Dealing with 'Diabesity' - Diabetes and Obesity: How low-carb diet can help in weight, blood sugar management
Diabetes associated with being obese
a.k.a. ‘Diabesity’ is a twin global threat. As obesity and blood sugar
levels are concurrently increasing, it is a dual epidemic or an
'exploding nightmare' as the World Health Organization describes it.
Apart from encompassing the two lifestyle diseases, the term ‘diabesity’
also emphasizes the intricate relationship between them. The global
rise in obesity explains the epidemic rise in both the incidence and
prevalence of diabetes in recent times.
The world loses someone to diabetes complications every six seconds and
about 90 per cent of people diagnosed with this condition have excessive
body fat. Diabetes isn’t anymore the 'old man’s disease' and over the
past few decades, even children have been diagnosed with it. And in the
current pandemic scenario, the obese and the diabetics are said to have a
worse prognosis to COVID-19 due to their impaired immune response to
infections and other mechanical limitations.
Dr. Ethan Sims coined the term ‘diabesity’ to describe the result of genes interacting with other genes alongside environmental factors to produce obesity-induced diabetes. As he sought to explain the relationship between obesity and diabetes, he experimented to find out what would happen if non-obese individuals who never had a weight issue got fat. The results of the study indicated that people who gain body fat were at a higher risk of becoming diabetic. In this article, Mr Sudarshan Gangrade, Founder, Lo! Foods, explains the link between diabetes and obesity, and how a low-carb diet can help manage both conditions.
Diabetes and Obesity - The link between the two health conditions
Anyone with a BMI of over 30 is considered obese. Numerous weight-loss strategies including lifestyle interventions, pharmacotherapy, or surgical procedures have been used to reduce muscle mass and achieve weight reduction. Several studies have claimed that greater degrees of weight loss helped achieve progressive improvements in glucose homeostasis. And lifestyle interventions like dietary modifications in individuals at an increased risk of developing diabetes can result in long-term prevention of progression to type 2 diabetes.
Carbohydrate metabolism plays a crucial role in the development of type 2 diabetes and it occurs when your body fails to secrete enough insulin or in case of impaired insulin secretion.
When you consume foods high in sugar or carbohydrates, there is a spike in blood sugar and insulin levels. As insulin levels increase, there is a sudden dip in your blood sugar levels. And since insulin hormone is responsible for fat storage and when you keep activating this process through improper eating habits, all the excess sugar and carbs that aren’t utilized by your body gets stored as fat and leads to obesity.
How a low-carb diet can help manage weight, blood sugar
A low carb diet can do wonders when it comes to managing diabesity as it helps in both weight loss and maintaining blood sugar levels.
Even before insulin was discovered, it was the very low carb diets that were considered the gold standard for diabetes management. A low-carb diet can be the first line of treatment for anyone who is recently diagnosed with diabetes but wants to avoid medication. Studies have demonstrated that diabetics saw long-term improvements in blood sugar levels while consuming a low-carb diet.
Cutting down carbs can help curb your appetite, which in turn leads to weight loss. Moreso, low-carb diets are more effective than low-fat diets when it comes to weight loss. Limiting carbohydrate intake can also help stabilize your blood glucose which in turn might counteract some other effects of diabetes like weight gain.
A low-carb diet can give you a lot of energy, reduce your HbA1c levels, curb food cravings, and also help cut down the risks of long-term diabetes complications.
The extra protein and fat you consume on a low-carb diet will help you feel satiated for a longer time. Also, since low-carb diets emphasize healthy sources of carbs, fats, and protein, they can help cut down the risk of diabetes and cardiovascular diseases.
But before changing your diet, talk to your doctor and find out what’s best for you. Some of you will need to reduce your dosage of diabetes medications or insulin when adhering to a low-carb diet. And alongside limiting carbs in your diet, regular physical activity, good sleep, and stress management are equally important.
Stop being a victim of diabesity or its stigma. No better time than now to act against it and get healthier!