Diabetics should be wary of paleo diet, expert warns

Diabetics should put paleo on pause, expert warns
A paleo diet recommends cutting out whole grains and dairy. Credit: Flickr

People with type 2 diabetes should be wary of social media hype about the benefits of going on the paleo diet, a University of Melbourne researcher says.

Writing in the Medical Journal of Australia, Associate Professor Sof Andrikopoulos says despite dozens of websites urging diabetes sufferers to go paleo, there have been no trials lasting beyond 12 weeks on type 2 diabetes sufferers.

"There have been only two trials worldwide of people with type 2 diabetes on what looks to be a ," said Associate Professor Andrikopoulos, a researcher at the University of Melbourne Department of Medicine, based at the Austin Hospital.

"Both studies had fewer than 20 participants, one had no control diet, and at 12 weeks or less, neither study lasted long enough for us to draw solid conclusions about the impact on weight or ."

Associate Professor Andrikopoulos, who is also President of the Australian Diabetes Society, recommended people with type 2 diabetes seek advice from their GPs, registered dietitians and diabetes organisations.

"Most paleo diets insist on avoiding refined sugar and processed food, which is consistent with dietary guidelines worldwide," he said.

"But when you start cutting out whole grains and dairy, which are absent from many forms of the paleo diet, you may forgo important sources of fibre and calcium. 

"And high-fat, zero-carb diets promoted by some celebrities make this worse, as they can lead to , as well as increase your risk of heart disease."

Associate Professor Andrikopoulos says people with diabetes benefited most from regular exercise and the Mediterranean diet—olive oil, fats from fish, legumes and low in refined sugar.

"While it's tempting to emulate celebrities who look great and can spend a lot of time at the gym, if you're already overweight or you live a sedentary life, it may be quite risky to adopt a high-fat diet… and if you have diabetes, it's downright dangerous.

"The internet is full of testimonials from people saying a particular diet worked for them because they cut calories and lost weight, but people with in particular need to approach those claims with caution and seek advice from their health care professional."

Journal information: Medical Journal of Australia
Citation: Diabetics should be wary of paleo diet, expert warns (2016, August 9) retrieved 19 April 2024 from https://medicalxpress.com/news/2016-08-diabetics-wary-paleo-diet-expert.html
This document is subject to copyright. Apart from any fair dealing for the purpose of private study or research, no part may be reproduced without the written permission. The content is provided for information purposes only.

Explore further

Diabetes expert warns Paleo Diet is dangerous and increases weight gain

117 shares

Feedback to editors