LIZ IN LISBON

Our Head of Clinical Services, Liz Dutton, uncovers some exciting new research on artificial sweeteners, reporting back from her time at last year’s International Diabetes Federation, in Lisbon.

Liz Dutton has worked in the field of diabetes for about 22 years, and last December was given the opportunity to attend the International Diabetes Federation Congress (IDF) in Lisbon, Portugal.

One component of Liz’s role at Diabetes NZ is that of clinical advisor.

Liz works closely with the clinical nurse specialists at Te Whatu Ora, Capital Coast and Hutt Valley, which Diabetes NZ has a MOU with, to roll out their Diabetes Self-Management Education (DSME) programme around the country through our Diabetes Community Coordinators.

This programme content is currently being revised by Capital Coast and Hutt Valley and with Liz’s new-found knowledge from the IDF she can contribute to that updating of the DSME.

Over the last 22 years, Liz has attended both the annual New Zealand diabetes conferences and a Western Pacific Diabetes Congress, and learned much from each of these. However, she says that attending the IDF in Portugal last year was mind-blowing.

NEW OFF THE PRESS

Research in diabetes was presented from all over the world – new information that Liz knew would make a significant difference to the care of people with diabetes in New Zealand.

There were many presentations that were worthy of mention. However, there were two significant ones which will be utilised in the current DSME updates that are being facilitated around Aotearoa New Zealand.

One was about the impact of lowcalorie sweeteners on blood glucose levels. This research demonstrated how if someone who has diabetes or obesity drinks a litre of a zero-calorie drink a day, over a two-week period, their blood sugar levels will rise as a result. This will happen even though they have not consumed any sugar.

This is due to the impact of the sweet taste on the taste buds. The ‘sweetness’ stimulates gut bacteria, and that has a knock-on effect with gut hormones, which in turn stimulate a release of glucose (sugar) from the liver and other organs that store it.

With this new-found knowledge, the DSME will be updated with a caution against drinking too many non-sugary drinks with low calorie sweetener in it regularly. This will help people in New Zealand with diabetes live healthier lives.

DENTAL HYGIENE

The other significant finding was around oral health in diabetes. In the DSME, there is a small section on oral care but no advice for people with type 2 diabetes on how they can self-manage this.

Listening to the presentation, Liz became aware that this is good advice to offer people with diabetes. Although visiting a dentist or hygienist is often expensive in New Zealand, dental hygiene needs to be maintained by the individual in order to prevent high blood glucose levels caused by gum disease. This, in turn, will help reduce poor outcomes with the long-term complications of diabetes.

Liz has drafted a guide on simple dental hygiene, and this will go into the DSME participant manual to ensure people with diabetes in New Zealand have the tools to self-manage their dental and gum health.

Liz has also ensured the DSME programme contains the evidence from international research learned at the conference. The inclusion of this knowledge gained from the conference will improve the health of people with diabetes in New Zealand.