24/01/2023
The Dietary Science Foundation has a fabulous piece of news! Nutritionist Kristin Amundsen, who is running the study of diet for type 2 diabetes, has received a scholarship for almost 2,4 million Norwegian crowns (approximately 230,000 euros) for her work. The study has also received attention on the Norwegian public service national news program.
Dietary recommendations for people with type 2 diabetes have long rested on a shaky scientific foundation. In addition, people who need to change their eating habits often receive inadequate support. Most of them get to see a dietician for 30 minutes; after that they’re expected to make the changes on their own, which seldom works.
“ I didn’t realize things were so bad, but many people have said they had to use Google to figure out what to do to feel better,” says Kristin Amundsen, nutritionist at the University of Bergen.
Amundsen is one of the scientists currently running the study of diet for type 2 diabetes that the Dietary Science Foundation helped launch. Our scientific advisory board granted four million Swedish crowns to the study, with the goal of creating a stronger scientific foundation for dietary advice for diabetes. Happily enough, Kristin Amundsen has received a scholarship for almost 2.4 million Norwegian crowns from the Dam Foundation. The money is intended to cover her salary for the duration of the project.
The study started in Bergen and Stockholm last spring. So far the researchers have recruited just over 50 people. Half of them have been assigned to eat a strict low-carbohydrate diet with no calorie restriction; the other half will eat an extremely low-calorie meal replacement for three months, followed by a low-fat diet.The goal is to see which diet has the best effect on the disease. Participants should attain normal blood sugar levels without any help from medicine.
“Many people are scared of their diabetes. They’re afraid they’ll go blind or have to amputate a leg. That’s why it’s so fantastic when patients return and we see their blood sugar has improved and they feel better.”
One of the participants, Tore, was on the Norwegian national news in October. He’s one of the people who managed to lower his blood sugar so much that he no longer qualifies for the diagnosis of type 2 diabetes.
Thank you to everyone who gives their support to the Dietary Research Foundation so we could finance this important project. If you live in Sweden, are between 24-70 years of age and have had type 2 diabetes for less than six years, you are welcome to take part in the project. Read about how you can enroll in the Swedish arm of the project here.
Photo: Oddgeir Øystese/ NRK