A University of Oxford study published in the journal Obesity has revealed that ‘total diet replacement’ programmes (TDRs), combined with one-to-one support, are an effective and cost-efficient way to lose weight long term.
Comparing a nurse-led programme with The 1:1 Diet by Cambridge Weight Plan, this report builds on the initial results of a trial by the University of Oxford which proved that TDRs are a safe and effective way to lose weight. The trial also showed that after 12 months participants lost an average of 10.7kg if they followed the Cambridge Weight Plan (CWP, now The 1:1 Diet) compared to 3.1kg for those who followed usual care.
Led by Dr Seamus Kent, the latest findings estimate that for every 100,000 people referred to the TDR programme, 50 coronary heart disease events, 75 strokes, 900 cases of type 2 diabetes, and 25 cancers could be avoided, over 25 years.
As a result, people are expected to live longer and in better health, with lower use and costs of healthcare services. In view of this, it is unsurprising that the NHS recently announced a pilot programme to offer TDRs to around 5,000 people with type 2 diabetes.
Professor Anthony Leeds, Medical Director of Cambridge Weight Plan, said: “The NHS is weighed down by the UK’s ageing and heavier population. We need to lighten the load, not just on those seeking to lose a significant amount of weight, but also in regard to the increased care requirements and financial burden that rests on the NHS.”
Professor Susan Jebb, Professor of Diet and Population Health in University of Oxford’s Nuffield Department of Primary Care Health Sciences and Chief investigator of the initial trial, went on to comment: “Our clinical trial has shown clearly that a programme combining low energy, nutritionally complete products with one-to-one support from trained counsellors helps people to lose weight successfully.”
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