There is a clear link between overweight and type 2 diabetes (formerly adult-onset diabetes): even mild overweight increases the risk of diabetes 2 to 4 times normal weight and up to 7 to 20 times when the body mass index, or weight divided by the square of the length, is over 30.
The positive effects of new diabetic drugs are lost if eating habits are not examined for health and weight is not controlled with medication, according to clinical experience. Even a few pounds of weight loss boosts your metabolism and improves your sugar balance. At the same time, weight loss is also beneficial for fat metabolism and blood pressure.
To put it bluntly, an unhealthy diet and gaining weight can destroy even the best anti-diabetic medication, but even a small dietary correction and weight loss can significantly improve your sugar balance. Nutrition and weight management are thus the most important factors in the treatment of diabetics, ”emphasizes Heikki Koistinen, a specialist in internal medicine.
Diabetes can be slowed by making lifestyle modifications.
People with genetic deficiencies in insulin secretion are more prone to developing diabetes. When a person becomes obese, he becomes insulin resistant, meaning that his own insulin secretion no longer controls sugar and fat metabolism. Diabetes occurs when pancreatic insulin secretion is not followed and sugar rises to diabetic levels.
“At the moment, it appears that the pancreas' ability to secrete insulin declines as diabetes progresses and insulin may be required to control sugar levels at some time. On the other hand, if diabetes is treated primarily from the beginning with medication and lifestyle changes, the process can be slowed down and delayed diabetes-related life complications, such as cardiovascular diseases, ”says Koistinen.
In a group towards a permanent lifestyle change
Today, group therapy is used as the basic treatment for obesity. When the body mass index is above 30, the group can be guided by a direct, very low-energy (ENE) diet for weight loss. The group practices the basics of weight management and gives tips on how to relate medication to weight loss.
In addition to diet and exercise, the groups focus on eating behavior. Eating is a brain-induced activity and often obesity is about comforting eating triggered by mental stressors. That is, it is eaten even if there is no need for calories. Disassembly and mind control of such behaviors are learned especially in the Olonkeveys groups.
“Group dynamics and support provide more motivation and spark, and groups have proven to be a very cost-effective form of treatment. The biggest challenge, then, is to continue the good lifestyles learned and maintain a lower weight after the group. There is no joy in dieting, but weight management should be seen as a lasting change for the rest of your life, ”advises Koistinen.
Calorie restriction is most relevant in weight loss
Calorie restriction is most important for weight loss. The dietary recommendations for a diabetic are the same as for anyone who needs weight management, meaning a reasonable amount of calories is key. The distribution of nutrients is according to the plate model: half a vegetable, a quarter fish or meat, and a quarter potato, pasta, or rice.
“Exercise has many favorable impacts on metabolism and, for example, the condition, endurance, and sleep of the musculoskeletal system, and it is not just feasible to lose weight by increasing exercise.
As a rule of thumb, moderately strenuous endurance exercise is considered five days a week for at least 30 minutes at a time, but an active lifestyle is more important than actual exercise performance.
That is, a commute is walking or cycling instead of driving, climbing stairs instead of an elevator or escalator, and so on. With an active lifestyle, the amount of exercise rises much more than, for example, a jog once a week and the rest of the week on the couch, ”advises Koistinen.
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