Abstract
There are many books in the popular press about how to lose weight. Weight loss is particularly important for people with type 2 diabetes, but dieting requires extra considerations to ensure medical safety in this population. Therefore, the reputable Mayo Clinic offers a welcome resource.
The new book Mayo Clinic Diabetes Diet is designed to be practical and easy to follow. The authors avoid rigid calorie counting requirements and arduous food scales, by recommending “close enough” guidelines. The program is presented in 2 parts. Part 1—called “Lose It!”—is a 2-week “kick start” to weight loss, which focuses on adding 5 healthy habits (breakfast, fruits and vegetables, whole grains, healthy fats, exercise) and breaking 5 habits (no TV eating, no sugar, no unhealthy snack foods, moderate portion sizes, no restaurant eating). While there are no calorie limits in this step, it is expected to bring a 5 to 10 lb weight loss and increased motivation. Part 2—called “Live-It”—emphasizes incorporating more healthy habits, to lose 1 to 2 lb per week for further weight loss. More specific guidance is given in this section on nutrition, exercise, and behavioral strategies to ensure success over a longer time frame to reach and maintain a healthy weight.
The layout of the book is easy to follow with side bars that address anticipated questions. The book also provides problem solving for common barriers to change, a listing of food group serving sizes using Mayo’s own food pyramid, meal planning tips, and recipes. While the emphasis is on weight loss for type 2 diabetes patients, the diabetes-specific information is sometimes scant. For example, the book did not include sections on mixing food groups to manage blood sugar and hunger or exercise precautions for both low and high blood sugar readings. Overall, this book offers an excellent resource for people with diabetes and for their family members.