Paula Deen confirms she has Type 2 diabetes

Paula Deen promotes the book "Paula's Southern Cooking Bible" on Oct. 12, 2011, in Ridgewood, N.J.

/ Getty

(CBS/AP) The reports are true: Paula Deen has Type 2 diabetes and has inked a deal to promote a diabetes drug.

Read more: Paula Deen's type 2 diabetes: Is her cooking to blame?

The celebrity chef came clean about her disease during an appearance Tuesday on NBC's "Today" show.

The Food Network star has teamed up with drug maker Novo Nordisk to launch a program that aims to help people live with Type 2 diabetes and to promote a Novo diabetes drug. Earlier  reports  had erroneously listed a deal with another company.

The Novo program, called Diabetes in a New Light, offers tips on food preparation, stress management and working with doctors on a treatment plan.

Deen, a paid spokeswoman for Novo Nordisk, says she was diagnosed three years ago, but kept quiet about her condition until she had advice to offer the public.

"I wanted to bring something to the table when I came forward," she said. "I've always been one to think that I bring hope."

When asked if the high-fat, high-caloric recipes she champions can lead to diabetes, she hedged.

"That is part of the puzzle," she said, but mentioned other factors including genetics, lifestyle, stress and age.

"On my show I share with you all these yummy, fattening recipes, but I tell people, 'in moderation,"' she added. "I've always eaten in moderation." She also cautioned, "And it's for entertainment. And people have to be responsible. Like I told Oprah a few years ago, honey, I'm your cook, not your doctor. You are going to have to be responsible for yourself."

Deen has Type 2 diabetes and takes Victoza, a once-daily noninsulin injection.

The 64-year-old Deen, known as "the Queen of Southern cuisine," appears on Food Network.

Much attention has been paid to Deen's high-fat recipes, especially in recent years. Last summer, fellow celebrity chef Anthony Bourdain called Deen the "worst, most dangerous person to America" who's proud of the fact that her "food is bad for you."

[Eric_Starson]

I'm sad for Paula, but not all that surprised. Maybe she should look into a healthier diet to treat her diabetes instead of drugs? There's lots of interesting information available at this noncommercial, science based site (nutritionfacts.org). To quote the good doctor: "It is too bad Paula Deen missed this opportunity" to tell her fans "that type 2 diabetes can be prevented, managed, treated, and even cured". Read more at http://nutritionfacts.org/blog/2012/01/18/paula-deen-diabetes-drug-spokesperson/

[thoughts4today]

Ms Dean has made a career out of basically hawking a ridiculous over the top personna who shows you how to cook a certain type of food that is basically very bad for your health and well being, but probably very tasty, as most foods of that type are. The results of eating that type of food are evident by looking at Ms. Dean herself, and the fact that she is diabetic is too bad. However, it is deplorable that she was diagnosed years ago and continued to promulgate eating the type of foods that most experts agree can cause diabeties and other ailments. The reason why? MONEY! Her whole southern ditzy broad routine is tied to the cooking empire she has built, which would have been seriously impacted if anyone tied her condition to the bad stuff she eats and suggests we eat. Why did she come out now? I suspect the financial incentives from the drug company is one reason, and the fact that the TMZs of the world would sooner or later out her anyway was probably another factor. Even now she backpedals and downplays her role in promulgating unhealthy eating habits, more or less blaming her audience because she always preaches "Moderation" and her garbage recipes are not the only cause of diabetes. No? Well they certainly don't help! Grow up, Ms. Dean, and kudos to Mr. Bourdain for His insights on this phony.

[jf20072007]

This is such a ironic example of sad state of our nutritional policy by most doctors, dietician's, and especially the Government/FDA. I'm sorry to hear about her diabetes, however it is not the FAT alone that caused it, it is the sugar and excess carbohydrates which in turn spikes her insulin on continuous basis. High insulin caused by high carbohydrates is the culprit. Now the high fat only contributes to this IF you also eat high carbohydrates. EAT LESS CARBOHYDRATES, MORE FAT!, AND MORE PROTEIN AND YOU WILL CURE YOUR TYPE 2 DIABETES. GOOD FAT IS GOOD. CORRECT PROTEIN IS GOOD. TOO MUCH CARBOHYDRATES IS BAD! (Humans actually DO NOT need ANY Carbohydrates, the liver makes all we need if needed)

For the most current and correct nutrition advice, you must read:
Gary Taubes on "Why We Get Fat" , "The Paleo Solution" by Robb Wolff, "The Primal Blueprint" by Mark Sisson, and "Protein Power" by Dr. Eads

Also read: "The Art and Science of Low Carbohydrate Living: An Expert Guide to Making the Life-Saving Benefits of Carbohydrate Restriction Sustainable and Enjoyable" by Jeff Volek and Steve Phinney.

People, stop being sheeple and listening to the FDA, the Government, and conventional Dietician's, who all receive their highly dated and biased nutrition science, and their fancy trips, funding, and nice cushy jobs from Big Agriculture and Big Pharma. They ARE NOT looking out for you and the sad thing is most of them still don't even know it. Low fat, high carb diets are making the world FAT and KILLING us all by keeping us bathed in excess insulin all day long...but there's Billions to be made in selling cheap carbs and not so cheap synthetic insulin and other drugs, and these "experts" have so much vested in the wrong type of education they can't turn back now, they've got bill to pay... Cheers!