Effects of Fasting-Mimicking Diet and Specific Meal Replacement Foods on Blood Glucose Control in Patients with Type 2 Diabetes: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Abstract

Type 2 diabetes represents a serious societal health problem due to the vulnerability to cardiovascular events. Diet therapy is the most basic treatment for type 2 diabetes. The present study was conducted to study the effect of a fasting-mimicking diet and specific meal replacement foods on blood glucose control in patients with type 2 diabetes. Our study included 100 patients with type 2 diabetes who underwent a physical examination which were enrolled and randomly assigned as 50 patients each to the test group (with low energy-specific meal replacement meals during a fasting-mimicking diet) and the control group (with specific meal replacement foods given normal adult doses). After 4 months, efficacy indicators which were fasting blood glucose, 2-hour postprandial venous blood glucose, and glycosylated haemoglobin of the experimental group were all lower than those of the control group ( P < 0.05); observation indicators that include body mass index, waist circumference, blood lipids (triglyceride, cholesterol, and low-density lipoprotein), and blood pressure levels were all lower than the control group, and high-density lipoprotein levels were all higher than the control group (all P < 0.05). Both groups of fasting blood glucose, 2-hour postprandial venous blood glucose, and blood pressure had a relatively stable downward trend, but the experimental group had a more significant decline. In conclusion, the study revealed that a fasting-mimicking diet and specific meal replacement foods can safely and effectively reduce weight and improve metabolic syndrome in patients with type 2 diabetes.