Nutritional Overview on the Management of Type 2 Diabetes and the Prevention of its Complications

Diabetes mellitus is an increasing world health problem; particularly the prevalence of type 2 diabetes has assumed epidemic dimensions in Western industrialized societies. It is mainly the environmental, dietary and lifestyle behavioral factors that are the control keys in the progress of this disease. Several epidemiological studies have linked over nutrition and lack of physical activity with type 2 diabetes. Indeed, the excessive consumption of energy dense foods as source of carbohydrates and fats along with ineffective medical management has negative impact on controlling blood glucose levels and on insulin response. This usually leads to a hyperglycemic state, which is associated with the development of the devastating secondary complications. Dietary guidelines have always been important for people with diabetes mellitus. Nutrition management aims to improve health quality maintaining blood glucose levels in normal range so as to reduce the risk for diabetes complications. A well-balanced diet that provides the essential macro- and micro-nutrients is always an impaired need for a patient with diabetes. In this article nutrition recommendations will be displayed for the management of diabetes type 2 and the prevention of its complications. Particular emphasis will be given to the important role of micronutrients such as trace elements and vitamins as well as to the potentiality of some dietary agents to inhibit aldose reductase enzyme, implicated in the etiology of diabetes complications.