Diet, exercise and diabetic women is the focus of next Pathways to Knowledge lecture Oct. 1

Diet, exercise and diabetic women is the focus of next Pathways to Knowledge lecture Oct. 1September 24, 2002Judy Holmesjlholmes@syr.edu

The effects of exercise and diet on women with Type 2 Diabetes will be the topic of discussion for the next Pathways to Knowledge lecture, 7:30 p.m. Oct. 1 in the College of Law Grant Auditorium. The lecture is free and open to all undergraduate students.

Ifigenia Giannopoulou, a Ph.D. candidate in the departments of exercise science and science teaching in The College of Arts and Sciences, will present “Effects of Exercise and/or Diet on the Glycemic and Lipidemic Control of Type 2 Diabetic Women.” Her discussion is based on her doctoral research.

“Exercise and diet are the two major cornerstones in the treatment of Type 2 Diabetes,” Giannopoulou says. “However, no ideal treatment has yet been identified. Recently, a diet high in monounsaturated fats has been reporter to have a beneficial effect on the glycemic and lipidemic control of this population.”

Giannopoulou’s research is focused on looking at the long-term effects of this type of diet in combination with aerobic exercise on post-menopausal women who are diagnosed with Type 2 Diabetes. The study investigated and compared the effects of diet alone vs. diet and exercise on body composition, blood glucose and lipid levels.

The Pathways to Knowledge Lecture series is co-sponsored by the Department of Science Teaching in The College of Arts and Sciences and the Graduate School. The lecture series was established to provide Ph.D. candidates an opportunity to share their research with undergraduate students and to provide undergraduate students with insights into graduate education and an opportunity to broaden their horizons.