More and more people are getting diabetes. In the Netherlands, this currently amounts to approximately 1.1 million type-2 diabetes patients, their body no longer responds well to insulin! Their blood sugar gets too high, and they develop problems with the heart, eyes, and kidneys. “With a healthy diet, people can control the disease or even reverse it altogether,” says Kristel Polhuis, researcher in Health and Society.
A lifestyle coach guides participants through the programme, which consists of 12 weekly online sessions. Polhuis: “For some, the goal is to lose 5 kilos while for others, the first goal is to get extra help from a partner. The most important thing is that the changes are permanent, because that is what brings health benefits. Participants share their experiences and form a social network.” Think about cooking a healthy meal for yourself. People experience success and they enjoy it. They get compliments from the coach and other participants, and gain self-confidence.”
A better grip on health
Kristel Polhuis and her colleagues investigated the effect of SALUD on the participants' eating behaviour and health. Participants were divided into two groups. The intervention group followed the online SALUD programme, while the control group was offered regular diabetes care. We also observed improvement in weight and nutritional intake. However, I should mention that we also saw an improvement in weight in the control group, although the improvement was less marked than in the group that followed the SALUD programme.”
The SALUD programme is in line with WUR's strategic theme: a healthy lifestyle in a healthy environment. According to Polhuis, there is a lot of focus in healthcare on lifestyle, and the available lifestyle interventions are quite good. It is just that they still lack the holistic perspective and focus on everyday life.
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