The psychological component of comprehensive lifestyle modification program in overweight (obese) patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus

Abstract

Background. Despite the emergence of new modern classes of antihyperglycemic medications, lifestyle modification of patient with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is a necessary component of the therapeutic approach in this disease. Clinically significant weight reduction and its maintenance is extremely important, but elusive goal for most patients with T2DM in the real clinical practice. The use of specially developed programs with involvement of the different profiles specialists (endocrinologists, dieticians, psychologists, instructors or сlinical exercise physiologists) can greatly contribute to this task.
 Aims — to study individual psychological characteristics in overweight (obese) patients with T2DM and to evaluate the dynamic of these characteristics, anthropometric, clinical and metabolic parameters during the comprehensive lifestyle modification program.
 Material and methods. The lifestyle modification program was developed. The main structural components of this program were dietary intervention, dosed individualized exercise intervention, specific model of team psychotherapeutic work (health coaching), comprehensive group education and dynamic medical support of patients with the adaptation of drug therapy. Psychological characteristics of patients, clinical and metabolic parameters and the level of physical activity were assessed before inclusion, at 3 and 12 months of follow-up.
 Results. The study was completed by 55 people of 60 (5 people dropped out of the study because of various reasons). There were not undesirable phenomena, directly related to participation in the program. At the end of the study we noted the positive dynamics of psychological characteristics in patients: 15% of men and 22% of women became less inclined to self-blame and hyper-responsibility; the locus of control in a relationship to own capabilities of health management changed from external to internal in 30% of women and 41% of men. 65% of participants achieved clinically significant weight loss (most patients reduced MT by 10% or more) and retained this result during 1 year. Improvement of clinical and metabolic parameters was also noted.
 Conclusions. The multidisciplinary lifestyle modification program in overweight (obese) patients with T2DM, the most important part of which was team psychotherapeutic work, showed high effectiveness of both the reduction of MT and the improvement of clinical and metabolic parameters in the long-term period.