Clinical Nutrition Therapy for Weight Control in Obese Diabetic Patients

Abstract

Clinical Practice Guidelines for Diabetes recommend that overweight or obese adults lose more than 5% of their body weight and reduce their total caloric intake to maintain the reduced body weight. In diabetic patients, the goal of weight control is not simply to lose weight, but to achieve health benefits by controlling blood sugar well and reducing the risk of complications and other comorbidities. An extremely calorie-restricted diet, whose long-term effectiveness has not been verified, is not recommended as it may increase the risk of hypoglycemia and ketoacidosis. For weight control in obese diabetic patients, it is important to follow diabetic diet guidelines while setting actionable energy goals that prevent hypoglycemia and do not increase health risks. The energy target should be adjusted in consideration of individual conditions such as daily intake, body size, and activity level.