title: Portion control plate for weight loss in obese patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus: a controlled clinical trial.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Portion size is an important determinant of energy intake. To our knowledge, no randomized controlled trial has evaluated the efficacy of portion control tools to induce weight loss. In patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus, weight reduction improves glycemic control.
  
  
  METHODS
  We randomly assigned 130 obese patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (including 55 patients taking insulin) to the daily use of a commercially available portion control plate for 6 months (intervention group) vs to usual care in the form of dietary teaching (usual care control group).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Follow-up was 93.8%. Patients in the intervention group lost significantly more weight than control subjects (mean+/-SD, 1.8%+/-3.9% vs 0.1%+/-3.0%, P=.006). Compared with controls, more patients in the intervention group required a decrease in their diabetes medications at 6 months (26.2% vs 10.8%, P=.04).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Compared with usual care, the portion control tool studied was effective in inducing weight loss. The portion control plate also enabled patients with diabetes mellitus to decrease their hypoglycemic medications without sacrificing glycemic control.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  clinicaltrials.gov Identifier: NCT00254124.
authors.affiliation: Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Department of Medicine, University of Calgary, Foothills Medical Centre, 1441 29th St NW, North Tower, Room 302, Calgary, Alberta, Canada T2N 4J8. sue.pedersen@calgaryhealthregion.ca
authors.forename: Sue D
authors.initials: SD
authors.lastname: Pedersen
authors.forename: Jian
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Kang
authors.forename: Gregory A
authors.initials: GA
authors.lastname: Kline
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000378:metabolism; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications / Q000178:diet therapy*; D002149:Energy Intake; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009765:Obesity / Q000150:complications / Q000178:diet therapy* / Q000534:rehabilitation; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D015431:Weight Loss
chemical_list: D001786:Blood Glucose