From the British Dietetic Association website re a meeting in January 2014 of members.
"Carbohydrate Advice in Type 2 Diabetes – The ‘Hot Potato’ of ! ! Dietetics?"
"The latest UK nutrition guidelines for diabetes suggest an individualised approach to carbohydrate in Type 2 diabetes, and focus on calorie reduction and weight management in those who need to lose weight. But where does that leave more detailed or specific advice about carbohydrate for individual patients? What should Dietitians be advising their patients? Preliminary research into the current practice of UK Dietitians in this topical field will be reported, together with the current evidence-base. Participants in this session will have the opportunity to review their own practice in this area and contribute to the ongoing debate."
As you may have noticed dietitians have featured heavily in my posts so far this year. Diabetes care in the UK is abysmal for the majority of diabetics. The NHS audited annual statistics are grim, and they are grim year after year, no progress is being made, in fact the situation is getting worse. One of the keystones of good diabetes control is diet. And the experts on diet in the UK are the dietitians who are members of the British Dietetic Association. At the meeting a survey was conducted on members opinions, and advice they give, some of the results you see below. As you can see their methods seem to be very unsound, in fact I don't see any method at all. Clearly UK dietitians have no general guidelines or policy agreement to work to whatsoever. To the question How frequently do you advise carbohydrate restriction with type two diabetes on oral medication, sometimes was the answer for the most. The question what would be a realistic carbohydrate restriction in type two diabetes 30 to 50% of energy was the overwhelming reply.
The $64000 question is, how could any successful organisation operate with absolutely no overhaul common policy ? no corporate structure or method of operation whatsoever. Remember we are not talking about flogging nuts and bolts here, we are talking about the health of millions of people. Is it any wonder the UK diabetes statistics are so grim, when the very organisation that should be leading the way to better health for so many, could not run a whelk stall. Until the BDA at the very least, issue some basic guidelines to their members and have some sort of common policy, regarding carbohydrate control or restriction, the carnage will go on. It is my opinion, the BDA is at the very least partly responsible for the early death of countless diabetics. Will it be ever thus ?
Click on graphs to enlarge
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Source of information re. graphs from the BDA website January 2014. Info has since been removed.
Eddie
4 comments:
So sad. It's time dietitians were put out to pasture.
Hi Lisa
If you had followed the average dietitians advice for your son, I dread to think what his long term future would have been.
Increasingly more switched on dietitians are becoming known. Not all dietitians are a health hazard.
Unfortunately far too many have been in a rut for a long time, they will go the way of the Dodo.
Regards Eddie
My poor mother was given the low fat, high carb diet for her type 2 which was never quite controlled. I always remember her difficulties, constant hunger and then the awful health problems in the end. She was always snacking on bread, dry crackers and crispbread to "control her sugars". I take some comfort in that I have been able to bring my BS down from pre-diabetic level to absolutely normal following a very low carb, high protein diet and perhaps she would be happy to not see me suffer as she did or at least delay it.
My Father was a type two diabetic, he followed the standard diet pushed by dietitians to the letter. When he died, riddled with complications, he was on ten meds plus insulin. Not for me or my diabetic son.
Eddie
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