DRUG-FREE WAY TO FIGHT DIABETES
4-month diet plan reverses Type 2
A SIMPLE 16-week NHS diet and exercise course could revolutionise the treatment of Type 2 diabetes, say researchers.
In a three-year study, patients who completed the programme – which costs less than £140 – successfully reduced their need for diabetic medication or insulin.
They were half as likely to require insulin as those who did not complete the programme and those who failed to lose weight. And the successful participants also went on to maintain a healthier weight.
Type 2 diabetes is a progressive condition. But it was only the patients who did not complete the programme that required increased amounts of oral diabetes medications over the next three years.
Experts said the findings showed that a simple lifestyle and the correct dietary choices could help tackle Britain’s growing diabetes epidemic.
Dr Jennifer Logue, lead author of the study from the University of Glasgow, said: “This is the first real-world study to show that the lifestyle weight management programmes that we deliver in the NHS can have a long lasting meaningful clinical effect on Type 2 diabetes.
“This study shows that the common assumption that the weight lost is quickly regained
is not true. Currently weight management programmes in the NHS are under-resourced and there is a lack of belief in their effectiveness by clinicians leading to low levels of referral.”
Dr Logue said the findings showed that the Glasgow and Clyde Weight Management Service’s healthy lifestyle programme, run by NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde, was effective.
She added: “Our hope is that this study will convince patients, clinicians and NHS managers that these inexpensive programmes can make a clinically significant difference to patients with Type 2 diabetes.”
The study examined records from the 16-week lifestyle programme, which included a regime of diet, exercise and behaviour change and included nine fortnightly classes.
Success
Researchers defined “success” as losing 11lbs (5kg) in that time frame.
Patients could then choose to stay on for further weight loss and maintenance classes (one per month) over the next year.
Those attending with Type 2 diabetes had to have a body mass index of 30 or above in order to qualify to be referred to the programme.
To judge whether the programme was a success, the researchers compared the successful group against those who attended and did not lose weight, or those who did not complete the course, or those who were never referred.
In the light of the findings, researchers believe that the programmes could be more effective than some drug alternatives in treating Type 2 diabetes.
The study, published in Diabetes Obesity and Metabolism, concluded that more patients with Type 2 diabetes would lose such weight if more investment in such programmes was made. Currently, around four million people in the UK have diabetes, with 90 per cent suffering from the Type 2 condition.
Faye Riley, from Diabetes UK, said: “This adds to the existing body of evidence that structured weight management programmes like this could help some people with Type 2 diabetes lose weight, maintain their weight loss and improve their Type 2 diabetes control.”