NEWS

Guidelines on diet ‘need to change’

OUR current dietary guidelines are wrong and are making the epidemic of obesity, type 2 diabetes and other chronic illnesses worse, according to Australian of the Year Dr James Muecke.

The ophthalmologist, who has spent a lifetime treating blindness and its leading cause — type 2 diabetes — said by the end of his tenure as Australian of the Year he would like to see a public awareness campaign — similar to anti-smoking — highlighting aspects of the dietary guidelines he claims are “literally killing us”.

“I’ve felt responsibility as a doctor to get to the root of the cause of type 2 diabetes, which is in essence sugar, and I’ve been pointing out the Australian guidelines for healthy eating are full of products which to me are perhaps even driving this diabetic epidemic.

“Refined carbohydrates — white rice, white flour and the products made from it — bread and pasta — are virtually pure starch, and when it reaches the gut (it) is converted to glucose, so you are pretty much eating sugar,” he said.