Dietary therapy in NIDDM.
Clearly the dietary treatment of the NIDDM patient remains an act of faith bearing in mind the poor compliance of the patient to dietary advice, and the lack of long-term studies confirming the efficacy of diets (old or new) in the prevention of diabetic vascular complications. Few of the newer recommended diets seem to have been tested in the hurly-burly of the busy, understaffed diabetic clinic. Perhaps another major hurdle has been the attitude of patients and doctors in failing to regard diet therapy as a form of treatment, akin to tablets. The phrase 'I eat my diet, doctor, then I have my usual meal' sums up the problem. There needs to be a change in attitude to diet by both doctors and patients so that the dietary changes suggested should be eating habits which would become second nature to patients--the so called 'healthy eating'--more fibre, less refined carbohydrate, less total and saturated fat and more polyunsaturated fats. It seems difficult for a majority of NIDDM patients to add onto 'healthy eating' calorie restriction to achieve weight loss. This difficulty also applies to non-diabetic obese subjects with similar poor results. One cannot help but feel that NIDDM patients should benefit from the general change in attitude of the general population towards nutrition, but reinforced education concerning diet goals for NIDDM patients is an urgent requirement and needs closer examination by the diabetic health care team as to how it may be delivered to the individual NIDDM patients. Perhaps dietitians in particular should become more critical in their approach to diet strategies and should investigate and report on the results of this treatment.
Pearson
G C
GC
Wales
J K
JK
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000178:diet therapy*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009751:Nutritional Requirements; D010349:Patient Compliance