An intensified lifestyle intervention programme may be superior to insulin treatment in poorly controlled Type 2 diabetic patients on oral hypoglycaemic agents: results of a feasibility study.
OBJECTIVE
The aims of this study were to assess whether, in Type 2 diabetic patients with inadequate glycaemic control on oral hypoglycaemic agents (OHA), a lifestyle intervention programme based on exercise and diet counselling (i) was as effective as insulin treatment in controlling blood glucose, and (ii) could prevent the weight gain usually accompanying the introduction of insulin treatment.


METHODS
Thirty-eight Type 2 diabetic subjects treated with OHA, HbA(1c) 8-10.5% and body mass index (BMI) 26-40 kg/m2, were randomized to the following treatments: (i) lifestyle intervention (L), (ii) lifestyle intervention + insulin treatment (L+I) and (iii) insulin treatment alone (I).


RESULTS
There was a reduction in HbA(1c) of -1.2 (interquartile range 1.0), -1.0 (1.7) and -1.5 (2.5)% in group L, L+I and I, respectively, and all treatment groups achieved beneficial changes in blood lipid variables. There was no significant difference between the groups in the change observed in levels of HbA(1c) between start and 12 months of treatment (P = 0.74). There was a significant difference in weight changes between groups (P < 0.01): group L reduced weight by median -3.0 (4.0) kg, groups L+I and I increased weight by 3.5 (3.4) and 4.9 (6.9) kg, respectively.


CONCLUSIONS
Lifestyle intervention was as effective as insulin treatment in improving glycaemic control in poorly controlled subjects with Type 2 diabetes, and resulted in weight loss during the intervention year. However, glycaemic control deteriorated and body weight increased in the lifestyle intervention group 1 year after the intervention stopped.
Aas
A M
AM
Department of Nutrition and Dietetics, Aker University Hospital, Oslo, Norway. anne-marie.aas@akersykehus.no
Bergstad
I
I
Thorsby
P M
PM
Johannesen
O
O
Solberg
M
M
Birkeland
K I
KI
D000284:Administration, Oral; D000368:Aged; D000886:Anthropometry; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000032:analysis; D001823:Body Composition; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000097:blood; D008076:Cholesterol, HDL / Q000097:blood; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007004:Hypoglycemic Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D007328:Insulin / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008019:Life Style; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D014280:Triglycerides / Q000097:blood
D001786:Blood Glucose; D008076:Cholesterol, HDL; D007004:Hypoglycemic Agents; D007328:Insulin; D014280:Triglycerides; D002784:Cholesterol