0:00:02 > 0:00:04Everyday we're bombarded with conflicting information
0:00:04 > 0:00:06about our favourite foods.
0:00:09 > 0:00:12One minute, we're told something is good for us, the next,
0:00:12 > 0:00:16it's not, and we're left feeling guilty about what we're eating.
0:00:20 > 0:00:23So, we've been wading through the confusion to separate
0:00:23 > 0:00:24the scare stories from the truth
0:00:24 > 0:00:27so that you can choose your food with confidence.
0:00:34 > 0:00:37Hello and welcome to the programme that's all about getting past
0:00:37 > 0:00:40the scare stories and the terrifying headlines to find out
0:00:40 > 0:00:42the truth about what we're eating.
0:00:42 > 0:00:44It's easy to worry when you see the front pages
0:00:44 > 0:00:47saying you shouldn't be eating certain foods,
0:00:47 > 0:00:49but while it's definitely the case some of us are eating
0:00:49 > 0:00:51too many of the things that are bad for us
0:00:51 > 0:00:53and not enough of the ones that are good for us,
0:00:53 > 0:00:56that doesn't mean we should panic and stop eating them all together.
0:00:56 > 0:01:00And, of course, sometimes you just need to know how much is too much.
0:01:00 > 0:01:01Certainly, I need to learn that.
0:01:01 > 0:01:04Which is one of the things we'll be getting to the bottom of today.
0:01:04 > 0:01:08And we'll see how that ties into a story that has dominated
0:01:08 > 0:01:09front-page headlines in recent months,
0:01:09 > 0:01:13and, I should add, it had a real effect on my own life.
0:01:13 > 0:01:15Coming up on the programme today:
0:01:15 > 0:01:18Constant headlines about diabetes are daunting,
0:01:18 > 0:01:21but when I was told I was at risk of developing the condition,
0:01:21 > 0:01:24changing what I eat every day stopped it in its tracks
0:01:24 > 0:01:25and the same could work for you.
0:01:25 > 0:01:28The good news is if you get to the healthy weight for your height,
0:01:28 > 0:01:31you can really dramatically reduce your chance of developing
0:01:31 > 0:01:33type 2 diabetes.
0:01:33 > 0:01:35And, how much is too much?
0:01:35 > 0:01:39How we are being misled about portions by the size of our plates.
0:01:39 > 0:01:40See, I go off plate size.
0:01:40 > 0:01:42If I have a big plate, I will eat a big plate.
0:01:47 > 0:01:51First, it's hard to miss the message that we should all eat
0:01:51 > 0:01:54at least five fruit and veg a day, and while many of us do
0:01:54 > 0:01:58at least try and follow that advice, we don't all manage to get there.
0:01:58 > 0:02:00Me included.
0:02:00 > 0:02:03I started working with this stuff around the same time
0:02:03 > 0:02:05they launched the five a day campaign and,
0:02:05 > 0:02:07if I'm brutally honest, I don't always get mine.
0:02:07 > 0:02:11Maybe it's time this greengrocer learnt a bit more about
0:02:11 > 0:02:12his fruit and veg.
0:02:12 > 0:02:17I'm starting, perhaps surprisingly, in the United States of America.
0:02:17 > 0:02:22Land of the French fry, birthplace of the burger, home of the hot dog.
0:02:22 > 0:02:23But it was here, too,
0:02:23 > 0:02:26that one of the most familiar food messages of recent times was born.
0:02:26 > 0:02:30The recommendation that we eat five servings of fruit and veg a day.
0:02:32 > 0:02:37It's healthy to eat five servings of fruit and vegetables a day.
0:02:37 > 0:02:39So, be good to yourself. Ask for it.
0:02:42 > 0:02:44And if it was good enough for our American cousins,
0:02:44 > 0:02:46then it was good enough for us Brits.
0:02:46 > 0:02:49In 2003, we took on five a day, too.
0:02:52 > 0:02:53Dinner is served!
0:02:54 > 0:02:57Visit NHS/5aday for tips on how you and your family
0:02:57 > 0:02:59can eat more fruit and veg.
0:03:01 > 0:03:04But it turns out whilst we can all remember the message,
0:03:04 > 0:03:06we're not so good at hitting the target.
0:03:06 > 0:03:10In fact, on average, we only get about four portions a day each.
0:03:11 > 0:03:13- Do you know much about your five a day?- Er...
0:03:15 > 0:03:17- Yeah, I think I'm quite good with it.- Yeah?- Yeah.
0:03:17 > 0:03:20- I'd love to say yes, but not always.- OK.
0:03:20 > 0:03:24Obviously being a mum of two little ones, getting them to eat
0:03:24 > 0:03:26anything sometimes is a challenge, but we try.
0:03:26 > 0:03:29So, you don't get your five a day, is that right?
0:03:29 > 0:03:32Sometimes I do, but sometimes I can go without...
0:03:32 > 0:03:35- Maybe I just have one piece of fruit all day.- Yes.
0:03:35 > 0:03:38And then if I'm working late I don't really have time.
0:03:38 > 0:03:40Adding to this,
0:03:40 > 0:03:43the five a day message has become blurred by reports and headlines
0:03:43 > 0:03:45suggesting all sorts of food and drinks
0:03:45 > 0:03:48might contribute to that daily target.
0:03:48 > 0:03:51I'm all for people eating more fresh fruit and veg.
0:03:51 > 0:03:54I try and make sure my family get their five a day, too,
0:03:54 > 0:03:58but I still think there is some confusion as to what counts
0:03:58 > 0:03:59and what doesn't.
0:04:02 > 0:04:05So, to put that right, I've enlisted the help of nutritionist
0:04:05 > 0:04:09Charlotte Stirling-Reed for a five a day fact find.
0:04:09 > 0:04:11- So, we're going to go shopping today?- Yes.
0:04:11 > 0:04:14Where better to get stuck in than at a market?
0:04:14 > 0:04:17- This is probably a good place to start, isn't it?- Yes, absolutely.
0:04:17 > 0:04:19Different fruits and vegetables
0:04:19 > 0:04:22contain different amounts of vitamins and minerals.
0:04:22 > 0:04:24But there's one vegetable that doesn't count
0:04:24 > 0:04:26and it catches some of us out.
0:04:27 > 0:04:29Something I think is a little bit unfair
0:04:29 > 0:04:33is the trustee, humble potato not counting as one of your five a day.
0:04:33 > 0:04:34Is that right?
0:04:34 > 0:04:37It doesn't count towards one of your five a day, no.
0:04:37 > 0:04:40It doesn't have quite the same make-up as other fruits and vegetables,
0:04:40 > 0:04:44like different colour carrots or berries or pears and apples.
0:04:44 > 0:04:47So that's why it counts towards your starchy foods
0:04:47 > 0:04:50- and not necessarily one of your five a day.- I think that's a shame.
0:04:50 > 0:04:52I think it should count.
0:04:53 > 0:04:56There is a small and exclusive gang of veg that, like the potato,
0:04:56 > 0:05:00don't contribute to your five a day because they are starchy.
0:05:00 > 0:05:03Yams, cassava and plantain.
0:05:03 > 0:05:05But despite what you might have heard or read
0:05:05 > 0:05:08amongst all the contradictory information out there,
0:05:08 > 0:05:11just about every other fruit and veg do make the grade,
0:05:11 > 0:05:14whether they are fresh, frozen, dried, or even tinned,
0:05:14 > 0:05:16though the last one only counts
0:05:16 > 0:05:19if the fruit isn't swimming in sugary syrup.
0:05:19 > 0:05:21But it's hard to know how much counts as one portion,
0:05:21 > 0:05:25so we asked the Cock & Swine darts team from Manchester
0:05:25 > 0:05:26to see if they could work it out.
0:05:26 > 0:05:29Apple - haven't a clue with an apple.
0:05:29 > 0:05:31I'd say one apple.
0:05:31 > 0:05:32I reckon two.
0:05:32 > 0:05:35- Two tomatoes? - I reckon.- Two of them, yeah?
0:05:35 > 0:05:38- Half a potato.- It depends if you have a bag of chips.
0:05:40 > 0:05:44Keep up, lads - potatoes don't count, however they are cooked.
0:05:44 > 0:05:46They were right with the others, though,
0:05:46 > 0:05:50so let's see what they make of some foods I'm never quite sure about.
0:05:50 > 0:05:52Probably half a bottle of tomato sauce.
0:05:52 > 0:05:53Do you know what? I don't think so.
0:05:53 > 0:05:57I bet you there is more tomato in there than you'd give it credit for,
0:05:57 > 0:05:58so I reckon a good dollop.
0:05:58 > 0:06:01Sorry, lads - ketchup doesn't count either.
0:06:01 > 0:06:04Salad on your sandwich wouldn't. There's not enough of it.
0:06:04 > 0:06:07- I don't think there's enough of it, no.- Spot on.
0:06:07 > 0:06:10It is short of the amount of salad you'd need for it to count.
0:06:10 > 0:06:11How about the drink so many of us
0:06:11 > 0:06:13would love to be one of your five a day?
0:06:13 > 0:06:15Well, it is made from grapes.
0:06:16 > 0:06:20One glass of red wine with your meal.
0:06:20 > 0:06:21If only, sorry -
0:06:21 > 0:06:25no alcoholic drink at all counts towards your five a day.
0:06:26 > 0:06:29The darts team is close to defeat, but can they claw back a victory
0:06:29 > 0:06:33by guessing how many sprouts make up one of your five a day?
0:06:33 > 0:06:35Sprouts?
0:06:35 > 0:06:36Apart from them being horrible,
0:06:36 > 0:06:38probably about eight or nine, probably.
0:06:38 > 0:06:41- I don't know.- I'd go less than that.- Less than that?- Yeah.
0:06:41 > 0:06:44Probably about five of them will do one of your five a day.
0:06:44 > 0:06:46Well, there is a simple way to work it out,
0:06:46 > 0:06:48which applies to all fruit and veg.
0:06:48 > 0:06:51If it fills the palm of your hand, it's one of your five a day.
0:06:51 > 0:06:54That's a serving of roughly 80g.
0:06:54 > 0:06:58For the sprout haters in the pub, that's quite a lot of Brussels.
0:06:58 > 0:06:59Wow!
0:06:59 > 0:07:03Wow. I'm in the spare bedroom after three.
0:07:03 > 0:07:06LAUGHTER
0:07:06 > 0:07:08If the portion size is more than you were expecting,
0:07:08 > 0:07:10it probably explains why so few of us
0:07:10 > 0:07:13are hitting that five a day target
0:07:13 > 0:07:15but kids like my little boy, who is three,
0:07:15 > 0:07:19won't eat as much as adults, so for them, the same rule applies -
0:07:19 > 0:07:21if it fills the palm of their hand,
0:07:21 > 0:07:23it counts towards one of their five a day.
0:07:24 > 0:07:27- A large banana for a child is far too much.- Yeah.
0:07:27 > 0:07:31It's a palm-sized portion and a large banana for you might be fine,
0:07:31 > 0:07:34a small banana for me might be absolutely appropriate,
0:07:34 > 0:07:37then a small banana, or a part of a banana, for a young child.
0:07:37 > 0:07:39So that's what makes up one of your five a day,
0:07:39 > 0:07:42but there is no short cut to get five.
0:07:42 > 0:07:46You can't just eat more of the same thing. That doesn't count.
0:07:46 > 0:07:48Instead, it's variety that is the key.
0:07:49 > 0:07:52And for the best mix of all, go for a range of colours.
0:07:52 > 0:07:55The more naturally colourful your fruit and veg,
0:07:55 > 0:07:59the more likely it is to be packed with cancer-fighting nutrients.
0:07:59 > 0:08:00I love this rainbow chard.
0:08:00 > 0:08:03This is a personal favourite of mine
0:08:03 > 0:08:05and this is fantastic for many reasons.
0:08:05 > 0:08:07- Obviously, it's a good, leafy green.- Yep.
0:08:07 > 0:08:10But it's also bright and colourful and that's what we're being told -
0:08:10 > 0:08:14we're told to eat more variety and lots of different colours.
0:08:14 > 0:08:16Yep, absolutely - a rainbow of colours,
0:08:16 > 0:08:19different fruits and vegetables every day.
0:08:20 > 0:08:24Something lots of people wonder about is whether juice counts.
0:08:24 > 0:08:25We get through a lot of it in our house,
0:08:25 > 0:08:27both on its own and in smoothies,
0:08:27 > 0:08:30but I have a sneaking suspicion downing an extra glass
0:08:30 > 0:08:32won't get you to that magic five any quicker.
0:08:34 > 0:08:37Currently, we recommend about 150ml of juice can count towards
0:08:37 > 0:08:39one of your five a day portions,
0:08:39 > 0:08:42but, actually, no more than that and there is a reason for that.
0:08:42 > 0:08:44It's because when we're blending fruit,
0:08:44 > 0:08:47what happens is the sugar becomes much more readily available,
0:08:47 > 0:08:49which can have an impact on the teeth
0:08:49 > 0:08:52and at the same time as well, you lose a lot of the fibre.
0:08:52 > 0:08:54But smoothies are slightly different, aren't they?
0:08:54 > 0:08:56Yes, in terms of smoothies,
0:08:56 > 0:08:58what we would normally say is because, actually,
0:08:58 > 0:08:59you tend to get a lot more of the pulp,
0:08:59 > 0:09:03you get a lot more of the fibre in a smoothie as well as the juice,
0:09:03 > 0:09:05so, really, we say that smoothies count
0:09:05 > 0:09:07towards about two of your five a day.
0:09:07 > 0:09:09I must admit, this is something that I do.
0:09:09 > 0:09:12I've got a little three-year-old, so we call it a super juice
0:09:12 > 0:09:14and in the morning, he'll have a juice
0:09:14 > 0:09:16and I know he's had at least two portions
0:09:16 > 0:09:18of his five a day and he loves it.
0:09:19 > 0:09:21Now, the five a day message
0:09:21 > 0:09:23is a simple way to get us all to think about
0:09:23 > 0:09:25how much fruit and veg we eat,
0:09:25 > 0:09:28but the advice isn't the same the world over.
0:09:28 > 0:09:29Like us and the Americans,
0:09:29 > 0:09:33the French are advised to eat at least five fruit and veg a day,
0:09:33 > 0:09:34but in Denmark, it's six
0:09:34 > 0:09:37and the Australian government recommend seven a day,
0:09:37 > 0:09:40specifying five veg and two fruit.
0:09:40 > 0:09:43In Greece, it's eight, but topping all of those is Canada,
0:09:43 > 0:09:46where it's recommended you have up to ten portions
0:09:46 > 0:09:48of fruit and veg a day.
0:09:48 > 0:09:50Garlic, parsley, mint.
0:09:50 > 0:09:51- Wow.- I'm nearly done, no?
0:09:53 > 0:09:56I think the portions might be a bit small, but looking good.
0:09:59 > 0:10:00Visiting a market like this,
0:10:00 > 0:10:02as I am lucky enough to do in my work a lot,
0:10:02 > 0:10:06reminds me what an incredible variety of fruit and veg there is
0:10:06 > 0:10:09and it makes me want to eat more than my five a day.
0:10:09 > 0:10:12I am biased, but it is such a beautiful product range
0:10:12 > 0:10:15and it is so versatile and there's so much you can do with it.
0:10:15 > 0:10:19- Getting your five a day should be a pleasure, not a chore.- Absolutely.
0:10:19 > 0:10:22Don't worry about the mechanics behind it,
0:10:22 > 0:10:24don't worry about how much, or when or where -
0:10:24 > 0:10:28just eat more fruits and vegetables is the simple answer.
0:10:32 > 0:10:34Look through the papers on just about any day
0:10:34 > 0:10:38and chances are that you'll find a story that talks about diabetes.
0:10:38 > 0:10:40There's been such a dramatic rise in cases
0:10:40 > 0:10:42that they are now calling it an epidemic,
0:10:42 > 0:10:46with the increase typically linked to the fact that so many more people
0:10:46 > 0:10:50are classified as obese these days. Chris, look at this - a bit scary.
0:10:50 > 0:10:52"A record four million people suffer from diabetes
0:10:52 > 0:10:54"as obesity levels soar."
0:10:54 > 0:10:56And look, there's one here -
0:10:56 > 0:11:00"Soaring diabetes to bankrupt the NHS - cases up 60%."
0:11:00 > 0:11:02What happened in my case was that they discovered
0:11:02 > 0:11:06that I had a very high blood sugar spike, so once you have that,
0:11:06 > 0:11:08your GP is down on you like a tonne of bricks, so really,
0:11:08 > 0:11:12I changed my diet enormously under guidance, under medical guidance,
0:11:12 > 0:11:14and I certainly gave up a lot of sugar,
0:11:14 > 0:11:18but I can't help but wonder, if I'd eaten differently growing up,
0:11:18 > 0:11:22cos my mum baked a lot, that things might have been very different,
0:11:22 > 0:11:24so I wanted to find out just how I could have become
0:11:24 > 0:11:26so close to being diabetic.
0:11:29 > 0:11:32We've sleepwalked into what is a crisis.
0:11:32 > 0:11:36It is spiralling out of control, it is extremely worrying.
0:11:36 > 0:11:40By 2025, it's predicted that five million people in the UK
0:11:40 > 0:11:43are likely to have diabetes.
0:11:43 > 0:11:46An increase of 60% over the past ten years.
0:11:46 > 0:11:48Most of them will have it
0:11:48 > 0:11:49because of their lifestyles
0:11:49 > 0:11:51and in particular, what they eat.
0:11:51 > 0:11:55I'm constantly concerned about children, my children,
0:11:55 > 0:11:57how much sugar they are taking on board,
0:11:57 > 0:11:59whether or not their bodies can handle it.
0:11:59 > 0:12:01Diabetes is definitely something I worry about,
0:12:01 > 0:12:05because my grandmother has got it, so I always keep an eye on it.
0:12:05 > 0:12:08I already had it for three years, even before I found out.
0:12:08 > 0:12:10I was pretty shocked, but as a fit guy in my 30s,
0:12:10 > 0:12:12I thought, "You're indestructible,"
0:12:12 > 0:12:15but all of a sudden you're falling asleep most of the day,
0:12:15 > 0:12:19you're feeling tired all the time and that's the diabetes.
0:12:19 > 0:12:21But while the risk is real,
0:12:21 > 0:12:23more positive headlines have started appearing,
0:12:23 > 0:12:25suggesting that there is a glimmer of hope
0:12:25 > 0:12:29and even that choosing the right foods could reverse the condition.
0:12:29 > 0:12:33Currently, more than four million people are thought to have diabetes,
0:12:33 > 0:12:35and there are two types - one that you are born with,
0:12:35 > 0:12:39but the other you can develop at any time, as I very nearly did.
0:12:39 > 0:12:40I'd had a routine blood test,
0:12:40 > 0:12:43because I have an underactive thyroid,
0:12:43 > 0:12:46and I rang my doctor to say, "How did those tests work out?"
0:12:46 > 0:12:48He went, "I don't know what you've been doing,
0:12:48 > 0:12:51"but nearly all your blood tests are out."
0:12:51 > 0:12:53After further investigation, he told me
0:12:53 > 0:12:58that I was what is sometimes referred to as "pre-diabetic".
0:12:58 > 0:13:01Now, that means I was at risk of developing type 2 diabetes,
0:13:01 > 0:13:05because my blood sugar levels at that point were abnormally high.
0:13:05 > 0:13:09He said, "Your liver function is out, your kidney function is out.
0:13:09 > 0:13:12"It might be to do with what you are eating."
0:13:12 > 0:13:14It was a total bolt out of the blue.
0:13:14 > 0:13:17Type 2 diabetes already affects one in 17 people in Britain
0:13:17 > 0:13:19and I didn't want to be the next.
0:13:19 > 0:13:22I started looking back at what I had eaten over the years
0:13:22 > 0:13:26to see how I could have got myself into this worrying situation.
0:13:26 > 0:13:30I grew up in Northern Ireland and we didn't have very much money,
0:13:30 > 0:13:34but the one thing we always had was an abundance of food
0:13:34 > 0:13:37and it meant, because my mum was at home every day,
0:13:37 > 0:13:39we never were allowed to go to school in the morning
0:13:39 > 0:13:41without a cooked breakfast.
0:13:41 > 0:13:44Then we'd ride our bikes home for a full cooked lunch as well
0:13:44 > 0:13:46and after that, it was just a few more hours
0:13:46 > 0:13:48until we were eating again.
0:13:48 > 0:13:49You had to have something in the afternoon
0:13:49 > 0:13:51when you came back from school
0:13:51 > 0:13:53and then dinner would have been dinner, whatever it was.
0:13:53 > 0:13:55Nearly always meat, fish, two veg.
0:13:55 > 0:13:59Always potatoes, then you had to have supper before you went to bed,
0:13:59 > 0:14:03so sandwiches or a bit of her teacake or something like that.
0:14:03 > 0:14:05You had a lot of food in one day and I look back
0:14:05 > 0:14:09and I think my parents were fabulous and I had a very happy childhood
0:14:09 > 0:14:11and I think that happiness in childhood
0:14:11 > 0:14:14partly revolves around food and the goodness
0:14:14 > 0:14:16and the good feeling that that gives you.
0:14:18 > 0:14:21Food was always so central to our family life,
0:14:21 > 0:14:23as indeed it still is today.
0:14:23 > 0:14:26There's one corner of my kitchen that the rest of my family loves,
0:14:26 > 0:14:29but for me, it's now out of bounds.
0:14:29 > 0:14:33My grandchildren used to call me Nana, but now I'm a "Glo", OK?
0:14:33 > 0:14:35They go, "Glo, what have you got in your goodie cupboard?"
0:14:35 > 0:14:38Well, this is my goodie cupboard
0:14:38 > 0:14:40and every time they come in through the door, they go,
0:14:40 > 0:14:42"Glo, we have to go to the goodie cupboard,"
0:14:42 > 0:14:45and as I only have them for a day or two at a time,
0:14:45 > 0:14:46I don't feel too guilty.
0:14:47 > 0:14:49And knowing what I know now,
0:14:49 > 0:14:52it's easy to see how the foods I used to eat could have increased
0:14:52 > 0:14:55the amount of fat in my body and caused me to gain
0:14:55 > 0:14:57just that bit of extra weight,
0:14:57 > 0:14:58a key factor, of course,
0:14:58 > 0:15:01that raises your risk of developing type 2 diabetes.
0:15:02 > 0:15:06My sister Lena had developed type 2 in her 60s.
0:15:06 > 0:15:09I later found out that if you are related to someone with diabetes,
0:15:09 > 0:15:12you've got a greater chance of developing it too.
0:15:12 > 0:15:15As Natasha Marsland from Diabetes UK explained,
0:15:15 > 0:15:17I was just one of the many people
0:15:17 > 0:15:20who don't realise that they are at risk.
0:15:20 > 0:15:23- How big is the problem in this country?- It's a huge problem.
0:15:23 > 0:15:26Diabetes is the leading cause of blindness
0:15:26 > 0:15:27in the working-age population.
0:15:27 > 0:15:31It causes strokes, heart attacks, amputations and unfortunately,
0:15:31 > 0:15:34and I certainly saw this in the NHS when I worked as a dietician,
0:15:34 > 0:15:37people have been diagnosed too late,
0:15:37 > 0:15:40so they are having their heart attack before their type 2 diabetes
0:15:40 > 0:15:41is being picked up and we know,
0:15:41 > 0:15:43had it been picked up ten years earlier,
0:15:43 > 0:15:46they could have got their blood glucose levels under control,
0:15:46 > 0:15:49got the right care and treatment and support and done something about it.
0:15:49 > 0:15:51That is pretty frightening, isn't it?
0:15:51 > 0:15:53It is frightening, because those people don't know it,
0:15:53 > 0:15:56so they're not getting the right care and support and treatment.
0:15:56 > 0:16:00It's estimated there are around half a million undiagnosed cases
0:16:00 > 0:16:02of type 2 diabetes in the UK.
0:16:02 > 0:16:05That's a big worry, as early diagnosis is vital
0:16:05 > 0:16:07in being able to properly manage the condition
0:16:07 > 0:16:10and many people don't realise they are at risk.
0:16:10 > 0:16:13How would you pick it up on a regular basis?
0:16:13 > 0:16:15Is it by going to your GP for a test or what?
0:16:15 > 0:16:18We do know there are risk factors that you can't do anything about.
0:16:18 > 0:16:20For example, your age -
0:16:20 > 0:16:24if you are over the age of 40 if you're white, for example,
0:16:24 > 0:16:26or over the age of 25 if you're South Asian,
0:16:26 > 0:16:27that increases your risk.
0:16:27 > 0:16:32If you have got a family member with diabetes, that increases your risk.
0:16:32 > 0:16:35Having high blood pressure increases your risk as well.
0:16:35 > 0:16:38There is two main factors - being overweight
0:16:38 > 0:16:40and having a sedentary lifestyle
0:16:40 > 0:16:42and also carrying the fat around your middle
0:16:42 > 0:16:44that you can do something about.
0:16:44 > 0:16:46I hadn't realised I was a prime candidate
0:16:46 > 0:16:48for developing type 2 diabetes,
0:16:48 > 0:16:51so I was very lucky that a routine blood test
0:16:51 > 0:16:54had spotted abnormalities in my blood sugar levels,
0:16:54 > 0:16:57but others might not be quite as lucky as I was,
0:16:57 > 0:17:00so to help anyone who is at risk of becoming diabetic,
0:17:00 > 0:17:03before they develop the full-blown condition,
0:17:03 > 0:17:06the NHS and Diabetes UK are focusing on a campaign
0:17:06 > 0:17:10to raise awareness of exactly what being pre-diabetic means.
0:17:10 > 0:17:12Pilot schemes across the country
0:17:12 > 0:17:13will encourage people to take action,
0:17:13 > 0:17:15because as I discovered,
0:17:15 > 0:17:19changing what you eat can stop type 2 diabetes developing.
0:17:19 > 0:17:21The good news is, if you lose the weight,
0:17:21 > 0:17:23get to the healthy weight for your height,
0:17:23 > 0:17:26you can dramatically, really dramatically, reduce
0:17:26 > 0:17:28your chance of developing type 2 diabetes.
0:17:28 > 0:17:30When I was first diagnosed by my GP,
0:17:30 > 0:17:34he told me to cut things out like fats and sugar from my diet.
0:17:34 > 0:17:36Gone were the cakes I loved
0:17:36 > 0:17:38and all those chocolate biscuits and the sweets
0:17:38 > 0:17:41and I'm afraid there was worse to come.
0:17:41 > 0:17:44As I tried to make sense of all the information about diabetes,
0:17:44 > 0:17:46I was determined to stop my pre-diabetes
0:17:46 > 0:17:49developing into the full-blown condition,
0:17:49 > 0:17:52so I met a specialist called Dr Abbi Lulsegged and he wanted me
0:17:52 > 0:17:56to change my eating habits even more and cut out carbs as well.
0:17:56 > 0:18:00It's not just sugars that affect diabetics, but carbohydrates
0:18:00 > 0:18:02and the reason for that is because, ultimately,
0:18:02 > 0:18:05those carbs will be broken down into simple sugars
0:18:05 > 0:18:07and that's what stresses the pancreas,
0:18:07 > 0:18:09the cells that make insulin.
0:18:10 > 0:18:13So bread, potatoes and pasta were also added
0:18:13 > 0:18:15to my list of no-go foods.
0:18:15 > 0:18:18According to Dr Abbi, they were part of the problem as well.
0:18:18 > 0:18:22Many people, of course, never consider themselves overweight,
0:18:22 > 0:18:26but one of the biggest risk factors in type 2 diabetes is excess weight
0:18:26 > 0:18:30around the middle and, like a lot of people, I have experienced that.
0:18:30 > 0:18:33When you ask which of the food groups will contribute
0:18:33 > 0:18:35to that weight around the middle,
0:18:35 > 0:18:38there is no food group better at doing that than carbohydrates.
0:18:38 > 0:18:41The body is very efficient at storing excess carbs,
0:18:41 > 0:18:42it's not going to get rid of it
0:18:42 > 0:18:45and that storage system goes directly into fat,
0:18:45 > 0:18:50but it's also the bad fat, the fat around the abdominal organs.
0:18:50 > 0:18:54There are conflicting opinions about whether cutting back on carbs
0:18:54 > 0:18:57really is the best approach to either tackling pre-diabetes
0:18:57 > 0:19:00or trying to combat the full-blown condition,
0:19:00 > 0:19:02but as far as Dr Abbi was concerned,
0:19:02 > 0:19:04there was too much in my diet that wasn't good
0:19:04 > 0:19:07and they all had carbs in common.
0:19:07 > 0:19:11If we look at this thick slice of white bread here,
0:19:11 > 0:19:15it has approximately 19g of carbohydrates.
0:19:15 > 0:19:16For some people who have diabetes
0:19:16 > 0:19:19who need to lose weight around the middle,
0:19:19 > 0:19:22they need to restrict their carbohydrate content
0:19:22 > 0:19:24to less than 20g total in one day.
0:19:24 > 0:19:27That's the equivalent of one thick slice of white bread.
0:19:27 > 0:19:30- Wow, so no bread?- No bread.
0:19:30 > 0:19:33And, of course, for an Irishwoman to have to give up potatoes...
0:19:33 > 0:19:36- Not good.- Yes, I know.
0:19:36 > 0:19:38I had to sacrifice so many foods I love
0:19:38 > 0:19:40and, believe me, it was a sacrifice,
0:19:40 > 0:19:42but I was concerned about my health
0:19:42 > 0:19:44and I was determined to give it a go.
0:19:44 > 0:19:46I didn't want to start taking tablets,
0:19:46 > 0:19:49so I trained my mind to get rid of that sweet yearning
0:19:49 > 0:19:52that my mother really had given me almost from birth.
0:19:52 > 0:19:56But, of course, there are times when I find it very difficult to resist.
0:19:56 > 0:20:00I'm trying to reverse a lifetime of food habits and it's not easy,
0:20:00 > 0:20:04but my blood sugar levels are now back to normal, I'm glad to say,
0:20:04 > 0:20:06and I've been advised that if I stick to the way
0:20:06 > 0:20:09I'm eating these days, I should be fine.
0:20:09 > 0:20:12The difference changing my diet has made was huge
0:20:12 > 0:20:14and that could even be the case
0:20:14 > 0:20:17if you do go on to develop type 2 diabetes,
0:20:17 > 0:20:19because, as we'll see later in the programme,
0:20:19 > 0:20:22in some cases it seems changing what you eat
0:20:22 > 0:20:24might even make the condition reverse altogether.
0:20:27 > 0:20:31Still to come, the truth about how much you should put on your plate
0:20:31 > 0:20:33and why we are getting our portion sizes all wrong.
0:20:33 > 0:20:37Right, ladies, what are we going to have for lunch today?
0:20:37 > 0:20:40- I don't want too much.- You never do. - I just can't eat too many things.
0:20:46 > 0:20:48The food we eat has amazing powers
0:20:48 > 0:20:52and can help our bodies conquer all sorts of common conditions.
0:20:54 > 0:20:58GP Dr Rangan Chatterjee sees patients every day
0:20:58 > 0:21:00whose problems could be helped, or even solved,
0:21:00 > 0:21:02by changing what they eat,
0:21:02 > 0:21:06so we asked him to share some of his secrets.
0:21:06 > 0:21:09Today I'm going to investigate some common problems that people have
0:21:09 > 0:21:12with their bones and look at what foods can help.
0:21:13 > 0:21:17The adult human skeleton is made up of 206 bones,
0:21:17 > 0:21:20more than half of which are found in the hands and feet.
0:21:20 > 0:21:22As our skeleton supports our entire body,
0:21:22 > 0:21:26it's not surprising that we actually need strong, healthy bones.
0:21:26 > 0:21:29Unfortunately, not everybody has them.
0:21:29 > 0:21:32About three million people in the UK have osteoporosis,
0:21:32 > 0:21:36characterised by fragile bones, prone to breaking quite easily.
0:21:38 > 0:21:41Over 300,000 people are hospitalised every year
0:21:41 > 0:21:45due to fragility fractures caused by osteoporosis.
0:21:45 > 0:21:47Most people don't even know that they have got osteoporosis
0:21:47 > 0:21:50and, actually, their fracture is the first indication
0:21:50 > 0:21:52that there's something wrong.
0:21:52 > 0:21:56One of the most vital ingredients in the prevention of osteoporosis,
0:21:56 > 0:21:58regardless of age, is calcium.
0:21:58 > 0:22:00Most obviously found in dairy produce,
0:22:00 > 0:22:03it's often taken in supplement form as well.
0:22:03 > 0:22:04You may have seen press reports
0:22:04 > 0:22:06linking these supplements to heart attacks,
0:22:06 > 0:22:09but it seems that the risk is more pronounced
0:22:09 > 0:22:11in women who take more than double
0:22:11 > 0:22:12the recommended daily amount.
0:22:12 > 0:22:15In any case, you don't need supplements
0:22:15 > 0:22:17to get your 700 milligrams of daily calcium -
0:22:17 > 0:22:21just three glasses of milk or about 90g of cheese will do that for you
0:22:21 > 0:22:24and there are many more perhaps surprising ways
0:22:24 > 0:22:26to boost your intake as well.
0:22:26 > 0:22:28It's not only milk where we get our calcium from.
0:22:28 > 0:22:30There are other foods that are full of calcium -
0:22:30 > 0:22:34kale, spinach, or things like sardines.
0:22:34 > 0:22:38Other foods that are rich in calcium are tuna, mackerel,
0:22:38 > 0:22:39nuts, dates and pulses...
0:22:41 > 0:22:44..all of which have become familiar to Jill from Exeter.
0:22:44 > 0:22:46She was diagnosed with osteoporosis five years ago
0:22:46 > 0:22:48and has transformed her diet,
0:22:48 > 0:22:52adding plenty of calcium-rich green, leafy vegetables.
0:22:52 > 0:22:56I steam my vegetables in order to maintain the minerals
0:22:56 > 0:22:59and vitamins in them and I make sure
0:22:59 > 0:23:00that I have my five portions
0:23:00 > 0:23:03of fruit and vegetables every day.
0:23:03 > 0:23:06I'm finding that all the efforts that I'm making
0:23:06 > 0:23:12are having an effect, because my recent tests with my consultant
0:23:12 > 0:23:16showed that the process of bone loss is slowing down,
0:23:16 > 0:23:20I'm not deteriorating at the rate expected,
0:23:20 > 0:23:23so I'm hoping that I'll stay healthy for as long as possible.
0:23:26 > 0:23:29But osteoporosis isn't the only common bone complaint
0:23:29 > 0:23:31that can be helped by diet.
0:23:31 > 0:23:34Osteoarthritis is the most common form of arthritis
0:23:34 > 0:23:38and is generally known as the "wear and tear" arthritis.
0:23:38 > 0:23:42The condition causes pain, swelling and stiffness in the joints
0:23:42 > 0:23:45and if it isn't treated, it's likely to get worse over time.
0:23:45 > 0:23:49But the right foods can slow down this process.
0:23:49 > 0:23:52Eating lots of leeks, garlic or onions
0:23:52 > 0:23:55is said to ward off osteoarthritis,
0:23:55 > 0:23:59as indeed is the diet which is often called the world's healthiest.
0:23:59 > 0:24:02A Mediterranean-style diet, including things such as olives,
0:24:02 > 0:24:05olive oil, fatty fish and avocados
0:24:05 > 0:24:09can absolutely help with your symptoms alongside your medication.
0:24:09 > 0:24:11These foods are all rich in omega-3,
0:24:11 > 0:24:14believed to have inflammation-busting benefits
0:24:14 > 0:24:17that can alleviate swollen arthritic joints.
0:24:17 > 0:24:21Other inflammation-fighting foods are said to be green tea,
0:24:21 > 0:24:24soy beans and I bet you've not heard of this one -
0:24:24 > 0:24:26a spice that's been commonly used in India
0:24:26 > 0:24:30and China for over 2,000 years.
0:24:30 > 0:24:34There is growing research suggesting that the Indian spice turmeric -
0:24:34 > 0:24:36it's that yellow spice that you find in curries -
0:24:36 > 0:24:40can often be very helpful for arthritis sufferers.
0:24:40 > 0:24:42As well as cooking with turmeric,
0:24:42 > 0:24:45some people recommend adding a tablespoon to a glass of warm milk
0:24:45 > 0:24:47and even mixing it with mustard oil
0:24:47 > 0:24:50and massaging it all over the affected area.
0:24:50 > 0:24:52But there is also a whole host of foods
0:24:52 > 0:24:55osteoarthritis and osteoporosis sufferers should avoid,
0:24:55 > 0:24:58because they can aggravate symptoms,
0:24:58 > 0:25:03mainly sugars, saturated fats and salt, plus a big no-no is alcohol,
0:25:03 > 0:25:06which can deplete the calcium levels in the body.
0:25:09 > 0:25:12As with most things, prevention is better than cure,
0:25:12 > 0:25:14so the foods we choose can be key
0:25:14 > 0:25:17to keeping our bones healthy enough to last a lifetime.
0:25:23 > 0:25:27Now, the nation's ever-expanding waistlines are often blamed
0:25:27 > 0:25:29in news reports on the fact that we eat more now
0:25:29 > 0:25:32than we've ever done before and while that's partly down
0:25:32 > 0:25:33to what we eat between meals,
0:25:33 > 0:25:36it's the meals themselves that are the real culprits,
0:25:36 > 0:25:38because when it comes to dishing up dinner,
0:25:38 > 0:25:40lots of us have eyes much bigger than our bellies,
0:25:40 > 0:25:43but there is another end of the scale too -
0:25:43 > 0:25:44those of us who eat too little,
0:25:44 > 0:25:47something that happens more and more as we get older.
0:25:47 > 0:25:51So how much should we be eating and how much is too much,
0:25:51 > 0:25:52or indeed, too little?
0:25:52 > 0:25:56We've recruited four generations of one family to help us find out.
0:25:59 > 0:26:02Three out of every five people in the UK are overweight,
0:26:02 > 0:26:04but while we eat more than ever before,
0:26:04 > 0:26:07it's often without even realising it,
0:26:07 > 0:26:10because judging the right portion size isn't always easy.
0:26:10 > 0:26:12Putting it onto the plate
0:26:12 > 0:26:15and judging it is sometimes a little difficult.
0:26:15 > 0:26:18I look at a helping on the plate and think, "That's far too much,"
0:26:18 > 0:26:20but I still eat it up.
0:26:20 > 0:26:23I'm just English - I just clear the plate,
0:26:23 > 0:26:25as we politely have done for many, many years.
0:26:27 > 0:26:29But part of the problem - judging portion size -
0:26:29 > 0:26:32is that our plates are getting bigger.
0:26:32 > 0:26:35In the early 1990s, the average dinner plate
0:26:35 > 0:26:40was 25 centimetres across, but now it's grown to 28 centimetres.
0:26:40 > 0:26:42One big-name kitchen company told us
0:26:42 > 0:26:46it's had to start making wall units bigger to fit the modern-sized plate
0:26:46 > 0:26:50and studies suggest that the bigger your plate, the more you will eat.
0:26:50 > 0:26:52Although not everything filling those plates
0:26:52 > 0:26:55is necessarily some people's first choice.
0:26:55 > 0:26:58Dad, why do I have this much veg?
0:26:58 > 0:27:02This is the Kay family from Bolton - mum, Ruth, dad, Peter,
0:27:02 > 0:27:0512-year-old Jensen and seven-year-old JJ
0:27:05 > 0:27:08and they all agree on their approach to portion sizes.
0:27:10 > 0:27:14There's no portion control. We just eat what we want, basically.
0:27:14 > 0:27:19See, I go off plate size. If I have a big plate, I will eat a big plate.
0:27:19 > 0:27:22And the same rule applies for JJ and Jensen.
0:27:22 > 0:27:26I do give the boys quite large-sized portions of food,
0:27:26 > 0:27:30because I don't want them going off eating rubbish.
0:27:30 > 0:27:34I need to know that my boys are fed and my boys are healthy.
0:27:36 > 0:27:38So how much should we have each day?
0:27:38 > 0:27:40Well, in total, across all meals,
0:27:40 > 0:27:43an average adult woman needs just under 2,000 calories
0:27:43 > 0:27:45and a man needs 2,500.
0:27:46 > 0:27:48But it's one thing knowing that
0:27:48 > 0:27:52and quite another to recognise what it looks like.
0:27:52 > 0:27:55First and foremost, I don't think this bowl is big enough.
0:27:55 > 0:27:57- BOYS:- No.- No?
0:27:57 > 0:27:58We asked the Kays to measure out
0:27:58 > 0:28:02a portion of pasta they'd normally serve at dinner time.
0:28:02 > 0:28:04- Right, how much do you eat? - Per person.
0:28:04 > 0:28:07- Is that enough? - BOYS:- No.
0:28:07 > 0:28:10- Yeah? Are we happy as a family? - BOYS:- Yeah.- Yeah?
0:28:10 > 0:28:13- You would happily eat that much? - Yeah.
0:28:13 > 0:28:17So how does that compare to the portion they should be having?
0:28:17 > 0:28:18- ALL:- Oh! Wow.
0:28:20 > 0:28:22- That's nothing.- OK!
0:28:23 > 0:28:27The family served up a lot more than an adult's correct portion,
0:28:27 > 0:28:31which is roughly 80g, or about the size of your fist.
0:28:31 > 0:28:33It might not look like much now, but when it's cooked,
0:28:33 > 0:28:36that 80g portion will almost triple in size.
0:28:37 > 0:28:41If that's for you two, what's it going to be for me and JJ?
0:28:42 > 0:28:45JJ and Jensen should also be eating portions of pasta
0:28:45 > 0:28:49that are about the same size as their fist before it's cooked,
0:28:49 > 0:28:53which again is a lot less than Ruth and Peter would typically give them.
0:28:53 > 0:28:56Nutritionist Yvonne Bishop-Weston says it's a trap
0:28:56 > 0:28:59a lot of parents fall into.
0:28:59 > 0:29:01Children's portion sizes need to be smaller than adults',
0:29:01 > 0:29:04especially in one sitting, and if we look at the stomach sizes,
0:29:04 > 0:29:07this is the stomach size of an average two-to-six-year-old,
0:29:07 > 0:29:10so JJ's stomach might be a little bigger than this,
0:29:10 > 0:29:13but this is the size of an adult's stomach
0:29:13 > 0:29:16so, clearly, portion sizes need to be smaller with children
0:29:16 > 0:29:18than they do with adults.
0:29:19 > 0:29:21But that doesn't mean the kids
0:29:21 > 0:29:23need to eat fewer calories throughout the day.
0:29:23 > 0:29:28In fact, seven-year-old JJ needs about 1,900 calories a day,
0:29:28 > 0:29:30almost the same as his mum.
0:29:30 > 0:29:31And 12-year-old Jensen
0:29:31 > 0:29:36needs about 300 calories a day more, 2,200,
0:29:36 > 0:29:39so to pack in those extra calories despite their smaller stomachs,
0:29:39 > 0:29:42the boys should eat more often than both Ruth and Peter.
0:29:42 > 0:29:47Adding good fats found in foods like avocado, nuts, seeds and hummus
0:29:47 > 0:29:51will give them more healthy calories in each mouthful.
0:29:51 > 0:29:53Your hand is a, well, very handy way to judge
0:29:53 > 0:29:56how much you should serve at each meal.
0:29:56 > 0:29:58As well as a fist-sized portion of dried pasta,
0:29:58 > 0:30:01a portion of meat is about the size of your palm.
0:30:01 > 0:30:05That's the same as one portion of veg.
0:30:05 > 0:30:08A helping of cheese should be about the same of two fingers,
0:30:08 > 0:30:10a portion of rice should be about a handful
0:30:10 > 0:30:14and a portion of bread is the size of your whole hand.
0:30:14 > 0:30:16If you want butter on it,
0:30:16 > 0:30:19the correct amount is roughly the same as your fingertip.
0:30:20 > 0:30:23But all that is hard enough to control at home,
0:30:23 > 0:30:25what about when we are eating out?
0:30:25 > 0:30:28Portion sizes in restaurants can also be ridiculously big.
0:30:28 > 0:30:30We are being given bigger plates,
0:30:30 > 0:30:33we are being given bigger portions and then on top of that,
0:30:33 > 0:30:36if we add dessert, we could be adding as many calories
0:30:36 > 0:30:40in one pudding as we would be having in a main meal at home.
0:30:40 > 0:30:42One American study found that when we eat out,
0:30:42 > 0:30:45we consume an average of 200 calories more
0:30:45 > 0:30:47than we would normally do at home,
0:30:47 > 0:30:48thanks often to starters,
0:30:48 > 0:30:50desserts and other extras.
0:30:50 > 0:30:53Of course, it's fine for most of us to go out, to treat ourselves,
0:30:53 > 0:30:55to have a really indulgent meal,
0:30:55 > 0:30:58but if we do that more and more often, then isn't the likelihood
0:30:58 > 0:31:01that we are going to think that that is a normal portion?
0:31:01 > 0:31:04That's going to translate to our portion size at home
0:31:04 > 0:31:06and put us at risk of being overweight,
0:31:06 > 0:31:11at risk of diabetes, cardiovascular disease and other health conditions.
0:31:11 > 0:31:14- That looks a nice table - let's just go in here.- Yeah.
0:31:14 > 0:31:17Ruth eats out every week with her mum Marjorie
0:31:17 > 0:31:19and her grandmother Edith.
0:31:19 > 0:31:21Right, ladies, what are we going to have for lunch today?
0:31:21 > 0:31:25- I don't want too much.- You never do. - I just can't eat too many things.
0:31:26 > 0:31:29Both Marjorie and Edith find themselves faced with portions
0:31:29 > 0:31:31that are typically a lot bigger than the ones
0:31:31 > 0:31:34they would normally serve themselves.
0:31:34 > 0:31:38Is there a child's menu, Mum? You often do better on the child's menu.
0:31:39 > 0:31:41Ruth's mum Marjorie is 70
0:31:41 > 0:31:44and while she's noticed her appetite drop over recent years,
0:31:44 > 0:31:48she still worries she might be serving herself too much.
0:31:48 > 0:31:51So, Mum, why do you think you should eat less than me?
0:31:51 > 0:31:55I am retired now, so I don't get up at six o'clock in the morning
0:31:55 > 0:31:57and get busy, busy, busy.
0:31:57 > 0:32:00I still do gardening, I still do housework,
0:32:00 > 0:32:02but not at the rate and speed I used to do it at.
0:32:04 > 0:32:07But whilst Marjorie has misgivings about how much is on her plate,
0:32:07 > 0:32:09she does usually still eat it.
0:32:09 > 0:32:12But her mum, 96-year-old Edith,
0:32:12 > 0:32:15says her appetite is far from what it used to be.
0:32:15 > 0:32:18Do you find that as you have got older,
0:32:18 > 0:32:22- you portions have got smaller? - Definitely.- Yeah?- Yeah.
0:32:22 > 0:32:26Well, I have a dinner, but quite often,
0:32:26 > 0:32:29when it comes to tea time, I'm not really hungry.
0:32:29 > 0:32:33Why do you think your appetite has decreased over the years?
0:32:33 > 0:32:39Oh, old age. I'm not as active as I was. You don't need it.
0:32:39 > 0:32:41At all. Not when you get older.
0:32:42 > 0:32:44Unfortunately, Edith isn't right.
0:32:44 > 0:32:48The number of calories we need every day does start to reduce
0:32:48 > 0:32:51as we get older, but not by as much as you might think.
0:32:51 > 0:32:54At 70, Marjorie may be less active than she used to be,
0:32:54 > 0:32:59but she still needs almost the same amount of calories each day as Ruth.
0:32:59 > 0:33:02And even though Edith eats a lot less than both of them,
0:33:02 > 0:33:05she still needs around 1,800 calories a day.
0:33:05 > 0:33:08In our older years, we do need less calories
0:33:08 > 0:33:11and that's probably because most of us are not as physically active
0:33:11 > 0:33:13as we were when we were younger.
0:33:13 > 0:33:17Edith may well be 96 and hasn't got a great appetite any more,
0:33:17 > 0:33:20but she still needs the calories to maintain her body
0:33:20 > 0:33:21and be well and healthy.
0:33:21 > 0:33:25What I find is a lot of elderly people are eating much too little.
0:33:25 > 0:33:28They are not eating enough to keep their bodies going.
0:33:29 > 0:33:33Research shows that the average person over 70
0:33:33 > 0:33:37eats just 1,600 calories a day, a lot less than they need.
0:33:37 > 0:33:39As Edith doesn't have much of an appetite,
0:33:39 > 0:33:43I would encourage her to eat small portions, to eat little and often,
0:33:43 > 0:33:46so making sure that her food is calorie-dense,
0:33:46 > 0:33:49but isn't making her feel too full up.
0:33:49 > 0:33:51Right, come on, Mum, take my arm.
0:33:51 > 0:33:54But while portion sizes should vary for different generations
0:33:54 > 0:33:57of the same family, there is no doubt many of us,
0:33:57 > 0:34:01like Ruth and Peter, routinely overestimate how much we should eat.
0:34:03 > 0:34:06There are some foods that every day we serve up in bigger helpings
0:34:06 > 0:34:10than what should be the correct portion size.
0:34:10 > 0:34:12A portion of cornflakes should be 30g,
0:34:12 > 0:34:15but one survey found almost nine in ten of us
0:34:15 > 0:34:18give ourselves almost half that amount again.
0:34:18 > 0:34:20A can of soup should serve two people,
0:34:20 > 0:34:23but most of us eat the whole thing.
0:34:23 > 0:34:26A portion of chocolate should be 25g,
0:34:26 > 0:34:29but the country's bestselling bars
0:34:29 > 0:34:31can tip the scales at between 40 and 55g.
0:34:31 > 0:34:34Hands up, anyone who's saving half a bar for tomorrow.
0:34:35 > 0:34:38After seeing what the proper helpings should be,
0:34:38 > 0:34:42the Kays are keen to put their new-found knowledge into practice.
0:34:42 > 0:34:44You don't have to eat it, Gran.
0:34:45 > 0:34:48I think we've learned quite a lot this week.
0:34:48 > 0:34:51- In the past, we've always had big plates.- Yeah.
0:34:51 > 0:34:56And when you see space on the plate, you think, "That needs filling,"
0:34:56 > 0:34:58so plenty of veg.
0:34:58 > 0:35:01I think I've always been, "My eyes are bigger than my belly,"
0:35:01 > 0:35:04but I think we will have a look at the plate sizes
0:35:04 > 0:35:07and maybe not be so eager to fill them.
0:35:15 > 0:35:18Earlier in the programme, you'll remember I started finding out
0:35:18 > 0:35:21what could have led me to being at risk of developing diabetes.
0:35:21 > 0:35:24As well as my sister having type 2 diabetes,
0:35:24 > 0:35:27I was told that my diet was also putting me at risk.
0:35:27 > 0:35:29I think what is the most frightening thing about it
0:35:29 > 0:35:32is that my blood sugar reading was just found accidentally,
0:35:32 > 0:35:35because I was having a blood test for a different reason altogether
0:35:35 > 0:35:37and I just think if they hadn't caught it,
0:35:37 > 0:35:40then I might have developed type 2 diabetes
0:35:40 > 0:35:41and not known anything about it, really.
0:35:41 > 0:35:43It's worrying stuff.
0:35:43 > 0:35:45I was really surprised by just how many people
0:35:45 > 0:35:48they think are living undiagnosed with diabetes. What was it?
0:35:48 > 0:35:50- Like, half a million, wasn't it? - It is half a million.
0:35:50 > 0:35:52That is frightening stuff, isn't it?
0:35:52 > 0:35:56I transformed my diet in order to stop developing diabetes,
0:35:56 > 0:35:59but changing what you eat is also the key to managing the condition
0:35:59 > 0:36:00if you do develop it
0:36:00 > 0:36:03and some say that it can even be reversed entirely.
0:36:06 > 0:36:10When I was told I was pre-diabetic, it meant I stood a high risk
0:36:10 > 0:36:13of developing full-blown type 2 diabetes.
0:36:13 > 0:36:17But when Robin Swindell from London was given the same news in 2013,
0:36:17 > 0:36:19it was already too late.
0:36:19 > 0:36:21Very shortly afterwards, he was told that,
0:36:21 > 0:36:25like one in 17 people in the UK, he did have the condition.
0:36:25 > 0:36:29I'd been feeling unwell for a while, generally not myself
0:36:29 > 0:36:31and I went to the doctor and he gave me a blood test
0:36:31 > 0:36:33and when I came back, he gave me the bad news
0:36:33 > 0:36:34that I was pre-diabetic
0:36:34 > 0:36:37and that I needed to lose some weight and get fit.
0:36:37 > 0:36:38I came back about a month later
0:36:38 > 0:36:42and discovered that that was a bit too late and I was already diabetic.
0:36:42 > 0:36:46Had it occurred to you that you might be diabetic, or pre-diabetic?
0:36:46 > 0:36:47Not really. It should have done,
0:36:47 > 0:36:50because there is a history of diabetes in my family
0:36:50 > 0:36:52and I had been overweight for a long time,
0:36:52 > 0:36:53but like most people,
0:36:53 > 0:36:56you're pretty good at putting your head in the sand about these things.
0:36:56 > 0:37:00But the shock of the diagnosis prompted Robin to clean up his diet
0:37:00 > 0:37:04and increase his exercise under the very careful guidance of his GP.
0:37:04 > 0:37:07Robin was determined to rid himself of the condition,
0:37:07 > 0:37:10with the first priority being to tackle his weight.
0:37:10 > 0:37:13So how did you trim your diet? What did you do, or not do?
0:37:13 > 0:37:16I've just tried to eat smaller portions,
0:37:16 > 0:37:19to pick healthier foods, eat more vegetables.
0:37:19 > 0:37:23I had lost enough weight that the doctor was pleasantly surprised.
0:37:23 > 0:37:26After a year, he was quite shocked and I had to remind him
0:37:26 > 0:37:28that he had asked me to do it and he said,
0:37:28 > 0:37:31"Well, yes, but I don't expect people to do what I say."
0:37:31 > 0:37:34Well, I have done and my health has been a lot better as a result.
0:37:36 > 0:37:40For Robin, being told he had type 2 diabetes was a real wake-up call
0:37:40 > 0:37:43to change his lifestyle and while you might think
0:37:43 > 0:37:46that by then it would be too late to make a difference,
0:37:46 > 0:37:49in fact, there is new evidence that in some cases,
0:37:49 > 0:37:50if you put the effort in,
0:37:50 > 0:37:52the condition could possibly be reversed.
0:37:52 > 0:37:56There is a piece of research led by Newcastle University
0:37:56 > 0:37:59to look at the effects of a very low-calorie diet
0:37:59 > 0:38:03and results are promising to show that this very low-calorie diet
0:38:03 > 0:38:06has put type 2 diabetes in remission, so watch this space.
0:38:06 > 0:38:10Now, I didn't follow such an extreme low-calorie diet,
0:38:10 > 0:38:14but both the research pioneered at Newcastle, and the no-carb diet
0:38:14 > 0:38:18Dr Abbi put me on, target the same dangerous fat deposits.
0:38:18 > 0:38:21So explain to me about losing weight around your middle,
0:38:21 > 0:38:22how important that is.
0:38:22 > 0:38:26What effect does that weight loss have on the organs in your body?
0:38:26 > 0:38:30Unfortunately, many people with fat around their middle
0:38:30 > 0:38:32think it's a spare tyre, a cuddly spare tyre,
0:38:32 > 0:38:35it's something that maybe is a consequence of old age
0:38:35 > 0:38:36and they don't need to worry about it,
0:38:36 > 0:38:39but what we do know - being overweight and carrying extra fat,
0:38:39 > 0:38:42particularly around your middle, is very dangerous.
0:38:42 > 0:38:46It's active fat, it's dangerous fat, it's fat around your organs,
0:38:46 > 0:38:48your kidney, your spleen and liver
0:38:48 > 0:38:51which is pumping out dangerous chemicals and hormones
0:38:51 > 0:38:54which increases your risk of heart disease and cancers
0:38:54 > 0:38:58and type 2 diabetes, so it's something people need to reduce.
0:38:58 > 0:39:02A very low-calorie diet forces the body to burn fat for energy
0:39:02 > 0:39:06and in the process, it removes fat deposits from vital organs,
0:39:06 > 0:39:10including the pancreas, allowing it to make insulin more effectively.
0:39:10 > 0:39:13Of course, such major weight loss should only be attempted
0:39:13 > 0:39:15under medical supervision
0:39:15 > 0:39:18and while the test in Newcastle was limited to people
0:39:18 > 0:39:21who had type 2 diabetes for less than four years,
0:39:21 > 0:39:24its dramatic results are a really positive sign
0:39:24 > 0:39:27that with more research, perhaps one day,
0:39:27 > 0:39:29the battle against diabetes can be won.
0:39:29 > 0:39:32I'm lucky that I didn't go on to develop type 2 diabetes
0:39:32 > 0:39:35and I am absolutely determined to keep it that way,
0:39:35 > 0:39:38but I have to admit, it's been hard work
0:39:38 > 0:39:41and it's meant giving up many of the foods I love.
0:39:41 > 0:39:44So as I go back again to see specialist Dr Abbi Lulsegged
0:39:44 > 0:39:46in order to check on my progress,
0:39:46 > 0:39:50it may be time to confess that I have a snack cupboard.
0:39:50 > 0:39:54So can I ask how you've been getting on since we last met?
0:39:54 > 0:39:57I find it actually quite difficult sometimes
0:39:57 > 0:40:00with that mid-morning snack, so I have to admit,
0:40:00 > 0:40:02in the middle of my goodie cupboard for my grandchildren,
0:40:02 > 0:40:06I do have Rich Teas, so I do resort to that, so is that bad?
0:40:06 > 0:40:09It's the odd episode, I would imagine, once in a blue moon?
0:40:09 > 0:40:11- Not all the time.- Not all the time.
0:40:11 > 0:40:14- I don't think it's going to break the bank.- No.
0:40:14 > 0:40:16But you don't particularly approve of that either?
0:40:16 > 0:40:18I would feel better if...
0:40:20 > 0:40:24..there was a healthy attitude to it psychologically,
0:40:24 > 0:40:26so in other words, it's the odd Rich Tea,
0:40:26 > 0:40:28but you're not then reaching for another one
0:40:28 > 0:40:31and then another one and then another one.
0:40:31 > 0:40:35The majority of those diagnosed with type 2 diabetes
0:40:35 > 0:40:38are considered obese, so losing weight is the key
0:40:38 > 0:40:40and the way I have done it with Dr Abbi
0:40:40 > 0:40:43is by cutting back on all carbs, not just sugar.
0:40:43 > 0:40:45I've found, when I cut out the carbohydrates,
0:40:45 > 0:40:47I have to say two stones in weight dropped off, two.
0:40:47 > 0:40:50Actually, it was almost too much for my frame,
0:40:50 > 0:40:54but it was quite revealing that when the carbs were cut out,
0:40:54 > 0:40:56- the weight just dropped off.- Yes.
0:40:57 > 0:41:00Cutting out all carbs is controversial
0:41:00 > 0:41:03and isn't necessarily recommended for diabetics,
0:41:03 > 0:41:06but there's no doubt that if you are pre-diabetic, as I was,
0:41:06 > 0:41:09reducing your intake is likely to help.
0:41:09 > 0:41:10No one-sized diet fits all,
0:41:10 > 0:41:13but certainly there is a bulk of evidence,
0:41:13 > 0:41:14a huge amount of evidence,
0:41:14 > 0:41:17that the best way and the healthy way to do that
0:41:17 > 0:41:20is to follow a low saturated fat, low-sugar and low-salt diet,
0:41:20 > 0:41:22but if you are obviously following a low-sugar diet,
0:41:22 > 0:41:25you are automatically reducing your carb intake,
0:41:25 > 0:41:28so an element of carbohydrate restriction is necessary
0:41:28 > 0:41:31for many people with type 2 diabetes.
0:41:32 > 0:41:35The growth in type 2 diabetes has been described
0:41:35 > 0:41:39as an unfolding public-health disaster and in Robin's case,
0:41:39 > 0:41:41obesity was a major factor.
0:41:41 > 0:41:43Transforming his lifestyle and diet
0:41:43 > 0:41:46has already had an incredible effect.
0:41:46 > 0:41:49How well are you doing, now that you have lost all the weight?
0:41:49 > 0:41:53Pretty good. I still have a little bit of weight around the middle
0:41:53 > 0:41:54that I'd like to get rid of,
0:41:54 > 0:41:56but, yeah, generally my health is very good
0:41:56 > 0:41:59- and my prognosis is very good.- Good.
0:41:59 > 0:42:01Certainly, I'm still considered diabetic,
0:42:01 > 0:42:04but most of the time, my control is good enough
0:42:04 > 0:42:06that my body behaves very normally,
0:42:06 > 0:42:09so I just have to keep up with the exercise
0:42:09 > 0:42:12and a very careful diet and I should stay that way, hopefully.
0:42:12 > 0:42:15Are you encouraged by the fact that there seems to be
0:42:15 > 0:42:18a new way of thinking that diabetes can be reversed by diet?
0:42:18 > 0:42:20Yes, I think that's very encouraging.
0:42:20 > 0:42:23I don't think it's necessarily going to be a cure for everyone,
0:42:23 > 0:42:28but it should give everyone with diabetes or pre-diabetes confidence
0:42:28 > 0:42:32that if they change their life, their health is going to get better.
0:42:32 > 0:42:36That's a message a new NHS campaign hopes to address,
0:42:36 > 0:42:40raising awareness of pre-diabetes while there's still time to stop it.
0:42:40 > 0:42:43Although my own risk of developing diabetes has now dropped,
0:42:43 > 0:42:45it's still slightly higher than average,
0:42:45 > 0:42:48so the changes I've made to my diet are for good.
0:42:48 > 0:42:51To this very day, of course, when I look at the counter and I see
0:42:51 > 0:42:56all that gorgeous Victoria sponge and the coffee cake
0:42:56 > 0:42:58and the chocolate cake that my mum would have made,
0:42:58 > 0:43:02I have to admit I do yearn for a really big slice of that.
0:43:02 > 0:43:06I still wouldn't dream, actually, of having a big slice of cake.
0:43:06 > 0:43:08I've trained my mind now not to have that.
0:43:08 > 0:43:11If it was for vanity reasons and just losing weight,
0:43:11 > 0:43:14I'd be weak as water, but I think when it's for medical reasons,
0:43:14 > 0:43:17you can train your mind to do pretty well anything.
0:43:21 > 0:43:23Are you worried that you or someone you know
0:43:23 > 0:43:26might be at risk of developing type 2 diabetes?
0:43:26 > 0:43:28Visit...
0:43:29 > 0:43:33..to check out your risk and then start to make positive changes
0:43:33 > 0:43:37to your diet with a whole host of easy and very healthy recipes.
0:43:41 > 0:43:44One of the things I really want people to get out of this series
0:43:44 > 0:43:47is not just a better understanding of the truth behind those headlines,
0:43:47 > 0:43:50but also a bit of reassurance about what we are actually eating
0:43:50 > 0:43:52so we can relax and enjoy it without constantly panicking
0:43:52 > 0:43:54whether we should be having it or not.
0:43:54 > 0:43:57Now, whether you are confused about your five a day,
0:43:57 > 0:43:59not sure about how much you should be eating,
0:43:59 > 0:44:02or just wanting to make sure that your diet and lifestyle
0:44:02 > 0:44:05is not setting you on track to develop diabetes,
0:44:05 > 0:44:08we really hope that you picked up some advice that will help you
0:44:08 > 0:44:10find the right balance between eating healthily
0:44:10 > 0:44:12and, of course, happily.
0:44:12 > 0:44:15There's more on the topics in today's programme at...
0:44:17 > 0:44:20..where you'll also find the iWonder guide to diabetes.
0:44:20 > 0:44:22That's where we have to leave it for this time.
0:44:22 > 0:44:23Thank you very much indeed for watching
0:44:23 > 0:44:27- and we'll see you next time, so from us, bye-bye.- Goodbye.