1 00:00:02,000 --> 00:00:04,680 Everyday we're bombarded with conflicting information 2 00:00:04,680 --> 00:00:06,680 about our favourite foods. 3 00:00:09,840 --> 00:00:12,680 One minute, we're told something is good for us, the next, 4 00:00:12,680 --> 00:00:16,160 it's not, and we're left feeling guilty about what we're eating. 5 00:00:20,080 --> 00:00:23,040 So, we've been wading through the confusion to separate 6 00:00:23,040 --> 00:00:24,920 the scare stories from the truth 7 00:00:24,920 --> 00:00:27,800 so that you can choose your food with confidence. 8 00:00:34,000 --> 00:00:37,240 Hello and welcome to the programme that's all about getting past 9 00:00:37,240 --> 00:00:40,640 the scare stories and the terrifying headlines to find out 10 00:00:40,640 --> 00:00:42,880 the truth about what we're eating. 11 00:00:42,880 --> 00:00:44,920 It's easy to worry when you see the front pages 12 00:00:44,920 --> 00:00:47,160 saying you shouldn't be eating certain foods, 13 00:00:47,160 --> 00:00:49,520 but while it's definitely the case some of us are eating 14 00:00:49,520 --> 00:00:51,360 too many of the things that are bad for us 15 00:00:51,360 --> 00:00:53,320 and not enough of the ones that are good for us, 16 00:00:53,320 --> 00:00:56,400 that doesn't mean we should panic and stop eating them all together. 17 00:00:56,400 --> 00:01:00,120 And, of course, sometimes you just need to know how much is too much. 18 00:01:00,120 --> 00:01:01,520 Certainly, I need to learn that. 19 00:01:01,520 --> 00:01:04,640 Which is one of the things we'll be getting to the bottom of today. 20 00:01:04,640 --> 00:01:08,040 And we'll see how that ties into a story that has dominated 21 00:01:08,040 --> 00:01:09,960 front-page headlines in recent months, 22 00:01:09,960 --> 00:01:13,520 and, I should add, it had a real effect on my own life. 23 00:01:13,520 --> 00:01:15,720 Coming up on the programme today: 24 00:01:15,720 --> 00:01:18,400 Constant headlines about diabetes are daunting, 25 00:01:18,400 --> 00:01:21,480 but when I was told I was at risk of developing the condition, 26 00:01:21,480 --> 00:01:24,200 changing what I eat every day stopped it in its tracks 27 00:01:24,200 --> 00:01:25,760 and the same could work for you. 28 00:01:25,760 --> 00:01:28,560 The good news is if you get to the healthy weight for your height, 29 00:01:28,560 --> 00:01:31,280 you can really dramatically reduce your chance of developing 30 00:01:31,280 --> 00:01:33,040 type 2 diabetes. 31 00:01:33,040 --> 00:01:35,240 And, how much is too much? 32 00:01:35,240 --> 00:01:39,000 How we are being misled about portions by the size of our plates. 33 00:01:39,000 --> 00:01:40,480 See, I go off plate size. 34 00:01:40,480 --> 00:01:42,880 If I have a big plate, I will eat a big plate. 35 00:01:47,920 --> 00:01:51,400 First, it's hard to miss the message that we should all eat 36 00:01:51,400 --> 00:01:54,600 at least five fruit and veg a day, and while many of us do 37 00:01:54,600 --> 00:01:58,560 at least try and follow that advice, we don't all manage to get there. 38 00:01:58,560 --> 00:02:00,480 Me included. 39 00:02:00,480 --> 00:02:03,000 I started working with this stuff around the same time 40 00:02:03,000 --> 00:02:05,080 they launched the five a day campaign and, 41 00:02:05,080 --> 00:02:07,960 if I'm brutally honest, I don't always get mine. 42 00:02:07,960 --> 00:02:11,040 Maybe it's time this greengrocer learnt a bit more about 43 00:02:11,040 --> 00:02:12,400 his fruit and veg. 44 00:02:12,400 --> 00:02:17,120 I'm starting, perhaps surprisingly, in the United States of America. 45 00:02:17,120 --> 00:02:22,040 Land of the French fry, birthplace of the burger, home of the hot dog. 46 00:02:22,040 --> 00:02:23,080 But it was here, too, 47 00:02:23,080 --> 00:02:26,720 that one of the most familiar food messages of recent times was born. 48 00:02:26,720 --> 00:02:30,560 The recommendation that we eat five servings of fruit and veg a day. 49 00:02:32,840 --> 00:02:37,280 It's healthy to eat five servings of fruit and vegetables a day. 50 00:02:37,280 --> 00:02:39,440 So, be good to yourself. Ask for it. 51 00:02:42,360 --> 00:02:44,840 And if it was good enough for our American cousins, 52 00:02:44,840 --> 00:02:46,840 then it was good enough for us Brits. 53 00:02:46,840 --> 00:02:49,760 In 2003, we took on five a day, too. 54 00:02:52,360 --> 00:02:53,600 Dinner is served! 55 00:02:54,880 --> 00:02:57,040 Visit NHS/5aday for tips on how you and your family 56 00:02:57,040 --> 00:02:59,440 can eat more fruit and veg. 57 00:03:01,000 --> 00:03:04,200 But it turns out whilst we can all remember the message, 58 00:03:04,200 --> 00:03:06,200 we're not so good at hitting the target. 59 00:03:06,200 --> 00:03:10,200 In fact, on average, we only get about four portions a day each. 60 00:03:11,240 --> 00:03:13,840 - Do you know much about your five a day? - Er... 61 00:03:15,240 --> 00:03:17,880 - Yeah, I think I'm quite good with it. - Yeah? - Yeah. 62 00:03:17,880 --> 00:03:20,720 - I'd love to say yes, but not always. - OK. 63 00:03:20,720 --> 00:03:24,120 Obviously being a mum of two little ones, getting them to eat 64 00:03:24,120 --> 00:03:26,760 anything sometimes is a challenge, but we try. 65 00:03:26,760 --> 00:03:29,640 So, you don't get your five a day, is that right? 66 00:03:29,640 --> 00:03:32,800 Sometimes I do, but sometimes I can go without... 67 00:03:32,800 --> 00:03:35,160 - Maybe I just have one piece of fruit all day. - Yes. 68 00:03:35,160 --> 00:03:38,640 And then if I'm working late I don't really have time. 69 00:03:38,640 --> 00:03:40,160 Adding to this, 70 00:03:40,160 --> 00:03:43,440 the five a day message has become blurred by reports and headlines 71 00:03:43,440 --> 00:03:45,160 suggesting all sorts of food and drinks 72 00:03:45,160 --> 00:03:48,720 might contribute to that daily target. 73 00:03:48,720 --> 00:03:51,600 I'm all for people eating more fresh fruit and veg. 74 00:03:51,600 --> 00:03:54,200 I try and make sure my family get their five a day, too, 75 00:03:54,200 --> 00:03:58,400 but I still think there is some confusion as to what counts 76 00:03:58,400 --> 00:03:59,760 and what doesn't. 77 00:04:02,560 --> 00:04:05,160 So, to put that right, I've enlisted the help of nutritionist 78 00:04:05,160 --> 00:04:09,360 Charlotte Stirling-Reed for a five a day fact find. 79 00:04:09,360 --> 00:04:11,480 - So, we're going to go shopping today? - Yes. 80 00:04:11,480 --> 00:04:14,680 Where better to get stuck in than at a market? 81 00:04:14,680 --> 00:04:17,640 - This is probably a good place to start, isn't it? - Yes, absolutely. 82 00:04:17,640 --> 00:04:19,200 Different fruits and vegetables 83 00:04:19,200 --> 00:04:22,120 contain different amounts of vitamins and minerals. 84 00:04:22,120 --> 00:04:24,480 But there's one vegetable that doesn't count 85 00:04:24,480 --> 00:04:26,120 and it catches some of us out. 86 00:04:27,400 --> 00:04:29,440 Something I think is a little bit unfair 87 00:04:29,440 --> 00:04:33,400 is the trustee, humble potato not counting as one of your five a day. 88 00:04:33,400 --> 00:04:34,840 Is that right? 89 00:04:34,840 --> 00:04:37,080 It doesn't count towards one of your five a day, no. 90 00:04:37,080 --> 00:04:40,880 It doesn't have quite the same make-up as other fruits and vegetables, 91 00:04:40,880 --> 00:04:44,320 like different colour carrots or berries or pears and apples. 92 00:04:44,320 --> 00:04:47,360 So that's why it counts towards your starchy foods 93 00:04:47,360 --> 00:04:50,600 - and not necessarily one of your five a day. - I think that's a shame. 94 00:04:50,600 --> 00:04:52,000 I think it should count. 95 00:04:53,080 --> 00:04:56,680 There is a small and exclusive gang of veg that, like the potato, 96 00:04:56,680 --> 00:05:00,320 don't contribute to your five a day because they are starchy. 97 00:05:00,320 --> 00:05:03,320 Yams, cassava and plantain. 98 00:05:03,320 --> 00:05:05,640 But despite what you might have heard or read 99 00:05:05,640 --> 00:05:08,320 amongst all the contradictory information out there, 100 00:05:08,320 --> 00:05:11,520 just about every other fruit and veg do make the grade, 101 00:05:11,520 --> 00:05:14,560 whether they are fresh, frozen, dried, or even tinned, 102 00:05:14,560 --> 00:05:16,280 though the last one only counts 103 00:05:16,280 --> 00:05:19,160 if the fruit isn't swimming in sugary syrup. 104 00:05:19,160 --> 00:05:21,920 But it's hard to know how much counts as one portion, 105 00:05:21,920 --> 00:05:25,080 so we asked the Cock & Swine darts team from Manchester 106 00:05:25,080 --> 00:05:26,840 to see if they could work it out. 107 00:05:26,840 --> 00:05:29,280 Apple - haven't a clue with an apple. 108 00:05:29,280 --> 00:05:31,200 I'd say one apple. 109 00:05:31,200 --> 00:05:32,960 I reckon two. 110 00:05:32,960 --> 00:05:35,920 - Two tomatoes? - I reckon. - Two of them, yeah? 111 00:05:35,920 --> 00:05:38,960 - Half a potato. - It depends if you have a bag of chips. 112 00:05:40,280 --> 00:05:44,720 Keep up, lads - potatoes don't count, however they are cooked. 113 00:05:44,720 --> 00:05:46,800 They were right with the others, though, 114 00:05:46,800 --> 00:05:50,200 so let's see what they make of some foods I'm never quite sure about. 115 00:05:50,200 --> 00:05:52,040 Probably half a bottle of tomato sauce. 116 00:05:52,040 --> 00:05:53,680 Do you know what? I don't think so. 117 00:05:53,680 --> 00:05:57,480 I bet you there is more tomato in there than you'd give it credit for, 118 00:05:57,480 --> 00:05:58,960 so I reckon a good dollop. 119 00:05:58,960 --> 00:06:01,680 Sorry, lads - ketchup doesn't count either. 120 00:06:01,680 --> 00:06:04,280 Salad on your sandwich wouldn't. There's not enough of it. 121 00:06:04,280 --> 00:06:07,000 - I don't think there's enough of it, no. - Spot on. 122 00:06:07,000 --> 00:06:10,040 It is short of the amount of salad you'd need for it to count. 123 00:06:10,040 --> 00:06:11,760 How about the drink so many of us 124 00:06:11,760 --> 00:06:13,880 would love to be one of your five a day? 125 00:06:13,880 --> 00:06:15,600 Well, it is made from grapes. 126 00:06:16,760 --> 00:06:20,560 One glass of red wine with your meal. 127 00:06:20,560 --> 00:06:21,840 If only, sorry - 128 00:06:21,840 --> 00:06:25,040 no alcoholic drink at all counts towards your five a day. 129 00:06:26,080 --> 00:06:29,840 The darts team is close to defeat, but can they claw back a victory 130 00:06:29,840 --> 00:06:33,720 by guessing how many sprouts make up one of your five a day? 131 00:06:33,720 --> 00:06:35,400 Sprouts? 132 00:06:35,400 --> 00:06:36,960 Apart from them being horrible, 133 00:06:36,960 --> 00:06:38,920 probably about eight or nine, probably. 134 00:06:38,920 --> 00:06:41,360 - I don't know. - I'd go less than that. - Less than that? - Yeah. 135 00:06:41,360 --> 00:06:44,200 Probably about five of them will do one of your five a day. 136 00:06:44,200 --> 00:06:46,160 Well, there is a simple way to work it out, 137 00:06:46,160 --> 00:06:48,120 which applies to all fruit and veg. 138 00:06:48,120 --> 00:06:51,600 If it fills the palm of your hand, it's one of your five a day. 139 00:06:51,600 --> 00:06:54,200 That's a serving of roughly 80g. 140 00:06:54,200 --> 00:06:58,560 For the sprout haters in the pub, that's quite a lot of Brussels. 141 00:06:58,560 --> 00:06:59,760 Wow! 142 00:06:59,760 --> 00:07:03,880 Wow. I'm in the spare bedroom after three. 143 00:07:03,880 --> 00:07:06,480 LAUGHTER 144 00:07:06,480 --> 00:07:08,960 If the portion size is more than you were expecting, 145 00:07:08,960 --> 00:07:10,880 it probably explains why so few of us 146 00:07:10,880 --> 00:07:13,280 are hitting that five a day target 147 00:07:13,280 --> 00:07:15,680 but kids like my little boy, who is three, 148 00:07:15,680 --> 00:07:19,160 won't eat as much as adults, so for them, the same rule applies - 149 00:07:19,160 --> 00:07:21,000 if it fills the palm of their hand, 150 00:07:21,000 --> 00:07:23,120 it counts towards one of their five a day. 151 00:07:24,200 --> 00:07:27,320 - A large banana for a child is far too much. - Yeah. 152 00:07:27,320 --> 00:07:31,200 It's a palm-sized portion and a large banana for you might be fine, 153 00:07:31,200 --> 00:07:34,560 a small banana for me might be absolutely appropriate, 154 00:07:34,560 --> 00:07:37,600 then a small banana, or a part of a banana, for a young child. 155 00:07:37,600 --> 00:07:39,960 So that's what makes up one of your five a day, 156 00:07:39,960 --> 00:07:42,080 but there is no short cut to get five. 157 00:07:42,080 --> 00:07:46,360 You can't just eat more of the same thing. That doesn't count. 158 00:07:46,360 --> 00:07:48,600 Instead, it's variety that is the key. 159 00:07:49,680 --> 00:07:52,720 And for the best mix of all, go for a range of colours. 160 00:07:52,720 --> 00:07:55,000 The more naturally colourful your fruit and veg, 161 00:07:55,000 --> 00:07:59,320 the more likely it is to be packed with cancer-fighting nutrients. 162 00:07:59,320 --> 00:08:00,960 I love this rainbow chard. 163 00:08:00,960 --> 00:08:03,000 This is a personal favourite of mine 164 00:08:03,000 --> 00:08:05,320 and this is fantastic for many reasons. 165 00:08:05,320 --> 00:08:07,160 - Obviously, it's a good, leafy green. - Yep. 166 00:08:07,160 --> 00:08:10,720 But it's also bright and colourful and that's what we're being told - 167 00:08:10,720 --> 00:08:14,560 we're told to eat more variety and lots of different colours. 168 00:08:14,560 --> 00:08:16,680 Yep, absolutely - a rainbow of colours, 169 00:08:16,680 --> 00:08:19,080 different fruits and vegetables every day. 170 00:08:20,800 --> 00:08:24,000 Something lots of people wonder about is whether juice counts. 171 00:08:24,000 --> 00:08:25,760 We get through a lot of it in our house, 172 00:08:25,760 --> 00:08:27,320 both on its own and in smoothies, 173 00:08:27,320 --> 00:08:30,240 but I have a sneaking suspicion downing an extra glass 174 00:08:30,240 --> 00:08:32,640 won't get you to that magic five any quicker. 175 00:08:34,720 --> 00:08:37,920 Currently, we recommend about 150ml of juice can count towards 176 00:08:37,920 --> 00:08:39,800 one of your five a day portions, 177 00:08:39,800 --> 00:08:42,680 but, actually, no more than that and there is a reason for that. 178 00:08:42,680 --> 00:08:44,760 It's because when we're blending fruit, 179 00:08:44,760 --> 00:08:47,760 what happens is the sugar becomes much more readily available, 180 00:08:47,760 --> 00:08:49,960 which can have an impact on the teeth 181 00:08:49,960 --> 00:08:52,440 and at the same time as well, you lose a lot of the fibre. 182 00:08:52,440 --> 00:08:54,880 But smoothies are slightly different, aren't they? 183 00:08:54,880 --> 00:08:56,200 Yes, in terms of smoothies, 184 00:08:56,200 --> 00:08:58,360 what we would normally say is because, actually, 185 00:08:58,360 --> 00:08:59,960 you tend to get a lot more of the pulp, 186 00:08:59,960 --> 00:09:03,600 you get a lot more of the fibre in a smoothie as well as the juice, 187 00:09:03,600 --> 00:09:05,520 so, really, we say that smoothies count 188 00:09:05,520 --> 00:09:07,320 towards about two of your five a day. 189 00:09:07,320 --> 00:09:09,080 I must admit, this is something that I do. 190 00:09:09,080 --> 00:09:12,040 I've got a little three-year-old, so we call it a super juice 191 00:09:12,040 --> 00:09:14,120 and in the morning, he'll have a juice 192 00:09:14,120 --> 00:09:16,320 and I know he's had at least two portions 193 00:09:16,320 --> 00:09:18,120 of his five a day and he loves it. 194 00:09:19,760 --> 00:09:21,320 Now, the five a day message 195 00:09:21,320 --> 00:09:23,480 is a simple way to get us all to think about 196 00:09:23,480 --> 00:09:25,080 how much fruit and veg we eat, 197 00:09:25,080 --> 00:09:28,040 but the advice isn't the same the world over. 198 00:09:28,040 --> 00:09:29,560 Like us and the Americans, 199 00:09:29,560 --> 00:09:33,000 the French are advised to eat at least five fruit and veg a day, 200 00:09:33,000 --> 00:09:34,560 but in Denmark, it's six 201 00:09:34,560 --> 00:09:37,960 and the Australian government recommend seven a day, 202 00:09:37,960 --> 00:09:40,120 specifying five veg and two fruit. 203 00:09:40,120 --> 00:09:43,440 In Greece, it's eight, but topping all of those is Canada, 204 00:09:43,440 --> 00:09:46,280 where it's recommended you have up to ten portions 205 00:09:46,280 --> 00:09:48,600 of fruit and veg a day. 206 00:09:48,600 --> 00:09:50,080 Garlic, parsley, mint. 207 00:09:50,080 --> 00:09:51,680 - Wow. - I'm nearly done, no? 208 00:09:53,000 --> 00:09:56,360 I think the portions might be a bit small, but looking good. 209 00:09:59,080 --> 00:10:00,680 Visiting a market like this, 210 00:10:00,680 --> 00:10:02,760 as I am lucky enough to do in my work a lot, 211 00:10:02,760 --> 00:10:06,000 reminds me what an incredible variety of fruit and veg there is 212 00:10:06,000 --> 00:10:09,280 and it makes me want to eat more than my five a day. 213 00:10:09,280 --> 00:10:12,200 I am biased, but it is such a beautiful product range 214 00:10:12,200 --> 00:10:15,800 and it is so versatile and there's so much you can do with it. 215 00:10:15,800 --> 00:10:19,760 - Getting your five a day should be a pleasure, not a chore. - Absolutely. 216 00:10:19,760 --> 00:10:22,280 Don't worry about the mechanics behind it, 217 00:10:22,280 --> 00:10:24,720 don't worry about how much, or when or where - 218 00:10:24,720 --> 00:10:28,280 just eat more fruits and vegetables is the simple answer. 219 00:10:32,120 --> 00:10:34,400 Look through the papers on just about any day 220 00:10:34,400 --> 00:10:38,280 and chances are that you'll find a story that talks about diabetes. 221 00:10:38,280 --> 00:10:40,320 There's been such a dramatic rise in cases 222 00:10:40,320 --> 00:10:42,280 that they are now calling it an epidemic, 223 00:10:42,280 --> 00:10:46,200 with the increase typically linked to the fact that so many more people 224 00:10:46,200 --> 00:10:50,120 are classified as obese these days. Chris, look at this - a bit scary. 225 00:10:50,120 --> 00:10:52,960 "A record four million people suffer from diabetes 226 00:10:52,960 --> 00:10:54,360 "as obesity levels soar." 227 00:10:54,360 --> 00:10:56,000 And look, there's one here - 228 00:10:56,000 --> 00:11:00,280 "Soaring diabetes to bankrupt the NHS - cases up 60%." 229 00:11:00,280 --> 00:11:02,920 What happened in my case was that they discovered 230 00:11:02,920 --> 00:11:06,200 that I had a very high blood sugar spike, so once you have that, 231 00:11:06,200 --> 00:11:08,720 your GP is down on you like a tonne of bricks, so really, 232 00:11:08,720 --> 00:11:12,720 I changed my diet enormously under guidance, under medical guidance, 233 00:11:12,720 --> 00:11:14,880 and I certainly gave up a lot of sugar, 234 00:11:14,880 --> 00:11:18,440 but I can't help but wonder, if I'd eaten differently growing up, 235 00:11:18,440 --> 00:11:22,080 cos my mum baked a lot, that things might have been very different, 236 00:11:22,080 --> 00:11:24,880 so I wanted to find out just how I could have become 237 00:11:24,880 --> 00:11:26,880 so close to being diabetic. 238 00:11:29,520 --> 00:11:32,920 We've sleepwalked into what is a crisis. 239 00:11:32,920 --> 00:11:36,840 It is spiralling out of control, it is extremely worrying. 240 00:11:36,840 --> 00:11:40,840 By 2025, it's predicted that five million people in the UK 241 00:11:40,840 --> 00:11:43,000 are likely to have diabetes. 242 00:11:43,000 --> 00:11:46,680 An increase of 60% over the past ten years. 243 00:11:46,680 --> 00:11:48,040 Most of them will have it 244 00:11:48,040 --> 00:11:49,680 because of their lifestyles 245 00:11:49,680 --> 00:11:51,720 and in particular, what they eat. 246 00:11:51,720 --> 00:11:55,320 I'm constantly concerned about children, my children, 247 00:11:55,320 --> 00:11:57,600 how much sugar they are taking on board, 248 00:11:57,600 --> 00:11:59,520 whether or not their bodies can handle it. 249 00:11:59,520 --> 00:12:01,840 Diabetes is definitely something I worry about, 250 00:12:01,840 --> 00:12:05,160 because my grandmother has got it, so I always keep an eye on it. 251 00:12:05,160 --> 00:12:08,200 I already had it for three years, even before I found out. 252 00:12:08,200 --> 00:12:10,520 I was pretty shocked, but as a fit guy in my 30s, 253 00:12:10,520 --> 00:12:12,640 I thought, "You're indestructible," 254 00:12:12,640 --> 00:12:15,680 but all of a sudden you're falling asleep most of the day, 255 00:12:15,680 --> 00:12:19,600 you're feeling tired all the time and that's the diabetes. 256 00:12:19,600 --> 00:12:21,200 But while the risk is real, 257 00:12:21,200 --> 00:12:23,480 more positive headlines have started appearing, 258 00:12:23,480 --> 00:12:25,800 suggesting that there is a glimmer of hope 259 00:12:25,800 --> 00:12:29,680 and even that choosing the right foods could reverse the condition. 260 00:12:29,680 --> 00:12:33,080 Currently, more than four million people are thought to have diabetes, 261 00:12:33,080 --> 00:12:35,520 and there are two types - one that you are born with, 262 00:12:35,520 --> 00:12:39,280 but the other you can develop at any time, as I very nearly did. 263 00:12:39,280 --> 00:12:40,960 I'd had a routine blood test, 264 00:12:40,960 --> 00:12:43,320 because I have an underactive thyroid, 265 00:12:43,320 --> 00:12:46,800 and I rang my doctor to say, "How did those tests work out?" 266 00:12:46,800 --> 00:12:48,960 He went, "I don't know what you've been doing, 267 00:12:48,960 --> 00:12:51,760 "but nearly all your blood tests are out." 268 00:12:51,760 --> 00:12:53,920 After further investigation, he told me 269 00:12:53,920 --> 00:12:58,080 that I was what is sometimes referred to as "pre-diabetic". 270 00:12:58,080 --> 00:13:01,720 Now, that means I was at risk of developing type 2 diabetes, 271 00:13:01,720 --> 00:13:05,640 because my blood sugar levels at that point were abnormally high. 272 00:13:05,640 --> 00:13:09,280 He said, "Your liver function is out, your kidney function is out. 273 00:13:09,280 --> 00:13:12,120 "It might be to do with what you are eating." 274 00:13:12,120 --> 00:13:14,320 It was a total bolt out of the blue. 275 00:13:14,320 --> 00:13:17,920 Type 2 diabetes already affects one in 17 people in Britain 276 00:13:17,920 --> 00:13:19,560 and I didn't want to be the next. 277 00:13:19,560 --> 00:13:22,480 I started looking back at what I had eaten over the years 278 00:13:22,480 --> 00:13:26,840 to see how I could have got myself into this worrying situation. 279 00:13:26,840 --> 00:13:30,640 I grew up in Northern Ireland and we didn't have very much money, 280 00:13:30,640 --> 00:13:34,280 but the one thing we always had was an abundance of food 281 00:13:34,280 --> 00:13:37,040 and it meant, because my mum was at home every day, 282 00:13:37,040 --> 00:13:39,840 we never were allowed to go to school in the morning 283 00:13:39,840 --> 00:13:41,440 without a cooked breakfast. 284 00:13:41,440 --> 00:13:44,680 Then we'd ride our bikes home for a full cooked lunch as well 285 00:13:44,680 --> 00:13:46,560 and after that, it was just a few more hours 286 00:13:46,560 --> 00:13:48,040 until we were eating again. 287 00:13:48,040 --> 00:13:49,840 You had to have something in the afternoon 288 00:13:49,840 --> 00:13:51,160 when you came back from school 289 00:13:51,160 --> 00:13:53,720 and then dinner would have been dinner, whatever it was. 290 00:13:53,720 --> 00:13:55,640 Nearly always meat, fish, two veg. 291 00:13:55,640 --> 00:13:59,520 Always potatoes, then you had to have supper before you went to bed, 292 00:13:59,520 --> 00:14:03,680 so sandwiches or a bit of her teacake or something like that. 293 00:14:03,680 --> 00:14:05,960 You had a lot of food in one day and I look back 294 00:14:05,960 --> 00:14:09,600 and I think my parents were fabulous and I had a very happy childhood 295 00:14:09,600 --> 00:14:11,800 and I think that happiness in childhood 296 00:14:11,800 --> 00:14:14,360 partly revolves around food and the goodness 297 00:14:14,360 --> 00:14:16,720 and the good feeling that that gives you. 298 00:14:18,680 --> 00:14:21,160 Food was always so central to our family life, 299 00:14:21,160 --> 00:14:23,040 as indeed it still is today. 300 00:14:23,040 --> 00:14:26,760 There's one corner of my kitchen that the rest of my family loves, 301 00:14:26,760 --> 00:14:29,680 but for me, it's now out of bounds. 302 00:14:29,680 --> 00:14:33,200 My grandchildren used to call me Nana, but now I'm a "Glo", OK? 303 00:14:33,200 --> 00:14:35,880 They go, "Glo, what have you got in your goodie cupboard?" 304 00:14:35,880 --> 00:14:38,080 Well, this is my goodie cupboard 305 00:14:38,080 --> 00:14:40,600 and every time they come in through the door, they go, 306 00:14:40,600 --> 00:14:42,680 "Glo, we have to go to the goodie cupboard," 307 00:14:42,680 --> 00:14:45,160 and as I only have them for a day or two at a time, 308 00:14:45,160 --> 00:14:46,520 I don't feel too guilty. 309 00:14:47,560 --> 00:14:49,040 And knowing what I know now, 310 00:14:49,040 --> 00:14:52,680 it's easy to see how the foods I used to eat could have increased 311 00:14:52,680 --> 00:14:55,640 the amount of fat in my body and caused me to gain 312 00:14:55,640 --> 00:14:57,080 just that bit of extra weight, 313 00:14:57,080 --> 00:14:58,160 a key factor, of course, 314 00:14:58,160 --> 00:15:01,360 that raises your risk of developing type 2 diabetes. 315 00:15:02,920 --> 00:15:06,320 My sister Lena had developed type 2 in her 60s. 316 00:15:06,320 --> 00:15:09,680 I later found out that if you are related to someone with diabetes, 317 00:15:09,680 --> 00:15:12,480 you've got a greater chance of developing it too. 318 00:15:12,480 --> 00:15:15,520 As Natasha Marsland from Diabetes UK explained, 319 00:15:15,520 --> 00:15:17,520 I was just one of the many people 320 00:15:17,520 --> 00:15:20,400 who don't realise that they are at risk. 321 00:15:20,400 --> 00:15:23,880 - How big is the problem in this country? - It's a huge problem. 322 00:15:23,880 --> 00:15:26,040 Diabetes is the leading cause of blindness 323 00:15:26,040 --> 00:15:27,720 in the working-age population. 324 00:15:27,720 --> 00:15:31,920 It causes strokes, heart attacks, amputations and unfortunately, 325 00:15:31,920 --> 00:15:34,720 and I certainly saw this in the NHS when I worked as a dietician, 326 00:15:34,720 --> 00:15:37,240 people have been diagnosed too late, 327 00:15:37,240 --> 00:15:40,280 so they are having their heart attack before their type 2 diabetes 328 00:15:40,280 --> 00:15:41,680 is being picked up and we know, 329 00:15:41,680 --> 00:15:43,520 had it been picked up ten years earlier, 330 00:15:43,520 --> 00:15:46,240 they could have got their blood glucose levels under control, 331 00:15:46,240 --> 00:15:49,440 got the right care and treatment and support and done something about it. 332 00:15:49,440 --> 00:15:51,120 That is pretty frightening, isn't it? 333 00:15:51,120 --> 00:15:53,600 It is frightening, because those people don't know it, 334 00:15:53,600 --> 00:15:56,400 so they're not getting the right care and support and treatment. 335 00:15:56,400 --> 00:16:00,160 It's estimated there are around half a million undiagnosed cases 336 00:16:00,160 --> 00:16:02,440 of type 2 diabetes in the UK. 337 00:16:02,440 --> 00:16:05,240 That's a big worry, as early diagnosis is vital 338 00:16:05,240 --> 00:16:07,960 in being able to properly manage the condition 339 00:16:07,960 --> 00:16:10,800 and many people don't realise they are at risk. 340 00:16:10,800 --> 00:16:13,320 How would you pick it up on a regular basis? 341 00:16:13,320 --> 00:16:15,920 Is it by going to your GP for a test or what? 342 00:16:15,920 --> 00:16:18,960 We do know there are risk factors that you can't do anything about. 343 00:16:18,960 --> 00:16:20,400 For example, your age - 344 00:16:20,400 --> 00:16:24,000 if you are over the age of 40 if you're white, for example, 345 00:16:24,000 --> 00:16:26,200 or over the age of 25 if you're South Asian, 346 00:16:26,200 --> 00:16:27,800 that increases your risk. 347 00:16:27,800 --> 00:16:32,000 If you have got a family member with diabetes, that increases your risk. 348 00:16:32,000 --> 00:16:35,400 Having high blood pressure increases your risk as well. 349 00:16:35,400 --> 00:16:38,440 There is two main factors - being overweight 350 00:16:38,440 --> 00:16:40,320 and having a sedentary lifestyle 351 00:16:40,320 --> 00:16:42,760 and also carrying the fat around your middle 352 00:16:42,760 --> 00:16:44,440 that you can do something about. 353 00:16:44,440 --> 00:16:46,800 I hadn't realised I was a prime candidate 354 00:16:46,800 --> 00:16:48,720 for developing type 2 diabetes, 355 00:16:48,720 --> 00:16:51,520 so I was very lucky that a routine blood test 356 00:16:51,520 --> 00:16:54,840 had spotted abnormalities in my blood sugar levels, 357 00:16:54,840 --> 00:16:57,360 but others might not be quite as lucky as I was, 358 00:16:57,360 --> 00:17:00,440 so to help anyone who is at risk of becoming diabetic, 359 00:17:00,440 --> 00:17:03,360 before they develop the full-blown condition, 360 00:17:03,360 --> 00:17:06,800 the NHS and Diabetes UK are focusing on a campaign 361 00:17:06,800 --> 00:17:10,520 to raise awareness of exactly what being pre-diabetic means. 362 00:17:10,520 --> 00:17:12,120 Pilot schemes across the country 363 00:17:12,120 --> 00:17:13,960 will encourage people to take action, 364 00:17:13,960 --> 00:17:15,240 because as I discovered, 365 00:17:15,240 --> 00:17:19,160 changing what you eat can stop type 2 diabetes developing. 366 00:17:19,160 --> 00:17:21,160 The good news is, if you lose the weight, 367 00:17:21,160 --> 00:17:23,360 get to the healthy weight for your height, 368 00:17:23,360 --> 00:17:26,080 you can dramatically, really dramatically, reduce 369 00:17:26,080 --> 00:17:28,760 your chance of developing type 2 diabetes. 370 00:17:28,760 --> 00:17:30,520 When I was first diagnosed by my GP, 371 00:17:30,520 --> 00:17:34,960 he told me to cut things out like fats and sugar from my diet. 372 00:17:34,960 --> 00:17:36,360 Gone were the cakes I loved 373 00:17:36,360 --> 00:17:38,960 and all those chocolate biscuits and the sweets 374 00:17:38,960 --> 00:17:41,120 and I'm afraid there was worse to come. 375 00:17:41,120 --> 00:17:44,400 As I tried to make sense of all the information about diabetes, 376 00:17:44,400 --> 00:17:46,600 I was determined to stop my pre-diabetes 377 00:17:46,600 --> 00:17:49,240 developing into the full-blown condition, 378 00:17:49,240 --> 00:17:52,240 so I met a specialist called Dr Abbi Lulsegged and he wanted me 379 00:17:52,240 --> 00:17:56,680 to change my eating habits even more and cut out carbs as well. 380 00:17:56,680 --> 00:18:00,240 It's not just sugars that affect diabetics, but carbohydrates 381 00:18:00,240 --> 00:18:02,480 and the reason for that is because, ultimately, 382 00:18:02,480 --> 00:18:05,560 those carbs will be broken down into simple sugars 383 00:18:05,560 --> 00:18:07,960 and that's what stresses the pancreas, 384 00:18:07,960 --> 00:18:09,760 the cells that make insulin. 385 00:18:10,800 --> 00:18:13,640 So bread, potatoes and pasta were also added 386 00:18:13,640 --> 00:18:15,320 to my list of no-go foods. 387 00:18:15,320 --> 00:18:18,920 According to Dr Abbi, they were part of the problem as well. 388 00:18:18,920 --> 00:18:22,120 Many people, of course, never consider themselves overweight, 389 00:18:22,120 --> 00:18:26,120 but one of the biggest risk factors in type 2 diabetes is excess weight 390 00:18:26,120 --> 00:18:30,280 around the middle and, like a lot of people, I have experienced that. 391 00:18:30,280 --> 00:18:33,200 When you ask which of the food groups will contribute 392 00:18:33,200 --> 00:18:35,160 to that weight around the middle, 393 00:18:35,160 --> 00:18:38,760 there is no food group better at doing that than carbohydrates. 394 00:18:38,760 --> 00:18:41,240 The body is very efficient at storing excess carbs, 395 00:18:41,240 --> 00:18:42,960 it's not going to get rid of it 396 00:18:42,960 --> 00:18:45,800 and that storage system goes directly into fat, 397 00:18:45,800 --> 00:18:50,480 but it's also the bad fat, the fat around the abdominal organs. 398 00:18:50,480 --> 00:18:54,360 There are conflicting opinions about whether cutting back on carbs 399 00:18:54,360 --> 00:18:57,880 really is the best approach to either tackling pre-diabetes 400 00:18:57,880 --> 00:19:00,400 or trying to combat the full-blown condition, 401 00:19:00,400 --> 00:19:02,200 but as far as Dr Abbi was concerned, 402 00:19:02,200 --> 00:19:04,720 there was too much in my diet that wasn't good 403 00:19:04,720 --> 00:19:07,320 and they all had carbs in common. 404 00:19:07,320 --> 00:19:11,240 If we look at this thick slice of white bread here, 405 00:19:11,240 --> 00:19:15,160 it has approximately 19g of carbohydrates. 406 00:19:15,160 --> 00:19:16,880 For some people who have diabetes 407 00:19:16,880 --> 00:19:19,040 who need to lose weight around the middle, 408 00:19:19,040 --> 00:19:22,360 they need to restrict their carbohydrate content 409 00:19:22,360 --> 00:19:24,520 to less than 20g total in one day. 410 00:19:24,520 --> 00:19:27,720 That's the equivalent of one thick slice of white bread. 411 00:19:27,720 --> 00:19:30,360 - Wow, so no bread? - No bread. 412 00:19:30,360 --> 00:19:33,880 And, of course, for an Irishwoman to have to give up potatoes... 413 00:19:33,880 --> 00:19:36,160 - Not good. - Yes, I know. 414 00:19:36,160 --> 00:19:38,240 I had to sacrifice so many foods I love 415 00:19:38,240 --> 00:19:40,280 and, believe me, it was a sacrifice, 416 00:19:40,280 --> 00:19:42,120 but I was concerned about my health 417 00:19:42,120 --> 00:19:44,000 and I was determined to give it a go. 418 00:19:44,000 --> 00:19:46,080 I didn't want to start taking tablets, 419 00:19:46,080 --> 00:19:49,800 so I trained my mind to get rid of that sweet yearning 420 00:19:49,800 --> 00:19:52,800 that my mother really had given me almost from birth. 421 00:19:52,800 --> 00:19:56,720 But, of course, there are times when I find it very difficult to resist. 422 00:19:56,720 --> 00:20:00,560 I'm trying to reverse a lifetime of food habits and it's not easy, 423 00:20:00,560 --> 00:20:04,000 but my blood sugar levels are now back to normal, I'm glad to say, 424 00:20:04,000 --> 00:20:06,560 and I've been advised that if I stick to the way 425 00:20:06,560 --> 00:20:09,520 I'm eating these days, I should be fine. 426 00:20:09,520 --> 00:20:12,840 The difference changing my diet has made was huge 427 00:20:12,840 --> 00:20:14,280 and that could even be the case 428 00:20:14,280 --> 00:20:17,440 if you do go on to develop type 2 diabetes, 429 00:20:17,440 --> 00:20:19,840 because, as we'll see later in the programme, 430 00:20:19,840 --> 00:20:22,120 in some cases it seems changing what you eat 431 00:20:22,120 --> 00:20:24,920 might even make the condition reverse altogether. 432 00:20:27,560 --> 00:20:31,160 Still to come, the truth about how much you should put on your plate 433 00:20:31,160 --> 00:20:33,920 and why we are getting our portion sizes all wrong. 434 00:20:33,920 --> 00:20:37,040 Right, ladies, what are we going to have for lunch today? 435 00:20:37,040 --> 00:20:40,920 - I don't want too much. - You never do. - I just can't eat too many things. 436 00:20:46,640 --> 00:20:48,480 The food we eat has amazing powers 437 00:20:48,480 --> 00:20:52,000 and can help our bodies conquer all sorts of common conditions. 438 00:20:54,760 --> 00:20:58,120 GP Dr Rangan Chatterjee sees patients every day 439 00:20:58,120 --> 00:21:00,920 whose problems could be helped, or even solved, 440 00:21:00,920 --> 00:21:02,520 by changing what they eat, 441 00:21:02,520 --> 00:21:06,120 so we asked him to share some of his secrets. 442 00:21:06,120 --> 00:21:09,800 Today I'm going to investigate some common problems that people have 443 00:21:09,800 --> 00:21:12,280 with their bones and look at what foods can help. 444 00:21:13,520 --> 00:21:17,040 The adult human skeleton is made up of 206 bones, 445 00:21:17,040 --> 00:21:20,800 more than half of which are found in the hands and feet. 446 00:21:20,800 --> 00:21:22,960 As our skeleton supports our entire body, 447 00:21:22,960 --> 00:21:26,640 it's not surprising that we actually need strong, healthy bones. 448 00:21:26,640 --> 00:21:29,280 Unfortunately, not everybody has them. 449 00:21:29,280 --> 00:21:32,880 About three million people in the UK have osteoporosis, 450 00:21:32,880 --> 00:21:36,840 characterised by fragile bones, prone to breaking quite easily. 451 00:21:38,240 --> 00:21:41,640 Over 300,000 people are hospitalised every year 452 00:21:41,640 --> 00:21:45,320 due to fragility fractures caused by osteoporosis. 453 00:21:45,320 --> 00:21:47,880 Most people don't even know that they have got osteoporosis 454 00:21:47,880 --> 00:21:50,360 and, actually, their fracture is the first indication 455 00:21:50,360 --> 00:21:52,680 that there's something wrong. 456 00:21:52,680 --> 00:21:56,280 One of the most vital ingredients in the prevention of osteoporosis, 457 00:21:56,280 --> 00:21:58,120 regardless of age, is calcium. 458 00:21:58,120 --> 00:22:00,440 Most obviously found in dairy produce, 459 00:22:00,440 --> 00:22:03,280 it's often taken in supplement form as well. 460 00:22:03,280 --> 00:22:04,800 You may have seen press reports 461 00:22:04,800 --> 00:22:06,960 linking these supplements to heart attacks, 462 00:22:06,960 --> 00:22:09,200 but it seems that the risk is more pronounced 463 00:22:09,200 --> 00:22:11,080 in women who take more than double 464 00:22:11,080 --> 00:22:12,880 the recommended daily amount. 465 00:22:12,880 --> 00:22:15,200 In any case, you don't need supplements 466 00:22:15,200 --> 00:22:17,880 to get your 700 milligrams of daily calcium - 467 00:22:17,880 --> 00:22:21,680 just three glasses of milk or about 90g of cheese will do that for you 468 00:22:21,680 --> 00:22:24,400 and there are many more perhaps surprising ways 469 00:22:24,400 --> 00:22:26,040 to boost your intake as well. 470 00:22:26,040 --> 00:22:28,400 It's not only milk where we get our calcium from. 471 00:22:28,400 --> 00:22:30,880 There are other foods that are full of calcium - 472 00:22:30,880 --> 00:22:34,800 kale, spinach, or things like sardines. 473 00:22:34,800 --> 00:22:38,440 Other foods that are rich in calcium are tuna, mackerel, 474 00:22:38,440 --> 00:22:39,960 nuts, dates and pulses... 475 00:22:41,160 --> 00:22:44,200 ..all of which have become familiar to Jill from Exeter. 476 00:22:44,200 --> 00:22:46,880 She was diagnosed with osteoporosis five years ago 477 00:22:46,880 --> 00:22:48,720 and has transformed her diet, 478 00:22:48,720 --> 00:22:52,400 adding plenty of calcium-rich green, leafy vegetables. 479 00:22:52,400 --> 00:22:56,680 I steam my vegetables in order to maintain the minerals 480 00:22:56,680 --> 00:22:59,040 and vitamins in them and I make sure 481 00:22:59,040 --> 00:23:00,920 that I have my five portions 482 00:23:00,920 --> 00:23:03,280 of fruit and vegetables every day. 483 00:23:03,280 --> 00:23:06,960 I'm finding that all the efforts that I'm making 484 00:23:06,960 --> 00:23:12,360 are having an effect, because my recent tests with my consultant 485 00:23:12,360 --> 00:23:16,680 showed that the process of bone loss is slowing down, 486 00:23:16,680 --> 00:23:20,360 I'm not deteriorating at the rate expected, 487 00:23:20,360 --> 00:23:23,800 so I'm hoping that I'll stay healthy for as long as possible. 488 00:23:26,040 --> 00:23:29,080 But osteoporosis isn't the only common bone complaint 489 00:23:29,080 --> 00:23:31,160 that can be helped by diet. 490 00:23:31,160 --> 00:23:34,160 Osteoarthritis is the most common form of arthritis 491 00:23:34,160 --> 00:23:38,120 and is generally known as the "wear and tear" arthritis. 492 00:23:38,120 --> 00:23:42,000 The condition causes pain, swelling and stiffness in the joints 493 00:23:42,000 --> 00:23:45,680 and if it isn't treated, it's likely to get worse over time. 494 00:23:45,680 --> 00:23:49,240 But the right foods can slow down this process. 495 00:23:49,240 --> 00:23:52,240 Eating lots of leeks, garlic or onions 496 00:23:52,240 --> 00:23:55,120 is said to ward off osteoarthritis, 497 00:23:55,120 --> 00:23:59,040 as indeed is the diet which is often called the world's healthiest. 498 00:23:59,040 --> 00:24:02,960 A Mediterranean-style diet, including things such as olives, 499 00:24:02,960 --> 00:24:05,560 olive oil, fatty fish and avocados 500 00:24:05,560 --> 00:24:09,160 can absolutely help with your symptoms alongside your medication. 501 00:24:09,160 --> 00:24:11,720 These foods are all rich in omega-3, 502 00:24:11,720 --> 00:24:14,400 believed to have inflammation-busting benefits 503 00:24:14,400 --> 00:24:17,960 that can alleviate swollen arthritic joints. 504 00:24:17,960 --> 00:24:21,760 Other inflammation-fighting foods are said to be green tea, 505 00:24:21,760 --> 00:24:24,160 soy beans and I bet you've not heard of this one - 506 00:24:24,160 --> 00:24:26,680 a spice that's been commonly used in India 507 00:24:26,680 --> 00:24:30,000 and China for over 2,000 years. 508 00:24:30,000 --> 00:24:34,440 There is growing research suggesting that the Indian spice turmeric - 509 00:24:34,440 --> 00:24:36,880 it's that yellow spice that you find in curries - 510 00:24:36,880 --> 00:24:40,200 can often be very helpful for arthritis sufferers. 511 00:24:40,200 --> 00:24:42,080 As well as cooking with turmeric, 512 00:24:42,080 --> 00:24:45,600 some people recommend adding a tablespoon to a glass of warm milk 513 00:24:45,600 --> 00:24:47,560 and even mixing it with mustard oil 514 00:24:47,560 --> 00:24:50,360 and massaging it all over the affected area. 515 00:24:50,360 --> 00:24:52,480 But there is also a whole host of foods 516 00:24:52,480 --> 00:24:55,880 osteoarthritis and osteoporosis sufferers should avoid, 517 00:24:55,880 --> 00:24:58,560 because they can aggravate symptoms, 518 00:24:58,560 --> 00:25:03,360 mainly sugars, saturated fats and salt, plus a big no-no is alcohol, 519 00:25:03,360 --> 00:25:06,160 which can deplete the calcium levels in the body. 520 00:25:09,000 --> 00:25:12,360 As with most things, prevention is better than cure, 521 00:25:12,360 --> 00:25:14,280 so the foods we choose can be key 522 00:25:14,280 --> 00:25:17,720 to keeping our bones healthy enough to last a lifetime. 523 00:25:23,920 --> 00:25:27,400 Now, the nation's ever-expanding waistlines are often blamed 524 00:25:27,400 --> 00:25:29,720 in news reports on the fact that we eat more now 525 00:25:29,720 --> 00:25:32,360 than we've ever done before and while that's partly down 526 00:25:32,360 --> 00:25:33,720 to what we eat between meals, 527 00:25:33,720 --> 00:25:36,240 it's the meals themselves that are the real culprits, 528 00:25:36,240 --> 00:25:38,320 because when it comes to dishing up dinner, 529 00:25:38,320 --> 00:25:40,800 lots of us have eyes much bigger than our bellies, 530 00:25:40,800 --> 00:25:43,400 but there is another end of the scale too - 531 00:25:43,400 --> 00:25:44,880 those of us who eat too little, 532 00:25:44,880 --> 00:25:47,520 something that happens more and more as we get older. 533 00:25:47,520 --> 00:25:51,160 So how much should we be eating and how much is too much, 534 00:25:51,160 --> 00:25:52,920 or indeed, too little? 535 00:25:52,920 --> 00:25:56,680 We've recruited four generations of one family to help us find out. 536 00:25:59,720 --> 00:26:02,840 Three out of every five people in the UK are overweight, 537 00:26:02,840 --> 00:26:04,960 but while we eat more than ever before, 538 00:26:04,960 --> 00:26:07,080 it's often without even realising it, 539 00:26:07,080 --> 00:26:10,880 because judging the right portion size isn't always easy. 540 00:26:10,880 --> 00:26:12,480 Putting it onto the plate 541 00:26:12,480 --> 00:26:15,400 and judging it is sometimes a little difficult. 542 00:26:15,400 --> 00:26:18,800 I look at a helping on the plate and think, "That's far too much," 543 00:26:18,800 --> 00:26:20,960 but I still eat it up. 544 00:26:20,960 --> 00:26:23,360 I'm just English - I just clear the plate, 545 00:26:23,360 --> 00:26:25,960 as we politely have done for many, many years. 546 00:26:27,640 --> 00:26:29,960 But part of the problem - judging portion size - 547 00:26:29,960 --> 00:26:32,720 is that our plates are getting bigger. 548 00:26:32,720 --> 00:26:35,240 In the early 1990s, the average dinner plate 549 00:26:35,240 --> 00:26:40,440 was 25 centimetres across, but now it's grown to 28 centimetres. 550 00:26:40,440 --> 00:26:42,520 One big-name kitchen company told us 551 00:26:42,520 --> 00:26:46,240 it's had to start making wall units bigger to fit the modern-sized plate 552 00:26:46,240 --> 00:26:50,280 and studies suggest that the bigger your plate, the more you will eat. 553 00:26:50,280 --> 00:26:52,760 Although not everything filling those plates 554 00:26:52,760 --> 00:26:55,680 is necessarily some people's first choice. 555 00:26:55,680 --> 00:26:58,960 Dad, why do I have this much veg? 556 00:26:58,960 --> 00:27:02,840 This is the Kay family from Bolton - mum, Ruth, dad, Peter, 557 00:27:02,840 --> 00:27:05,120 12-year-old Jensen and seven-year-old JJ 558 00:27:05,120 --> 00:27:08,760 and they all agree on their approach to portion sizes. 559 00:27:10,400 --> 00:27:14,720 There's no portion control. We just eat what we want, basically. 560 00:27:14,720 --> 00:27:19,600 See, I go off plate size. If I have a big plate, I will eat a big plate. 561 00:27:19,600 --> 00:27:22,560 And the same rule applies for JJ and Jensen. 562 00:27:22,560 --> 00:27:26,240 I do give the boys quite large-sized portions of food, 563 00:27:26,240 --> 00:27:30,000 because I don't want them going off eating rubbish. 564 00:27:30,000 --> 00:27:34,760 I need to know that my boys are fed and my boys are healthy. 565 00:27:36,200 --> 00:27:38,560 So how much should we have each day? 566 00:27:38,560 --> 00:27:40,400 Well, in total, across all meals, 567 00:27:40,400 --> 00:27:43,560 an average adult woman needs just under 2,000 calories 568 00:27:43,560 --> 00:27:45,640 and a man needs 2,500. 569 00:27:46,960 --> 00:27:48,720 But it's one thing knowing that 570 00:27:48,720 --> 00:27:52,000 and quite another to recognise what it looks like. 571 00:27:52,000 --> 00:27:55,400 First and foremost, I don't think this bowl is big enough. 572 00:27:55,400 --> 00:27:57,040 - BOYS: - No. - No? 573 00:27:57,040 --> 00:27:58,760 We asked the Kays to measure out 574 00:27:58,760 --> 00:28:02,360 a portion of pasta they'd normally serve at dinner time. 575 00:28:02,360 --> 00:28:04,960 - Right, how much do you eat? - Per person. 576 00:28:04,960 --> 00:28:07,680 - Is that enough? - BOYS: - No. 577 00:28:07,680 --> 00:28:10,600 - Yeah? Are we happy as a family? - BOYS: - Yeah. - Yeah? 578 00:28:10,600 --> 00:28:13,120 - You would happily eat that much? - Yeah. 579 00:28:13,120 --> 00:28:17,280 So how does that compare to the portion they should be having? 580 00:28:17,280 --> 00:28:18,800 - ALL: - Oh! Wow. 581 00:28:20,600 --> 00:28:22,640 - That's nothing. - OK! 582 00:28:23,920 --> 00:28:27,560 The family served up a lot more than an adult's correct portion, 583 00:28:27,560 --> 00:28:31,280 which is roughly 80g, or about the size of your fist. 584 00:28:31,280 --> 00:28:33,760 It might not look like much now, but when it's cooked, 585 00:28:33,760 --> 00:28:36,840 that 80g portion will almost triple in size. 586 00:28:37,920 --> 00:28:41,240 If that's for you two, what's it going to be for me and JJ? 587 00:28:42,960 --> 00:28:45,680 JJ and Jensen should also be eating portions of pasta 588 00:28:45,680 --> 00:28:49,320 that are about the same size as their fist before it's cooked, 589 00:28:49,320 --> 00:28:53,840 which again is a lot less than Ruth and Peter would typically give them. 590 00:28:53,840 --> 00:28:56,720 Nutritionist Yvonne Bishop-Weston says it's a trap 591 00:28:56,720 --> 00:28:59,080 a lot of parents fall into. 592 00:28:59,080 --> 00:29:01,800 Children's portion sizes need to be smaller than adults', 593 00:29:01,800 --> 00:29:04,760 especially in one sitting, and if we look at the stomach sizes, 594 00:29:04,760 --> 00:29:07,680 this is the stomach size of an average two-to-six-year-old, 595 00:29:07,680 --> 00:29:10,560 so JJ's stomach might be a little bigger than this, 596 00:29:10,560 --> 00:29:13,040 but this is the size of an adult's stomach 597 00:29:13,040 --> 00:29:16,600 so, clearly, portion sizes need to be smaller with children 598 00:29:16,600 --> 00:29:18,120 than they do with adults. 599 00:29:19,560 --> 00:29:21,240 But that doesn't mean the kids 600 00:29:21,240 --> 00:29:23,920 need to eat fewer calories throughout the day. 601 00:29:23,920 --> 00:29:28,120 In fact, seven-year-old JJ needs about 1,900 calories a day, 602 00:29:28,120 --> 00:29:30,160 almost the same as his mum. 603 00:29:30,160 --> 00:29:31,520 And 12-year-old Jensen 604 00:29:31,520 --> 00:29:36,440 needs about 300 calories a day more, 2,200, 605 00:29:36,440 --> 00:29:39,840 so to pack in those extra calories despite their smaller stomachs, 606 00:29:39,840 --> 00:29:42,680 the boys should eat more often than both Ruth and Peter. 607 00:29:42,680 --> 00:29:47,120 Adding good fats found in foods like avocado, nuts, seeds and hummus 608 00:29:47,120 --> 00:29:51,320 will give them more healthy calories in each mouthful. 609 00:29:51,320 --> 00:29:53,880 Your hand is a, well, very handy way to judge 610 00:29:53,880 --> 00:29:56,240 how much you should serve at each meal. 611 00:29:56,240 --> 00:29:58,920 As well as a fist-sized portion of dried pasta, 612 00:29:58,920 --> 00:30:01,920 a portion of meat is about the size of your palm. 613 00:30:01,920 --> 00:30:05,000 That's the same as one portion of veg. 614 00:30:05,000 --> 00:30:08,400 A helping of cheese should be about the same of two fingers, 615 00:30:08,400 --> 00:30:10,760 a portion of rice should be about a handful 616 00:30:10,760 --> 00:30:14,800 and a portion of bread is the size of your whole hand. 617 00:30:14,800 --> 00:30:16,000 If you want butter on it, 618 00:30:16,000 --> 00:30:19,280 the correct amount is roughly the same as your fingertip. 619 00:30:20,840 --> 00:30:23,400 But all that is hard enough to control at home, 620 00:30:23,400 --> 00:30:25,840 what about when we are eating out? 621 00:30:25,840 --> 00:30:28,800 Portion sizes in restaurants can also be ridiculously big. 622 00:30:28,800 --> 00:30:30,520 We are being given bigger plates, 623 00:30:30,520 --> 00:30:33,520 we are being given bigger portions and then on top of that, 624 00:30:33,520 --> 00:30:36,440 if we add dessert, we could be adding as many calories 625 00:30:36,440 --> 00:30:40,240 in one pudding as we would be having in a main meal at home. 626 00:30:40,240 --> 00:30:42,960 One American study found that when we eat out, 627 00:30:42,960 --> 00:30:45,440 we consume an average of 200 calories more 628 00:30:45,440 --> 00:30:47,400 than we would normally do at home, 629 00:30:47,400 --> 00:30:48,960 thanks often to starters, 630 00:30:48,960 --> 00:30:50,640 desserts and other extras. 631 00:30:50,640 --> 00:30:53,840 Of course, it's fine for most of us to go out, to treat ourselves, 632 00:30:53,840 --> 00:30:55,680 to have a really indulgent meal, 633 00:30:55,680 --> 00:30:58,960 but if we do that more and more often, then isn't the likelihood 634 00:30:58,960 --> 00:31:01,360 that we are going to think that that is a normal portion? 635 00:31:01,360 --> 00:31:04,160 That's going to translate to our portion size at home 636 00:31:04,160 --> 00:31:06,240 and put us at risk of being overweight, 637 00:31:06,240 --> 00:31:11,360 at risk of diabetes, cardiovascular disease and other health conditions. 638 00:31:11,360 --> 00:31:14,440 - That looks a nice table - let's just go in here. - Yeah. 639 00:31:14,440 --> 00:31:17,680 Ruth eats out every week with her mum Marjorie 640 00:31:17,680 --> 00:31:19,440 and her grandmother Edith. 641 00:31:19,440 --> 00:31:21,920 Right, ladies, what are we going to have for lunch today? 642 00:31:21,920 --> 00:31:25,800 - I don't want too much. - You never do. - I just can't eat too many things. 643 00:31:26,800 --> 00:31:29,600 Both Marjorie and Edith find themselves faced with portions 644 00:31:29,600 --> 00:31:31,680 that are typically a lot bigger than the ones 645 00:31:31,680 --> 00:31:34,560 they would normally serve themselves. 646 00:31:34,560 --> 00:31:38,800 Is there a child's menu, Mum? You often do better on the child's menu. 647 00:31:39,800 --> 00:31:41,200 Ruth's mum Marjorie is 70 648 00:31:41,200 --> 00:31:44,600 and while she's noticed her appetite drop over recent years, 649 00:31:44,600 --> 00:31:48,040 she still worries she might be serving herself too much. 650 00:31:48,040 --> 00:31:51,240 So, Mum, why do you think you should eat less than me? 651 00:31:51,240 --> 00:31:55,480 I am retired now, so I don't get up at six o'clock in the morning 652 00:31:55,480 --> 00:31:57,560 and get busy, busy, busy. 653 00:31:57,560 --> 00:32:00,160 I still do gardening, I still do housework, 654 00:32:00,160 --> 00:32:02,920 but not at the rate and speed I used to do it at. 655 00:32:04,040 --> 00:32:07,720 But whilst Marjorie has misgivings about how much is on her plate, 656 00:32:07,720 --> 00:32:09,800 she does usually still eat it. 657 00:32:09,800 --> 00:32:12,400 But her mum, 96-year-old Edith, 658 00:32:12,400 --> 00:32:15,320 says her appetite is far from what it used to be. 659 00:32:15,320 --> 00:32:18,400 Do you find that as you have got older, 660 00:32:18,400 --> 00:32:22,800 - you portions have got smaller? - Definitely. - Yeah? - Yeah. 661 00:32:22,800 --> 00:32:26,040 Well, I have a dinner, but quite often, 662 00:32:26,040 --> 00:32:29,520 when it comes to tea time, I'm not really hungry. 663 00:32:29,520 --> 00:32:33,200 Why do you think your appetite has decreased over the years? 664 00:32:33,200 --> 00:32:39,640 Oh, old age. I'm not as active as I was. You don't need it. 665 00:32:39,640 --> 00:32:41,800 At all. Not when you get older. 666 00:32:42,840 --> 00:32:44,880 Unfortunately, Edith isn't right. 667 00:32:44,880 --> 00:32:48,120 The number of calories we need every day does start to reduce 668 00:32:48,120 --> 00:32:51,480 as we get older, but not by as much as you might think. 669 00:32:51,480 --> 00:32:54,960 At 70, Marjorie may be less active than she used to be, 670 00:32:54,960 --> 00:32:59,800 but she still needs almost the same amount of calories each day as Ruth. 671 00:32:59,800 --> 00:33:02,920 And even though Edith eats a lot less than both of them, 672 00:33:02,920 --> 00:33:05,960 she still needs around 1,800 calories a day. 673 00:33:05,960 --> 00:33:08,200 In our older years, we do need less calories 674 00:33:08,200 --> 00:33:11,680 and that's probably because most of us are not as physically active 675 00:33:11,680 --> 00:33:13,320 as we were when we were younger. 676 00:33:13,320 --> 00:33:17,040 Edith may well be 96 and hasn't got a great appetite any more, 677 00:33:17,040 --> 00:33:20,320 but she still needs the calories to maintain her body 678 00:33:20,320 --> 00:33:21,880 and be well and healthy. 679 00:33:21,880 --> 00:33:25,680 What I find is a lot of elderly people are eating much too little. 680 00:33:25,680 --> 00:33:28,760 They are not eating enough to keep their bodies going. 681 00:33:29,920 --> 00:33:33,040 Research shows that the average person over 70 682 00:33:33,040 --> 00:33:37,640 eats just 1,600 calories a day, a lot less than they need. 683 00:33:37,640 --> 00:33:39,920 As Edith doesn't have much of an appetite, 684 00:33:39,920 --> 00:33:43,840 I would encourage her to eat small portions, to eat little and often, 685 00:33:43,840 --> 00:33:46,560 so making sure that her food is calorie-dense, 686 00:33:46,560 --> 00:33:49,120 but isn't making her feel too full up. 687 00:33:49,120 --> 00:33:51,400 Right, come on, Mum, take my arm. 688 00:33:51,400 --> 00:33:54,840 But while portion sizes should vary for different generations 689 00:33:54,840 --> 00:33:57,640 of the same family, there is no doubt many of us, 690 00:33:57,640 --> 00:34:01,880 like Ruth and Peter, routinely overestimate how much we should eat. 691 00:34:03,440 --> 00:34:06,960 There are some foods that every day we serve up in bigger helpings 692 00:34:06,960 --> 00:34:10,080 than what should be the correct portion size. 693 00:34:10,080 --> 00:34:12,760 A portion of cornflakes should be 30g, 694 00:34:12,760 --> 00:34:15,160 but one survey found almost nine in ten of us 695 00:34:15,160 --> 00:34:18,640 give ourselves almost half that amount again. 696 00:34:18,640 --> 00:34:20,680 A can of soup should serve two people, 697 00:34:20,680 --> 00:34:23,520 but most of us eat the whole thing. 698 00:34:23,520 --> 00:34:26,320 A portion of chocolate should be 25g, 699 00:34:26,320 --> 00:34:29,080 but the country's bestselling bars 700 00:34:29,080 --> 00:34:31,720 can tip the scales at between 40 and 55g. 701 00:34:31,720 --> 00:34:34,400 Hands up, anyone who's saving half a bar for tomorrow. 702 00:34:35,880 --> 00:34:38,440 After seeing what the proper helpings should be, 703 00:34:38,440 --> 00:34:42,280 the Kays are keen to put their new-found knowledge into practice. 704 00:34:42,280 --> 00:34:44,080 You don't have to eat it, Gran. 705 00:34:45,520 --> 00:34:48,000 I think we've learned quite a lot this week. 706 00:34:48,000 --> 00:34:51,040 - In the past, we've always had big plates. - Yeah. 707 00:34:51,040 --> 00:34:56,080 And when you see space on the plate, you think, "That needs filling," 708 00:34:56,080 --> 00:34:58,320 so plenty of veg. 709 00:34:58,320 --> 00:35:01,480 I think I've always been, "My eyes are bigger than my belly," 710 00:35:01,480 --> 00:35:04,000 but I think we will have a look at the plate sizes 711 00:35:04,000 --> 00:35:07,480 and maybe not be so eager to fill them. 712 00:35:15,000 --> 00:35:18,480 Earlier in the programme, you'll remember I started finding out 713 00:35:18,480 --> 00:35:21,960 what could have led me to being at risk of developing diabetes. 714 00:35:21,960 --> 00:35:24,680 As well as my sister having type 2 diabetes, 715 00:35:24,680 --> 00:35:27,560 I was told that my diet was also putting me at risk. 716 00:35:27,560 --> 00:35:29,800 I think what is the most frightening thing about it 717 00:35:29,800 --> 00:35:32,520 is that my blood sugar reading was just found accidentally, 718 00:35:32,520 --> 00:35:35,800 because I was having a blood test for a different reason altogether 719 00:35:35,800 --> 00:35:37,920 and I just think if they hadn't caught it, 720 00:35:37,920 --> 00:35:40,000 then I might have developed type 2 diabetes 721 00:35:40,000 --> 00:35:41,960 and not known anything about it, really. 722 00:35:41,960 --> 00:35:43,160 It's worrying stuff. 723 00:35:43,160 --> 00:35:45,320 I was really surprised by just how many people 724 00:35:45,320 --> 00:35:48,080 they think are living undiagnosed with diabetes. What was it? 725 00:35:48,080 --> 00:35:50,800 - Like, half a million, wasn't it? - It is half a million. 726 00:35:50,800 --> 00:35:52,680 That is frightening stuff, isn't it? 727 00:35:52,680 --> 00:35:56,040 I transformed my diet in order to stop developing diabetes, 728 00:35:56,040 --> 00:35:59,760 but changing what you eat is also the key to managing the condition 729 00:35:59,760 --> 00:36:00,880 if you do develop it 730 00:36:00,880 --> 00:36:03,760 and some say that it can even be reversed entirely. 731 00:36:06,040 --> 00:36:10,040 When I was told I was pre-diabetic, it meant I stood a high risk 732 00:36:10,040 --> 00:36:13,440 of developing full-blown type 2 diabetes. 733 00:36:13,440 --> 00:36:17,640 But when Robin Swindell from London was given the same news in 2013, 734 00:36:17,640 --> 00:36:19,400 it was already too late. 735 00:36:19,400 --> 00:36:21,680 Very shortly afterwards, he was told that, 736 00:36:21,680 --> 00:36:25,560 like one in 17 people in the UK, he did have the condition. 737 00:36:25,560 --> 00:36:29,040 I'd been feeling unwell for a while, generally not myself 738 00:36:29,040 --> 00:36:31,080 and I went to the doctor and he gave me a blood test 739 00:36:31,080 --> 00:36:33,360 and when I came back, he gave me the bad news 740 00:36:33,360 --> 00:36:34,640 that I was pre-diabetic 741 00:36:34,640 --> 00:36:37,240 and that I needed to lose some weight and get fit. 742 00:36:37,240 --> 00:36:38,720 I came back about a month later 743 00:36:38,720 --> 00:36:42,480 and discovered that that was a bit too late and I was already diabetic. 744 00:36:42,480 --> 00:36:46,400 Had it occurred to you that you might be diabetic, or pre-diabetic? 745 00:36:46,400 --> 00:36:47,880 Not really. It should have done, 746 00:36:47,880 --> 00:36:50,240 because there is a history of diabetes in my family 747 00:36:50,240 --> 00:36:52,200 and I had been overweight for a long time, 748 00:36:52,200 --> 00:36:53,640 but like most people, 749 00:36:53,640 --> 00:36:56,840 you're pretty good at putting your head in the sand about these things. 750 00:36:56,840 --> 00:37:00,560 But the shock of the diagnosis prompted Robin to clean up his diet 751 00:37:00,560 --> 00:37:04,400 and increase his exercise under the very careful guidance of his GP. 752 00:37:04,400 --> 00:37:07,000 Robin was determined to rid himself of the condition, 753 00:37:07,000 --> 00:37:10,080 with the first priority being to tackle his weight. 754 00:37:10,080 --> 00:37:13,960 So how did you trim your diet? What did you do, or not do? 755 00:37:13,960 --> 00:37:16,720 I've just tried to eat smaller portions, 756 00:37:16,720 --> 00:37:19,680 to pick healthier foods, eat more vegetables. 757 00:37:19,680 --> 00:37:23,560 I had lost enough weight that the doctor was pleasantly surprised. 758 00:37:23,560 --> 00:37:26,560 After a year, he was quite shocked and I had to remind him 759 00:37:26,560 --> 00:37:28,440 that he had asked me to do it and he said, 760 00:37:28,440 --> 00:37:31,160 "Well, yes, but I don't expect people to do what I say." 761 00:37:31,160 --> 00:37:34,720 Well, I have done and my health has been a lot better as a result. 762 00:37:36,960 --> 00:37:40,880 For Robin, being told he had type 2 diabetes was a real wake-up call 763 00:37:40,880 --> 00:37:43,760 to change his lifestyle and while you might think 764 00:37:43,760 --> 00:37:46,560 that by then it would be too late to make a difference, 765 00:37:46,560 --> 00:37:49,120 in fact, there is new evidence that in some cases, 766 00:37:49,120 --> 00:37:50,400 if you put the effort in, 767 00:37:50,400 --> 00:37:52,680 the condition could possibly be reversed. 768 00:37:52,680 --> 00:37:56,400 There is a piece of research led by Newcastle University 769 00:37:56,400 --> 00:37:59,600 to look at the effects of a very low-calorie diet 770 00:37:59,600 --> 00:38:03,160 and results are promising to show that this very low-calorie diet 771 00:38:03,160 --> 00:38:06,800 has put type 2 diabetes in remission, so watch this space. 772 00:38:06,800 --> 00:38:10,160 Now, I didn't follow such an extreme low-calorie diet, 773 00:38:10,160 --> 00:38:14,440 but both the research pioneered at Newcastle, and the no-carb diet 774 00:38:14,440 --> 00:38:18,040 Dr Abbi put me on, target the same dangerous fat deposits. 775 00:38:18,040 --> 00:38:21,200 So explain to me about losing weight around your middle, 776 00:38:21,200 --> 00:38:22,480 how important that is. 777 00:38:22,480 --> 00:38:26,640 What effect does that weight loss have on the organs in your body? 778 00:38:26,640 --> 00:38:30,280 Unfortunately, many people with fat around their middle 779 00:38:30,280 --> 00:38:32,480 think it's a spare tyre, a cuddly spare tyre, 780 00:38:32,480 --> 00:38:35,000 it's something that maybe is a consequence of old age 781 00:38:35,000 --> 00:38:36,800 and they don't need to worry about it, 782 00:38:36,800 --> 00:38:39,640 but what we do know - being overweight and carrying extra fat, 783 00:38:39,640 --> 00:38:42,160 particularly around your middle, is very dangerous. 784 00:38:42,160 --> 00:38:46,360 It's active fat, it's dangerous fat, it's fat around your organs, 785 00:38:46,360 --> 00:38:48,280 your kidney, your spleen and liver 786 00:38:48,280 --> 00:38:51,440 which is pumping out dangerous chemicals and hormones 787 00:38:51,440 --> 00:38:54,600 which increases your risk of heart disease and cancers 788 00:38:54,600 --> 00:38:58,560 and type 2 diabetes, so it's something people need to reduce. 789 00:38:58,560 --> 00:39:02,160 A very low-calorie diet forces the body to burn fat for energy 790 00:39:02,160 --> 00:39:06,280 and in the process, it removes fat deposits from vital organs, 791 00:39:06,280 --> 00:39:10,400 including the pancreas, allowing it to make insulin more effectively. 792 00:39:10,400 --> 00:39:13,200 Of course, such major weight loss should only be attempted 793 00:39:13,200 --> 00:39:15,160 under medical supervision 794 00:39:15,160 --> 00:39:18,360 and while the test in Newcastle was limited to people 795 00:39:18,360 --> 00:39:21,360 who had type 2 diabetes for less than four years, 796 00:39:21,360 --> 00:39:24,400 its dramatic results are a really positive sign 797 00:39:24,400 --> 00:39:27,120 that with more research, perhaps one day, 798 00:39:27,120 --> 00:39:29,720 the battle against diabetes can be won. 799 00:39:29,720 --> 00:39:32,960 I'm lucky that I didn't go on to develop type 2 diabetes 800 00:39:32,960 --> 00:39:35,920 and I am absolutely determined to keep it that way, 801 00:39:35,920 --> 00:39:38,080 but I have to admit, it's been hard work 802 00:39:38,080 --> 00:39:41,280 and it's meant giving up many of the foods I love. 803 00:39:41,280 --> 00:39:44,760 So as I go back again to see specialist Dr Abbi Lulsegged 804 00:39:44,760 --> 00:39:46,720 in order to check on my progress, 805 00:39:46,720 --> 00:39:50,960 it may be time to confess that I have a snack cupboard. 806 00:39:50,960 --> 00:39:54,400 So can I ask how you've been getting on since we last met? 807 00:39:54,400 --> 00:39:57,280 I find it actually quite difficult sometimes 808 00:39:57,280 --> 00:40:00,320 with that mid-morning snack, so I have to admit, 809 00:40:00,320 --> 00:40:02,880 in the middle of my goodie cupboard for my grandchildren, 810 00:40:02,880 --> 00:40:06,760 I do have Rich Teas, so I do resort to that, so is that bad? 811 00:40:06,760 --> 00:40:09,960 It's the odd episode, I would imagine, once in a blue moon? 812 00:40:09,960 --> 00:40:11,880 - Not all the time. - Not all the time. 813 00:40:11,880 --> 00:40:14,360 - I don't think it's going to break the bank. - No. 814 00:40:14,360 --> 00:40:16,640 But you don't particularly approve of that either? 815 00:40:16,640 --> 00:40:18,400 I would feel better if... 816 00:40:20,640 --> 00:40:24,200 ..there was a healthy attitude to it psychologically, 817 00:40:24,200 --> 00:40:26,440 so in other words, it's the odd Rich Tea, 818 00:40:26,440 --> 00:40:28,960 but you're not then reaching for another one 819 00:40:28,960 --> 00:40:31,440 and then another one and then another one. 820 00:40:31,440 --> 00:40:35,000 The majority of those diagnosed with type 2 diabetes 821 00:40:35,000 --> 00:40:38,320 are considered obese, so losing weight is the key 822 00:40:38,320 --> 00:40:40,480 and the way I have done it with Dr Abbi 823 00:40:40,480 --> 00:40:43,400 is by cutting back on all carbs, not just sugar. 824 00:40:43,400 --> 00:40:45,520 I've found, when I cut out the carbohydrates, 825 00:40:45,520 --> 00:40:47,960 I have to say two stones in weight dropped off, two. 826 00:40:47,960 --> 00:40:50,640 Actually, it was almost too much for my frame, 827 00:40:50,640 --> 00:40:54,080 but it was quite revealing that when the carbs were cut out, 828 00:40:54,080 --> 00:40:56,360 - the weight just dropped off. - Yes. 829 00:40:57,720 --> 00:41:00,120 Cutting out all carbs is controversial 830 00:41:00,120 --> 00:41:03,040 and isn't necessarily recommended for diabetics, 831 00:41:03,040 --> 00:41:06,360 but there's no doubt that if you are pre-diabetic, as I was, 832 00:41:06,360 --> 00:41:09,320 reducing your intake is likely to help. 833 00:41:09,320 --> 00:41:10,880 No one-sized diet fits all, 834 00:41:10,880 --> 00:41:13,280 but certainly there is a bulk of evidence, 835 00:41:13,280 --> 00:41:14,760 a huge amount of evidence, 836 00:41:14,760 --> 00:41:17,160 that the best way and the healthy way to do that 837 00:41:17,160 --> 00:41:20,440 is to follow a low saturated fat, low-sugar and low-salt diet, 838 00:41:20,440 --> 00:41:22,960 but if you are obviously following a low-sugar diet, 839 00:41:22,960 --> 00:41:25,240 you are automatically reducing your carb intake, 840 00:41:25,240 --> 00:41:28,800 so an element of carbohydrate restriction is necessary 841 00:41:28,800 --> 00:41:31,200 for many people with type 2 diabetes. 842 00:41:32,640 --> 00:41:35,640 The growth in type 2 diabetes has been described 843 00:41:35,640 --> 00:41:39,520 as an unfolding public-health disaster and in Robin's case, 844 00:41:39,520 --> 00:41:41,560 obesity was a major factor. 845 00:41:41,560 --> 00:41:43,680 Transforming his lifestyle and diet 846 00:41:43,680 --> 00:41:46,000 has already had an incredible effect. 847 00:41:46,000 --> 00:41:49,440 How well are you doing, now that you have lost all the weight? 848 00:41:49,440 --> 00:41:53,000 Pretty good. I still have a little bit of weight around the middle 849 00:41:53,000 --> 00:41:54,480 that I'd like to get rid of, 850 00:41:54,480 --> 00:41:56,480 but, yeah, generally my health is very good 851 00:41:56,480 --> 00:41:59,480 - and my prognosis is very good. - Good. 852 00:41:59,480 --> 00:42:01,760 Certainly, I'm still considered diabetic, 853 00:42:01,760 --> 00:42:04,680 but most of the time, my control is good enough 854 00:42:04,680 --> 00:42:06,960 that my body behaves very normally, 855 00:42:06,960 --> 00:42:09,320 so I just have to keep up with the exercise 856 00:42:09,320 --> 00:42:12,160 and a very careful diet and I should stay that way, hopefully. 857 00:42:12,160 --> 00:42:15,240 Are you encouraged by the fact that there seems to be 858 00:42:15,240 --> 00:42:18,840 a new way of thinking that diabetes can be reversed by diet? 859 00:42:18,840 --> 00:42:20,920 Yes, I think that's very encouraging. 860 00:42:20,920 --> 00:42:23,920 I don't think it's necessarily going to be a cure for everyone, 861 00:42:23,920 --> 00:42:28,760 but it should give everyone with diabetes or pre-diabetes confidence 862 00:42:28,760 --> 00:42:32,720 that if they change their life, their health is going to get better. 863 00:42:32,720 --> 00:42:36,080 That's a message a new NHS campaign hopes to address, 864 00:42:36,080 --> 00:42:40,160 raising awareness of pre-diabetes while there's still time to stop it. 865 00:42:40,160 --> 00:42:43,240 Although my own risk of developing diabetes has now dropped, 866 00:42:43,240 --> 00:42:45,200 it's still slightly higher than average, 867 00:42:45,200 --> 00:42:48,560 so the changes I've made to my diet are for good. 868 00:42:48,560 --> 00:42:51,920 To this very day, of course, when I look at the counter and I see 869 00:42:51,920 --> 00:42:56,160 all that gorgeous Victoria sponge and the coffee cake 870 00:42:56,160 --> 00:42:58,560 and the chocolate cake that my mum would have made, 871 00:42:58,560 --> 00:43:02,640 I have to admit I do yearn for a really big slice of that. 872 00:43:02,640 --> 00:43:06,240 I still wouldn't dream, actually, of having a big slice of cake. 873 00:43:06,240 --> 00:43:08,640 I've trained my mind now not to have that. 874 00:43:08,640 --> 00:43:11,440 If it was for vanity reasons and just losing weight, 875 00:43:11,440 --> 00:43:14,800 I'd be weak as water, but I think when it's for medical reasons, 876 00:43:14,800 --> 00:43:17,600 you can train your mind to do pretty well anything. 877 00:43:21,320 --> 00:43:23,800 Are you worried that you or someone you know 878 00:43:23,800 --> 00:43:26,560 might be at risk of developing type 2 diabetes? 879 00:43:26,560 --> 00:43:28,000 Visit... 880 00:43:29,920 --> 00:43:33,280 ..to check out your risk and then start to make positive changes 881 00:43:33,280 --> 00:43:37,080 to your diet with a whole host of easy and very healthy recipes. 882 00:43:41,520 --> 00:43:44,200 One of the things I really want people to get out of this series 883 00:43:44,200 --> 00:43:47,400 is not just a better understanding of the truth behind those headlines, 884 00:43:47,400 --> 00:43:50,240 but also a bit of reassurance about what we are actually eating 885 00:43:50,240 --> 00:43:52,800 so we can relax and enjoy it without constantly panicking 886 00:43:52,800 --> 00:43:54,560 whether we should be having it or not. 887 00:43:54,560 --> 00:43:57,680 Now, whether you are confused about your five a day, 888 00:43:57,680 --> 00:43:59,640 not sure about how much you should be eating, 889 00:43:59,640 --> 00:44:02,600 or just wanting to make sure that your diet and lifestyle 890 00:44:02,600 --> 00:44:05,200 is not setting you on track to develop diabetes, 891 00:44:05,200 --> 00:44:08,360 we really hope that you picked up some advice that will help you 892 00:44:08,360 --> 00:44:10,960 find the right balance between eating healthily 893 00:44:10,960 --> 00:44:12,360 and, of course, happily. 894 00:44:12,360 --> 00:44:15,440 There's more on the topics in today's programme at... 895 00:44:17,680 --> 00:44:20,200 ..where you'll also find the iWonder guide to diabetes. 896 00:44:20,200 --> 00:44:22,200 That's where we have to leave it for this time. 897 00:44:22,200 --> 00:44:23,960 Thank you very much indeed for watching 898 00:44:23,960 --> 00:44:27,200 - and we'll see you next time, so from us, bye-bye. - Goodbye.