ADA Atkins Diet Helps Diabetics But Not Advisable

Monday, 14 July 2008

To know what ADA Atkins Diet is first we need to describe its components:

ADAor the American Diabetes Association is a non profit health organization, founded in 1940 and provides diabetes research, advocacy and information. It conducts programs in all 50 states and the District of Columbia. Their mission is to cure and prevent diabetes and improve the daily living of people affected by the disease.

The Atkins Diet developed by Dr. Robert Atkins, is a high protein, high fat and low carbohydrate eating regimen. It highlights cheese, eggs and meat while discouraging the intake of fruit, sugar, bread and pasta. It induces short term weight loss through the process of ketosis. Ketosis happens when the body lacks a substantial amount of carbohydrates which is a prime source of energy. During ketosis metabolism which relies mainly on carbohydrates turn to other sources which include ketones from protein or stored fat.

It seems that the popularity of the Atkins diet has reached, not only those who want to lose weight but also those who suffer from diabetes. There is a lot of evidence coming out that ADA Atkins diet helps diabetics manage their condition. However, the American Diabetes Association is not changing their official dietary recommendations.

It seems that even though this popular low carbohydrate diet does help diabetics they are not advisable as the diet is difficult to sustain for a long period of time. Dieticians have never heard a case in which a subject who went on the Atkins diet ever stayed on it. So ADA gives a less healthy diet for a diabetic and therefore is forced to take more medications and then progress to becoming insulin dependent.

The result of this is people taking matters into their own hands and going on a diet that they know helps their condition rather than following the doctors and nutritionist advice. Because many diabetics don’t think that the diet they were given does not help control their blood sugar levels they set out on their own diet regimen.

The ADA Atkins diet is still not an approved and healthy diet. The ADA believes that it can have a negative impact on a person in the long run. It’s high in cholesterol and fat, a diet that most health organizations don’t approve of. They also noticed that it is low in fruits, whole grain and vegetables which have proven health benefits.