Weight Loss with Liquid Formula Diets in Obese Patients with and without Diabetes

Abstract

AimTo provide a data synthesis, using systematic methods, of published results comparing weight losses following Very Low Calorie (<800kcal/day VLCD) or Low Energy Liquid‐formula (>800kcal/day LELD) diets in patients with type 2 diabetes and non‐diabetic patients.MethodsMedline (1946‐2013) search to identify published studies of VLDC/LELDs. All studies in T2D patients were included. Limits for studies in non‐diabetic patients<em style=”mso‐bidi‐font‐style: normal;”> were: VLCD/LELD <em style=”mso‐bidi‐font‐style: normal;”>>8weeks duration, sample size >50 and within last 7 years. Mean weekly rate of weight loss during VLCD/LELD were weighted for study number.ResultsWeighted rates of weight loss in the 16 studies included were as follows: 6 in T2DM patients alone, (n=130, mean BMI 33.6‐40kg/m2) ‐1.4kg/week; non‐diabetic obese (n=1031, mean BMI 30‐48 kg/m2) ‐1.3kg/week, and 4 studies that included both patient groups (n=116, mean BMI 36.6‐42.6 kg/m2) ‐1.4kg/week (diabetic) and ‐1.4kg/week (non‐diabetic).ConclusionsThese data show that weight loss with LELD is very similar for obese patients with and without T2DM and support the use of LELD to achieve new weight loss/ maintenance targets of >15‐20% for those with severe and medically complicated obesity.