Do Europeans die of diabetes?

I've been wondering if Europeans, especially southern Europeans, are prone to diabetes. Their diet, rich in olive oil, garlic and seafood, has seemingly kept them from developing diabetes, heart disease and cancer.

What do they die of, I wonder? I'm sure that those who smoke die of lung cancer but I wonder about other diseases that Americans drop dead of daily? Who has stats on this?

nail jello on a wall in the deserts of the middle east.

if we can't afford to live, they want us all to die. I base this on actions, not words.

If they gave a damn, they wouldn't fight against Universal Healthcare.

Go travel around Spain and France, and then come back here and look around. Big, big difference.

Even spending a week in Paris (you'd figure maybe the big city would have more obesity perhaps), I hardly saw any morbidly obese people at all until I was in the airport, with the other Americans, getting ready to fly back.

When I spent time in Madrid some years back I was struck by how thin Spanish people were compared to us.

England and Germany are a lot closer to us, I think, in diet, but they still seem less heavy to me.

Obesity is a big risk factor for adult onset diabetes, and we've got a lot of it in America right now.

There are other problems like Europeans having a higher incidence of smoking than here, however.

http://www.blackwell-synergy.com/links/doi/10.1046/j.1464-5491.2001.00417.x

Increasing prevalence of diabetes mellitus and impaired glucose tolerance among 60-year-old Danes
T. Drivsholm*, H. Ibsen†, M. Schroll‡, M. Davidsen* and K. Borch-Johnsen§

SUMMARY

Aims The age-specific prevalence of diabetes mellitus and impaired glucose tolerance (IGT) was estimated in 60-year-old individuals in 1996/97 and compared to the prevalence in 1974/75. The study also examined whether or not the change in prevalence of diabetes and IGT could be explained by changes in body mass index (BMI) and physical activity.

Methods Diabetes and IGT were diagnosed by a standardized oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) in two Danish population-based, age-specific, birth cohorts.

Results The prevalence of diabetes in 1996/97 was 12.3% among 60-year-old men and 6.8% among women, representing an increase in diabetes of 58% in men and 21% in women compared to 1974/75. The prevalence of IGT was 15.9% among men and 13.1% among women, representing increases of 109 and 16%, respectively. A concurrent increase in BMI in the 22-year period between the two studies explained the increase found in the prevalence of diabetes and IGT.

Conclusions A marked increase in the prevalence of diabetes and IGT among 60-year-old individuals over a 22-year period was observed – especially in men. The increase was fully explained by a concurrent increase in BMI.

And it would appear, you've already found.

regarding this issue.


1: Life Sci. 2004 Oct 8;75(21):2505-13. Related Articles, Links
Click here to read
Antidiabetic effect of Pycnogenol French maritime pine bark extract in patients with diabetes type II.

Liu X, Wei J, Tan F, Zhou S, Wurthwein G, Rohdewald P.

Guang An Men Hospital of Chinese Medical Science Research Institute, Beijing, PR China.

A double-blind, placebo-controlled, randomized, multi-center study was performed with 77 diabetes type II patients to investigate anti-diabetic effects of the French maritime pine bark extract, Pynogenol. Supplementation with 100 mg Pycnogenol for 12 weeks, during which a standard anti-diabetic treatment was continued, significantly lowered plasma glucose levels as compared to placebo. HbA1(c) was also lowered; however, the difference as compared to placebo was statistically significant only for the first month. In the Pycnogenol-group endothelin-1 was significantly decreased, while 6-ketoprostaglandin F(1a) in plasma was elevated compared to placebo. Nitric oxide levels in plasma increased during treatment in both groups, but, differences did not reach statistical significance. Pycnogenol was well-tolerated with ECG, electrolytes, creatinine and blood urea nitrogen remaining unchanged in both groups. Mild and transient unwanted effects were reported for both groups without significant differences. Supplementation of Pycnogenol to conventional diabetes treatment lowers glucose levels and improves endothelial function.

Publication Types:

* Clinical Trial
* Multicenter Study
* Randomized Controlled Trial

and eats bacon every meal.

she also never sits. unless she is working. her mother died at 101. On the other side, most relatives were exterminated by either germans or russians. Still, a greatgrannie lived to 109. she smoked, drank, and partied.

So i figure I better smoke, drink, and party, while avoiding germans (except at the world cup) and russkies, (except when I teach or travel there).

that old Dannon yogurt commercial.

Genetics has a LOT to do with it unfortunately, although we should still do what we can. If your family has the genes to have early (30's-50's) atherosclerosis and coronary artery disease, you can run marathons and not smoke or drink and still die of a heart attack in your 40s.

Here's Sweden and Diabetes
http://www.ihe.se/nyhetsblad4-99/diabetes_eng.htm
and the European Health Report from 2002
http://euro.who.int/eprise/main/who/progs/ehr/home

That's what I'd really like to know. I am trying to increase my intake of imported Italian olive oil and decrease my intake of any animal fat. I am also eating more olives, nuts, raw vegetables and fruits.

I am hoping this diet will be helpful to me!

and garlic are good for you.

Google that phrase + "obesity" (or "diabetes") and you'll come up with a lot of info. Apparently the rise in obesity in the USA (and gradually outside the US) correlates somewhat with the length of time and amount that most pre-packaged foods here started using "high fructose corn syrup" as a sweetener. Look around your house on food packages. You'll be shocked at just how many items have this ingredient in it. I'm no scientist, but it seems that the body can't digest this type of sugar like it does regular sugars and it affects glucose levels and insulin.

If any scientific types can explain this a little better, thanks. I can't remember where I was reading this a while ago, but there seems to be quite a bit out there on the net on the subject.

I'm trying to go organic as much as possible (not just veggies, but grains, etc). I'm trying to cut out anything that lists that on the label.

EDIT: Yes, there are diabetics everywhere, but remember that there are two different types of diabetes. The first is genetic, the second is caused by weight gain/diet. Most of Americans who get diabetes fall into that second category.

Got it from the horse.

Have a look at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diabetes_mellitus and click at the links of the article in other languages.

Italy has 2%
France 3.5%

Spain and Portugal 7.4% in 1995, an expected 12% in 2025

Netherlands about 4-6%
Germany about 8%

Articles in other languages don't give numbers. Oh wait, Czechia and Slovakia both 5%.

The Iberian Peninsula eats basically meat and potatoes in non-coastal regions, and believe me, olive oil doesn't improve their food very much. The diet in France varies very much depending on the region, but the same goes for every country I assume.

If you want to eat mediterranean, do it. It's healthy, if only because it means you will eat tons of fruit and vegetable. Avoid animal fat, and saturated fat. Be generous with olive oil, your body doesn't take up more of it than what it needs.

Bon appetit!