Intensive lifestyle changes lead to lasting improvement in T2DM

(HealthDay)—For obese/overweight adults with type 2 diabetes, an intensive lifestyle intervention (ILI) is associated with a reduced risk of incident depression and with better physical function, according to a study published in the June issue of Diabetes Care.

Thomas A. Wadden, Ph.D., from the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia, and colleagues compared the effects of an ILI with a diabetes support and education (DSE) control intervention on long-term changes in depression symptoms, antidepressant medication use, and health-related quality of life. Participants included 5,145 overweight/obese individuals with type 2 diabetes who were followed for a median of 9.6 years. They administered the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) at baseline, annually at years one to four, and at year eight.

The researchers found that, compared with DSE, ILI correlated with a significant reduction in the incidence of mild or greater depression symptoms (BDI scores ≥10; hazard ratio, 0.85; P= 0.0145). Both groups experienced a worsening of Medical Outcome Study Short Form 36 (SF-36) physical component summary scores over time, but throughout the first eight years the ILI participants reported better physical function than DSE participants (all P values < 0.01). No significant between-group differences were seen in the proportion of participants who used antidepressant medications or in SF-36 mental component summary scores.

"These findings should be considered when evaluating the potential benefits of ILIs," the authors write.

Several authors disclosed financial ties to the pharmaceutical and weight loss industries.

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