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Topics: NHS, Health, UK News, Food And Drink
Tom Earnshaw
A groundbreaking diet through the NHS can reverse type 2 diabetes in thousands of people diagnosed with the condition, according to new research.
The study, published in The Lancet Diabetes and Endocrinology journal, has focused on ways to successfully reverse diabetes after people are diagnosed with it later on in life as opposed to at birth, like with type 1.
But the way to reverse might be hard to follow, with it seeing people follow a completely different way of life when it comes to food and drink.
Research on the matter shows that people who take up the revolutionary diet and lifestyle programme can lose a whole load of weight.
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And of those who shed the pounds, almost a third can put their type 2 diabetes in remission, according to the new academic paper.
The diet, which is a year long investment if you choose to do it via the NHS, helps people kick-start their weight loss journey with a low calorie 'meal replacement' diet.
Instead of your normal food, we're talking soups, shakes and bars for the first 12 weeks.
Those taking part are then asked to reintroduce healthy food and are supported to maintain their weight loss.
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NHS England said that the paper shows that its Type 2 Diabetes Path to Remission programme could benefit 'thousands' of people with the condition.
It was announced earlier this year that the initiative will be rolled out across the whole of England this year, doubling the capacity of the programme.
The new study examined data on 7,540 people who took part in the programme between September 2020 and the end of 2022.
Of these, some 945 completed a full year of the programme and had provided blood samples.
Among this sample, 32 percent had put their condition into remission. In the study, this is defined by average blood sugar levels over a period of time, with an average weight loss of 15.9kg.
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And some of those taking part even managed to lose up to 17.4kg.
Dr Clare Hambling, NHS England’s national clinical director for diabetes and obesity, said: “The NHS Type 2 Diabetes Path to Remission Programme can have a huge impact on the lives of participants, and it’s brilliant that these findings show a large number of those who completed it have seen life-changing benefits including major weight loss and type 2 diabetes remission.
“We know obesity is one of the biggest threats to health in the UK and will be one of the biggest and most costly challenges for health systems globally, so seeing such encouraging outcomes from our programme shows that obesity can be tackled head-on, and we’re looking forward to scoping any further expansion to this programme in due course.”
Dr Elizabeth Robertson, director of research at Diabetes UK, also said: “Diabetes UK is proud to have funded over a decade of research that has forged new frontiers for people with type 2 diabetes and put remission on the map.
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"These latest findings add to the real world evidence that the NHS England Type 2 Diabetes Path to Remission Programme can help thousands of people living with type 2 diabetes on their weight loss and remission journey, which we know is tough and having support is critical.
“We hope to see even more people benefiting in years to come and an increase in referrals to the programme especially for people recently diagnosed with type 2 diabetes and in younger people where the impact of type 2 diabetes and remission from it is greatest.”
So far, more than 25,000 people have taken part in the programme since it was first launched in 2020. Officials in England are now spending £13 million on the initiative in 2024 alone, to ensure that more people can benefit.
Adults who are aged 18 to 65 can enrol on the programme if they have been diagnosed with type 2 diabetes in the last six years.
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You also need to have a body mass index score of more than 27 if you are white - or over 25 if from Black, Asian or other minority ethnic groups.