Tens of thousands more people in England living with type 2 diabetes could be offered an 800-calorie-a-day ‘soup and shake’ diet, after research found almost one in three participants in the groundbreaking NHS programme permanently cured their disease.
Patients are given low-calorie meal replacement products such as soups, milkshakes and bars for three months, which ensure rapid weight loss. They are then supported to reintroduce normal food into their diet.
Currently, the programme is open to 10,000 people a year, but ‘brilliant’ results showing ‘life-changing benefits’ for participants have prompted NHS leaders to consider expanding the programme.
Some who followed the diet lost as much as 17.4 kg (38 lbs). Nearly a third got their type 2 diabetes into remission, according to a paper published in the journal Lancet Diabetes and Endocrinology.
The year-long program helps people start their weight loss journey with the low-calorie ‘meal replacement’ diet for the first 12 weeks. Participants are then encouraged to reintroduce healthy eating and receive tailored support to maintain their weight loss.
According to NHS England, the report shows that the Type 2 Diabetes Remission Programme could benefit thousands more people with the condition.
The study examined data from 1,740 people who started the diet before January 2022. Of those, 945 completed a full year of the program – defined as recording their weight after 12 months – and provided blood samples twice.
Of this group, 32% had put their condition into remission – defined by average blood glucose levels over a period of time – with an average weight loss of 15.9 kg (35 lbs). Some achieved weight loss of up to 17.4 kg (38 lbs).
Dr Clare Hambling, national clinical director for diabetes and obesity at NHS England, said the health service’s type 2 diabetes remission programme had had a “huge impact” on the lives of participants.
“It is great that these findings show that a large number of those who completed the program experienced life-changing benefits, including significant weight loss and remission of type 2 diabetes.
“We know that obesity is one of the biggest health threats in the UK and will be one of the biggest and most costly challenges for healthcare systems globally. Seeing such encouraging results from our programme shows that obesity can be tackled head-on. We look forward to expanding this programme further in the future.”
Dr Elizabeth Robertson, director of research at Diabetes UK, said the charity was proud to have funded research for more than a decade that had “pushing new boundaries” for people with type 2 diabetes and “put remission on the map”.
“These latest findings add to real-world evidence that the NHS England type 2 diabetes pathway to remission programme can help thousands of people with type 2 diabetes on their weight loss and remission journey, which we know is tough and where support is crucial.
“We hope that in the coming years even more people will benefit from this and that referrals to the programme will increase, especially for people newly diagnosed with type 2 diabetes and for younger people who are most affected by type 2 diabetes and its remission.”
More than 25,000 people have taken part in the programme since it launched in 2020. In May this year, NHS officials said the diet would be offered to 50,000 people across England over five years, doubling the programme’s capacity. Officials have put £13m into the programme this year to ensure more people could benefit from it.
Adults aged 18 to 65 can register if they have been diagnosed with type 2 diabetes in the past six years and have a body mass index score of over 27 if they are white or over 25 if they are black, Asian or other minority ethnic. Referrals are made by GP practices.