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The Dietary Science Foundation’s 2022: Groundbreaking studies start to yield results
24/01/2023
The past year brought exciting dietary news. Preliminary data from the study of diet for IBS show that dietary treatments can be more effective for stomach pain than medicine. Another study the Dietary Science Foundation has contributed to has revealed that it’s possible to eat a nearly normal amount of food and still lose weight. Here’s the year in review.
2022 was the eighth full year of operation for the Dietary Science Foundation. Despite the difficult global economic situation, we’ve collected almost as much in donations as last year: close to 135,000 euros. A resounding thanks to all who support us in various ways. You make it possible for us to finance groundbreaking dietary studies. Here’s a summary of the progress we’ve made during 2022.
Food more effective for stomach pain than drugs
A long-awaited event was the release of preliminary data from the study of diet for IBS, the first project the Dietary Science Foundation contributed to when it was founded. It’s taken some time to run the study as it’s one of the largest ever done on the subject. But patience is a virtue…The first analysis shows that the two dietary treatments that were tested—a strict low-carbohydrate diet and a low-FODMAP diet— is more effective for gut pain than an optimized medical treatment. The results will be published in 2023. We are so looking forward to it!
Is a drastic reduction of calories even necessary?
Thought-provoking results from the study of diet for obesity were published in September. As stated in a headline in the Norwegian newspaper Aftenposten: the researchers were surprised by the results. Even though the participants consumed a nearly normal number of calories, they lost 6-8 kg during the year of the study. The proportions of fat and carbohydrates appeared not to make any difference for weight loss. What the researchers think is key is that participants ate homemade food made from natural ingredients, while minimizing added sugar and ultra-processed food. Use this link to read a more detailed analysis of the study.
Large grant awarded to the study of diet for type 2 diabetes
We celebrated World Diabetes Day in November with a piece of very good news: the Norwegian arm of the study of diet for type 2 diabetes has received a grant of about 270,000 euros from the Dam foundation in Norway. The study started last spring. Some of the participants have already achieved normal blood sugar levels, which has gotten coverage on the national news by Norwegian public broadcasting.
The Swedish arm of the project has also begun. Researchers at Karolinska Institutet are currently recruiting participants with type 2 diabetes.
The Dietary Science Foundation to be included in an innovative public health program
In December we announced that we’ve been chosen to participate in an innovative program run by the Swedish government agency Vinnova. The goal is to radically change the field of “preventive health through food”. Along with the other participants we’ll be exploring how various lifestyle diseases can be prevented. The program will run until August 2023. What an exciting journey it will be!
The Dietary Science Foundation continues to support groundbreaking research
In addition to taking part in Vinnova’s innovation program we will continue to support groundbreaking dietary research during 2023. Many scientists in the field of dietary research have a hard time financing their projects. That’s why we’ve given guarantees to both the IBS project and the type 2 diabetes project. If they don’t get grants from other sources, we’ll step in and donate more money so these important projects can be kept running.
The study of diet for type 1 diabetes will wrap up in 2023
During 2023 the study of diet for type 1 diabetes will also reach its conclusion. The researchers have only just recruited the last few participants in the project. Since the participants will be followed for a year, the final bits of research will be done at the end of 2023. The researchers will then analyze their data, so results can be published in 2024 at the earliest. We are proud to have contributed to the project, which is the very first of its kind and is extremely important seen from patients’ point of view.
In 2023 the Dietary Science Foundation will also continue to develop the digital platform we’ve constructed to spread dietary treatments. So we’ve got a lot of work ahead of us!
Thank you to our super-supporters
Before we sign off for the year we want to say a special thanks to two people who volunteer their time for the Dietary Science Foundation. Karin Eldh prints out and sends all the donation gift certificates and Michèle Wilcox translate texts for our English website, dietaryscience.org. You’re worth your weight in gold!
