Dramatic gains shown with moderate weight loss, exercise

A study of 35 obese people included three groups of volunteers; all were obese and had a body mass index above 30 kg/m2 and had insulin resistance. The first group in the study did not have diabetes; the second group had a condition known as impaired glucose tolerance and was at high risk for developing diabetes; and the third group had type 2 diabetes. The three groups were put on a calorie-restricted diet, simply by cutting 500 caloriesfrom their daily caloric consumption. The participants also exercised in the gym at Joslin Diabetes Center in Boston two to three times per week. Exercise was moderate in intensity and for 30 minutes each session. “After 6 months, the study participants had lost an average of about 7 percent of their initial weight or approximately 16 pounds in a 220-pound person,” researcher Osama Hamdy said. The researchers found significant improvement in the function of the major blood vessels; the risk of developing arteriosclerosis and heart disease was reduced, Hamdy said. The study was published in Diabetes Care.