Age at Type 2 Diabetes diagnosis and life expectancy

[Fastpedaller]

I'm on the National Diabetes Prevention Programme (I was diagnosed with pre-diabetes in June). The diagnosis came as a great shock, and also my cholesterol is (was then?) High. Nobody considered me to be overweight. Doc said I may have fatty liver and have 24% chance of heart attack within 10 years. The Programme has been very helpful - along with my admission/realisation that eating biscuits and jaffa cakes with every cup of coffee isn't a good policy! I have, since attending the meetings in July, lost over 6kg without any real 'effort' apart from throwing the biscuits in the bin. I met an acquaintance recently (also a cyclist) of similar age who had a heart attack a while ago - he explained he'd made the mistake of thinking he could eat anything because he was so active! I agreed I had done the same. Food for thought (no pun intended)

 

[icowden]

Eating fruit and carbohydrates rich food like pasta, rice. Certain vegetables are also quite high in carbs so best avoided for leafy green vegetables

I'm surprised by the inclusion of pasta. It's a known food that is problematic for both Type 1 and Type 2 diabetics as the starches generally cause a huge blood glucose spike thus making it a food that is likely to make you feel unwell. There is a method discovered by a BBC factual programme, whereby you cook the pasta, then cool it right down, then reheat it in boiling water. This changes the composition of the starches and allows for a more even digestive process, moderating the glucose spike.

 

[icowden]

Physical fitness is looked at as a dirty word in schools, has been for decades.

It's another big difference between state and private schools. Neither of my kids is remotely sporty, but the school works hard to engage the non-sporty type kids in a form of sport that they will enjoy. Thus my 16 year old is currently doing pilates and cross-fit (gym) and my 18 year old does all sorts, but usually non-competitive sports - climbing, trampolining, archery, cross-fit etc. Those that want to play competitive team sports join in with the 15 and 16 year olds and act as mentors and team leaders.

One of the things they both found hardest when they joined at the end of prep was that they were at the bottom / back of every sports lesson, because those who had been there from reception had been swimming every week, doing regular running or cross country and just regular weekly exercise.

It also taps in to just generally better mental health and happier kids. In prep they also all do art and play musical instruments, sing in the choir etc, so arts aren't neglected either. I've never understood why state schools or DFE doesn't look at the private sector and copy what clearly works to obtain the best results. Yes, there are more financial constraints, but a lot of it is easily achievable.

If I were Labour I'd be looking at creating more, smaller schools and rolling out a programme to reduce class sizes as a start.

 

[dicko]

Went to see my doctor April 1988 as I had been drinking gallons and using the bathroom too frequently.
I was diagnosed type 2 and sent to Boscombe hospital where they tested me and put me in charge of tea making, as I was quite normal. The nurses injected too much insulin into me and told me to run up and down the stairs until I felt funny. This I did I developed Hypoglycaemia or a hypo. The nurses fed me cake and ice cream and I recovered.
To cut the story short in three weeks I was diagnosed Type 1 diabetic. That was 36 years ago and today I attended my annual Diabetic clinic review and my tests all showed I was just fine, thanks to by bicycle riding.

Don’t get worried there is plenty old Diabetics around, good luck.

 

[dicko]

If you do become a Diabetic, fear not, our NHS are experts at sorting you out with the correct treatment regimes. Every hospital I have attended Diabetic clinics at Boscombe, Bournemouth, Peterborough and Derby have been wonderful same with your Doctors Diabetic reviews clinics your health is in really good hands.

 

[CXRAndy]

With nearly 10% of the UK population being recognised as diabetic. Following on behind unseen or diagnosed, will be millions more with metabolic syndrome or pre diabetes. The health emergency is nearing critical for a population of a western country.

The numbers in America dwarf the UK , some 30-50 million and likely over a hundred million with Metabolic syndrome or pre diabetes.

Diabetes is responsible for far more heart/stroke attacks, kidney, eye, organ damage as well as limb amputations due to poor circulation to extremities.

You should worry far more about blood glucose levels rather a than cholesterol

 

[icowden]

With nearly 10% of the UK population being recognised as diabetic. Following on behind unseen or diagnosed, will be millions more with metabolic syndrome or pre diabetes. The health emergency is nearing critical for a population of a western country.

According to Diabetes UK, 5.6million people have a diagnosis of Diabetes - however 90% of those have Type 2 Diabetes. There are then 3.2 million people at risk of developing Type 2 diabetes. So that's 8.4 million people who could make lifestyle changes to reduce the risk or mitigate / reverse some of the effects.

This is very different from the 448,000 Type 1 Diabetics whose bodies can no longer produce insulin either at all or in sufficient quantities to matter, and who are dependent on daily insulin injections / infusions. Numbers here are also increasing alarmingly - particularly since the pandemic.

The numbers in America dwarf the UK , some 30-50 million and likely over a hundred million with Metabolic syndrome or pre diabetes.
Diabetes is responsible for far more heart/stroke attacks, kidney, eye, organ damage as well as limb amputations due to poor circulation to extremities.
You should worry far more about blood glucose levels rather a than cholesterol

I entirely agree.

 

[rogerzilla]

I eat a lot of crap but I seem to have very good blood glucose control (sugar has no apparent effect on my energy or mood, and I can ride a bike on fat reserves for hours). I suppose it's genetic to some extent.

My cat has type 2 diabetes but that's because he's lazy and got quite fat at one point; he is an expert scrounger and there are a lot of old grannies in the neighbourhood. It also means I have a supply of urine test sticks!

 

[Fastpedaller]

Yep, I wouldn't go full on Atkins stylee but cutting down on Bread and Spuds is healthier, I eat mainly Wholegrain Rice anyway.

We were surprised at a recent NDPP meeting that Basmati rice is better than wholegrain! - apparently something to do with the cooking process with basmati.

 

[CXRAndy]

I cant believe the NHS and GP's are advocating eating starchy foods when the patient has pre or full diabetes.

There are countless studies clearly demonstrating low carb, high fat diet is the way to control or reverse diabetic condition. Low carb is around 50g per day.

One slice of white bread is 12g, 150g cup of rice has 45g of carbs. so easy to exceed carbohydrate intake for those suffering with a diabetic condition.

There are methods to mitigate excess carbohydrate intake like, exercise, scheduled eating (fasting) to a narrow part of the day. Prolonged high levels of glucose in the blood stream from eating carbs is the big problem.

My personal routing to help keep my glucose in check is to intermittent fast till around midday maybe later, then eat only protein/lipids- fry up cooked with lard. I want to stop eating by 6 pm where I might consume carbs, but its in a smaller window of the day. I do this most days of the week.

To reduce your average glucose HbA1C levels, takes around three months or more of careful diet control of carbs. This is how long the body takes to replace red blood cells with new which haven't been overburdened with glucose

 

[Fastpedaller]

I have the (to me thinking) a dilemma because my HbA1c is high and my LDL cholesterol is also high - Will eating food containing fats be adding to the cholesterol? I'm being aware to avoid saturated fats, but it's all very confusing.

 

[CXRAndy]

I have the (to me thinking) a dilemma because my HbA1c is high and my LDL cholesterol is also high - Will eating food containing fats be adding to the cholesterol? I'm being aware to avoid saturated fats, but it's all very confusing.

In a word, no eating saturated fats will actually lower your LDL. There is a lot is incorrect information re LDL. LDL is not the enemy.

Your HbA1C is the major issue you need to address

 

[Fastpedaller]

In a word, no eating saturated fats will actually lower your LDL. There is a lot is incorrect information re LDL. LDL is not the enemy.

Your HbA1C is the major issue you need to address

Is it preferrable to eat unsaturates fats rather than saturated though?
I have a theory that the rise in dementia may be linked to not enough fat intake (the brain needs enough) , but people living to an older age could be highlighting the dementia numbers although age expectation dropped after covid. Lots of unknowns/ opinions. I've found the late Michael Mosley on youtube very interesting.

 

[albion]

It is a fairly weak theory, we being in the fast food/ Big Mac era.

 

[CXRAndy]

Is it preferrable to eat unsaturates fats rather than saturated though?
I have a theory that the rise in dementia may be linked to not enough fat intake (the brain needs enough) , but people living to an older age could be highlighting the dementia numbers although age expectation dropped after covid. Lots of unknowns/ opinions. I've found the late Michael Mosley on youtube very interesting.

I eat fatty steaks, rump, rib eye, steak mince. I use lard or butter to fry my food. I eat bacon, eggs and cheese. I hardly ever eat bread anymore or other starchy foods. I rarely eat fruit anymore. My weakness is sweetstuff, but try and limit when I eat these bad foods to a small window. I fast minimum of 16 hours per day virtually every day, but I do have 'cheat days'

Re dementia, there is a correlation between low cholesterol and increased dementia. Having a higher cholesterol level as we age is 'in my opinion' no bad thing if you're reasonably fit and healthy.

Reducing your A1C is in my opinion is the best thing you can do to help improve, maintain healthy life.

I like how, I don't need sugary foods to workout, either cycling or weights. I don't have the high low crash when your body is reliant on carbs. By becoming fat adapted metabolism allows longer periods of fasting helping lower blood glucose