Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus and Βeta Glucan

Abstract

Type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM) is the most common type of diabetes and its prevalence is progressively increasing due to population growth, aging, unhealthy diet, obesity and secondarily lifestyle. Type 2 DM can be prevented and its age of onset can be delayed with adequate and balanced diet, regular physical activity and normal weight maintenance. The epidemiological and short-term intervention studies has shown that consumption of foods with a high glycemic load and poor cereal fiber content is associated/correlated with an increased risk of type 2 DM. Also they emphasized that high fiber intake is associated with improvement in lipid profile, fasting and postprandial glycemic controls. Fiber is found naturally in foods as dietary fiber and added to or isolated from foods are classified as functional dietary fiber. β-glucan has gained attention for its potential contribution to the health in the field of functional foods. Various mechanisms have been suggested to explain insulin and glucose lowering effects of soluble fiber β-glucan. The amount of β-glucan and added in the form of food are factors which are effective on glycemic control. High viscous dietary fiber sources (β-glucan) and the consumption of their products which are added as β-glucan is considered to play an important role in management of diabetes by reducing as potential risk of diabetes and comprising its positive results on diabetic complications