According to the International Diabetes Federation, sub-Saharan Africa is experiencing the highest anticipate increase in the prevalence of type 2 diabetes (T2D) in the world and has the highest percent of people living with T2D who are undiagnosed. Therefore, diagnosis and treatment need prioritization. However, pharmacological hypoglycemics are often unavailable and bariatric surgery is not an option. Therefore, the ability to induce T2D remission through lifestyle intervention alone (LSI-alone) needs assessment. This scoping review evaluated trials designed to induce T2D remission by LSI-alone. PubMed, Embase, Cochrane, and CINAHL databases were searched for trials designed to induce T2D remission through LSI-alone. Of the 928 identified, 63 duplicates were removed. With abstract review, 727 irrelevant articles were excluded. After full-text review, 112 inappropriate articles were removed. The remaining 26 articles described 16 trials. These trials were published between 1984 and 2021 and were conducted in 10 countries, none of which were in Africa. Remission rates varied across trials. Predictors of remission were 10% weight loss and higher BMI, lower A1C and shorter T2D duration at enrollment. However, LSI-alone regimens for newly diagnosed and established T2D were very different. In newly diagnosed T2D, LSI-alone were relatively low-cost and focused on exercise and dietary counseling with or without calorie restriction (~1500 kcal/d). Presumably due to differences in cost, LSI-alone trials in newly diagnosed T2D had higher enrollments and longer duration. For established T2D trials, the focus was on arduous phased dietary interventions; phase 1: low-calorie meal replacement (<1000 kcal/day); phase 2: food re-introduction; phase 3: weight maintenance. In short, LSI-alone can induce remission in both newly diagnosed and established T2D. To demonstrate efficacy in Africa, initial trials could focus on newly diagnosed T2D. Insight gained could provide proof of concept and a foundation in Africa on which successful studies of LSI-alone in established T2D could be built.
Introduction: As the prevalence of type 2 diabetes (T2D) in sub-Saharan Africa rises and pharmacological hypoglycemics are often unavailable or prohibitively expensive, the ability to induce T2D remission through medication-free lifestyle interventions (LSI) needs urgent assessment. Objective: This scoping review evaluated trials designed to induce T2D remission by LSI without hypoglycemic medications. Methods: Using a combination of controlled vocabulary terms and key words specific to each database, PubMed, Embase, Cochrane, and CINAHL databases were searched for trials designed induce diabetes remission through LSI alone and were published before September 16, 2021. Of the 928 identified, 63 duplicates were removed. After title and abstract review, 727 irrelevant articles were excluded. After full-text review 112 inappropriate articles were removed. The remaining 26 articles described 16 trials. So each trial would be represented by one article, the latest publication from each trial was included. Of the 16 trials, 7 trials were on newly-diagnosed, treatment-naïve T2D and 9 trials were on established T2D with LSI initiated after discontinuation of medications. Results: The 16 trials were published between 1984 and 2021. They were conducted in 10 different countries. None were conducted in Sub-Saharan Africa. Median number of participants was 180 and 20 for the newly-diagnosed and established T2D respectively. Median duration was 5 years for newly-diagnosed T2D and 5 months for established T2D. For newly-diagnosed T2D, LSI involved dietary counseling with or without calorie restriction (~1500 kcal/d) and exercise. For established T2D trial the main focus was dietary intervention most often divided into 3 phases; Phase 1: low-calorie meal replacement; Phase 2: food re-introduction; and Phase 3: weight maintenance. Median remission rate for the 16 trials was 55%. The consensus across trials was with or without exercise, T2D remission requires diet modification and weight loss. Predictors of remission were: higher BMI and lower A1C at enrollment, shorter T2D at enrolment, and a 10% loss of baseline weight. Nonglycemic benefits of LSI included improved blood pressure, renal function and lipid profile as well as enhanced quality of life. Conclusions: LSI without medications can induce remission in both newly-diagnosed and established T2D. In sub-Saharan Africa, LSI as the initial therapeutic option needs exploration.
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