Weight loss trial in bid to fight long Covid

LONG Covid patients will be offered weight loss treatment in an attempt to relieve their symptoms.

Researchers will test the use of a diet programme to see if it can improve fatigue, breathlessness and pains which are associated with long Covid and obesity.

A Glasgow University team has been awarded £1million from the UK’s National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) for the investigation.

The project – Remote Diet Intervention to REduce long Covid symptoms Trial (ReDIRECT) – will examine whether a weight management programme can improve symptoms for patients who are also overweight or obese. It is one of 15 new studies across the UK to expand research to support people affected by Covid.

Around 10 per cent of those infected have symptoms for 12 weeks or longer, known as long Covid. This can include fatigue, breathlessness and pain. There are no established treatments for the condition.

The Glasgow research is being led by Dr Emilie Combet and Dr David Blane.

Dr Combet, senior lecturer in nutrition, said: ‘People with long Covid have overweight and obesity to a similar extent to the rest of the population, which may worsen their symptoms. This project will tailor and test a well-established weight management programme, delivered and supported entirely remotely.’

A group of 200 people, identified through their GP or patient and community groups will take part in the trial.

Half will be put on a regime of caloriecontrolled soups and shakes and be supported by dieticians. The other half will receive the usual care for six months, as a comparison, then the weight programme.

Professor Nick Lemoine, chair of NIHR’s long Covid funding committee, said the study will provide ‘much-needed hope to people with long-term health problems after Covid19, accelerating development of new ways to diagnose and treat’ the condition.