Diabetes reduces life expectancy by half and doubles the risk of the development of cardiovascular disease1. Diet and lifestyle are important factors in the management and prevention of diabetes.
The estimated prevalence of type 2 diabetes in South Africa by 2010 is 1, 6 million people2. More alarmingly, this estimate is still growing with an annual diagnosis rate of approximately 130 thousand new cases3. This means that roughly one in every 17 South Africans are diabetic. The onset of diabetes is multi-factorial. However, the adoption of a western diet and lifestyle plays an integral role leading to approximately 80% of type 2 diabetes cases being associated with obesity4.
Maintaining a healthy weight is essential to prevent and manage diabetes. A balanced diet containing up to 10-20% protein, 50-65% carbohydrates and less than 30% of energy from fat, is the first step in the treatment of this lifestyle disease5.
Focusing on the benefits protein has on Type 2 diabetes:
Satiety
Upon inclusion as part of a well balanced diet, protein-rich foods offers the highest satiety value and therefore lead to a prolonged feeling of satiety when compared to both high fat and high carbohydrate diets6. This contributes towards weight loss and/or weight maintenance4. S. A lamb and mutton is high in protein, containing 25.1 g protein per 100 g edible portion of lean cooked lamb7.
Regulation of blood glucose levels
As you are aware, the regulation of blood glucose levels is essential for diabetics8. Inclusion of protein from lean red meat decreases the overall glycemic index of a meal. This lowers the postprandial effect of the meal on blood glucose levels and therefore aids in the regulation of blood glucose levels9.
Kidney function
Protein balance is essential to maintain kidney function. Scientific studies indicate that if a diet contains the amount of protein that just meet an individual’s nutritional needs for protein (0.8 g protein/kg body weight per day), kidney function is preserved more effectively10. 80 – 90 g lean SA lamb and mutton per day, or 3 – 4 times a week, can play an important role in preserving the kidney function of patients suffering from diabetes.
References:
1. Lategan, R. 2005, Sugar and Health Symposium.
2. Panz, V.R. 1999, Impact of HIV infection and AIDS on prevalence of type 2 diabetes in South Africa in 2010, British Medical Journal 318: p 7194.
3. US Census Bureau, International Data Base, 2004. Available online at http://www.wrongdiagnosis.com/d/diab2/stats-country.htm
4. Wardlaw, G.M. & Smith, A.M. 2006, Contemporary Nutrition, McGraw-Hill, New York.
5. Association for Dietetics in South Africa (1997). Dietary Management of Type II Diabetes. SA Med J 87 (4): 503-504.
6. Thompson, J. & Manore, M. 2005, Nutrition: An Applied Approach, Pearson Education Inc., San Francisco.
7. Van Heerden, S.M., Schonfeldt, H.C., Kruger, R. & Smith, M.F. 2007, The nutrient analysis of south African lamb (A2 grade). Journal of Food Composition and analysis, available online.
8. Gibney, M.J., Voster, H.H. & Kok, F.J. 2002, Introduction to Human Nutrition, Blackwell Science Ltd, United Kingdom.
9. Delport, L. & Steenkamp, G. 2000, Eating for Sustained Energy, Tafelberg Publishers, Cape Town.
10. Wardlaw, G.M. & Kessel, M. 2002, Perspectives in Nutrition, McGraw-Hill, New York.