Diet and Lifestyle in Prevention and Management of Type 2 Diabetes

The prevalence of type 2 diabetes is increasing rapidly in the United States (1) and worldwide (2). It is estimated that the prevalence of diabetes in adults will reach 5.4% and the number of adults with diabetes worldwide will reach 300 million in the year 2025 (2). The diabetes epidemic closely parallels the worldwide epidemic of obesity (3). Whereas genotypes resulting in a thrifty metabolism may have been an advantage in times of nutrient scarcity, in most parts of the world these same genes when combined with an increasingly inactive and hypercaloric lifestyle may now contribute to obesity and diabetes (4).