Participants in the Medicine Wheel group were encouraged to consume a diet broadly patterned after the traditional Northern Plains Indian diet, with protein making up about 25 percent of calories, carbohydrates making up 45 to 50 percent and fat making up only 25 to 30 percent.

The other care group received standard dietary education from a personal health care provider. That education traditionally is based on standard dietary guidelines but not based on the Medicine Wheel Model of Nutrition.

The Medicine Wheel education group experienced a significant weight loss and decrease in body mass index (BMI) from baseline to completion.

"We still weren't able to get them to the recommended levels of protein and carbohydrate that we had as our goals," Kattelmann said.

The study is one of the first to attempt to measure the influence of the traditional Northern Plains Indians diet in controlling type 2 diabetes, Kattelmann said. Because of that reported lack of ability to make the dietary changes for consistent dietary compliance, however, the SDSU study wasn't able to determine whether or not those traditional dietary patterns offer better control of type 2 diabetes.

Source: South Dakota State University