Is diabetopathy related to diabetes? Nutritionist Jian Yuhua reveals: 5 tips to stay away from diabetes and obesity

Everyone knows about diabetes and the negative effects that obesity has on the body, but have you ever heard of diabetes mellitus? Is there a connection between diabetopathy and diabetes? What are the symptoms and complications of diabetes? If you suffer from diabetes and obesity, how can you reduce the risk of complications and mortality through diet and improved lifestyle habits? Let the nutritionist share with you!

What is diabetes?

Studies have shown that more than 80% of patients with type 2 diabetes are overweight or obese. It can be seen that obesity and diabetes are closely related, and this phenomenon is called diabetes mellitus. Nutritionist Jian Yuhua said that diabetes is a new term that has emerged in recent years. Sugar stands for diabetes (Diabetes); fat stands for obesity (Obesity). Combining them together becomes Diabesity, which is the so-called diabetes. Obesity here is not judged directly by appearance, but is assessed by the body mass index (BMI) calculated from height and weight. When the value is ≧27 kg/m2, it is considered obese.

However, why obese diabetics need to be singled out can be understood from what the World Health Organization (WHO) points out: "Obesity is a chronic disease." Compared with people of normal weight, the risk of cardiovascular disease, degenerative arthritis and various diseases is multiple times higher. If we discuss insulin sensitivity, obese diabetics are even less ideal than those with normal weight. This is why doctors often hope that the patient can lose a few kilograms to make the treatment more effective!

What is diabetes? (Photo provided by nutritionist Jian Yuhua)

It is worth noting that if the control of body position is ignored and the blood sugar level is not ideal, the risk of heart, kidney and other complications may be greatly increased over a long period of time.

What is the obesity situation in Taiwan?

"Asia's Fattest Man" is a headline that is often seen in the news and on social media. Indeed, if we consider it from the perspective of long-term national health policy, it is an issue that cannot be ignored. According to the National Nutrition and Health Survey from 2017 to 2020, the obesity prevalence rate was 28.3% for men over 19 years old, 19.6% for women over 19 years old, and 23.9% for everyone over 19 years old. For those at high risk of developing type 2 diabetes, early changes must be made through the perspective of prevention being better than cure.

To meet daily dietary fiber requirements, you can estimate it based on your daily calorie intake. It is generally recommended that you need 15 grams of dietary fiber for every 1,000 calories.

5 tips to reduce obesity and stay away from diabetes

Nutritionist Jian Yuhua said that according to the 2023 Adult Obesity Guidelines, effective changes can be made to reduce obesity and improve diabetes and obesity:

 Lose 5-10% weight: Whether through a change in diet or an exercise plan, or even better, both at the same time, you can achieve the goal at a rate of 0.5 kg per week.

Reduce fat intake: Fat is an essential macronutrient for the body, but it is recommended that daily intake should be less than 30% of calories, and it is necessary to pay attention to choosing fat sources that are mainly unsaturated.

Reduce saturated fat intake: Common sources such as fried food, animal skin, high-fat meat, baked products or processed meat are all sources that need to be reduced and should account for no more than 10% of daily calorie intake.

Increase dietary fiber intake: If you want to consume the amount of dietary fiber that meets your daily needs, you can estimate it through your daily calorie intake. It is generally recommended that you need 15 grams of dietary fiber for every 1,000 calories.

Increase the amount of activity: Don’t lie down if you can sit, and don’t sit if you can stand! It's also important to increase your activity level, starting with at least 150 minutes per week. Through the above, the risk of diabetes and obesity can be greatly reduced. If you can have regular health checks, it is also something that cannot be ignored.

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