under the World Diabetes Day 2022 (November 14)11 internists from the Diabetes, Obesity and Nutrition Working Group of the Spanish Society of Internal Medicine (SEMI) they star in a campaign on the who propose this 14N a day without sugar with useful recommendations to raise awareness about the need to adopt a healthy nutrition for a better control of the glycemia level and of this pathology, which affects 1 in 7 adults in Spain. It is a systemic disease that can cause multiple health complications and affect different organs diana (including heart, kidney, eyes, or brain). Internal medicine doctors, as specialists with a comprehensive vision of the patient, play a key role in the management of this pathology and its complications.
Among other issues, they explain that sugar substitutes such as sweeteners “do not affect blood sugar levels and, to date, no study has been able to show that they are harmful.”
Diabetes in Spain
One in 7 adults in Spain has diabetes. It is estimated that 13.8 percent of the Spanish population has Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus (DM2), of which only 7.8 percent is diagnosed. Every year, 11.6 cases are diagnosed for every 100,000 inhabitants, which means 385,000 new cases of DM2/year. 80 percent of people with DM2 are overweight, being one of the main predisposing factors for developing DM2. 23 percent of the Spanish population is obese. Diabetes is a silent and progressive disease, which is often diagnosed after a complication, usually in the form of cardiovascular disease. The specialist in Internal Medicine is key in the approach to diabetes, as it is a systemic pathology that can cause multiple health complications and affect multiple target organs, as previously mentioned.
Healthy eating according to experts
Regarding the video dedicated to this campaign on healthy eating, the following contributions should be highlighted:
Francisco Javier Carrasco, an internist who is a member of SEMI and former coordinator of SEMI’s Diabetes, Obesity and Nutrition GT, affirms that “living without sugar is possible, gradually get used to the natural flavor of food, it’s worth it.”
In the words of Lola García de Lucas, an internist who is a member of SEMI: “to eat well, prepare your menus every day, avoid refined sugars and processed foods. Go shopping with a healthy mind.”
Maribel Pérez Soto, an internist who is a member of SEMI, emphasizes that “if we want to reduce refined sugars in the diet, we have to stop eating sweets, cakes and industrial pastries. We can replace them with biscuits that we cook at home using cereals and whole wheat flour. We can sweeten them with dates, pumpkin or roasted sweet potato”.
José María Fernández, an internist who is a member of SEMI, indicates: “avoid sugary drinks, not only will you not lose flavor, but you will also gain health. Significantly reducing the kilocalories ingested, thus reducing the progression to possible diabetes, and if you already suffer from it, clearly improving its control.
In the same way, Alfredo Michán, an internist who is a member of SEMI, explains that “it is possible to give up sugar by using sweeteners. Sugar substitutes do not affect blood glucose levels and, to date, no study has been able to show that they are harmful.
For his part, Pablo Miramontes, an internist who is a member of SEMI, recalls that “within the planning of dietary treatment for diabetic patients, it is very important to know the nutritional information of food. That is why, when we go to choose a certain type of food we will have to take into account the amount of added sugars, saturated fats or if they are more or less processed foods. This will be able to help us make a much more adequate diet”.
Lola López, an internist who is a member of SEMI, emphasizes that “diabetic patients need to add fruit to their diet, just like anyone else. The important thing is to know which fruit to eat. We are going to avoid all kinds of fruit that come processed, in the form of compote or jam, as well as those fruits that are dry, such as raisins, since the volume is small and the glucose concentration is very high.”
Pablo Pérez, internist, member of SEMI and scientific director of IMIBIC, indicates that “another important aspect is to limit the consumption of ultra-processed foods as much as possible, which are those that have undergone some type of industrial processing, such as potato chips, sausages or pastry products, which are foods very rich in salt, added sugars and trans fats, which are harmful to health”.
Likewise, Pedro Pablo Casado, an internist who is a member of SEMI and coordinator of the SEMI Diabetes, Obesity and Nutrition GT, recalls that “another strategy that we can use to eliminate sugar from our diet is to season our dishes with other products, such as cinnamon or vanilla, and in this way supplement that potential absence of flavor if we remove the sugar ”.
Lastly, Juana Carretero, 1st Vice President of SEMI, affirms: “the Spanish Society of Internal Medicine (SEMI) is always at the side of people with diabetes. This year, to keep diabetes at bay, zero sugar.”