A recent Channel 4 documentary has highlighted a surprising and often overlooked driver of the UK's type 2 diabetes epidemic: common starchy carbohydrates, not just sugary foods. The programme, Live Well with the Drug-Free Doctor, presented by Dr Rangan Chatterjee, challenged conventional wisdom about diet and diabetes risk.
The Hidden Sugar in Your Starchy Carbs
On the show, Dr Chatterjee explained that for one patient, Chris, a diagnosis of type 2 diabetes was linked not to sweets but to excessive consumption of starchy carbohydrates. The doctor demonstrated that a handful of pasta could have the same impact on blood glucose levels as six and a half teaspoons of sugar. Similarly, a sandwich portion of processed white bread equates to eight teaspoons, and a small serving of white rice matches a staggering ten teaspoons of sugar.
Dr Chatterjee clarified that for healthy individuals, the hormone insulin manages this spike. However, he warned that consistently overloading the system can lead to insulin resistance, the precursor to type 2 diabetes. "If you keep abusing the system day after day, week after week and month after month, you’re going to become resistant to the insulin," he stated.
A GP's Groundbreaking Approach to Diabetes Reversal
To explore solutions, Dr Chatterjee visited award-winning GP Dr David Unwin in Southport. Dr Unwin, who has worked at Norwood Surgery since 1986, presented a stark picture of the crisis. He revealed that in his practice, cases of type 2 diabetes had soared from 56 to 600 over 45 years, with patients getting younger—his youngest is now 12. "I think we’re sleepwalking into a disaster," he said.
Dr Unwin, the Royal College of General Practitioners national champion for diabetes and obesity, has pioneered a low-carb programme to reverse the condition. His method has enabled 141 patients to achieve drug-free remission from type 2 diabetes. Financially, this approach has saved his practice approximately £370,000 on diabetes drug budgets since 2018. Dr Chatterjee extrapolated that if applied across England, it could save the NHS around £277 million annually.
The Side Effects of Common Medication and the Power of Support
The programme also addressed the widespread use of metformin, a first-line diabetes drug prescribed around 26 million times a year in the UK. Dr Chatterjee noted that about 25% of people suffer terrible stomach issues from it. Patient Chris described severe pains, cramps, and diarrhoea, forcing him to "plan my day around a toilet."
A crucial takeaway from the documentary was the importance of support. Dr Chatterjee emphasised that making significant lifestyle changes is far more successful with a network of people facing similar challenges. Finding such support can improve the chances of reversing diabetes "enormously."
The findings from Live Well with the Drug-Free Doctor present a compelling case for re-evaluating dietary guidelines and investing in preventative, lifestyle-based medicine to tackle one of the nation's most pressing and costly health challenges.
