We always thought that fish are absolutely healthy food. Making fish as your menu a couple of times a week maybe could lower your risk for developing heart disease. But, researchers have found something else.

Instead of found that fish or the essential omega-3 fatty acids obtained primarily from seafood could reduce risk for diabetes, researchers suggest that eating 2 or more servings of fish a week may slightly increase diabetes risk.

Dr. Frank B. Hu from Harvard School of Public Health in Boston, Massachusetts, and colleagues explained, "Diet is a key factor in preventing the onset of diabetes in adults, but how omega-3 fatty acid intake impacts diabetes risk is still unresolved."

Among 152,700 women enrolled in the Nurses' Health Study and 42,504 men enrolled in the Health Professionals Follow-Up Study, researchers examined relationship between fish and omega-3 fatty acid intake and the development of diabetes.

Overall, during up to 18 years of follow up, 9,380 cases of adult-onset diabetes developed among these healthcare workers.

After adjusting for lifestyle and other dietary factors, plus body weight, family history of diabetes, and menopausal status and hormone use when applicable, Hu's team noted increased diabetes risk "in all cohorts" consuming higher levels of omega-3 fatty acids.

Relative to those who ate lesser amounts of fish, they found that diabetes was 1.17 times more likely among people who ate fish 2 to 4 times a week, and 1.22 times more likely among those who ate fish 5 or more times a week.

"Further study is needed to figure out the "clinical relevance" of the current findings and determine the mechanisms behind their observation that high fish intake may raise diabetes risk," the team said. They also emphasized that numerous studies have demonstrated beneficial effects of fish and omega-3 fatty acids on multiple risk factors associated with diabetes, and on heart disease as the major sequelae of diabetes.

Researchers compared two popular diets head-to-head - a low-fat American Heart Association-style diet and a carb-controlled Mediterranean diet in a population of overweight patients diagnosed with type 2 diabetes. Which one of these best for diabetic patient?

Over the four-year study, they finally found that Mediterranean-style eating plan maintained lower blood sugar levels for a longer time than those in the low-fat-diet group, both combined with regular physical activity. Based on this findings, the study's authors suggest that some diabetes patients may be able to substitute diet and exercise for blood-sugar-lowering medications.

The study involved 215 overweight adults in Naples, Italy, who were newly diagnosed with type 2 diabetes. Patients were randomly divided into two diet groups: The low-fat eaters were instructed to follow a regimen rich in whole grains, fruits and vegetables, and low in additional fats, sweets or high-fat snacks; no more than 30% of daily calories were to come from fat, and no more than 10% from saturated fat. The Mediterranean-diet group was taught to eat lots of fruits, vegetables, whole grains and "healthy" fat, including olive oil, with an emphasis on lean protein sources such as fish, chicken and nuts. Mediterranean dieters were instructed to limit carbohydrate intake to less than 50% of their daily calories.

By the end of the study 56% of patients following the Mediterranean diet were able to control their blood sugar without medication, compared with 30% of those on the low-fat regimen. The Mediterranean dieters were also able to maintain slightly more weight loss than the low-fat group - 8.4 lb. versus 7.1 lb. - and showed small improvements in triglyceride and HDL cholesterol (the good kind) levels, both risk factors for heart disease.

While diabetes doctors generally agree that the first line of defense against type 2 diabetes should always be exercise and diet, many recommend also using drugs. For its part, the American Diabetes Association advises patients with type 2 diabetes to make appropriate lifestyle changes, and to start a drug regimen immediately upon diagnosis. Dr. R. Paul Robertson, spokesperson for the organization, says that for people with diabetes, "the goal should not be to avoid drugs. It is to do everything you can to keep your sugar levels down."

Unhealthy aspects of the Westernized lifestyle, such as overeating, combine with inadequate amount of nightly sleep on a recurring basis may increase the development of diabetes, say a new study.

With his colleagues, Dr. Plamen Penev, of the University of Chicago, Illinois, and a senior author of the study, subjected 11 healthy but sedentary middle-aged men and women to two 14-day periods of sedentary living with free access to food and either 5.5 hours or 8.5 hours of sleep each night.

The participants went to sleep later and wake up earlier, resulting their average sleep duration was reduced by about two hours a day (nightly sleep times changed from 8.5 to 5.5 hours).

This condition changed their response to two common sugar tests, which were similar to those seen in people with an increased risk of developing diabetes.

Penev told reuters, "If confirmed by future larger studies, these results would indicate that a healthy lifestyle should include not only healthy eating habits and adequate amounts of physical activity, but also obtaining a sufficient amount of sleep."