HEALTH: Rob Kardashian could beat diabetes with diet and exercise, experts say

Life has gotten all too real for reality show star Rob Kardashian, who has been diagnosed with type 2 diabetes. But he’s not alone. As one of about 27 million people in the U.S. suffering with the disease, if he keeps up with diet and exercise, he could beat it, experts say.

“There’s a very good potential for him to eliminate or minimize the need for medication if he changes his poor health habits,” says Dr. Charles Passler, the nutritionist who has designed healthy diets for Victoria’s Secret Angels like Adriana Lima.

 

The youngest Kardashian, 28, was diagnosed with diabetic ketoacidosis — a serious complication of diabetes that occurs when the body produces excess blood acids known as ketones. He was rushed to the hospital over the weekend, TMZ reported and if left untreated, he could have fallen into a diabetic coma.

“Type 2 diabetes is one of the most preventable diseases we have,” says Passler. “It’s essentially a lifestyle management problem; diet plays a huge role.”

Type 2 diabetes occurs when cells can’t use insulin — a hormone produced in the pancreas — to process sugar out of the blood. As a result, insulin levels can skyrocket. Type 1, by contrast, develops during childhood as a result of a damaged pancreas that leaves the organ producing very little insulin, or none at all.

Eating too much and not exercising enough can increase the risk of developing the condition, typically diagnosed in adults. Such a lifestyle could be the culprit for Kardashian, who in April was reported to have gained more than 100 pounds in less than a year.

He was last spotted publicly in June at West Coast burger chain In-N-Out.

Rob Kardashian

In some cases, there are no symptoms for detecting the medical condition. Kardashian was allegedly unaware he was suffering from it when he was taken to the hospital. Common side effects include increased thirst, frequent urination, hunger, fatigue and blurred vision.

“It could also be stress-related,” says Dr. Lisa Young, a nutritionist who treats patients with diabetes.

Kardashian’s weight gain has kept him out of the spotlight for years. And he’s missed events like older sister Kim Kardashian’s wedding to rapper Kanye West. He’s also shied away from his family’s ubiquitous E! reality show “Keeping Up With the Kardashians.”

Passler says the celebrity must constantly monitor his blood sugar now to remain healthy.

“Morning blood sugar on average should be 100 or less,” he says.