Health Watch is a Public Service of the Office of News and Publications and is intended to provide general information only and should not replace the advice of a medical professional. You should contact your physician if you have questions about any of these topics.

November is National Diabetes Awareness Month, so this week on Healthwatch, well focus on this disease, which affects an ever-increasing number of Americans. Type 2 diabetes, the form that usually develops later in life, is now affecting more younger people, primarily because of the increased number of children and young adults who are obese, doctors say.

This form of diabetes can often be controlled with diet, and researchers at UT Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas have found that there are multiple options for diabetic diets. The most commonly recommended diet for patients with type 2 diabetes is a low-fat, high-carbohydrate diet, but Dr. Abhimanyu Garg, a UT Southwestern expert on nutrition and diabetes, found through a landmark study that a diet high in monounsaturated fats can also be beneficial for helping diabetics control cholesterol and blood sugar levels.

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^{November 2005}

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