A top nutritionist has slammed the NHS soup and shake diet, which scientists this week praised for reversing diabetes.
The plan, which involves eating 800 calories a day for up to five months, can put patients in remission for at least five years.
Professor Tim Spector, co-founder of nutrition company ZOE, told MailOnline that the extreme diet could help “a very small number of highly motivated individuals” reverse their diabetes.
However, according to the author of Sunday Times bestsellers Food for Life and Spoon Fed, telling people struggling to lose weight that they can use highly processed substitutes “sends completely the wrong message”.
Meal replacement shakes and soups are classified as ultra-processed foods because they are made with ingredients not found in a typical kitchen, such as: B. Sweeteners.
Professor Tim Spector, co-founder of nutrition company ZOE, said it was “completely the wrong message” to send to people desperate to lose weight
To tackle the UK diabetes epidemic, researchers from the Universities of Newcastle and Glasgow, with support from Diabetes UK, launched the DiRECT study six years ago.
Some 149 volunteers with type 2 diabetes ate about 800 calories a day of Optifast strawberry, vanilla or chocolate shakes and tomato, vegetable or potato lye soup.
The landmark study showed that remission of type 2 diabetes is possible through dietary changes, with 36 percent of participants clearing the condition two years later.
As an extension of the study, 95 volunteers – about half of them in remission – received support to maintain their weight loss over the next three years.
The results of that study, released this week, showed that 11 of those already in remission (23 percent) remained so at the end of the study, having lost an average of 8.9 kg (19.6 lbs) lost
READ MORE: I had type 2 diabetes – but I reversed the condition eight years ago by losing 8lbs on the ‘soup and shake’ diet
But Professor Spector said: “Of the original 149 participants, only 11 managed to reverse their diabetes.
“The positive here is that this study shows that it is possible to get a very small number of highly motivated individuals into remission through calorie control.
“But 800kcal in soup and shakes is definitely not suitable for most people.
“At ZOE, we believe that eating real food is the answer to long-term health, not those low-calorie, ultra-processed (UPF) food substitutes.
“It’s completely the wrong message to convey to people whose poor diet got them into trouble in the first place. [that they can use] A UPF diet to fix it.’
The researchers behind the study say their findings provide further evidence that lifestyle changes, rather than medication, can help tackle the disease, which was last week described as a “fast-rising crisis” in the UK.
They believe losing weight and losing weight is the key to curing the serious condition that has been on the rise alongside obesity for the past decade.
Type 2 diabetes occurs when the body does not produce enough insulin or the insulin it does produce does not work properly, leading to high blood sugar levels.
It affects around 4.5 million people in the UK and 37 million in the US. Although obesity is the driving force, about 15 percent of all patients are “normal weight.”
Leading charities have warned that prices will soar in the coming years. The NHS already spends £10bn a year on treating diabetes – around a tenth of its budget.
More than 2,000 people have started treatment under NHS England’s low-calorie diet programme, which is offered by around half of England’s public health authorities.
In addition to meal replacement, plan beneficiaries also receive support from a nurse or dietitian to reintroduce healthy foods and maintain weight loss while off type 2 diabetes and blood pressure medications.
The full expansion of the program is expected to be completed by March next year, and doctors hope it will save tens of thousands of people from developing the disease each year.
DR Elizabeth Robertson, director of research at Diabetes UK, which funded the study, said the results confirmed it was possible to stay in long-term remission.
She said: “For those who put type 2 diabetes into remission, it can be life-changing and offer a better chance for a healthier future.
“For those who cannot go into remission, weight loss can still lead to major health benefits, including improved blood sugar levels and a reduced risk of serious diabetes complications such as heart attack and stroke.”
Professor Jonathan Valabhji, Head of Diabetes and Obesity at NHS England, said: “The NHS is already bringing this research to patients through our low-calorie diet programme, which has shown fantastic early results.
“We plan to expand the program nationwide to give thousands more the opportunity to shed pounds and improve their health.”
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Crystal Leahy is an author and health journalist who writes for The Fashion Vibes. With a background in health and wellness, Crystal has a passion for helping people live their best lives through healthy habits and lifestyles.
