Jenny Craig Diet Plan Proves Most Effective for Type 2 Diabetes Patients

Type 2 diabetes develops as a result of older age, obesity, and physical inactivity and has tripled since the 1990s. An estimated 79 million U.S. adults have prediabetes, according to data provided by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

A new study conducted by researchers at the University of California, San Diego, found that the Jenny Craig commercial diet plan was more effective for type 2 diabetes patients in terms of losing weight and regulating blood sugar levels than a typical diet. The study was published in the journal Diabetes Care.

Jenny Craig funded the study, but had no part in the data collection, analysis and publication. The diet program's prepackaged foods, menu plans, and access to counselors proved to help those who suffer from the disease. The researchers compiled 227 participants of who were overweight or obese and had type 2 diabetes to engage in the yearlong study.

The first group of 76 participants received "usual care," which is two weight loss counseling sessions and monthly checkups. Only 9% of these participants ended up losing at least 10% of their initial weight and only 8% stopped taking their insulin or cut back on the amount they needed to use.

The second group was issued a lower-fat Jenny Craig diet and the third group received a lower-carbohydrate Jenny Craig diet. These participants received packaged meals, a menu plan, and frequent one-on-one counseling sessions, all of which were provided by the company. 38% of the participants in these groups lost at least 10% of their initial weight and 72% either stopped taking their insulin or reduced the amount needed.

There was also one difference between the Jenny Craig groups: the low-carbohydrate diet proved to provide better blood sugar control in the last three months of the study. And despite the success, health experts want to see a longer study conducted with the diet because it's not a sufficient amount of time to determine whether long-term results could be achieved.