Diabetes, Vol 34, Issue 10 1059-1062, Copyright © 1985 by American Diabetes Association
Diet can prevent diabetes in the BB rat
FW Scott, R Mongeau, M Kardish, G Hatina, KD Trick and Z Wojcinski
When compared with laboratory chow, a defined, semipurified diet prevented
diabetes, reduced the frequency of insulitis, increased thymus weight and
total white blood cell count, and doubled thymus T-helper/T-suppressor cell
ratios in diabetes-prone BB rats. These data show that the diabetic
syndrome in BB rats may be prevented or delayed by changes in diet, which
may occur through alteration of pathogenic defects in the immune system.