andomised controlled trial of a low-carbohydrate digitally-supported weight loss programme for type 2 diabetes

Morris E., Scragg J., Stevens R., Albury C., Aveyard P., Jebb SA.

We evaluated the effectiveness of a low-carbohydrate digitally-supported weight loss programme for glycaemic control for people with type 2 diabetes (T2D) compared with usual primary care in a 12 month RCT. We individually randomised 115 people with T2D and BMI ≥27 kg/m2 recruited from 19 general practices in England, to receive either a 12-week low-carbohydrate programme with digital support, or usual care. There was no between-group difference in HbA1c change from baseline to 3 or 12 months (primary outcome; estimated mean difference (95% CI) –0.7 mmol/mol (–5.0 to 3.6), and –1.5 (–5.7 to 2.8), p = 0.80). Greater mean weight loss in the intervention group at 3 months (2.6 kg (0.6 to 4.6)) was not sustained by 12 months (–0.4 kg (–2.3 to 1.6)). While this digitally-delivered intervention was acceptable to patients, there was no evidence of a meaningful impact of the intervention on glycaemia or other cardiovascular risk factors beyond that achieved with usual care. This trial was prospectively registered at clinicaltrials.gov, NCT04916314, in June 2021.

DOI

10.1038/s41746-025-02116-w

Type

Journal article

Publication Date

2025-12-01T00:00:00+00:00

Volume

8

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