Statement regarding BBC Wales news coverage

Statement made on the 3rd of November, 2017

For the avoidance of doubt, we do not advocate—and have never advocated—a ‘no carb’ diet. We endorse the general principle of carbohydrate restriction generally, and a Low Carbohydrate High Fat diet (LCHF) together with moderate exercise as a means of maintaining a healthy blood glucose level, which is instrumental in mitigating the long term complications of the disease. We follow and endorse The Public Health Collaboration and also the Low Carb Programme.

A recent publication by the Noakes Foundation, ‘Diabetes Unpacked’ has also informed and guided our approach.

This approach has a proven track record of lowering blood sugar levels, reducing high blood pressure, lowering harmful LDL Cholesterol and improving beneficial HDL Cholesterol levels. It has also been very successful in helping diabetes sufferers lose weight and regain long lost energy levels.

The work of Dr David Unwin with support groups, and the improvements to patients lives that he has achieved over five years is a continuing inspiration for the value of simple lifestyle changes.

LCHF has also been endorsed by Diabetes UK on their own website in May 2017:

“The current evidence suggest that low-carb diets can be safe and effective for people with Type 2 diabetes. They can help with weight loss and glucose management, and reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease. So, we can recommend a low-carb diet for some people with Type 2 diabetes.”

Diabetes.cymru is a division of Diabetes Support (Wales) Limited, an independent company—a fact clearly stated on our website, and in all correspondence. http://diabetes.cymru is our registered and wholly-owned internet domain.

Our role is to create support groups for Diabetes sufferers all over Wales; to provide lifestyle education and information to our members; to assist members to make informed lifestyle choices; and to provide the support and motivation to help people combat their disease. Our role is intended to supplement current efforts to combat what is a growing serious problem, and we are happy to continue to discuss ways of avoiding confusion about our identity with Diabetes UK Cymru and other interested parties. Our focus is on helping diabetes sufferers to make life changing lifestyle choices that will benefit the patient and reduce the cost of treatment.

We do not offer medical advice—we cooperate with medical professionals in assisting patients to help themselves. All our members are encouraged to discuss any changes that they might want to make in their lifestyle with their GP before making changes.

The usual consequence of a Type 2 Diabetes sufferer embracing a low-carb lifestyle is that they are able to reduce medication quite quickly, and cease taking medication entirely in many cases over a period of time. Type 1 Diabetes sufferers are also able to reduce their insulin doses substantially by reducing their carbohydrate intake. We believe that by reducing the burden of costly drugs to the NHS, LCHF lifestyle is helping patients to help themselves, but also to help the country as a whole. That’s before we consider the burden of all the costly and unpleasant complications that are blighting the future of approximately 200,000 people in Wales right now.

My own journey as a Type 2 diabetic has led me to understand the seriousness of the disease and to increasingly adopt the LCHF diet, and I’m grateful to the BBC for two programmes that helped me substantially:

Diabetes: The Hidden Killer
BBC Panorama

and

Fats v Carbs
BBC Wales

We are dismayed and disappointed about these reported allegations by Diabetes UK, as all we are trying to do is make a difference to peoples lives through simple changes in lifestyle and diet.

We do not comment on hearsay or unsubstantiated third party reports, but remain very willing to discuss and review our working practices in light of experience.

Sincerely,

Eryl Vaughan
Director, Diabetes Support (Wales) Ltd