance or deficiency. In development of type 2 diabetes there are a number of factors that can contribute to the likelihood of developing the disease, as well as possible autoimmune and hereditary links that scientists are researching. Type 2 diabetes can be prevented and while it cannot be cured, proper management may eliminate the need for drugs and/or insulin.
Eating Too Much Sugar Causes Diabetes
It is possible that the myth of sugar causing diabetes is due to the link and necessary management of blood sugar levels. It is important to know that all foods are broken into sugars during digestion and released into the blood for energy. Research shows that the type of food consumed can effect how quickly it breaks down into glucose. The total amount of carbohydrates effects blood glucose more than which kind you eat. What health practitioners suggest is if sugar is added into a meal, it be balanced out by eliminating other forms of carbohydrate. Furthermore, in a paper published in Diabetes Care in 2003, medical researches examined data from 39,345 food frequency questionnaires completed by women 45 or older and compared the results with the incidence of type 2 diabetes. Within six years 918 cases of type 2 diabetes were diagnosed. Significant trends of sucrose, fructose, glucose, and lactose and the incidence of diabetes were not present leading researchers to conclude that
Eating Sugar Causes Diabetes – Obesity
While sugar does not cause diabetes it can be a factor in obesity, the single greatest risk factor in the development of type 2 diabetes as it puts significant stress on all systems of the body. Consumption of excess sugar and other forms of nutrient-poor high-calorie foods has been linked to weight gain. If you are overweight, reducing your body weight and adopting a healthy well-balanced diet can significantly reduce your risk of many chronic illnesses. The safest way to lose weight it to aim for one to two pounds a week over the long-term.
