Hot Topic: Veganism and Diabetes

Vegan Daily News receives some criticism for occasionally tagging articles or cartoons related to obesity with the word ‘diabetes.’ This criticism is puzzling as the two issues are so often linked to one another, making it helpful to tag those topics appropriately. Vegan Daily News believes it is, quite frankly, irresponsible and dangerous to deny the link between Type-2 diabetes and obesity.

National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention): Overweight and especially obesity, particularly at younger ages, substantially increases lifetime risk of diagnosed diabetes, while their impact on diabetes risk, life expectancy, and diabetes duration diminishes with age.
National Diabetes Education Program (National Institutes of Health): Research shows that type 2 diabetes and much of the illness and premature death caused by diabetes can be prevented or delayed.
American Diabetes Association: Being overweight raises your risk for type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and stroke. It can cause other problems, too, like high blood pressure, unhealthy cholesterol, and high blood glucose (sugar). Losing weight can help you prevent and manage these problems.
American Journal of Clinical Nutrition (Harvard University): Sugary soda and other sweet treats are likely not the only foods to blame for the surge in diabetes across the U.S. A 2011 study at Harvard University supports the theory that regular red meat consumption increases the risk of getting type 2 diabetes.

No, sugar does not directly cause diabetes. No, not all overweight people will get diabetes. No, not all thin will stay diabetes-free. BUT, a plant-based diet is a highly effective and healthful way to maintain weight and vitality, thus significantly reducing your risk of developing Type-2 diabetes.

Diabetes and the obesity epidemic are part of a national conversation about food and health. With Michelle Obama’s call to end the childhood obesity epidemic within one generation and the surging public awareness of the link between diet and disease, interest in learning what really constitutes healthy eating has never been greater. Even our former fast-food president, Bill Clinton, talks enthusiastically about his new commitment to a vegan diet!

Vegan Daily News, of course, supports any trend towards a 100% plant-based diet…better for you, better for animals, better for our planet! Thanks for reading!

vegandailynews