A Letter From America

Our Clinical Director Linda Goldie is in San Diego at the moment attending the 71st Scientific Sessions, organised by the American Diabetes Association. Here’s what she said about her first day:

Having arrived at Heathrow check-in at 7am yesterday morning and not arriving at the hotel in San Diego until 18 hours later, it’s fair to say my bed was beckoning but – ping! –  my body clock hasn’t adjusted and so by 8am this morning I was sitting in the first lecture of the day.

What to report so far… well I must admit nothing that we didn’t already know! One of the first presentations was from Rob Andrews from Bristol (yes I know, I could have just travelled down the motorway to hear this) who looked  at the effects of usual treatment options in comparison to either dietary intervention versus diet and activity intervention in those newly diagnosed with type 2 diabetes. Outcomes looked at BP and blood glucose levels. Surprisingly the results didn’t show much difference although the physical activity was only walking. There was some suggestion that adding in some resistance exercise such as weights may have changed the results.

The main lecture of the day started with a message from Michelle Obama. The stats she gave on childhood obesity in the USA were certainly alarming. One in three children will develop type 2 diabetes in the USA if childhood obesity is not addressed. As the UK is following closely on the heels of the US in the obesity stakes we certainly need to be targeting this group and their parents.

As it’s now warm and sunny outside I’m taking a break and will go and do my own bit of physical activity by wandering around this lovely city and seeing what I can see.

Hopefully I will have more to report later – meanwhile from sunny California….bye!