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Group
weight-loss helps cut diabetes risk
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A new study has claimed that attending
periodical sessions of weight loss programs in groups can benefit overweight or
obese people and reduce risk of diabetes.
Researchers found that after a 6-month Weight Watchers group program, overweight
or obese adults who attended at least 66 per cent of the weekly sessions, not
only lost weight, but also significantly reduced glucose and insulin levels -
important indicators of diabetes risk.
The program included education on a low calorie diet, exercise and weekly group
support sessions.
The fact that participants who attended regularly improved the most only
reinforces the importance of group therapy.
"We know that previous research programs have successfully reduced diabetes risk
using intensive lifestyle treatment," said Kathleen Melanson, study co-author.
"But what we didn’t know is that a program that costs appreciably much less than
specially-designed diabetes prevention programs would have a profound impact on
the same risk factors for type 2 diabetes. These findings could have important
public health potential," Melanson added.
According to the Centers for Disease Control, the total cost of treatment of
diabetes in the United States exceeds 200 billion dollars, making treatment and
prevention a priority for healthcare experts.
Experts say that individual lifestyle interventions could reduce the risk of
developing diabetes by more than fifty percent.
Karen Miller-Kovach, chief scientific officer for Weight Watchers International,
said: "Individual lifestyle intervention is obviously successful in reducing the
risk for diabetes, but it comes at a high cost, and may not be realistic for all
Americans.”
"We're encouraged that the Weight Watchers program, already successful for
helping millions of Americans lose weight, could also have the potential to
reduce disease risk and even help reduce healthcare burden, for as little as
about forty dollars per month, per person."
The study will be published in this month's
American Journal of Lifestyle Medicine
-ANI / Times of India
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