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The famous American diet program Weight Watchers wanted to verify through a clinical trial the benefits of its method for people with type 2 diabetes. The results are encouraging.
Finding a balanced diet is essential to maintaining good health and getting back in shape, if that is your goal. This is especially true if you suffer from a disease such as diabetes: a weight loss program can promote a healthier and better tolerated lifestyle day after day. According to the Haute Autorité de Santé (HAS), moderate weight loss improves glycemic control in overweight patients with type 2 diabetes. Doctissimo diets, on the other hand, certain programs can pride themselves on obtaining good results both in terms of weight and health in general.
A clinical trial commissioned by WeightWatchers
WeightWatchers is today releasing the results of a clinical trial conducted by the Pennington Biomedical Research Center of its own method and diet program. The six-month clinical trial was conducted in the United States among 136 people with type 2 diabetes and an initial average HbA1C (glycated hemoglobin) level of 7.92. 6 months :
- The decrease in glycated hemoglobin;
- Weight loss ;
- The decrease in waist circumference;
- And general well-being.
Improved living conditions and health in 6 months
According to the results established by the research center, the WeightWatchers program followed allowed:
- A significant reduction in HbA1c of 0.76%, leading to an average HbA1c of 7.16% after the 6 month intervention. “For comparison, the blood sugar target for patients living with diabetes according to French recommendations is generally 7%” announces the press release published;
- An average weight loss of 5.7% and a decrease in waist circumference of more than 5 cm. An interesting result knowing that a modest weight loss of at least 5% contributes to important health benefits: in particular improvements in blood pressure, blood cholesterol and blood sugar and therefore a reduction in the risk of cardiovascular accidents;
- A 9.8% decrease in diabetes-related psychological distress: Participants experienced a reduction in emotional burden, diet-related stress, and general diabetes-related distress;
- A 13.1% decrease in hunger and a 13.6% improvement in quality of life in patients.
The key: a personalized program
Why would this diet work better than others? Simply because it relies on personalization and simplification of information. By developing an algorithm adapted to people with diabetes, the program naturally steers users towards foods that are richer in unsaturated fatty acids, fiber and protein, but also lower in added sugars and saturated fatty acids. In short, more suitable for people with type 2 diabetes. People just have to let themselves be guided. An adaptation that is indeed paying off.
For more information, discover our list of diets dedicated to people with diabetes.