High-carbohydrate, low-fat diets increase the risk of heart disease in diabetic patients

This study was published in Diabetes Care 1989 Feb;12(2):94-101

Study title and authors:

Persistence of hypertriglyceridemic effect of low-fat high-carbohydrate diets in NIDDM patients.

Coulston AM, Hollenbeck CB, Swislocki AL, Reaven GM.

Department of Medicine, Stanford University School of Medicine, California.

This study can be accessed at: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/2539286

Coulston notes that although low-fat high-carbohydrate diets are recommended for patients with diabetes in an effort to reduce the risk of coronary artery disease, the results of short-term studies have shown that these diets can actually lead to an increased risk of heart disease.

In this study Coulston observed the effects of such diets compared to higher-fat diets over a longer period of 6 weeks in diabetic patients.

 

The diets were either:

• 60% carbohydrate, 20% protein, 20% fat (high-carbohydrate diet).
• 40% carbohydrate, 20% protein, 40% fat (high-fat diet).

The study found:

• The (bad) blood glucose and insulin concentrations were significantly elevated throughout the day when patients consumed the high-carbohydrate diet.
• The (bad) triglyceride concentrations increased by 30% when patients consumed the high-carbohydrate diet.
• The (bad) Very low density lipoprotein (VLDL) cholesterol was significantly increased when patients consumed the high-carbohydrate diet.
• The (good) High density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol levels were significantly decreased when patients consumed the high-carbohydrate diet.

This study shows that a high-carbohydrate, low-fat diet increases the risk of heart disease in diabetic patients. 

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Meat, poultry and fish may help in the treatment of diabetes

This study was published in the European Journal of Clinical Nutrition 2002 Nov;56(11):1137-42

Study title and authors:

Coenzyme Q10 improves blood pressure and glycaemic control: a controlled trial in subjects with type 2 diabetes.

Hodgson JM, Watts GF, Playford DA, Burke V, Croft KD.

University of Western Australia Department of Medicine and HeartSearch, Royal Perth Hospital, Perth, Western Australia, Australia.

This study can be accessed at: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12428181

The objective of the study was to assess the effects of dietary coenzyme Q10 on blood pressure and blood sugar levels in subjects with type 2 diabetes. The study included 74 patients with type two diabetes who received extra coenzyme Q10 for 12 weeks.

After 12 weeks of the extra coenzyme Q10 the study found:

• There was a 3-fold increase in blood levels of coenzyme Q10.
• Blood pressure was significantly lowered.
• Blood sugar levels were lowered. HbA1C levels decreased by .37%.

The results of the study show that extra coenzyme Q10 may improve blood pressure and long-term blood sugar control in subjects with type 2 diabetes.

The richest dietary sources of coenzyme Q10 are meat, poultry, fish and organ meats such as liver, kidney and heart. 

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High-fat diets are better than high-carbohydrate diets in the treatment of type 2 diabetes

This study was published in the New England Journal of Medicine 1988 Sep 29;319(13):829-34

Study title and authors:

Comparison of a high-carbohydrate diet with a high-monounsaturated-fat diet in patients with non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus.

Garg A, Bonanome A, Grundy SM, Zhang ZJ, Unger RH.

Center for Human Nutrition, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas 75235-9052.

This study can be accessed at: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/3045553

The study compared the effects of a high-carbohydrate diet with a high-fat diet in 10 patients with type 2 diabetes receiving insulin therapy. The patients were assigned to receive first one diet and then the other, each for 28 days.

The diets were:
(i) 60% carbohydrate, 15% protein, 25% fat (high carbohydrate diet).
(ii) 35% carbohydrate, 15% protein 50% fat (high fat diet).

The study found:
(a) As compared with the high-carbohydrate diet, the high-fat diet resulted in lower average glucose levels and reduced insulin requirements.
(b) As compared with the high-carbohydrate diet, the high-fat diet reduced unhealthy triglyceride levels by 25%.
(c) As compared with the high-carbohydrate diet, the high-fat diet reduced unhealthy lower very-low density lipoprotein (VLDL) levels by 35%.
(d) As compared with the high-carbohydrate diet, the high-fat diet increased healthy high density lipoprotein (HDL) levels by 13%.

The results of this study indicate that a high-fat diet is better than a high-carbohydrate diet in the treatment of type 2 diabetes. 

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Drinking cola is associated with a 87% increased risk for development of type 2 diabetes

This study was published in the Journal of the American Medical Association 2004 Aug 25;292(8):927-34

Study title and authors:
Sugar-sweetened beverages, weight gain, and incidence of type 2 diabetes in young and middle-aged women.

Schulze MB, Manson JE, Ludwig DS, Colditz GA, Stampfer MJ, Willett WC, Hu FB.
Department of Nutrition, Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, Mass, USA. mschulze@channing.harvard.edu

This study can be accessed at: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15328324

The objective of the study was to examine the association between consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages and weight change and risk of type 2 diabetes in women. The study lasted for eight years and included 91,249 women free of diabetes and other major chronic diseases at the start of the trial. Altogether there was 716,300 person-years of follow-up.

The study found:

• Weight gain over a 4-year period was highest among women who increased their sugar-sweetened soft drink consumption from 1 or fewer drinks per week to 1 or more drinks per day (4.69 kg gain for 1991 to 1995 and 4.20 kg gain for 1995 to 1999).
• Weight gain over a 4-year period was smallest among women who decreased their sugar-sweetened soft drink consumption from 1 or more drinks per day to 1 or fewer drinks per week (1.34 kg gain for 1991 to 1995 and 0.15 kg gain for 1995 to 1999).
• Women consuming 1 or more sugar-sweetened soft drinks per day had a 83% increased risk of type 2 diabetes compared with those who consumed less than 1 of these beverages per month.
• Women consuming 1 or more sugar-sweetened cola drinks per day had a 87% increased risk of type 2 diabetes compared with those who consumed less than 1 of these beverages per month.
• Women consuming 1 or more fruit punch drinks per day had a 100% increased risk of type 2 diabetes compared with those who consumed less than 1 of these beverages per month.

Schulze concludes; "a higher consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages is associated with a greater magnitude of weight gain and an increased risk for development of type 2 diabetes in women."

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Eating red meat cuts the rate of stomach cancer

This study was published in the International Journal of Cancer 1998 May 29;76(5):659-64

Study title and authors:
Dietary habits and stomach cancer in Shanghai, China.

Ji BT, Chow WH, Yang G, McLaughlin JK, Zheng W, Shu XO, Jin F, Gao RN, Gao YT, Fraumeni JF Jr.
Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, MD, USA. jib@epndce.nci.nih.gov

This study can be accessed at: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/9610722

This study examined the connection between various types of food and stomach cancer. Included in the study were 1,124 stomach cancer patients (age 20-69) and 1,451 controls without stomach cancer.

The study found with regard to carbohydrate type food:

• Men with the highest carbohydrate consumption had a 50% increased risk of stomach cancer compared to men with the lowest carbohydrate consumption.
• Women with the highest carbohydrate consumption had a 90% increased risk of stomach cancer compared to women with the lowest carbohydrate consumption.
• Men eating the most noodles and bread had a 10% increase in stomach cancer risk compared to men who ate the least noodles and bread.
• Women eating the most noodles and bread had a 20% increase in stomach cancer risk compared to women who ate the least noodles and bread.

The study found with regard to meat and fat:

• Men eating the most fresh red meat had a 10% decreased risk of stomach cancer compared to men eating the least fresh red meat.
• Women eating the most fresh red meat had a 20% decreased risk of stomach cancer compared to women eating the least fresh red meat.
• Men consuming the most eggs had a 40% reduction in stomach cancer risk compared to the men eating the least eggs.
• Women consuming the most eggs had a 50% reduction in stomach cancer risk compared to the women eating the least eggs.
• Men with the highest fat consumption had 30% less incidence of stomach cancer compared to men with the lowest consumption of fat.
• Women with the highest fat consumption had 40% less incidence of stomach cancer compared to women with the lowest consumption of fat.

This study shows that a high carbohydrate diet increases the risk of stomach cancer whereas a diet high in fat, red meat and eggs lowers the risk of stomach cancer.

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Ibuprofen increases the risk of breast cancer by 51%

This study was published in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute 2005 Jun 1;97(11):805-12

Study title and authors:

Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug use and breast cancer risk by stage and hormone receptor status.

Marshall SF, Bernstein L, Anton-Culver H, Deapen D, Horn-Ross PL, Mohrenweiser H, Peel D, Pinder R, Purdie DM, Reynolds P, Stram D, West D, Wright WE, Ziogas A, Ross RK.

Department of Preventive Medicine, Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90033, USA. smarshal@usc.edu

This study can be accessed at: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15928301

The study analyzed data on 114,460 women aged 22 to 85 years to investigate the relationship between breast cancer and aspirin and ibuprofen use.

The study found:

• Women who used aspirin between 1 and 6 days a week had a 9% increase in breast cancer rates compared to women who rarely used aspirin.
• Women who used aspirin between 1 and 6 days a week in a period of over 5 years had a 12% increase in breast cancer rates compared to women who rarely used aspirin.
• Women who took ibuprofen daily had a 24% increase in breast cancer rates compared to women who rarely used ibuprofen.
• Women who took ibuprofen daily in a period of over 5 years had a 51% increase in breast cancer rates compared to women who rarely used ibuprofen.

This study shows that aspirin and ibuprofen use increase the incidence of breast cancer.

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High beef consumption lowers colon cancer risk by 33%

This study was published in the American Journal of Epidemiology 1979 Feb;109(2):132-44

Study title and authors:

A case-control study of relationships of diet and other traits to colorectal cancer in American blacks.

Dales LG, Friedman GD, Ury HK, Grossman S, Williams SR.

This study can be accessed at: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/425952

This study investigated the relationship between colon cancer and the consumption of various meats in 99 black colorectal cancer patients and 280 controls who were free from cancer.

The study found:

• Those who ate the most chicken had a 8% reduced risk of colon cancer.
• Those who ate the most beef had a 33% reduced risk of colon cancer.

This study shows that beef and chicken consumption is associated with reduced rates of colon cancer.

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