Early weight loss could help type 2 diabetes control

A study published online in the journal Diabetes Care, has suggested that people who lose weight soon after being diagnosed with type 2 diabetes have better control of their blood sugar levels and blood pressure.

Researchers followed 2,500 adults with type 2 diabetes for four years. It was found that those who lost weight within an average of 18 months after diagnosis were up to twice as likely to achieve their targets for blood sugar and blood pressure than those who didn’t lose weight.

It was identified that most people remained at around the same weight during the first three years of the study. A small group of 314 participants lost an average of 23 pounds. During the fourth year most of them had regained weight but were more likely to have met their targets.

Previous research has shown that maintaining a healthy weight is key to good diabetes control along with eating a balanced diet and taking regular exercise. This helps to reduce the likelihood of developing serious complications resulting from poor diabetes control.