'Fantastic' NHS diet to be rolled out in England after patients shed over 2st in 3 months

31 January 2022, 07:31 | Updated: 31 January 2022, 17:07

A soup-and-shake diet will be rolled out to more regions in England after a study found it helped obese people shed more than 2 stone in three months.

More than 2,000 patients with Type 2 diabetes took part in the NHS soups and shakes diet programme.

They lost an average of 1 st 1lb - 7.2kg - after a month, and an average of 2 st 1lb - 13.4kg - after three.

And data from NHS England suggests people are able to keep the weight off over time, with figures showing patients' weight remained stable three months after stopping soups and shakes.

After the success of the pilot, NHS England said thousands more people will be able to access the diet via their GP in several regions of England including South West London, Sussex and Bristol.

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Karen Bradbury, aged 50 from Derbyshire, started the programme around a year ago after being diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes and being warned she would need to start taking daily medication if she did not lose weight and reduce her blood sugar.

She lost over 5 st and says she feels "so much healthier" as a result.

"My energy levels have increased substantially, and I am now swimming three to four times a week and walking every day," she said.

"I used to wake up to 10 times a night to use the bathroom, I was thirsty all the time, exhausted and generally felt unwell.

"Now I sleep soundly all night and feel less tired during the day.

"My mental health has also improved.

"I feel better and I'm living better for me and my children."

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Ms Bradbury also praised the psychological support during the programme.

"I have felt totally supported by the practitioners and all the tools available," she said.

"I've learnt loads about Type 2 diabetes and how to manage stress and habits with food."

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Nadeem Akhtar, 49 from Sheffield, has lost more than 3st since starting the programme and has put his Type 2 diabetes into remission.

"I lost my mum to diabetes, which was devastating," he said.

"It really showed me just how destructive this disease can be and I really didn't want to go down the same path.

"Being on the plan is the best thing I've ever done for myself and my family.

"It was hard at first, but my health coach was so understanding and really helped me through the difficult times and keep up healthier habits."

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Once put on the diet, people are able to get the shakes and soups for free on the NHS and follow the plan for three months.

They receive support from clinicians and coaches throughout, including virtual one-to-ones, online help and support groups.

After three months they are given a programme that reintroduces healthy, nutritious food.

As well as the general physical and mental health advantages of losing weight, previous clinical data has shown that around half of people on a similar diet were able to achieve remission from their Type 2 diabetes after one year.

Diabetes is estimated to cost the NHS £10 billion a year, with treatment making up one in 20 prescriptions written by GPs.

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The programme is now being rolled out to NHS trusts in North East and North Cumbria, West Yorkshire, Lancashire and South Cumbria, Nottingham and Nottinghamshire, Black Country, Somerset, Bristol, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire, Mid and South Essex, South West London, Kent and Medway and Sussex.

The diet is open to people aged 18 to 65 diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes in the last six years and with a body mass index (BMI) over 27 (or over 25 in people of Black, Asian or minority ethnic origin).

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Professor Jonathan Valabhji, NHS national clinical director for diabetes and obesity, said: "The fantastic results our participants have achieved through this programme are really encouraging, and show that real-world experience is in line with what we have found in trials.

"We know this weight loss will go a long way to help people stay well and avoid preventable illness, and for many will also mean they can put Type 2 diabetes into remission.

"This is also the latest example of the NHS rapidly adopting the latest evidence-based treatments to help people with Type 2 diabetes live well.

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"With research showing that obesity causes more severe illness from Covid-19, as well as other serious diseases, there has never been a more important time to lose weight."

Chris Askew, chief executive of Diabetes UK, said: "We're delighted to see the expansion of NHS England's free weight-loss programme for people living with Type 2 diabetes.

"Since its launch, this low-calorie diet pilot, inspired by Diabetes UK's ground-breaking DiRECT trial, has helped thousands of people across England access the support they need to lose weight effectively and potentially put their Type 2 diabetes in remission."