Losing weight can put type 2 diabetes in remission for at least five years, according to new 'life-changing' research.
Figures from the Diabetes Remission Clinical Trial (DiRECT) show that around a quarter of people in remission from diabetes two years after starting a low-calorie diet were still in remission three years later. These people no longer needed to take medication to manage their blood sugar levels and had an average weight loss of around 1st 6lb (8.9kg) at the five-year point.
The data suggests that losing weight and keeping it off can help reverse diabetes, a serious condition that increases the risk of heart disease, stroke, high blood pressure, narrowing of blood vessels and nerve damage. Obesity is a major driver of type 2 diabetes, with research suggesting that obese people are up to 80 times more likely to develop the condition than those with a healthy body mass index (BMI) of less than 22.
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Newcastle University professor Roy Taylor and Professor Mike Lean from the University of Glasgow led the research.
Of the 298 people who took part, half received standard diabetes care from their GP and half were put on a diet with support from health professionals. This included a low-calorie, nutrient-complete soup and shake diet for between 12 and 20 weeks, together with support from a nurse or dietician to reintroduce healthy foods and maintain weight loss.
Medications for type 2 diabetes and blood pressure were stopped at the beginning of the programme and reintroduced as necessary.
At the end of the original two-year study, 95 of the 149 people on the weight-loss programme agreed to take part in an extension study lasting three years. This new data shows that, of this group of 95 people, 48 were in remission at the start of the extension study, and 23% of these were still in remission three years later.
The proportion of people in remission five years after the original study started was more than three times that of the DiRECT control group, who just received usual GP care.
Remission was closely linked to weight loss and keeping the pounds off. Researchers said those people who came out of remission had regained the weight they had lost.
Professor Taylor said: “We have found major overall benefits to people who were originally assigned to the weight loss group. They had around half the number of serious health issues causing admission to hospital.
"They also reported feeling much better as a result of the weight loss. For those who remain free of diabetes, the study has been life-changing.
"It is difficult for people who do not have type 2 diabetes to appreciate what it means to have escaped from the shadow of this serious condition."
Compared to the control group, those put on a diet and offered support had bigger improvements in blood pressure and blood sugar levels and fewer people needed medication. The number of serious health issues resulting in hospital admission in the dieting group was also less than half that in the control group.
Diabetes UK, which funded the study, said the findings support growing evidence that weight loss and remission from type 2 diabetes can prevent or delay the complications of diabetes.
Dr Elizabeth Robertson, director of research at Diabetes UK, said: “The new findings from DiRECT confirm that for some people, it is possible to stay in remission for at least five years. For those who put type 2 diabetes into remission, it can be life-changing, offering a better chance of a healthier future."
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