The Importance of Weight Loss to Managing Diabetes

The Medical News Today (MNT), an online medical journal, writes about the link between weight loss and managing type 2 diabetes. They note there have been discrepancies with various studies throughout the years in determining the best diet for diabetics and the role maintaining a healthy weight plays in treating the disease. 

Agreeing on the most effective way to treat diabetes is important as the International Diabetes Federation (IDF) reports 1 in 10 adults are living with diabetes; and type 2 diabetes accounts for more than 90% of cases. By 2045, experts estimate 784 million people worldwide will be diabetic.

While doctors have known losing weight is good for diabetics, there has been mixed success with a number of popular diet plans. This has added to doctors’ confusion as to what diet to prescribe for their patients. 

The MNT article reports on a team of international researchers who examined earlier studies that focused on various diets believed to be good for diabetics. Led by Prof. Michael Lean of the University of Glasgow in the UK, he states, “Our aim was to find the most effective dietary approach for losing weight, maintaining weight loss, and achieving remission from type 2 diabetes.” 

Their results showed “weight management programs that included very low energy diets and formula meal replacements provided greater weight losses than conventional low energy diets.” Formula meal replacements are low-calorie beverages (shake) or bars loaded with protein, carbohydrate and fat, fortified with vitamins and minerals. Low energy diets include foods from both plant and animal sources high in protein but low in fat and calories.*

*If you are diabetic, consult with your healthcare provider before changing your diet.

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Source:  

medicalnewstoday.com/articles/managing-weight-in-diabetes-which-diets-are-most-effective