The Study
Long‐term preservation of lean mass and sustained loss of fat mass after completion of an intensive lifestyle intervention in older adults with obesity and type 2 diabetes
This study is like a fair test where people were randomly split into two groups to see what happens with and without a special protein drink during a diet and exercise program. It shows that older adults with diabetes kept off fat and even gained muscle strength months after the program ended.
Analysis score
Maximum 90 for a randomized controlled trial.
Where the score came from
Older adults with obesity and type 2 diabetes went through a 3-month healthy eating and exercise program and were checked again 6 months later to see if they kept the benefits.
Where does this study sit?
Reviews of RCTs (Meta-analyses)
Max 100Randomized Trials
Max 90Reviews of Cohort Studies
Max 85Cohort Studies
Max 72Reviews of Case-Control Studies
Max 63Case-Control Studies
Max 58Cross-Sectional & Case Series
Max 50Expert Opinion
Max 571 / 100
Quality score
Participants are randomly assigned to treatment or control groups, minimizing bias. The gold standard for testing whether an intervention causes an effect.
Key takeaways
Summary
Based on the study abstract and findings.
- 1Yes, the results are meaningful—keeping muscle while losing fat is hard, especially in older adults, but this short program had lasting benefits.
- 2On average, people lost 2.6 kg of fat and gained 0.7 kg of muscle.
- 3They walked faster and got up from chairs more easily, even 6 months after the program ended.
Score breakdown, methodology, conflicts of interest, evidence analysis & raw study data
Publication
Journal
Lifestyle Medicine
Year
2024
Authors
Robert G Memelink, Aveline Hijlkema, Bas Valentin, Martinet T Streppel, Wilrike J Pasman, Suzan Wopereis, Johan de Vogel‐van den Bosch, Michael Tieland, Josje D Schoufour, Ivan Bautmans, Peter JM Weijs
Related Content
Claims (5)
Older adults with obesity and type 2 diabetes who improve their walking speed and leg strength after a 3-month lifestyle program keep those gains for at least 6 more months—even after the program ends.
A 3-month program with diet changes, strength training, and intense workouts helped older adults with obesity and type 2 diabetes lose fat and keep or gain muscle — and those benefits lasted for at least 6 months after the program ended.
If older adults with obesity and type 2 diabetes drink a special protein shake with leucine and vitamin D for 3 months, it might help at first—but the benefits don’t last 6 months after stopping, unless they keep eating lots of protein.
Everyone can lose fat, get stronger, and build muscle with the right diet and exercise — how much they gain might differ, but the ability is there for all of us.
If older adults with obesity and type 2 diabetes go to more of their exercise program sessions, they’re likely to get better at getting up from a chair and feel more active even six months later — going to 20% more sessions means about 1.2 seconds faster on the chair test.
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional before making health decisions.