A diabetes organization urges a $150 million diabetes strategy for Canada.
Diabetes experts say that Canada could prevent another 1 million type 2 diabetes diagnoses in the next decade if their federal government spends $150 million on a national diabetes strategy.
CBC: Diabetes Canada warns of 'epidemic,' calls for national strategyThis week Diabetes Canada, along with federal politicians, held a news conference urging the government to include the spending in the next budget. Diabetes rates in Canada have doubled since 2000 and the rates keep climbing. According to Dr. Jan Hux, president and CEO of Diabetes Canada, the numbers are stark:
A 20 year old in Canada now faces a 50/50 risk of developing diabetes. For First Nations (a subset of aboriginal Canadians) people, that risk is 80 per cent."
While those statistics may or may not be 100% accurate, the crisis is real. The charity said its "Diabetes 360 strategy", modeled after an early HIV/AIDS strategy, would establish clear milestones to prevent and manage the disease. The strategy would focus on factors contributing to the disease's rise in Canada, such as poverty, poor food security, and unhealthy living.
Nowhere, however, do the experts say the strategy should include educating people about the impact of a high carbohydrate diet and insulin resistance, or the effectiveness of cutting carbs and increasing fat to reverse diabetes.
Perhaps that strategy needs a bit more tweaking? We have written about the American Diabetes Association (ADA) and the European Association for the Study of Diabetes (EASD) acknowledging that low-carb diets are a safe and effective treatment option for patients with type 2 diabetes. If Diabetes Canada wants to improve the likelihood that its new diabetes strategy is effective, it should follow the ADA and EASD's lead and feature low-carb lifestyles as a viable option for both treatment and prevention.
