a steady diet of whole grain foods can significantly decrease the prevalence of type 2
diabetes and reduce the economic burden of patient care, according to a finnish study. the work,
published in the journal nutrients, builds on previous research linking consumption of whole grain foods — such as barley, bulgur, whole wheat and brown rice — to a lower risk of several diseases and highlights the economic and health benefits associated with a nutritious diet. “our study shows that one serving of full grains as part of the daily diet reduces the incidence of type 2
diabetes at the population level and, consequently, the direct diabetes-related costs, when compared to people who do not eat whole grain foods on a daily basis,”
said janne martikainen, one of the authors of the study from the university of eastern finland.
“over the next 10 years, society’s potential to achieve cost savings would be from 300 million euros ($430 million) to almost one billion euros ($1.4 billion) in current value, depending on the presumed proportion of whole grain foods in the daily diet. on the level of individuals, this means more healthier years.”
roughly 2.3 million canadians were living with diabetes as of 2017,
according to statistics canada. there are two main forms of the disease: type 1 and type 2. type 1 is an autoimmune disease that usually develops in childhood in which the body attacks the pancreas, preventing it from producing its own insulin. type 2 diabetes, which accounts for
90 to 95 per cent of cases, occurs when a patient’s body either does not produce enough insulin or is unable to properly use the insulin it does produce. this form of the disease usually manifests in adulthood and while it can be managed through diet and exercise, insulin therapy is often required.
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