Soup and shake diets will be rolled out nationwide in a bid to reverse rising levels of type 2 diabetes, the head of the NHS has announced.
Amanda Pritchard said studies have shown the programme, which helps dieters cut up to 800 calories a day, can be ‘truly life-changing’.
Early results showed that about half of those who followed the strict regimen went into remission from the condition, and many remained disease-free five years later.
It is already being offered in some parts of England, with a typical weight loss of two stone in three months.
NHS chief Amanda Pritchard says soup-and-shake scheme could be ‘truly life-changing’ for people needing to lose weight
Dieters are fed a low-calorie, nutrient-rich soup and shake diet totaling about 800 calories per day for 12 to 20 weeks
On the occasion of the European Congress on Obesity in Venice, health officials today announce the rollout of the weight loss plan in every part of the country.
The cost is around £1,100 per head of population and more than 50,000 people are expected to sign up in England over the next five years, with £13 million set aside for the expansion next year.
As part of the program, participants receive a low-calorie, nutritious soup and shake diet for a total of approximately 800 calories per day for twelve to twenty weeks.
They also receive support from a nurse or dietitian to reintroduce healthy eating and maintain weight loss, while medications for type 2 diabetes and blood pressure have been stopped.
Amanda Pritchard, chief executive of the NHS, said the expansion of the ‘transformative programme’ showed the healthcare sector was leading the way internationally.
“Developing type 2 diabetes can have a devastating impact on so many people and their families,” she said.
‘This NHS program could be truly life-changing by helping to reverse the effects of the condition, reduce the risk of significant health complications and support them to stay healthy in the long term.’
More than 10,000 people will be offered the plan in the coming year as the program expands, reaching 50,000 people by 2029.
Research has shown that the program produces sustained weight loss, with people typically losing 20 pounds after a year
Nine out of ten cases of type 2 diabetes are attributed to being overweight
Anyone between 18 and 65 years old, who has been diagnosed with type 2 diabetes in the past six years and has a BMI of at least 27 kg/m2 (or 25 kg/m2 in black, Asian and ethnic groups), is offered by referral from their GP . the regime.
Ms Pitchard added: ‘I’m delighted that thousands of people have already taken advantage of this NHS support to improve their health and that many thousands more will benefit this year as we roll it out to all parts of England .’
Research involving 838 participants found that the program produced sustained weight loss, with people typically losing 20 pounds after a year.
Led by the University of Leeds, it was presented alongside a study from Leeds Beckett University of Leeds, which found participants felt positive about the referral to the strict regime.
The early success has so far seen more than 2,000 people start treatment under NHS England’s low-calorie diet programme, which leaders hoped would reduce the rising costs of obesity.
The number of cases of diabetes in Britain has doubled in the past fifteen years, while obesity rates have risen. It is estimated that more than five million people suffer from the condition, 90 percent of whom are type two.
Nine out of ten cases of type 2 diabetes are attributed to being overweight.
The NHS in England currently spends around £10 billion a year – around 10 per cent of its budget – on detecting and treating diabetes. In addition, at least £6.5 billion a year is spent by the healthcare system on treating obesity.
In 2021/2022, almost 4.3 million people were living with diabetes. And another 850,000 people have diabetes and are completely unaware of it, which is worrying because untreated type 2 diabetes can lead to complications including heart disease and stroke.
The University of Leeds study found the intervention was ‘cost-effective’, but warned of the high costs of rolling out the program given the number of people with diabetes in Britain.
Historically, the disease was seen as a condition of older people, but the number of cases of type 2 is now increasing more rapidly in younger people than in those over middle age.
Type 2 diabetes has been linked to a number of serious health problems, including kidney failure, lower limb amputation, heart attack, stroke and some cancers.
NHS National Clinical Director for Diabetes and Obesity, Dr Clare Hambling said: ‘The rollout of this innovative program across the NHS in England provides a holistic and compassionate way to help people living with type 2 diabetes and overweight or obesity.’
It follows on from the Diabetes Remission Clinical Trial (DiRECT), which showed that patients with type 2 diabetes can go into remission if they follow an intensive weight-loss plan, without the need for medication to control the condition.
Updated findings last year showed that a quarter of those who remained in remission after two years were still there five years later, which is seen as a medical milestone as it reduces the chance of the disease returning.
Colette Marshall, chief executive of Diabetes UK, said: ‘Diabetes UK is proud to have funded more than a decade of research that has forged new frontiers for people with type 2 diabetes and put remission on the map.
‘We’re pleased that the NHS England Type-2 Diabetes Path to Remission Program has already helped thousands of people on their journey to weight loss and remission, and this expansion means that many more people with type 2 diabetes will benefit.
‘Type 2 diabetes is caused by a range of factors, from genetics to where the body stores fat, with our food environment also playing an important role. Remission of type 2 diabetes can transform health and well-being and potentially reduce the risk of serious complications of diabetes in the long term.”