Mediterranean Diet Reduces Need for Diabetes Drugs

In that low-carbohydrate and low-fat calorie-restricted diets are recommended for weight loss in overweight and obese people with type 2 diabetes, a study has found that the Mediterranean diet may reduce the need for antihyperglycemic drugs in patients with newly diagnosed type 2 diabetes.  Katherine Esposito, from the Second University of Naples (Italy), and colleagues studied 215 overweight people (BMI greater than 25 kg/m2) between the ages of 30 and 75 who were newly diagnosed with type 2 diabetes, had never been treated with antihyperglycemic drugs, and had hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) levels less than 11%.  Among those diabetics who followed a Mediterranean-style diet, only 44% required antihyperglycemic drug therapy, compared with 70% of patients who followed a standard low-fat diet.  Patients on the Mediterranean-style diet also lost more weight and experienced greater improvements in blood sugar control and coronary risk measures than those on the low-fat diet.  The researchers conclude that:  “”Compared with a low-fat diet, a low-carbohydrate, a Mediterranean-style diet led to more favorable changes in glycemic control and coronary risk factors and delayed the need for antihyperglycemic drug therapy in overweight patients with newly diagnosed type 2 diabetes.”