COMMENTARY | Paula Deen, a celebrity chef on the Food Network, confirmed last week on the “Today Show” that she has been diagnosed with Type 2 Diabetes. Deen, known for her high fat, high sugar recipes on her show Paula’s Best Dishes, announced that her family doctor had diagnosed her with the disease in 2008. She also announced a deal to be spokesperson for the pharmaceutical company, Novo Nordisk, which manufactures the diabetes medication, Victoza.
Anyone that has seen her show is well aware of her promotion of butter and sugar in her recipes, and Ms. Deen appears to have no intention of changing her cooking style. Her show still consists of the usual indulgent foods she is famous for. To the best of my knowledge, she has not added the lighter fare one would expect a T2 diabetic to eat in any fashion.
Instead of using her diagnosis for dietary change in her cooking style and promoting healthy eating, she decided to become a medication salesperson. While she mentions delaying her announcement due to diabetes research, I wonder if she did any research on the drug she is promoting, Victoza. As mentioned in the article Actos vs Diabetes: The Lesser Of Two Evils, diabetes medications are no stranger to serious warnings from the FDA. In just two minutes of research I was able to find this FDA warning on Victoza. Warnings on the drug could also be found on www.diabetesmine.com as far back as June 2011 citing pancreatitis and Thyroid cancer.
When I was diagnosed as a Type 2 diabetic 11 years ago, along with my initial medications I was prescribed a visit with a dietician. The reason for this is the food that you eat, in moderation or not, plays an essential part in the management of Type 2 diabetes. Deen’s show promotes foods that my dietician advised me to eat on special occasions only or, in some instances, “never.”
I find it a little disheartening that one with the power of the media and knowledge of food would opt to promote a questionable medication when they could be promoting a healthy eating lifestyle.
A good question to ask is this: How many people ate their way to Type 2 diabetes following Paula Deen’s recipes and mantra of “more butter, y’all”?