14th November 2023 is World Diabetes Day, and we’re delighted to share how Slimming World effectively supports members with diabetes to eat well, lose weight and improve their quality of life.
After conducting a survey of members with diabetes, we discovered that members with type 1 or type 2 diabetes find it easy to follow our Food Optimising plan as part of their diabetes management.
Our research also shows that losing weight with Slimming World helps members with type 2 diabetes improve their blood glucose management, reduce or no longer need medications and, for some, reverse their condition altogether.
It works for people with type 1 diabetes, too! Many members report improved blood glucose levels and reductions in medication.
How we help our members with weight loss and diabetes management
In a study of Slimming World members with type 2 diabetes…
- 76% found it easy to follow Food Optimising alongside the dietary advice from their healthcare team
- 81% saw improvements in their blood glucose management
- 61% were able to reduce or stop taking their diabetes medication completely
- 80% reported an improved quality of life
- 51% reported they had reversed their condition
Our members with type 1 diabetes also reported positive benefits to losing weight, with 88% seeing improvements in their blood glucose management.
Kelayne’s story
Kelayne Fannan joined Slimming World the day after her diabetes diagnosis, weighing 21st4lbs. She lost more than 11st and reversed her type 2 diabetes, finding a whole new lease of life along the way! She says:
“When my doctor diagnosed me with type 2 diabetes, he warned that I was heading towards being insulin-dependent, and if I didn’t change my lifestyle it was likely that I’d die young. As a mum of three, that was the wake-up call I needed, and I walked through the doors of a Slimming World group the very next day.
Thinking back to that time, I didn’t care for myself at all. I was eating so many crisps, chocolates and sweets that my skin would have breakouts, and I suffered from crippling migraines. Now I feel completely different. I’m more confident, my skin glows and I’ve gone from having to take four tablets a day for my diabetes to being medication-free!
I’m so proud I’ve reversed my type 2 diabetes by losing weight and eating a healthy, balanced diet. I eat lots of vegetables and fruit and I enjoy trying different Slimming World recipes, like salmon teriyaki or spaghetti bolognese. The support from my Slimming World group each week has helped me to understand that food is nutritious and not something to use in a destructive way.
I’d say to anyone who’s concerned about weight loss and diabetes: Slimming World can help. Losing weight hasn’t just changed my life, it’s saved my life. I’m literally half the person I was when I weighed 21st – I’m 10st 1½lbs and have dropped eight dress sizes from a 26 to a 10. To complete my transformation, last year I had a breast lift and implants, and this April I had a tummy tuck to rid me of my excess skin. I never thought I’d feel my most confident in my 50s, yet here I am, enjoying every moment.”
Watch Kelayne’s video
More support for weight loss with diabetes
If you’re a Slimming World member and you have diabetes, or you’ve been told you’re at risk of developing it, we can help you eat well, be active and lose weight. You’ll find tailored advice for losing weight with type 1, type 2 and pre diabetes in this article.
Our 5-day diabetes menu
We’ve put together a special meal plan, packed with low-carb foods that can support your health and help you manage the symptoms of type 2 diabetes. If you’re a Slimming World member, log into our website and app to see the menu.
Discover two great ways to join Slimming World here
The study polled 268 Slimming World members with diabetes in May 2020 and was published in Archives of Diabetes & Obesity in 2021.
* Results throughout refer to members with type 1 or type 2 diabetes who’d lost at least 10% of their body weight