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Type 2 Diabetes in Remission After 10% Weight Loss

Healthy Living, Lifestyle , , , , , , , , , ,

November is American Diabetes Month! This month, we hope to give you with resources to help manage and even kick diabetes to the curb. If you’ve had your type 2 diabetes diagnosis for a while, you’ve probably accepted it and learned a great deal about treating it. However, perhaps you don’t have to just accept your diagnosis. Exciting new research shows that it may be easier than you think to put type 2 diabetes into remission.

 

What is type 2 diabetes? 

 

Type 2 diabetes (T2D)  is a metabolic condition. It is characterized by the body’s inability to sufficiently process glucose (sugar).  Consequently, blood sugar levels for T2D patients are persistently high.

 

Diabetes affects a staggering 30 million people in the United States. 1  If unmonitored, it may also lead to various complications, including hypertension, vision problems, and hyperglycemia.

 

Most often, doctors prescribe medication and dietary changes to help patients control T2D.

 

Remission, however, is possible for some patients.  Remission refers to a disappearance or even a decrease of symptoms. It even allows people to cease treatment when achieved.

 

How can remission from type 2 diabetes be achieved? 

 

Weight loss is a known factor to aid a patient’s ability to enter remission from T2D. 

 

For example, those struggling with T2D and obesity sometimes experience remission from diabetes following weight loss surgery.

 

In 2016, a different study demonstrated that diabetics who followed an intensive low-calorie diet for 8 weeks could also experience remission. 2

 

Are such demanding dietary restrictions necessary, however? That is what a research team from the University of Cambridge sought to find out.

 

Moderate weight loss may be sufficient 

 

The findings of this study appeared in the journal Diabetic Medicine. The team analyzed data from 867 people aged 40–69. The participants of this study were also newly diagnosed type 2 diabetics.

 

In addition, all of these individuals had previously enrolled in a study that assesses the effectiveness of diabetes screening.

 

The researchers gathered data on the individuals for 5 years. The team then discovered that 30% of the participants experienced T2D remission at the end of the study.  Furthermore, participants who achieved at least 10% weight loss in the first 5 years following their diagnosis were more than twice as likely to enter remission within that period, compared to those who had not lost weight.

 

Weight loss “worth a try”

 

For diabetics who are also overweight, weight loss does not promise a cure but is still worth a try. While the study mentioned does offer more hope for T2D patients, other studies have shown that remission rates are lower.

 

For example, another study of 10,059 patients with type 2 diabetes found that only 4.97% of participants had achieved remission at the end of an 8 year period. 3

 

However, if we had known this when 30 million Americans received their T2D diagnosis, 1.5 million Americans could be living in remission. 

 

Do you need help managing your diabetes? We would love to assist you. Reach out to Diabetes Education at Lawton Community Health Center today. 

 

Sources 

 

1 American Diabetes Association. Statistics About Diabetes. 2017. 

2 Sarah Steven, Kieren G. Hollingsworth, Ahmad Al-Mrabe, et al. American Diabetes Association.Very Low-Calorie Diet and 6 Months of Weight Stability in Type 2 Diabetes: Pathophysiological Changes in Responders and Nonresponders.  May 2016. 

3 Srikanth Tangelloju, Bert B. Little,1, Robert J. Esterhay, et al. Front Public Health. Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus (T2DM) “Remission” in Non-bariatric Patients 65 Years and Older. 2019.

 

Disclaimer 

 

The Comanche County Memorial Hospital website does not provide specific medical advice for individual cases. Comanche County Memorial Hospital does not endorse any medical or professional services obtained through information provided on this site, articles on the site or any links on this site.

 

Use of the information obtained by the Comanche County Memorial Hospital website does not replace medical advice given by a qualified medical provider to meet the medical needs of our readers or others.

 

While content is frequently updated, medical information changes quickly. Information may be out of date, and/or contain inaccuracies or typographical errors. For questions or concerns, please contact us at contact@ccmhhealth.com.

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Is White Meat Just as Bad for Cholesterol as Red Meat?

Healthy Living, Heart and Vascular, Lifestyle , , , , , , , , ,

Many of us avoid red meat to maintain our low-density lipoprotein (LDL, or “bad”) cholesterol level. LDL is can increase your risk of heart disease risk. However, a newly published study in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition shows that red and white meat have similar effects on LDL. Before you give up and order steak and cheeseburgers at every meal, let’s take a look at the facts. 

 

Details of the study 

 

Led by scientists at Children’s Hospital Oakland Research Institute, the study examined whether cholesterol levels differed after consuming diets high in red meat compared with diets with similar protein levels from white meat or non-meat sources. Non-meat sources high in protein include foods such as nuts, legumes, grains, and soy products. The researchers also examined to see if the saturated fat in each diet affected each participant.

 

The study’s participants were one hundred and thirteen healthy men and women, ranging from ages 21 to 65. The group participated for four weeks by consuming either a randomly assigned high or low saturated fat diet. They also consumed either red meat, white meat, or non-meat food sources. 

 

To reduce the chances that other factors would affect cholesterol levels, participants maintained their typical activity level and abstained from alcohol. They also worked to maintain their weight during the study period and adjusted their calorie intake if their weight changed.

 

Red meat, white meat, or non-meat? 

 

After consuming both the red and white meat diets, LDL cholesterol was significantly higher compared with the non-meat diet, regardless of whether the diet was high or low in saturated fat. The high-saturated fat diets had a larger harmful effect on LDL cholesterol levels than the low-saturated fat diets, however. High-density lipoprotein (HDL, or “good”) cholesterol was unaffected by the protein source.

 

Conclusion of the study 

 

Further research will surely ensue as the study had a number of limitations. The number of participants and the duration of the study was small. The study also excluded processed meats such as cold cuts, sausage, or bacon. 

 

It is always best to consult with your physician about what diet is best for you. If you need a physician, please refer to our provider directory. When seeking protein sources yet maintaining a healthy LDL, there are a number of vegetables and legumes such as peas, beans, lentils, nuts and chickpeas to consider. Meat, as with all things, should be consumed in moderation. 

 

Disclaimer 

 

The Comanche County Memorial Hospital website does not provide specific medical advice for individual cases. Comanche County Memorial Hospital does not endorse any medical or professional services obtained through information provided on this site, articles on the site or any links on this site.

Use of the information obtained by the Comanche County Memorial Hospital website does not replace medical advice given by a qualified medical provider to meet the medical needs of our readers or others.

While content is frequently updated, medical information changes quickly. Information may be out of date, and/or contain inaccuracies or typographical errors. For questions or concerns, please contact us at contact@ccmhhealth.com.