Document Type

Abstract

Publication Date

2-2021

Academic Year

2020-2021

Abstract

Introduction: Obesity and Diabetes are highly prevalent conditions worldwide. Morbidity and mortality stemming from these conditions has critical implications on the health and day to day lives of patients. A Very Low- Calorie Diet (VLCD) may be an effective tool to aid in lowering weight for both obese and diabetic patients, but has not been well studied. Thus, the efficacy of a VLCD on lowering weight, BMI, blood pressure, HbA1c, Lipid levels, and blood glucose was explored in this pilot study.

Methods: The study’s population is taken from an MNT (medical nutrition therapy) program at Jefferson. Patients who had prior bariatric surgery, hypothyroidism, a malignancy, or specific vitamin deficiencies were excluded to avoid confounding effects on variables.

Participants in the program have their vitals tracked, along with their attendance and length of participation in the program. A retrospective chart review was performed on a sample of patients. Their baseline vitals and outcome variables were recorded from three months prior to their enrollment in the program, and compared to their vitals/outcomes following participation in the program at yearly intervals.

Results: Our pilot sample included x men and y women. Preliminary results from conducting the study showed that following a VLCD regimen, participants on average lost xx pounds, associated with a decrease of yy in A1C over a zz period of time.

Discussion: Initial pilot results show that VLCD and counseling are effective/ not effective in lowering HBA1C levels in patients. The underlying mechanism may be that a caloric deficit aids in lowering blood glucose, which over time, reduces the acetylation of blood cells, reflected in a lowered HBA1c value.

Language

English

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