Greetings from the National Library of Medicine and MedlinePlus.gov

Regards to all our listeners!

I'm Rob Logan, Ph.D. senior staff National Library of Medicine substituting this week for Donald Lindberg, M.D, the Director of the U.S. National of Medicine.

Here is what's new this week in MedlinePlus.

To listen to Dr. Lindberg's comments, click here

Training in diet and exercise (plus alcohol moderation) prevented or delayed the onset of diabetes in a study of high risk Chinese adults, The Lancet recently reported.

While previous research revealed some benefits from lifestyle changes to prevent or delay the onset of diabetes, the current study is among the first to demonstrate that special training for high risk adults yields health benefits that last for more than a few years.

In the Chinese study, 577 adults, who were at high risk for diabetes, were assigned in 1986 through 1992 to a control group, or to groups that received special training in: diet and alcohol moderation, exercise, or combined diet and exercise.

A follow up took place in 2006, or after a hiatus of about 14 years. Overall, the study followed Chinese adults for about 20 years.

An international team of 18 researchers reported the combined groups that received the special training had a 51 percent lower incidence of diabetes during the initial six year period. More impressively, they had 43 percent lower incidence of diabetes during the 20 year span of the study.

The average annual incidence of diabetes was lower (about seven percent) for the combined groups who received the special training -- compared to 11 percent for those in the control group. Participants who received special training also spent an average of three to six fewer years with diabetes during the study's two decade span.

The study found about 80 percent of high risk adults with special training eventually developed diabetes compared to 93 percent of adults without training.

The authors explained there were no statistically significant differences between the intervention and control groups regarding reducing their rates of heart disease and mortality. So, the impact of training on some key health risks associated with diabetes was inconclusive.

Nevertheless, the study is the first to suggest that adults with a high risk of diabetes benefit for a two decade period from training in diet and exercise, plus efforts to reduce alcohol consumption. In other words, the study provides some evidence that diabetes prevention and mitigation strategies may be a prudent long term approach to help men and women at high risk for diabetes.

Diabetes occurs when there is too much glucose, or blood sugar in the blood. It can damage eyes, kidneys, lead to heart disease, stroke, and sometime limb amputations. Type 2 diabetes accounts for about 90 percent of all diabetes cases and is linked to obesity and physical inactivity usually among adults. Type 1 diabetes is often diagnosed at an earlier age.

Almost 21 million Americans, or about seven percent of the U.S. population has diabetes. The prevalence of diabetes varies: rates are higher for older Americans and among some demographic groups, such as Native Americans, Latino/Hispanic Americans, and African Americans. Worldwide, about 246 million adults and children have diabetes. Diabetes accounts for about six percent of all global deaths.

Interestingly, a website from the Mayo Clinic includes some helpful information about diet, drinking alcohol, plus prudent approaches to exercise -- that seem to parallel the interventions in the China study. However, the Mayo Clinic website frames these initiatives as helpful for diabetes management, while the China study reminds us that they might additionally be used for diabetes prevention.

The Mayo Clinic site called 'Diabetes: How lifestyle, daily routine affect blood sugar' can be found in the 'disease management' section of MedlinePlus.gov's diabetes health topic page. MedlinePlus' diabetes health topic page can be found by typing 'diabetes' in the search box on MedlinePlus.gov's home page and then, clicking on 'Diabetes (National Library of Medicine).'

Within the 'related issues' area of MedlinePlus.gov's diabetes health topic page is another recommended website from the American Diabetes Association that counters 10 myths about diabetes.

The list of myths include:

• You can catch diabetes from someone else. (Untrue: while diabetes may have genetic underpinnings, it cannot be caught like a cold or flu)
• Adults and children with diabetes cannot eat sweets or chocolate. Incorrect: diabetics can eat sweets and chocolate if they are part of a healthy meal plan combined with exercise
• Bread, potatoes, and pasta (or starch rich foods) are harmful for diabetics. Wrong: the site explains the key issue is reduced portion size, and mixing carbohydrate-rich foods with others in moderation.

Besides the sites just noted, MedlinePlus' diabetes health topic page contains comprehensive information about:

• diagnosis/symptoms
• treatment
• prevention/screening
• alternative therapy
• coping
• alcohol consumption
• diabetes risk questionnaires
• the availability of clinical trials in your area
• the latest research published in leading medical journals
• specific assistance for children, seniors, teens, and women
• plus several other helpful areas.

On the front of MedlinePlus' diabetes health topic page, there are additional links to health topic pages about diabetes complications, type 1 diabetes, plus specialty information about diet, and the connections between diabetes and eye, foot, kidney, and nerve problems.

Overall, MedlinePlus provides a comprehensive resource about diabetes and supplies the information you need to maintain a healthy diet, control drinking habits, and devise an exercise plan. Regardless if you are a patient, parent, family member, or caregiver, we encourage you to use MedlinePlus' resources as an integral part of diabetes prevention as well as other efforts.

Before I go, this reminder……. MedlinePlus.gov is authoritative,….. free…. does not accept advertising …and is written to help you.

To find MedlinePlus.gov, just type in "MedlinePlus.gov' in any web browser, such as Firefox, Safari, Netscape, or Explorer.

We encourage you to use MedlinePlus and please recommend it to your friends. MedlinePlus is available in English and Spanish.

Your comments about this or any of our podcasts are always welcome. We welcome suggestions about future topics too!
Please email Dr. Lindberg anytime at: NLMDirector@nlm.nih.gov That's NLMDirector (one word) @nlm.nih.gov

A written transcript of recent podcasts is available. Just click on the 'Director's comments' link on MedlinePlus' home page.

The National Library of Medicine is one of 27 institutes and centers within the National Institutes of Health. The National Institutes of Health is part of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

It was nice to be with you….