The dietary management of non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus in the obese patient.

This article reviews current research about the pathogenesis of obese NIDDM relevant to its dietary management. It summarizes the findings about four dietary interventions: fasting; very low-calorie diets; hypocaloric balanced-deficit diets; and variation of constituents within a diet. The review recommends a specific primary care strategy: induce an extended remission of NIDDM in the obese patient in the short-term; and treat the cause of NIDDM and the behaviors that promote obesity in the long-term with group competition programs.