Mediterranean Diet Can Lower Need for Antihyperglycemic Medication in Type 2 Diabetes

Low-carbohydrate and low-fat diets often are recommended for people who have type 2 diabetes and who are overweight. Researchers in Naples, Italy, compared a low-carbohydrate Mediterranean-style diet with a low-fat American Heart Association (AHA) diet in a 4-year randomized trial that involved 215 adults with newly diagnosed type 2 diabetes (not yet on medication), body-mass index >25 kg/m², and glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA_1c) levels <11%. Both diets were rich in whole grains and provided 1500 kcal daily for women and 1800 kcal daily for men. The Mediterranean diet was rich in vegetables and low in red meat (emphasis on poultry and fish), had no less than 30% of calories from fat (30–50 g olive oil daily), and allowed no more than 50% of c…