Effects of meal replacement therapy on metabolic outcomes in Thai patients with type 2 diabetes: A randomized controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: A meal replacement (MR) with a low glycemic index (GI) is possibly beneficial for glycemic control. However, the effects of MR on diabetes mellitus have not been studied among Thai patients with type 2 diabetes (T2DM).

AIM: To compare metabolic outcomes between T2DM patients receiving the new MR formula (ONCE PRO) and normal controlled diets.

METHODS: A multicenter, open-labeled, randomized controlled trial was conducted. Eligible patients received either ONCE PRO for one meal daily with controlled diets or only controlled diets for 3 months. The differences in metabolic profile between the baseline and end point of each group and between groups were measured.

RESULTS: 110 participants were enrolled; the mean difference and standard deviation in hemoglobin A1C (HbA1c) (%) from baseline were -0.21 ± 0.78 ( p = 0.060) and -0.27 ± 0.60 ( p = 0.001) in the MR and control groups, respectively; however, there was no significant difference between groups ( p = 0.637). Patients consuming a MR instead of breakfast had a significant decrease in HbA1c ( p = 0.040). Body weight (BW) and body mass index (BMI) were significantly reduced in both groups. There were no significant change in waist circumference, fasting plasma glucose, total cholesterol and triglycerides. Low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) was significantly decreased in the MR group compared with the control group ( p = 0.049).

CONCLUSIONS: Short-term conventional diet control and the low-GI MR product were associated with a decreased BW and BMI. Changes in the other metabolic outcomes, HbA1c, total cholesterol and triglycerides, were comparable despite ONCE PRO as the MR having a better effect on LDL-C lowering.