Losing weight after diabetes diagnosis prevents related diseases

People who lose weight soon after a diagnosis of type 2 diabetes have better control of their blood pressure and blood sugar, and are more likely to maintain that control even if they regain their weight, according to a Kaiser Permanente study published online in Diabetes Care, the American Diabetes Association journal.

This is the first study to show that the benefits are retained, even if the weight is regained. Researchers followed 2500 adults with type 2 diabetes for four years. Those who lost weight within an average of 18 months after diagnosis were twice a likely to lower their blood pressure and blood sugar than those who did not lose weight. Keeping blood pressure and blood sugar under control is key to preventing the long-term organ damage associated with type 2 diabetes.

Scientists followed the weight gain and loss patterns of these patients for three years, and then in the fourth year compared glucose control tests and blood pressure readings.

Most patients remained at about the same weight during the first three years of the study, but a small group of 314 patients lost an average of 10 kilograms. This group was more likely to meet blood pressure and glucose targets during the fourth year even though, by that time, most of them had regained their weight.

Researchers are not sure whether the initial weight loss increased the body's sensitivity to insulin, or if sustained lifestyle changes were the reason for the benefits.