Short-term Dietary Oatmeal Interventions in Type 2 Diabetes: A Forgotten Tool

Publication date: Available online 25 September 2019Source: Canadian Journal of DiabetesAuthor(s): Maximilian Andreas Storz, Federica IraciAbstractDietary modifications play a central role in the treatment of diabetes. Educating and empowering individuals to make better dietary choices is a challenging task. In this context, one potential dietetic approach to achieve better glycemic control in type 2 diabetes is often overlooked: the use of short-term dietary oatmeal interventions.This concept has been described more than a hundred years ago by the German diabetologist Carl von Noorden. It is still applied in several German hospitals, however, in a modified form. While von Noorden initially prescribed a diet including oatmeal, butter and vegetables, some physicians nowadays tend to omit butter from the diet. The result is a hypocaloric, plant-based dietary intervention that is low in fat and excludes animal protein for a short period.This short-term dietary intervention has been associated with a significant reduction in mean blood glucose concentrations and an improved insulin sensitivity in patients suffering from type 2 diabetes. Almost forgotten, short-term dietary oatmeal interventions are an economical yet highly-effective tool to achieve better glycemic control in patients with type 2 diabetes.
Source: Canadian Journal of Diabetes - Category: Endocrinology Source Type: research