A War on Diabetes? Why Paula Deen is on Both Sides

It may not come as a surprise to find that Paula Deen has type 2 diabetes.  The woman who has made a career through a seemingly reckless approach to cooking and eating, using large quantities of cream, sugar, and butter in the majority of her recipes came out with the news earlier in January of this year.  What may come as a surprise to some is her latest paid position as a spokeswoman for Novo Nordisk, a company that makes Victoza, which is an injectable non-insulin diabetes drug. 

Yes, that is correct.  The woman who made a career of throwing caution to the wind, piling on the bacon and slathering on the mayonnaise is now promoting a diabetes drug.  The same woman that created the Brunch Burger, a hamburger that sits on a Krispy Kreme donut covered with bacon and a fried egg, revealed to the world on January 17^th what she and her doctor had known for close to three years.  She had type 2 diabetes, and now she would capitalize on it to create a name for herself in the diabetic drug market. 

With Deen’s approach to cooking, it was inevitable for her to develop some sort of health condition.  In this case it is type 2 diabetes, but obesity is also a  major risk factor for heart disease, certain types of cancer, gout, and a number of other diseases.  Virtually every system in the human body is effected by obesity.  Paula Deen’s recipes certainly did not take this into consideration. 

Deen’s announcement has sparked both support from her fans as well as sharp criticism from others.  The chicken-fried-everything chef turned diabetes spokeswoman has single-handedly created a talking point about obesity in America.  Her career moves reflect the attitudes of so many people.  On the one hand, she has contributed to obesity by promoting fat-laden recipes in gigantic portions.  At the same time, she has felt the effects firsthand with her diagnosis.  The difference, however, is that the business savvy Deen has made a profit on both sides. 

While it may not be surprising to find out that she has been diagnosed with type 2 diabetes, a disease for which obesity has been indicated as one of the greatest risk factors for developing, her next moves may be even more interesting.  She has gone on the record as doing almost nothing in terms of curbing her dietary behavior, stating that she has cut down on her consumption of sweet tea.  However, her name being branded on some of the most unhealthy menu items on the planet can not be erased.  

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