Weight Watchers & Diabetes: A Guide for Safe & Healthy Eating

Weight Watchers has a disclaimer directing diabetics to consult with their physicians and diabetic professionals before participating in its program. Weight Watchers International and all of its employees do not provide advice or special considerations for diabetics. They do, however, encourage eating filling foods that are glycemic-index friendly.The glycemic index measures how a carbohydrate effects your blood-sugar level. Carbs with a high GI digest quickly speed glucose to your bloodstream raising your glucose.

• Living with diabetes

Considerations

• Filling foods help you lose inches.

  The WW momentum plan includes an emphasis on "filling foods" or foods to keep you feeling fuller longer. These are healthy and portion-controlled choices that fit into a diabetic diet.

Types

• Healthy doses of fruit

  Experts once thought excessive doses of sugar led to diabetes. Diabetes is caused by taking in too many calories, leading to obesity. Eating filling foods will reduce your overall caloric intact. Specific types of filling foods include fruits, vegetables, whole grains, dairy, chicken, fish, beans and lentils. Sugar and certain carbs are not filling foods, but can be in a diabetic diet in moderation

Expert Insight

• Insight from experts

  Type 2 diabetes, according to the American Diabetes Association, is more common than type 1 diabetes and occurs when your body is not producing enough insulin or your cells "ignore the insulin." Diabetics can keep carbohydrate intake consistent while eating filling foods. Most filling foods on the Weight Watchers program are low-carb choices.

Benefits

• An apple a day

  Research shows a Weight Watcher food plan had the same weight reduction and blood sugar drops as those following a low glycemic-index diet. Diabetics or pre-diabetics will benefit from healthy eating leading to reduction of body fat.

Prevention/Solution

• Healthy living

  Losing only 5 percent of your body weight can cut your risk of developing diabetes 58 percent, according to the Diabetes Prevention Program. Weight Watchers promotes planning your meals around filling foods that lead to meal satisfaction and consistent weight loss.