Through the years, a diabetes diagnosis carried the portrayal of a lifelong illness – one of constant medication, strict diet plans, and a persistent battle to manage blood sugar levels. It was a condition to be controlled, not cured. But pioneering research at The University of the West Indies (The UWI) Cave Hill campus has turned that perception on its head.
A team of medical scientists at The UWI Cave Hill has identified a treatment approach that not only manages Type 2 diabetes but also has the potential to reverse it. This intervention, which emphasizes a community-based, low-calorie diet program, has been applied beyond clinical environments, reaching community settings, and virtual platforms. Given the significant burden that non-communicable diseases (NCDs) like diabetes place on individuals and the healthcare system, this development holds considerable promise.
The research conducted under the Barbados Diabetes Remission Study shows that with the right support and dietary approach, people living with Type 2 diabetes and prediabetes can achieve significant weight loss, improve their blood sugar levels and, in many cases, eliminate the need for medication altogether. A diet focused on a low-calorie intake has yielded impressive results, with clinical validation demonstrating that diabetes can be reversed. This approach has been successfully implemented in community settings and adapted for online participation, making it more accessible to Barbadians.
Dr. Kim Quimby, lead researcher on the project, stressed the significance of the findings: “For a long time, we believed diabetes was a lifelong battle, but we now know it doesn’t have to be. Our research shows that with the right approach, people can actually put their diabetes into remission. This isn’t just about managing symptoms—it’s about giving people back control over their health.”
The significance of this research extends beyond individual health outcomes, as it presents a viable solution to the growing strain on Barbados’ healthcare infrastructure. Diabetes is a leading cause of strokes, heart attacks, and other severe complications that increase hospital admissions and healthcare costs. The potential to reverse diabetes on a large scale could lead to a substantial reduction in hospitalizations, alleviate financial pressures on the healthcare system, and contribute to overall national health improvements.
The benefit of this breakthrough research was also echoed by Cave Hill’s Principal and Pro Vice-Chancellor, Professor Clive Landis.
“We have since shown that you can reverse diabetes not simply in a clinic. You can do it in the community, in the church setting. And we have shown that you don’t only reverse diabetes using products which are used in a low-calorie dieting phase which are imported but you can make them yourself from Barbadian products and they actually taste better.
“These are the kind of ways in which the University is now trying to slow the progression of the chronic disease epidemic and the impact it is having on the people and the country and our hospitals,” Landis added.
He also shared that this research endeavour was part of the university’s pursuit to add value to the community and be entrepreneurial.
“We are embarking on this kind of entrepreneurial activity for the first time. We will be creating and entering a commercial market place which we haven’t done before. This is one of our strategies of creating money from our ideas. We are already creating value from our research for society, and I think this will be taking it to the market, where it can have a greater impact and also redound to our own income as well. So basically, we have talked the talk and now we are walking the talk,” he noted.
For persons living with Type 2 diabetes, it is hoped that this this breakthrough represents a an opportunity to regain control of their health, reduce their dependence on medication, and ultimately, lead fuller, healthier lives. It can also signal a major shift in how Barbadians think about diabetes.
