ABSTRACT
With the large and increasing number of people developing diabetes each year, strategies that can prevent the onset of diabetes are extremely important. Not only is nutritional management the cornerstone of treatment for diabetes, but there are nutritional factors that may prevent diabetes as well. Patients with established diabetes can benefit not only from nutritional treatment for their diabetes, but also employ nutritional strategies that will help promote health and prevent the complications of diabetes. This chapter will first briefly describe basic aspects of prevention in medicine using diabetes as an example. Following that, the specific nutritional factors that are 46associated with the development of type-1 diabetes (T1DM) and type-2 diabetes (T2DM) will be reviewed. Finally, an optimal nutritional pattern to help prevent diabetes and its complications as well as promote overall health will be discussed.
