We had discussed this video earlier. I am a big fan of Dr. Attia.
I think that our Canadian friends are perhaps ahead of the ADA. The language nel cites i certainly more accurate in characterizing type 2 diabetes. But we still see so much confusion with "risk." Risk means an association, not a cause. And I quote from the link nel provided:
While the causes of type 1 diabetes remain unknown, there are a number of key risk factors for type 2 diabetes:
- Being 40 years of age or older
- Having a close relative (parent or sibling) who has type 2 diabetes
- Being a member of a high-risk population, such as those of Aboriginal, Hispanic, Asian, South Asian or African descent
- Having a history of impaired glucose tolerance or impaired fasting glucose
- Having complications of diabetes, such as eye, nerve or kidney problems
- Having heart disease
- Having a history of gestational diabetes
- Having high blood pressure
- Having high cholesterol
- Being overweight, especially around the abdomen
Think about it. Do diabetic complications "cause" diabetes? If you have a history of impaired glucose tolerance or impaired fasting glucose, does that "cause" diabetes? Do heart disease, high blood pressure or high cholesterol "cause" diabetes? No. These are all likely symptoms of diabetes and it was diabetes that "caused" them to appear.
And why do we leap to suggesting that being overweight "causes" diabetes? We know that diabetes causes high insulin levels and that drives weight gain. We know the mechanisms that govern how this happens. We have established that large blood sugar and insulin excursions can cause people to be hungry and overeat. Yes, added body fat can make you more insulin resistant, perhaps 30% more, but that doesn't explain how your body can go from producing 1000% of your needed insulin to being diabetic.
And now as Peter Attia and Gary Taubes are advocating, we are really starting to understand that being overweight may not be the problem, the problem is our diet. A diet high in carbs may well be a very big problem and causally linked the rise in diabetes. And this hypothesis flies in the face of the establishment. Peter Attia feels strongly about this, as a doctor who wants to help people he feels like he has harmed us. Unfortunately, most healthcare professionals are not so open minded.