Australian of the Year James Muecke urges a national campaign against ‘toxic’ sugar to cut Type 2 diabetes
Australian of the Year Dr James Muecke says “toxic” sugar deserves the blame for Type 2 diabetes and should be tackled in the same way the nation tackles nicotine.
SA News
Don't miss out on the headlines from SA News. Followed categories will be added to My News.
- Dr James Muecke AM named Australian of the Year
- How to get the most from your Advertiser subscription
Australia’s failure to produce a comprehensive national type 2 diabetes prevention strategy, and a range of “myths” about what causes the disease, are driving the number of sufferers towards two million and beyond, according to Australian of the Year Dr James Muecke.
Dr Muecke, an Adelaide eye specialist, said the key to beating type 2 was to accept that the cause was sugar.
It’s a controversial view that goes further than some experts, who say it results from a range of factors such as genetics, weight gain and lack of exercise.
While sugary drinks are acknowledged as increasing risk, Diabetes UK says “we know sugar doesn’t directly cause type 2 diabetes”.
Diabetes Australia, which supports Dr Muecke’s campaign, says “we do not know what causes type 2”.
“Sugar does contribute to excess fat and that is linked to the insulin resistance which marks type 2 diabetes,” said chief executive Professor Greg Johnson. But diet, fats, and lack of exercise also contributed.
However, Dr Muecke said sugar was the key to stopping the killer disease. “It’s all about sugar,” he said – from table sugar to white rice, potatoes, white bread and pasta.
The chair of charity Sight For All said focusing on alternative strategies, such as boosting exercise, cutting back on natural fats or adopting a low-calorie diet, would not have the same impact as tackling “addictive, toxic” sugar.
Treating sugar like nicotine in a national campaign, with hard-hitting advertising, health warnings and restrictions on availability and ads, was vital, he said.
MORE NEWS:
The SA towns fighting to stay COVID-19 free
Once again, nurses answer call to a war
About 1.6 million Australians have type 2 diabetes, which can cause blindness, amputations and heart attacks.
He blamed changes to US food guidelines in 1980 that moved diets to carbohydrates and away from fats for the start of the rise of type 2.
There was no proof that natural fats caused heart disease, he said. Yet as a result, people consumed more sugar.
“When you reduce fat in a product, to improve the flavour sugar is added,” he said.
He said there were myths and ignorance around type 2. Exercise was important but could prompt people to eat more and rest more, he said.
Calorie-restricted diets could also cause the body’s metabolism to slow. But regular fasting was helpful.