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This Week In Things That Were Inevitable: Paula Deen Announces She Has Type 2 Diabetes

01/17/2012 By 9 Comments

Paula Deen went public with the news that she has type-2 diabetes this week, after three years of keeping private about her illness while continuing to host a cooking show relying heavily on buttery, carb-rich foods. Deen has long been criticized for encouraging unhealthy eating habits under the guise of “southern cooking.”  Given that one of the major ways to manage type-2 diabetes is through diet and weight control, some are concerned by her decision to stay quiet about her condition while continuing to promote calorie-laden recipes. Last year, Anthony Bourdain called Paula “the worst, most dangerous person to America,” adding that she “revels in unholy connections with evil corporations, and she’s proud of the fact that her food is f–king bad for you. I would think twice before telling an already obese nation that it is OK to eat food that is killing us.”  Paula has also been criticized for her heavy-handed product sponsorships with big food corporations.  So her new announcement, in which she simultaneously announces a partnership with drug company Novo Nordisk, has many wondering if she hid her condition until she could find a way to make it profitable.

Paula Deen type 2 diabetes This Week In Things That Were Inevitable: Paula Deen Announces She Has Type 2 Diabetes

“I could’ve walked out and said, ‘Hey y’all, I have been diagnosed with type-2 diabetes,’ and walked away,” she said on Tuesday’s Today show.”But having given myself time to work with my family, talk with my family, now I feel like I have something to bring to the table.”

Let’s hope it involves less sugar.

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Filed Under: Featured Story, News, This Is Why We Can't Have Nice Things Tagged With: Anthony Bourdain, diabetes, paula deen, southern cooking
About Kristen

Kristen is the mom of four kids in four years through birth and adoption, and started blogging at Rage Against the Minivan as a coping skill in 2006. She is also the managing editor at ShePosts. Kristen lost her long battle against the minivan last year . . . it now sits in her driveway covered in crushed cheerios and remnants of her self-esteem. 

  • http://twitter.com/onetiredema One Tired Ema

    I wonder if she’ll be able to get someone to sponsor a quadruple bypass for her. I can’t imagine her arteries are in great shape.

  • Anonymous

    I would actually love to see her come up with Paula-esque recipes that are diabetes-friendly. It would be crazy difficult but impressive. I don’t really see that happening however….

    • http://tm2ts.sarahsmidnightfantasy.com/ SarahCB1208

      From my understanding, one of her sons actually is doing that.

  • Lexa

    This woman.  I think she uses her charming Southern grandma schick to help hide the seriously hideous things she is involved in.  Not a fan.

  • http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1573022335 Marcy Gates

    I’m no fan but just because she’s got an unhealthy cooking show, doesn’t mean you MUST make her recipes.

  • Anonymous

    LOL at Anthony Bordain criticizing her cooking. I’ve seen him eat plenty of butter. Also, we don’t know that is was her diet that caused the diabetes, could’ve been hereditary. And as Marcy said, no body had to cook her dishes, especially not every day. Do we all watch Iron Chef and break out whatever weird ingredient they have just because it’s on tv?

  • Anonymous

    I hate that it’s “okay” to mock people’s health issues because of their weight. For the love of God, how often does the whole “eating yourself diabetic” thing have to be disproved. 

    Here is a woman with a truly inspirational personal story – if you bother to hear it. From her beginnings as a broke single mom to her agoraphobia and now diabetes. But God forbid anyone look up to someone who committed society’s cardinal sin – being fat and not being appropriately ashamed of it.

    • Anonymous

      I didn’t mock her weight, or speak about her weight specifically at all.  I mentioned “one of the major ways to manage type-2 diabetes is through diet and weight control” – which is well documented in medical literature.  It isn’t fat-shaming to point our that her cooking is adverse to diabetes . . . and to good health in general.

  • http://www.facebook.com/people/Amy-Corlett/1097844595 Amy Corlett

    I hate Bourdain.  Hate him.  And though I don’t cook her stuff, I find Paula Deen charming – though it wears thin after a few hours of y’alls.  But Bourdain eats plenty of unhealthy stuff, it’s just more expensive fat & calories, so he thinks it’s ok.  And he smoked through the majority of his earlier episodes and drinks hard liquor like it’s Sprite.  So I don’t think he should be pointing any fingers.  He’s not far down on the Heart Association’s Most Wanted List, I’d guess.