A Mediterranean diet halves the risk of older people becoming frail, research claims. Results of studies of 5,789 people in France, Spain, Italy and China were analysed at University College London. 

The findings, published in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society, suggest that diet based primarily on fruit and veg, whole grains, fish and nuts, may help to keep people healthy as they age.

Study co-leader Dr Kate Walters said:

“People who followed a Mediterranean diet the most, were less than half as likely to become frail over a four year period, compared with those who followed it the least”.

Headline Front Page News in Daily Express 11/01/2018

‘Drug Free Way to Fight Diabetes’ by Mark Reynolds

4 month diet plan reverses Type 2….

A simple 16-week NHS diet and exercise course could revolutionize the treatment of Type 2 diabetes, say researchers.

In a three-year study, patients who completed the programme – which costs less than £140 – successfully reduced their need for diabetic medication or insulin.

They were half as likely to require insulin as those who did not complete the programme and those who failed to loose weight.

And the successful participants also went on to maintain a healthier weight.

Type 2 diabetes is a progressive condition. But it was only the patients who did not complete the programme that required increased amounts of oral medications over the next three years.

Experts said the findings showed that a simple lifestyle and the correct dietary choices could help tackle Britain’s growing diabetes epidemic.

Dr Jennifer Logue, lead author of the study from the University of Glasgow, said: “This is the first real-world study to show that lifestyle weight management programmes that we deliver in the NHS can have long lasting meaningful clinical effect on Type 2 diabetes.

This study shows that the common assumption that the weight lost is quickly regained is not true. Currently weight management programmes in the NHS are under-resourced and there is a lack of belief in their effectiveness by clinicians leading to low levels of referral”.

Dr Logue said the findings showed that the Glasgow and Clyde Weight Management Service’s healthy lifestyle programme, run by NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde, was effective.

She added: “Our hope is that this study will convince patients, clinicians and the NHS managers that these inexpensive programmes can make a clinically significant difference to patients with Type 2 diabetes”.

The study examined records from the 16-week lifestyle programme, which included a regime of diet, exercise and behaviour change and included fortnightly classes………… 

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