Thousands go on NHS ‘soup and shake’ diet to help them lose weight after success of trials
- Tens of thousands of obese Britons will be prescribed soup and shake diets to help them slim
- The radical scheme came after a trial found people shed more than two stone in three months
- Overweight patients will be referred by their GP and given low-calorie shakes and soups for free on the NHS
Tens of thousands of obese Britons will be prescribed soup and shake diets to help them slim down – after a trial found people shed more than two stone in three months.
Last night the NHS announced that it was expanding the diet programme to 11 more regions in England after it was found to help patients reverse type 2 diabetes.
Overweight patients will be referred by their GP and given low-calorie shakes and soups for free on the NHS for three months.
The radical scheme is part of the health service’s plan to tackle diabetes, which costs the NHS £10billion a year.
Tens of thousands of obese Britons will be prescribed soup and shake diets to help them slim down – after a trial found people shed more than two stone in three months (File image)
The radical scheme is part of the health service’s plan to tackle diabetes, which costs the NHS £10billion a year (File image)
More than four million people have diabetes in the UK and 90 per cent of these have type 2, which is linked to obesity.
For decades the condition was seen as incurable, but now research shows that weight loss can reverse diabetes for good.
As part of an NHS trial, 2,000 patients with type 2 diabetes were put on the diet and on average lost more than two stone after three months.
Research shows around half of those who lose weight on this diet are able to achieve remission from diabetes within a year.
Those put on the diet receive support from clinicians and coaches, including virtual one-to-ones, online help and groups.
After the diet is finished, they receive coaching to re-introduce healthy, nutritious foods.
More than four million people have diabetes in the UK and 90 per cent of these have type 2, which is linked to obesity (File image)
The diet is open to people aged 18 to 65 diagnosed with type 2 diabetes in the past six years with a body mass index over 27.
Nadeem Akhtar, 49, from Sheffield, has lost more than 3st since starting the programme and has put his type 2 diabetes into remission.
He said: ‘It is the best thing I’ve ever done for myself and my family.’
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