By Colin Kenny, Editor – Diabetes Distilled
Researchers conducted this trial across 49 primary care practices in the UK. In all, 306 individuals aged 20–65 years who had been diagnosed with diabetes within the last 6 years were randomised. All of the individuals enrolled in the study had a BMI of between 27 and 45 kg/m2. Participants were weaned off all antidiabetes and antihypertensive medications and placed on an 825–853 kcal/day formula diet for 3–5 months. Regular foods were reintroduced over 2–8 weeks, and additional support to maintain long-term weight loss was offered. Participants who reached an HbA1c level under 48 mmol/mol (6.5%) were classified as being in remission from type 2 diabetes.
Twenty-four per cent of participants in the intervention group maintained a 15 kg or more weight loss after 12 months, compared to none in the control group. Forty-six per cent of the intervention group achieved diabetes remission, while only 4% in the control group achieved remission during the study period. Participants in the intervention group reported that their quality of life improved, while the control group reported a decrease. The investigators concluded that, at 12 months, almost half of participants achieved remission to a non-diabetic state, and were off antidiabetes drugs, making remission of type 2 diabetes a practical target for some patients in primary care.
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