Experts: Fasting, walking may help control diabetes

MUSCAT, DEC 6
Fasting and regular walking are among the most effective ways to combat diabetes, according to Prof Peter Schwarz, President of the International Diabetes Federation (IDF).
Speaking at the Oman Summit for Diabetes and Endocrine Across the Lifespan, he stressed that diabetes is rising at an alarming rate worldwide, demanding simple yet powerful lifestyle interventions.
Prof Schwarz told the Observer that overcoming physical inactivity and reshaping dietary habits remain crucial. “The consumption of fried carbohydrates is a major contributor. In many societies, this is cultural, so it is difficult to change,” he said.
He outlined two strategies that are socially and ethically sound in managing and preventing diabetes.
“Physical activity is number one. Every muscle you use burns glucose and lowers blood sugar. This benefits both pre-diabetics and diabetics,” he explained.
The second strategy, he said, is even more powerful: fasting.
“Fat in the liver and pancreas destroys these organs and drives diabetes. Total fasting — not eating for two weeks — releases glucagon, which clears fat from the liver and pancreas. In more than 50 per cent of cases, diabetes disappears. Thousands have succeeded,” he said.
Both strategies, he noted, are accessible to everyone.
According to Prof Schwarz, 53 per cent of people with diabetes achieve remission through fasting, while 93 per cent see the removal of fat from the liver and pancreas. “No drug or intervention achieves these results,” he added. Future treatment, he said, could include measuring organ fat to determine the number of fasting days needed.
The two-day summit spotlighted diabetes, obesity, and endocrine disorders, featuring the latest advances in diagnosis and management across adult and paediatric cases.
Sayyidah Dr Noor al Busaidy, Director of the National Diabetes and Endocrine Center and President of the Oman Diabetes Association, noted that rising diabetes and obesity levels mirror global trends driven by lifestyle and genetics. “It was made clear that obesity fuels type 2 diabetes, and lack of physical activity leads to metabolic diseases. The two tools in our hands are physical activity and fasting,” she said.
The Oman Diabetes Association continues to focus on public awareness and medical education. Its intensive diabetes courses, now in their fourth cycle, target private-sector physicians to ensure consistent standards with government healthcare.
The Association also runs an initiative titled 'We Are With You,' supporting children with diabetes from low-income families.
“Under the direction of His Majesty Sultan Haitham bin Tarik, the Ministry of Health provides continuous glucose monitoring devices for children up to 18 years. We focus on adults — college students and unemployed individuals — to bridge the gap,” the Secretary-General said.