Weight Watchers may offer help in managing type 2 diabetes

Weight Watchers is well known as a possible tool to help people shed some pounds. But a recent study by the Medical University of South Carolina's Health Weight Managements Center shows the program also has the potential to help people manage type 2 diabetes.

Patrick O'Neil, PhD, the study's lead author and director of the MUSC Health Weight Management Center and leader of the study, noted difficulty in offering those with type 2 diabetes a fully comprehensive personalized care system. He believes combining the Weight Watchers program with diabetes counseling could improve overall care.

The study, published Nov. 2 in the Obesity Journal, covered 16 sites with 563 participants who were overweight or obese and being treated for type 2 diabetes over the course of a year. The participants were split into two groups, one receiving written information and nutrition counseling with a dietitian while the other group attended Weight Watchers meetings with access to their website of online materials. The Weight Watchers group also received two phone consultations and follow-up emails with diabetic educators on how to further personalize care.

Results showed that the Weight Watchers group was able to lose an average of 4 percent of their starting weight, compared to the 2 percent of the opposing group. The Weight Watchers group was also able to control their blood sugar over a longer period of time and reduce the amount of medication they were taking.

"The Weight Watchers people were significantly better off than people who received standard care," said O’Neil. “They achieved better control of their blood sugar and lost more weight. It wasn't a huge, overwhelming difference but it was scalable, meaning it could be applied to the whole population. You do have some power and control. You can lose some weight and lower your blood sugar—and you may even be able to change your medications. That's no small feat in treating diabetes."