# Understanding Preferences for Weight Loss Diets Amongst Patients With a Diagnosis of Type 2 Diabetes

## TL;DR

This study explores what factors influence patients with Type 2 Diabetes to prefer certain weight loss diets, aiming to improve patient-centered care.

## Contribution

The study identifies patient characteristics and priorities that predict preference for different weight loss diets, offering insights for personalized dietary advice.

## Key findings

- CLED preference is higher among younger patients and those prioritizing rapid weight loss and reduced medication use.
- ILED preference is linked to valuing dietary flexibility and social compatibility.
- Many patients prefer moderate calorie-restricted or low-carb diets over CLED or ILED.

## Abstract

Weight control is a cornerstone of Type 2 Diabetes (T2D) management. The low‐calorie diet program continuous low energy diets (CLED) is currently offered to patients for remission in the United Kingdom, but this may not suit all patients. Intermittent Low Energy Diets (ILED) may be an alternative approach. This survey explored patient characteristics and dietary choice priorities to predict preference for CLED, ILED, and other diets to inform future patient‐centered advice.

622 participants (> 18 years) with a diagnosis of T2D recruited via a patient volunteer database, social media and the Prolific research register completed an online survey. Demographics, health characteristics, T2D treatment factors and dietary choice priorities were analyzed to predict preference between CLED and ILED. In addition, we explored qualitative reasons why participants were choosing between these two diets as well as other calorie‐restricted diets.

CLED preference was significantly higher among all the < 65 age groups (than those aged > 74), and those who prioritized reduced medicine dependency (1.75 times more likely) and prioritizing speed of weight loss (2.59 times more likely) over improving blood sugar. ILED preference was associated with prioritizing flexibility of food choice (2.73 times more likely) and prioritizing diets which fit in with family meals and social events (2.5 times as likely) over professional support. Content analysis showed that CLED and ILED diets weren't the most popular dietary choice, with more patients expressing preferences for a daily food based moderate calorie‐restricted diet and low carbohydrate diets. Simplicity to follow was a common theme across all diets, demonstrating the importance of ensuring that any prescribed diet has clear and easy instructions.

Patients' dietary preferences are influenced by a range of factors including the outcome and the extent to which the diet will fit into their lifestyles. Understanding patient perspectives about desired dietary outcomes and how they envisage the diet fitting into their lives will enable professionals to provide helpful patient‐centered advice which may increase the likelihood of adherence.

When prescribing diets for patients with type 2 diabetes, it is important that patients' preferences and priorities are considered when finding the diet which is the best fit for them.Simplicity to follow was considered to be important across all diets, so it is important to ensure that diets are accompanied by instructions that are easy to follow.Understanding patient perspectives about desired dietary outcomes and how they envisage the diet fitting into their lives will enable professionals to provide helpful patient‐centered advice which may increase the likelihood of adherence.

When prescribing diets for patients with type 2 diabetes, it is important that patients' preferences and priorities are considered when finding the diet which is the best fit for them.

Simplicity to follow was considered to be important across all diets, so it is important to ensure that diets are accompanied by instructions that are easy to follow.

Understanding patient perspectives about desired dietary outcomes and how they envisage the diet fitting into their lives will enable professionals to provide helpful patient‐centered advice which may increase the likelihood of adherence.