Over 10,000 more people living with type-2 diabetes and obesity in England, many of Indian heritage among them, are to be offered a “soup and shake” diet plan by the National Health Service (NHS) to help them lose weight.
The radical NHS Type 2 Diabetes Path to Remission Programme is being rolled out under a new expansion plan to double its capacity this year. The programme will now be available in 42 local health areas – up from 21 last year – meaning that eligible patients will be able to access it in every part of England.
NHS chief executive Amanda Pritchard said: “The expansion of this transformative programme is another example of the NHS leading the way internationally, by providing evidence-based treatments and support to help give people with type-2 diabetes more control over their health.”
“Developing type 2 diabetes can have a devastating impact for so many people and their families, and this NHS programme can be truly life-changing in helping reverse the effects of the condition, reducing their risks of significant health complications and supporting them to stay well for the long-term,” she said.
The programme is offered to people who meet a set of criteria, which include those who are aged 18-65 years, have a diagnosis of type-2 diabetes within the last six years, and have a high body mass index (BMI) – with patients of Indian and South Asian heritage considered at higher risk on this parameter.
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Thousands have already benefitted from the so-called soup and shake diet – a 12-month innovative programme which helps kickstart weight loss by providing participants with low calorie, nutritionally complete, total diet replacement products such as soups, shakes and bars, consisting of 800 to 900 calories a day, for the first 12 weeks.
Participants are then supported by clinicians and coaches to reintroduce healthy, nutritious food into their diet to maintain weight loss, with their progress being monitored. During the programme, participants are able to choose how they are supported through one-to-one in-person sessions or digitally online with the NHS.
Analysis shows that the programme is effective and can work successfully to improve people’s diabetes control and support weight loss, with participants typically losing 7.2kg on average after one month, and an average of 13kg in three months. This, according to the NHS, is similar to the outcomes seen in clinical trials, showing early promise that the programme will lead to remission of type 2 diabetes in up to half of those who complete it.
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NHS National Clinical Director for Diabetes and Obesity Dr Clare Hambling said: “Weight loss can lead to significant health benefits, including for some, remission of type-2 diabetes, and it’s important the NHS offers a wide range of services that are easy to access and tailored to those looking to manage their condition.”