Diabetes and weight loss: Finding the right path

The charity, Diabetes UK, states that 80% of people with diabetes are overweight at diagnosis. If you're overweight and have type 2 diabetes, losing weight lowers your blood sugar, improves your health and helps you feel better.

But before you start a diabetes weight loss plan, it's important to work closely with your doctor or diabetes dietician - because while you're dieting, your blood sugar, insulin and medications need special attention.

Make no mistake - you're on the right path. “No matter how heavy you are, you will significantly lower your blood sugar if you lose some weight”, says registered dietician Cathy Nonas. A US study found that a combination of diet and exercise cuts the risk of developing diabetes by 58%. The study involved people who were overweight (average body mass index of 34) and who had high, but not yet diabetic, blood sugar levels.

Diabetes UK advises that losing between 5 and 10% of your weight has enormous health benefits, such as lowering blood fats and blood pressure.

Experts say that even losing 4 to 6 kilograms has health benefits. It can:

• Lower blood sugar
• Reduce blood pressure
• Improve cholesterol levels
• Lighten the stress on hips, knees, ankles and feet

You'll probably have more energy too and be able to get around and breathe more easily.

On a diabetes weight loss plan, watch for changes in blood sugar

Cutting back on just one meal can affect the delicate balance of blood sugar, insulin and medication in your body. So it's important to work with an expert when you diet.

Check with your doctor before starting a diabetes weight loss plan, then consult with a diabetes dietician or nutritionist. NHS Choices advises that different foods will affect different people in different ways, so talking to a diabetes dietician can help you work out a dietary plan fitted to your specific needs.

Go for the right balance in a diabetes weight loss plan

Christine Gerbstadt, a spokeswoman for the American Dietetic Association, tells us: “You don't want to run the risk of high or low blood sugar while you're dieting. You want tight glucose control while you lose weight”. Gerbstadt suggests cutting 500 calories a day, “which is safe for someone with diabetes”, she says. “Cut calories across the board - from protein, carbohydrates, and fat”. She recommends that people with diabetes maintain a healthy ratio of carbohydrates fat and protein. The ideal:

• 50% to 55% carbohydrates
• 30% fat
• 10% to 15% protein.

Watch the carbohydrates in a diabetes weight loss plan

Carbohydrates are particularly relevant to diabetics. As Diabetes UK says, all carbohydrate is converted into glucose and will have an impact on blood glucose levels. For people with diabetes, a refresher course on carbohydrates may be in order, Gerbstadt says. Eating complex carbohydrates (whole-grain bread and vegetables, for example) is good because they are absorbed more slowly into the bloodstream, cutting the risk of blood sugar spikes, Gerbstadt explains.