The Mediterranean diet's effects on type 2 diabetes management in UK patients

Beneficial effects of the Mediterranean Diet on Type 2 Diabetic Patients in the United Kingdom.

The beneficial effects of the Mediterranean Diet on Type 2 Diabetic Patients in the UK

Science of the problem

Type II diabetes progresses through two stages. The initial stage is referred to as insulin resistance. During this stage, the pancreas produces enough insulin, but the body's cell are unable to respond to insulin. The pancreas increases the production of insulin in the body to compensate for the resistance. The body cells absorb more and more insulin resulting in the pancreas continuously increasing its insulin production. Eventually, the pancreas will shut down the production of insulin because it is unable to keep up with the demand, which results in type II diabetes. The lack of sugar for conversion to energy results in the starvation of cells and there is a buildup of glucose levels in the blood. This could lead to life-threatening complications like cardiovascular diseases. The body's ability to process insulin is affected by fat, and this is the reason overweight people are more likely to develop type II diabetes. Hyperinsulinemia is a condition that develops when the levels of insulin in the blood are too high, which is caused by excessive production of insulin. The liver cells become insulin resistant, which leads to the cells making too much blood sugar. Since the cells are not absorbing blood sugar, it stays in the blood resulting in increased levels of blood sugar and leads to a condition called hyperglycemia. The high levels of glucose result in the damage of red blood cells. This is because sugar molecules are appended on the external part of the red blood cells thus forming a crystalline crust. When the red blood cells move within the circulatory system, the coarse crust causes damage to the arteries and capillaries. The liver produces cholesterol that the body uses to repair his damage, which leads to arterial plaque formation. The coarse red blood cells lead to further damage in fragile capillaries like the ones that feed the eyes and kidneys. This is the reason why type II diabetes is considered a chronic condition that results in blindness, amputation, kidney failure, and heart attack.

The Mediterranean diet is a nutritional model that inspired by traditional dietary patterns of countries in the Mediterranean basin especially Greece, Southern Italy, Cyprus, Spain, Turkey, and Portugal. The diets of these regions have a high concentration of fruits and vegetables, olive oil and fish, bread and other cereals, which makes the diet high in monounsaturated fats and dietary fiber and low in saturated fats. Olive oil contains high volumes of monounsaturated fats, which improves insulin sensitivity within the body (Khazrai, Defeudis and Pozzilli). In randomized trials, the Mediterranean diet has been shown to improve glucose control for diabetic patients. People who follow a Mediterranean diet reduce their risk of developing diabetes. Type II diabetic patients, who follow a Mediterranean diet, are able to reduce their mortality. A Mediterranean diet would lead to a high ratio of monounsaturated fatty acids since the diet mostly consists of fruits, vegetables, fish, cereals, olive oil, and low alcohol consumption. The diet serves as an anti-inflammatory dietary pattern. Since the person will be consuming less fatty foods, they will reduce the amount of fat in their body. The Mediterranean diet has also been found to lead to weight reduction, which is beneficial to type II diabetic patients. Excess weight has been linked to the development of type II diabetes. Taking meals low in cholesterol and using olive oil in cooking would lead to the lowering of cholesterol in the patient's body and increase the sensitivity of the body to insulin. The increased sensitivity would ensure that any insulin produced by the pancreas is absorbed and used as expected. Insulin resistance is reduced when a person in on a Mediterranean diet.

Chapter 3: Conceptual framework

Type II diabetes mainly results from overweight and obese individuals (Ceriello et al.). This is because the patient's body is unable to manage glucose. This is why people suffering from type II diabetes are encouraged to lose weight and maintain a healthy diet. The Mediterranean diet is mostly recommended because it offers the individual an opportunity to consume foods that will enable the person to lose weight and promote their body cells sensitivity to insulin. Many nutritionists have recommended that patients follow a Mediterranean diet because it has been found to be effective in weight reduction when compared to other dietary interventions. A Mediterranean diet has been established to be beneficial on diabetes and glucose metabolism within the body. Mediterranean style diets have an emphasis on olive oil consumption because it is rich in monounsaturated fatty acid, which is beneficial to the body. Olive oil has also been found to stimulate the absorption of insulin by cell in the body (Huo et al. 2). For a type II diabetes patient, this would be beneficial because their body cells might have become insulin resistant. Stimulating insulin absorption is vital because it causes the pancreas to reduce insulin production and only produce what is required. The consumption of foods like fruits, vegetables, red wine, and whole grains offer the body anti-oxidative and anti-inflammatory effects because the dietary polyphenols, fiber, and levels of adiponectin are increased. Mediterranean diets are low in processed and red meat, and this contributes to the reduction of dietary cholesterol and saturated fatty acids, which leads to improved glucose metabolism, cardiovascular risk factors, and body weight. All these are positive effects for a person suffering from type II diabetes.

The Mediterranean diet is effective because it promotes for consumption of more fiber rich foods and a reduction of consumption of fatty foods. The cholesterol levels are reduced when a person is able to consume less fatty foods and instead consume foods rich in fiber. The main aim of the Mediterranean diet is to offer the individual a diet that is low in glycemic index. The high-fiber content found in the Mediterranean diet would result in the favorable changes taking place in the gut microbiota composition (Kastorini and Demosthenes B. Panagiotakos 66). This would act as a protective effect for type II diabetes. It is vital for type II diabetic patients to modify their diet from high carbohydrate diets to isocaloric high diets (Ryan et al. 89). The Mediterranean style diet mainly offers these diets. In order to improve glycemic control, a person would have to change to a diet high in monounsaturated fat (Rossi et al. 2406). The potential of the Mediterranean diet, to increase insulin absorption and reduce body weight, makes it a viable diet for patients suffering from type II diabetes (Carter et al. 292). Encouraging patients to change their dietary patterns and undertake a diet that assists in managing their condition is beneficial in managing type II diabetes. There is no single one Mediterranean diet, and it is only a combination of the food groups that would offer the patient the benefits. The patient should reduce the amount of polyunsaturated fats and instead focus on consuming more monounsaturated fats, which would allow their body to adjust to insulin absorption. The absorption of insulin is vital for fighting type II diabetes.

Chapter 4: Background to interventions

The government is involved in the prevention and management of diabetes within the country. There are various program all aimed at educating people on the benefits of proper diet in order prevent diabetes. The government has also created policies that prevent the advertisement of certain foods deemed to contain large amounts of calories. The NHS offers educational programs for informing people the causes of diabetes, and methods they can prevent the condition. If an individual is diagnosed with type II diabetes, the NHS offers them information on how to manage the condition and encourages them to modify their diet. Teaching and educating people ensures that they understand what is diabetes and how they can prevent developing the condition. The rising number of type II diabetes cases in the world are a result of the changing lifestyles that people lead today. The government is coming up with different methods to encourage people to lead active lifestyles. An active lifestyle would ensure that a person exercises at least daily, and they burn the excess calories in their body. Weight programs offer people an opportunity to understand their BMI. Offering free diabetic screenings is another way the government is involved in tackling the condition. If the condition is discovered early, it is easy for a person to manage and deal with it than if diagnosed when it is chronic.

The Mediterranean diet assists patients in offering them a diet high in fiber and monounsaturated fats (InterAct Consortium 1917), which are beneficial for managing and treating type II diabetes. The diet encourages for the use of olive oil and reduced consumption of alcohol, and red meat. This increases the patient's glucose metabolism, which is beneficial in managing diabetes. The Mediterranean diet will lead to reduced weight, and this is vital for managing type II diabetes because it is mainly caused by obesity. Weight loss is beneficial because it results in lower blood glucose levels, cholesterol levels, and blood pressure. All these are beneficial and vital for diabetes care. Once a patient has managed to return their bodily levels to normal, it is most probable they will resume their unhealthy eating habits, but if they want to maintain their required weight, they can continue to follow the Mediterranean diet. The government has continuously promoted for the adoption of a healthy diet in order to manage diabetes. The various programs and interventions promoted by the government are aimed at changing the diets of people. Though most of the programs do not state they are following the Mediterranean diet it is clear from looking at the menu and suggestions that the program is a Mediterranean style diet. As early pointed out, there is no one diet that is considered a Mediterranean diet, but rather it is a mix of various food groups that are aimed at reducing a person's weight and cholesterol levels. The programs target individuals who have been diagnosed with type II diabetes, and they start by educating the patient on the importance of a healthy diet. The patient is encouraged to reduce the amount of fats they consume in their meals. Education is the key to an effective dietary change.

Chapter 5: SWOT analysis of the interventions

The strengths of the intervention is that it is proven to be effective, assists in weight reduction, increases insulin absorption, and lowers cholesterol levels. The intervention is effective because if followed correctly a patient is likely to improve their health. Weight reduction is vital for the managing diabetes. A patient, who follows a Mediterranean diet, is most likely to reduce their weight, and this would be beneficial to managing the condition. Type II diabetes results from insulin resistance. Taking monounsaturated fats will reduce insulin resistance and increase the cells sensitivity to insulin. Eating foods lower in fats like white meat, educating the fruits, and vegetables will ensure the person lowers their cholesterol levels. The weaknesses of the intervention is that it is not easy follow and would require great sacrifice on the patient. Following the Mediterranean diet will demand that the patient makes a complete lifestyle change. They will have to stop consuming fast foods or processed foods. This means the patient would have to cook his/her meals to ensure they reduce the amount of fats consumed. The costs associated with the dietary change might be prohibitive initially, but with time, the patient will understand and identify places where they can purchase the supplies cheaply. Some family member might be unwilling to adopt the diet changes, which might result in conflicts and resistance.

There are many opportunities for the intervention. Patients suffering from type II diabetes can have an opportunity to manage their condition. The Mediterranean diet offers patients a second chance, and they can care for their condition easily using this intervention. People willing to reduce their weight can also use this diet. The reduction in polyunsaturated fats offered by the diet are beneficial in weight reduction. The Mediterranean diet also offers opportunities for people who want to prevent the condition. Eating a healthy diet is vital if a person wants to prevent developing the condition. Healthy diets ensure that the person's body has the required nutrients, and no excess fats are consumed. The glycemic levels are kept at low levels, and this is beneficial to the person. Some of the threats to the Mediterranean diet is that most food outlets would not be willing to promote the diet. Fast food outlets will be against the intervention because it would result in reduced sales. Another threat is the difficulty of keeping to the diet. A person will find it hard to maintain a healthy lifestyle if his/her friends are not following the diet. Businesses might lie in order to increase their sales. It is not easy to establish what oil has been used to cook food. Therefore, unethical business people might lie they use olive oil in order to attract health conscious patrons. Businesses might also serve unhealthy diets by promoting them as healthy options for their patrons.

Chapter 6: Conclusion and Recommendations for the public

The Mediterranean diet has been found to be an effective diet for managing diabetes. The diet encourages a patient to consume healthy foods like fruits, vegetables, white meat, and only wine. These food groups will increase their fiber content within the body and reduce polyunsaturated fats, which have been determined to contribute towards the development of type II diabetes. In the UK, many people do not lead healthy lifestyles because of the current work schedules. It is quite easy to buy fast foods instead of laboring in the kitchen to make a healthy meal. It is also cheaper to go out for dinner than to prepare a meal at home. This encourages individuals to lead unhealthy lifestyles. Without knowing many people start gaining weight gradually until it reaches uncontrollable levels. When a person become obese, it becomes easy for them to get type II diabetes. The Mediterranean diet is not a hard intervention to follow. It just requires dedication and motivation. Changing the dietary requirements of a person is not easy, and it would be best to begin gradually. Encouraging the person to modify their diet and demonstrating to them the benefits is vital. The government should continue running the educational programs in order to encourage people to minimize eating processed foods and instead opt for healthy alternatives.