Lancet Diab. Endo: A very low-calorie diet promises to reduce diabetes!

24, 2020 // In 2019, the International Diabetes Federation estimates that the middle and North Africa have the highest age-adjusted prevalence of type 2 diabetes, at 12.2%About 40% of diabetes deaths occur in people under the age of 60 in the regionYoung people are also at high risk of diabetes complications and have a high drug burdenIn addition to preventing diabetes, effective methods of inducing remission early in diabetes (no medication are required to control blood sugar) are urgently neededPhoto Source: The effects of weight loss on diabetes with extremely low-calorie substitute meals (about 800 kcal/day)The researchers randomly divided obese men and women aged 18 to 50 living in Qatar with type 2 diabetes for less than three years, one receiving a very low calorie (820 kcal/day) diet and exercise and the other receiving one year's routine careThe diet consisted of 12 weeks of food substitution, 12 weeks of structural food reintroduction, and then participants selected a 6-month energy-limiting mealAfter 12 months, the substitute group lost an average of 11.98 kilograms, with 21 percent losing more than 15 percent of their body weightThe control group lost 3.98 kilograms, and only 1 percent lost more than 15 percent of their body weightSixty-one percent of the participants in the intervention group had diabetes remission, compared with 12 percent of the regular care groupIn addition to diabetes remission, many people in the dietary intervention group were able to stop using blood pressure and cholesterol-lowering medications and report improved quality of lifeThis study shows that diet weight loss interventions are effective and sustainable for young people from the Middle East and North AfricaBut real-world research outside of clinical trials is still needed to effectively implement and sustain lifestyle interventions() References: STaheri et alEffect of the intensive life of the intervention on bodyweight and glycaemia in early type 2 diabetes (DIADEM-I): An open-label, parallel-group, randomised controlled trialLancet Diab Endo 8, 477-489 (2020).