We treated 96 obese diabetic subjects (BMI 33-44 kg/m 2 ) with a "package of interventions" including therapeutic education, regular follow-up at 15-day intervals and a hypocaloric diet of 60% of their daily needs, 20% at breakfast and 40% at each meal. At the beginning of the observation and after 3 and 6 months we checked certain baseline characteristics. All the subjects performed self blood glucose measurement (SMBG) 3 or 5 times a day and kept a log. After the first 3 months of observation (Phase 1) 18 were lost to follow-up and 40 who obtained a weight loss >5% of their initial BW continued on their diet (G-). The remaining 38 substituted a nutritionally rich hypocaloric meal (Glucerna ® SR) for 206 calories of one of the main meals (G+). During the following three months (Phase 2) all were treated with the package of interventions. The subjects treated with Glucerna ® SR had a more consistent weight loss and a more remarkable improvement of the parameters under evaluation, with greater statistical significance. With the logistic regression analysis the residual variance not explained by the weight loss was greater for the G+ group, which implies the existence of an additional beneficial effect of the formula used. Of great relevance is the observation that the G+ group had a reduction of the standard deviation of the SMBG data, thus suggesting a greater stability of the BG values in this group.

Subjects with type 2 diabetes are in a continuous catabolic state due to increased neoglycogensis during most of the fasting and the postprandial period. We compared the body cell mass index (BCMI) of 257 subjects with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and 216 non-diabetic controls and found a statistically significant lower value in the diabetic subjects. This abnormality was reversed after 6 months of treatment with a diabetes-specific nutritional formula. Furthermore, in a population of 715 diabetic subjects without other diseases, we found that the BCMI was inversely correlated with the prevailing HbA1c and the duration of the disease.

We treated 96 obese diabetic subjects (BMI 33-44 kg/m 2 ) with a "package of interventions" including therapeutic education, regular follow-up at 15-day intervals and a hypocaloric diet of 60% of their daily needs, 20% at breakfast and 40% at each meal. At the beginning of the observation and after 3 and 6 months we checked certain baseline characteristics. All the subjects performed self blood glucose measurement (SMBG) 3 or 5 times a day and kept a log. After the first 3 months of observation (Phase 1) 18 were lost to follow-up and 40 who obtained a weight loss >5% of their initial BW continued on their diet (G-). The remaining 38 substituted a nutritionally rich hypocaloric meal (Glucerna ® SR) for 206 calories of one of the main meals (G+). During the following three months (Phase 2) all were treated with the package of interventions. The subjects treated with Glucerna ® SR had a more consistent weight loss and a more remarkable improvement of the parameters under evaluation, with greater statistical significance. With the logistic regression analysis the residual variance not explained by the weight loss was greater for the G+ group, which implies the existence of an additional beneficial effect of the formula used. Of great relevance is the observation that the G+ group had a reduction of the standard deviation of the SMBG data, thus suggesting a greater stability of the BG values in this group.

No abstract

The metabolic syndrome consists of a group of metabolic abnormalities that at least in the early phases are easily treated with a nutritional intervention. Although there has been considerable debate in the past is now evident that the quality and the quantity of the dietary carbohydrate (CHO) content has a central role in the control of the hyperglycemia and the coexistent hyperlipidemia. Also the favorable role of the Monounsaturated Fatty Acids (MUFA) has emerged. Although the effect of some micronutrients is still to be defined and any dietary advice should be tested at the individual level, clear guidelines for the treatment of these subjects have now been defined.